Aquagirl

I have had a good week. I am writing from my CHU, trying to get a little of this week's entry written before I, wait for it..., head to my 11am pedicure! Do I wear combat boots 93% of my awake time? Yes I do, but I am embracing all that is great about life on the NEC (New Embassy Compound) and that includes very inexpensive salon services. I can not tell you how much yet, but my roommate got her eyebrows done for $4, so I think I am in for a bargain. Today is one of my coveted half days so I will not head to work until just before two. It is really, really nice to have some downtime. I did build a schedule on excel, more commonly referred to as a "Battle Rhythm" around here and have posted it above my desk and in my CHU. I got a litte teasing from my office mates for my color shaded masterpiece- they all questioned the need since all we do is work, eat and work-out. This may be true, but my battle rhythm specifically includes M, W, Fri evening spin class, Tue/Thur/Sat pre-dinner workouts, Tue/Thur calls to Noah and Amelia before they head to school, and weekly video chats on Saturday. Plus a big shaded block shows my half day- all things to look forward to, and perhaps a sense of control, since it is MY schedule.

The steep learning curve continues but I had a few solid performances while briefing this past week. I briefed a one star general, a two star general and our incoming one star general. Whereas the first two briefs were on a specific topic, the incoming general's brief was my favorite- I was supposed to provide a very brief overview on Strategic Water but he asked me some specific questions and I really knew the answers. I surprised my boss, my coworkers and myself; definately a boost of confidence. The only person I appeared not to surprise, was Tim, the outgoing Strategic Water Officer, who has had a very generous amount of faith in me from the beginning. Tim left a couple hours after my brief but he was able to overhear while I presented; it was the perfect "final exam" to all he had taught me. I should make it clear that I have so much more to learn, and also want to mention, that I am not the one to solve the complex water issues that the Government of Iraq (GOI) faces. My position requires me to have an solid understanding of their water situation and issues, and then to coordinate with those who have the expertise to address current issues and make the best possible long term (strategic) recommendations.

A little joking around the office about what to call me started out with "water girl" and culminated with "Aquagirl" after Tim discovered that "Aquaman" has a female counterpart. So the picture above now hangs next to my name outside of my cubicle. Because my boss thought my bikini might be a bit racy- my office version wears a little skirt fabricated from a post-it note. I am embracing my new role, and title, with the hope that my efforts can help make a real difference to the people of Iraq. Why would I want to? As our outgoing two star general, MGEN Lanza, said in comments at his farewell yesterday, "I can think of 4416 reasons why..." For me, that was not only a sobering reminder of the ultimate sacrifice so many service members before me have made for this mission, but also one of the most motivating reasons to give my best.

Love,
Krista

p.s. $12 for a pedicure

Water, Water, Water!

I am not much for counting the days but I am amazed that I arrived only eight days ago. While much of this journey has been physically and emotionally challenging, this past week has been mentally exhausting. I am "enrolled" in what feels like a graduate level crash course in all things water. The officer I am relieving has a PHd in Chemistry and finds comfort in things technical in nature. Lucky for me, he also has experience as a college professor and has patiently taught me this week. Inevitably my eyes glaze over and it is a pretty clear indicator that I have reached max capacity. It is not just the amount of information that I am trying to absorb but the amount of time spent learning. I am normally in the office at 7:30am and not "home" until 10pm or later. I am dragging though and eventually I will have to adapt my schedule to something more reasonable. I have gotten a few work-outs in and know that they will be my ticket out of the office. Many of the guys take an extended dinner, leaving between 4:30 and 5:00 and then returning about 7:30 after a workout and chow. The break will make a few more hours in the evening manageable but I am thinking 9:30 will be about it for me. We do get 2 half days a week meaning we come in at 2pm. I am looking forward to building them into my schedule but that has just not been possible during this critical turnover time.

As Strategic Water Officer I am tasked with working with my US Embassy colleague, a Foreign Service Officer, and liaising with Iraqi officials to help ensure that we are supporting the Government of Iraq's efforts to sustain and maximize one of their, and the regions most precious resources- water. This has meant learning a complicated flow chart that diagrams the sources of water, the various dams and canal systems and developing an understanding of the demands for water. Flow rates, dam levels, salinity levels, irrigation systems and why and how water is used to get oil out of the ground- all part of this crash course. Being in the cradle of ancient civilization, I started with a familiarity of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers but the rest is new. What was initially incredibly daunting is starting to make sense, a credit to my teacher and perhaps inevitable with the time we are spending on water. Kind of makes me long for the simpler days lugging around a M16. OK, not really, but I will be happy when I do not feel so mentally taxed!

This week marked a milestone in the war as the last combat brigade departed Iraq. I welcome the next phase, Operation New Dawn, and think it is a symbolic and important step for us and the Iraqi people but also understand that many of the same challenges and dangers exist. We receive regular e-mail blasts highlighting national (Iraqi and American) and international media articles and I thought I would offer a link to one that I felt really captured how it feels to me on the ground. Unfortunately, you will have to cut and paste since I am having trouble with the link function.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/19/AR2010081905642.html?hpid=topnews

Certainly not required reading! For now, I am the one in school...

On a lighter note, I now have a roommate. Raina is an Army Major who is a Public Relations Officer. She is also on her first deployment to Iraq so I have someone to commiserate with as we adjust, and hopefully laugh with in the near future. We spent a little time, before heading to work yesterday morning, moving the lockers around and have divided the room to maximize privacy. I have the sought after back section, meaning I do not have to put up with anyone walking through my section to get to the door. I promise pictures of the CHU soon. If making my bed counts, then the decor project has started. My pre-packed box arrived yesterday and I am thrilled to be sleeping in my new sheets (thanks Cathy!)and under Amelia's old quilt. I also rest my head on MY pillows, and on the sweetest pillow case that Amelia and Mabel made and packed in my first real care package. Speaking of packages, thanks for all your offers. I am honestly not in need of anything. Between the DFAC and the mini exchange on base, I am in really good shape. We do have a shelf in the office that gets restocked as the care packages come in, and I would love to contribute to that sometime but know that I am just fine. If you really want to put something in the mail, a post card or letter would be great. I have designated a "happy" wall in my CHU and would also welcome artwork if your kids, or you, feel like drawing! The walls are all magnetic so it makes it very easy to stick things up. And of course, I continue to appreciate ALL of your prayers, e-mails and blog comments. I wanted to feel connected to home and I really do. Thanks so much. Speaking of home, Noah blew out candles on four separate occasions for his twelth birthday. It pained me to miss it but was so touched by everyone's efforts to make it special.

For security reasons, we are not able to take pictures on the Embassy Compound until applying for, and receiving, a 24 hour photo pass. I have not done that, but I still have a few pictures to share. I am really pleased to post the second picture in the Jones-Henningsen household's Navy Flag series and am also posting a shot of my "Dang it Doll" as requested by Amelia. I threw in a picture of my two favorite battle buddies from Camp McCready, Chief Q and my friend Jason. We were all last together at Camp Victory but this picture was taken on our last night in Kuwait.

Love to all,
Krista

Parade of Homes

I am writing from the comforts of my latest home- CHU 8 in Baghdad, Iraq. I left Kuwait on Wednesday, late morning, and arrived Baghdad in the early afternoon. With the exception of getting rollover training in an MRAP (mine resistant armor plated vehicles) and some culture training, my last few days in Kuwait were spent walking to or from a meal, or relaxing at the USO tent. The USO was very impressive; the tv show Man Cave came over and spruced it all up; it has phone and computer stations, a large library of books, a movie zone and apparent troop favorite: video gaming areas. You would not know you are in a tent- with the exception of not having a bathroom, it is a great place to hang out. I lucked out and was in Kuwait for the monthly camel visit sponsored by the USO. We did not get to know each other well, but I got to climb on and take a short ride. Definately a highlight of my time in Kuwait!

Time for goodbyes, we were being shipped out in groups to Iraq and Afghanistan; my group was comprised of 12 and we were assigned to a C130 to Baghdad. Wearing our Individual Body Armour and helmuts, we took our spots in the netted seats and sat sweating profusely until take off. It cooled a bit at altitude and it appeared that everyone took a little snooze. We had been briefed that we would be doing a combat approach, meaning evasive flying. A wake up tap was passed from passenger to passenger as we tightened our belts and helmuts before descending. I was not looking forward to the descent but it was not as bad as I had imagined it to be. Throughout this process, I seem to build things up and then find myself relieved at the end of each evolution. It seems to be a new character trait I am developing; not one I am proud of. Back to the approach...I came to realize that a little dive was coming when the engines were pulled back. Getting a handle on that allowed me to predict a sudden movement and that made it better. It was also the first time I thought to consider discouraging my children from joining the military. And then we landed, I took a deep breath and relaxed.

We shuttled to Camp Victory which runs alongside the airport and headed to our newest temporary lodging, more tents. We only stayed two nights; just long enough to get a brief from the Navy staff and to get our final leg of travel sorted. Camp Victory is on, in and around Saddam Hussein's palace. To be perfectly honest, I did not like being there and meeting in one of his former buildings. I know there are many practical reasons for why we are based there, and I am sure it will be turned over one day, but it just seems like a great opportunity for the insurgents to portray us as occupiers, instead of partners. I could not imagine Americans standing for it if the situation were reversed. Just my take. On a more trivial note, the decor in the building was kind of french oppulent with some persian mosaic thrown in. Huge chrystal chandeliers, damask wallpaper and lots of gold trim. In addition to the fixtures and wallcoverings, some original furniture remains and that was interesting for me.

On Friday, I loaded up my seabags, I was both excited and nervous to head to my final destination. It is not a long trip but requires a MRAP convoy outside the wire (off base.) I was comforted remembering that one of our Drill Sergeants said the first convoy is always the worst, but also annoyed to find myself imagining every worst case scenerio. Not only was it Friday the 13th, not lost on any of us travelling that day, but for me it was also Noah's birthday. I just could not help but think that would be a really bad Mom move to ruin his birthday for life. I did not know anyone in my truck but if the soldier across from me would have reached out- I would have held his hand in a second. I think it is time for you to reconsider including the word "brave" in the comments section! The convoy commander, gunner and driver were as professional as could be and clearly knew their jobs and route, inside and out. More deep breaths after arriving, unharnessing and disembarking.

I have been here just over a day. The compound is very nice and with the exception of the scattered mortar shelters, it looks like a mini college campus. I do not know the numbers, but it appears civilians outnumber military and that is refreshing. I will wait for next week to describe my job to you but my title is Strategic Water Officer. This for a girl who generally does not even like water unless it has been processed into a Diet Coke. Out of the 96 in my class at Camp McCready, three of us are assigned here. We are considered very lucky as it is generally acknowledged that the Embassy has the best of everything. My container housing unit (CHU) is right next to the bathroom, literally the next door down, and I do not currently have a roommate. My sponsor was kind enough to have my key waiting and even turned on the a/c in advance of my arrival. Definately an improvement in living conditions. I am looking forward to doing a little decorating and making it my home away from home.

I got most of the orientation and initial adminstrative things done at work today and got the internet activated in my CHU. I look forward to staying in touch and am so grateful for the ability to communicate easily.
You can now reach me by mail too. My address is:


CDR Krista P. Sturbois
PSC 2042 Unit 42
APO AE 09870-2042

Love Krista

Farewells and First Impressions

After a long journey, I arrived safely Kuwait. But let me start by sharing a bit about my final days at Camp McCready. We had three days of training remaining since I last wrote. The last three days dragged a bit (or at least I did) but we got in one more live fire with the M16, some field classes and long classroom sessions on IEDs. All of this culminated in what felt like a final exam- a convoy operation complete with controlled explosions and dummy rounds. We were split into convoys by platoon and then broken into six humvees. I was the driver for our humvee and felt very comfortable in that role. We were asked to maintain 25 meters between vehicles so I just imagined looking across the pool at a swim meet and kept that distance. Thanks Amelia! We also had to ensure good communication between the vehicles and keep good situational awareness of what was going on around us; these were skills I arrived with so it was nice to feel comfortable for a change. Our convoy managed quite well and we all left feeling good about our last exercise.

That ended our official training but we mustered for one last time the following morning at 0515, had our M16's inspected for cleanliness (mine was not as clean as expected, hence more cleaning...I thought it was clean) and then lugged all our seabags (four) out to load-up for the airport. We then had a couple of hours before loading the buses, finally a little time to relax.

As I waited, I detected an unsettled feeling within me but I tried not to focus on it. We loaded up the buses and just before we pulled out I noticed that we had motorcycle escorts comprised primarily of Vietnam era gentleman. They and their motorcycles were decked out patriotically, one motorcycle flew the USN flag and the USA flag behind it. I was done for; the sweetness of the gesture and the respect for what we do and where we were headed was just too much. My eyes filled repeatedly as I tried not to let the tears spill. Maybe one or two did but I mostly held it together.

We arrived at Columbia Airport and were escorted to a hangar bay where an Army unit was already mustered and a farewell sendoff was set-up. Members of Boys Scouts, Blue Star Mothers of America (Midlands Chapter 1,) American Legion Family and members of the USO had all gathered to send us off. They gave us lunch, treats for the plane, pocket flags to remind us of home. Women representing Operation Military Stress Relief Dolls offered us Dang-it Dolls; dolls that are handmade and meant to, well, bang it while yelling dang-it! They look a little like large voodoo dolls but are clearly made with love; I chose one with an adorable print but you could choose one with your favorite football team fabric or from many other patterns. The ladies shared with me that their group has made 47,000 of these dolls. The warmth and caring was overwhelming but I appreciated it and enjoyed saying thank you and sharing pictures of my family that I carry in my sleeve pocket. I have included a photo of the first group to board the plane, I captured it shortly before I headed out the hangar. The gauntlet of well wishers was longer than captured in the picture. Everyone shook my hand, patted my back or gave me a hug. I almost made it to the end before it was just too much. More tears but also a profound appreciation for their generosity.

I boarded the chartered 767-300(coincidentally, Adam's aircraft) and was surprised to see that there was a small business class section. Based on my rank, I was directed to it. I had prepared myself for a very long trip in coach but was honestly quite delighted to sink in the seat and take a few deep breaths. We stopped in Bangor, Maine for a crew change and were treated to more hospitality by the Maine Troop Greeters. I have been told that they have been featured on CNN, I can not remember the exact number but they have welcomed over a million military members since their founding. More kind people with cell phones available to use; that meant I could say goodbye to the kids and Adam one last time before making the trip across the Atlantic. It was quite an emotional day.

Next stop was Leipzig, Germany. We had a three hour layover to allow for a crew swap before our final five hour leg to Kuwait City, Kuwait. We arrived in Kuwait in the afternoon. The pilot had told us the temperature was 115 degrees Fahrenheit so I prepared myself for the hot air. It was like an oven. We were quickly shuttled onto buses and after a short delay, made the trip to Camp Virginia. We were quickly driving in barren land, on a two way road that felt like it went no where. A highlight was spotting camels in the distance shortly before arriving at Camp Virginia. Camp Virginia is an entry point for those going forward to Iraq and Afghanistan. The time is used for a little training and acclimatization to the heat and time zone. It is not a permanent base and the plan is that we will leave no trace when we depart. For this reason, nothing is plumbed or wired; the base operates on generators and solar power, and portable showers and toilets. There is a constant hum of generators here; I always think a helicopter is landing nearby. The building are temporary, mostly trailers or tents that can be removed. Gone are my Cabana days at Camp McCready, I am on an army cot with my army issued sleep system (that's army speak for sleeping bag) but it is air conditioned in the tent so it is just fine with me.

Shortly after we arrived they brought us in for a brief and covered the hazards of life in the desert; scorpions, snakes, spiders and gila monsters. But so far the most dangerous thing I have run into is the dessert section at the dining facility (DFAC). No pictures allowed in the DFAC but picture a glassed dessert case with carrot cake, chocolate cake, cheesecake, pumpkin pie and trays of cookies. Next to that- the most dangerous part of all: six flavors of Baskin Robbins ice cream in the big containers just like the store. This middle eastern vacation includes complimentary "all you can eat" dining- yikes. Admittedly I enjoyed a scoop of Pralines and Cream on that first night but I pledged to my fellow diners that I would only get dessert once a week. All agreed that some restraint was going to be needed in the DFAC. Fortunately the DFAC is about a 15 minute walk from my tent so there is also some exercise worked into the day but given the heat- that is about all I can manage right now.

Well, I think that is enough. I will share more about the base in my next update (with pictures) but leave you with the knowledge that I am safe, well fed and sleeping soundly in the air conditioning. Hoping you all are enjoying the final weeks of summer and, as always, thank you for your support.

Up With the Stars

With protection like this (BM3 Green,) who needs guns!

Having fun shooting the 50 Cal with Drill Sgt Soesbee.

The M249 with Drill Sgt Toms, he really helped me with the M16 too.

Breakfast at the DFAC. Cereal and fruit around the corner.

Gear loose after a little more sleep on the bus, always gotta have the guns.

Hard to believe, but I am just 3 training days away from being done with my training at Camp McCrady. This past week, we mustered under the stars each morning at 0515. On Tuesday morning I commented to my housemate how normal it felt to be in full gear headed to the drill deck in the dark. I know I am a morning person but come on- how could that feel normal? After muster we either headed to the Dining Facility or classroom for a quick breakfast and then loaded the buses for the ranges at Ft Jackson. We normally stepped off the buses at sunrise.


Monday was a normal day at the range shooting the 9mm and a little classroom training. But the rest of this weeks training was hindered by two consecutive evening's violent thunderstorms. We had completed our training for the day by the time the storms rolled through but arrived at the range the following mornings to find the power out. We do not always need power at the range to shoot, but for those two specific days we were scheduled to shoot live rounds with the M16 at pop-up targets between 25 and 300 meters that require computerized support. On Tuesday the instructors improvised and we held classroom training in the field. The range came back up just before noon and we were able to go ahead with the live fire. Already feeling pretty hot and worn out by the time I fired, Tuesday was painful day for me. Wearing full gear and shooting from three positions, I really struggled with moving and re-sighting between the targets. That and my M16 kept slipping off my shoulder so I ended up taking the recoil to my bicep for 80 rounds. I left the range exhausted and have been sporting a nasty arm bruise ever since. The good news is that I sought help and Drill Sergeant Toms patiently worked with me. He showed me how to pull my IBA over a bit so I could put the butt of the rifle in my shoulder pocket and also taught me to slightly move my hips so I could smoothly transition between targets. On Wednesday the range did not come back up, but I put his instruction to good use on Thursday and had a much better performance. And no more hits to the bicep! Alpha Company remained good natured through the disruptions to our schedule and by Friday we were back on track.

If this were camp, then Friday was our special field trip. We headed to a cool range to shoot the big fully automatic machine guns: the 50 Cal, the M249 and the M240B complete with tracer rounds. With the exception of the hearing damage I probably incurred (with hearing protection,) even I thought it was pretty fun. Mostly due to the unbridled enthusiasm of our normally reserved Drill Sergeants. Even they were loving it. I have included a picture of me shooting the 50 Cal. with Drill Sergeant Soesbee- both of us smiling with rounds headed downrange. The accuracy and range of the weapons was pretty astounding. Again, more "just in case" training.

We finished the week with classroom training Friday afternoon and were done by noon on Saturday with indoor M16/9mm shooting (pneumatic weapons) that included simulated night time fire. Although it was full gear, as has become the norm, it was in air conditioning and even those waiting outdoors were treated to rare cloud coverage. Moods were elevated as everyone prepared to scatter on liberty. Many chose to get a room out in town but I have remained in what I refer to as my bungalow. I did head to Walmart (I know, pathetic) and saw Dinner for Schmucks (less pathetic, and funny) with a classmate. Today I did laundry and will head out later for a group dinner. I am happy to have some free time to catch up on correspondence and maybe even take a nap. Thanks so much for the e-mails and blog comments. I really look forward to getting on the computer at the end of the day. During the storms the internet was down for two days, it was a bummer.

Although the last day of training is Wednesday, we will find out tomorrow when we fly out. I am looking forward to getting boots on ground and starting my counter. Depending when we travel, my next blog post may get thrown off a bit but I will continue to aim for a Sunday update.

Love to all at home, and thanks again for keeping in touch!