Groundhog day

Well...I have completed 1 month out here in the desert. It is starting to get hot- averaging in the 110's over the last few days. I have had the opportunity to fly into Iraq on a C-130 mission last week. The Herk gets a lot of disrespect from a lot of people, but that airplane is a workhorse, and can do just about anything. The base here has about 8000 people on it, and it is getting more populated everyday. The clinic gets pretty busy, especially with people needing immunizations and with small issues like colds and such- the monotony can be excruciating. That situation is worsened by the sea of tan dirt that surrounds us in every direction. If that weren't bad enough, they just painted the inside of some of our buildings tan as well.

I don't mean to sound like a complainer. Most things could be way worse. I spoke with an army sergeant who thanked me as a member of the Air Force for providing such nice facilities, air conditioning, hot food, etc. My squadron is even lucky enough to have dorm rooms with a bathroom that we share only with one other person. Most of the folks here have to live in trailer-type buildings and walk outside to get to large community bathroom/shower facilities. The decision about who lives where has to do with how long you are expected to be here.

In the end, I am settled in here. It feels a lot like being at home station, except I don't get to see my family when I go 'home' at night. I will definitely be ready to come home when it's time.

Happy Easter everyone. I am still waiting on some computer hardware, but soon I will have some actual and recent pictures. I am starting to get settled in around here, but my sleeping schedule is still rather screwy. Besides that, I am learning my way around, and making friends with the guys in the squadron. It's amazing what buying a couple of beers will do to make you popular in some circles. My call sign which was Trigger (after Roy Rogers' horse) has been scrubbed because we already have a Trigger in the squadron. I am told they will have a naming ceremony for me, so I'm trying hard not to do anything too boneheaded.

The challenges of the clinic are managable. For the most part, the air force deploys only their healthiest, so mostly we get minor injuries, occasional rashes and the standard cold and cold symptoms. We see USAF and some Navy aircrew and occasionally British troops in the Flight Medicine Clinic

By next week, I should have logged some flight time with the tankers and/or other support aircraft here. Unfortunately, the B-1 doesn't have a seat for me during combat operations. I can't say much about what they do, but I can tell you that the boots on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan are safer because our guys are in the air, able to drop weapons and provide close air support.

Well, I have been in country for approximately one week, so I thought it would be appropriate to make available my adddress so all of the people that love me can send care packages and other such gifts. Life is pretty good here, though I'm not saying I want to build a summer home here. Madsen decided to begin sitting up by himself within days of my departure, and I'm sure that before I get home in 4 months he'll be walking, talking, and taking some college classes. I have asked Jen to keep me up to date with photos, and I'll post some here when I get them. I certainly intend to post some photos from my experiences here, but I have to wait until I can get a computer to upload the photos to. The government is uptight about attached peripherals.

For my part, I am enjoying my association with the Air Force. I have experienced things that few other will ever get to. I have spun at 9 G's in the centrifuge (think Spies Like Us), felt the lack of oxygen and air pressure at FL 350 (35,000 ft). I have flown in a B-1B and performed a 2.5 G turn at over 500 knots and almost 90 degrees of bank. I also get to wear footie pajamas- without the footies to work every day.

Please write the address as written here without added items like rank or country name.

Mark Rogers

9EBS/MPC

APO, AE 09309