Email from Iraq

[JIM KILL]

THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THIS FROM A FRIEND OF MINE IN IRAQ.
Jim

Received: Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:52 AM
Subject: KOV Iraqi Campaign

Jim:
Well I did it. I’m here and trying to get to work. All is well and the family tells me they’re doing fine as well. I hope to send regular updates and a few pics maybe.

I’m currently in a temporary tent with ten other guys. It is terrible living conditions but sandstorms here have kept the helicopters grounded so me and two other guys need to wait till later this week to take a ground convoy into my final destination of Forward Operating Base Shield. I am in Bagdad but stuck in the IZ (International zone). I’ve been going all over place to get paperwork done, getting passes, and generally just looking like a dork that’s lost. Really want to get to FOB Shield. Hopefully that won’t be long.

I dropped my laptop the other day and cracked the case but it still seems to be working well. Crossing my fingers for now! They have a tent we call the Café that has internet and a TV hooked up to Armed Forces Network. (AFN) AFN is about two or three year old shows and all the commercials are Govt propaganda on steroids. They really preach a lot. This place is a real trip. Most people live in small temporary trailers stacked by twos. The Iraqi buildings in the IZ are not being rebuilt. When we leave it will be easy to erase the fact we were ever here. Except for the demolished buildings. I have been in the IZ for three days now and have only heard 2 attacks and nothing that’s been close but a month ago people tell me it was real sporty with an attack every couple of min. All the big buildings show signs of the bombing (Our initial bombing and their mortar and rocket attacks). No since in rebuilding until hostilities are under control. There is A LOT of dirt and its so fine it gets past the air conditioners and into your offices, living quarters, just about everywhere. The dust storms have held the sun at bay which is good because standing outside is like standing in a blow-dryer. Went to the old US Embassy for a briefing and this building is amazing. Its a Saddam palace that was not bombed. The rooms are three or four stories tall and all covered in intricate marble and murals of his conquests over the Iranians. The place is crawling with all sorts of people and more women than I thought I would see (These ladies due their gender justice; I’m a bit of a chauvinist and I’ve been quite impressed). Civilian and Military. The department I’m in MNSTC-I (called Men-Sticky) is brought together from all over the world and from all over the services and a lot of experienced contractors. It’s quite a collection. British, Australian, Swiss, Italian, Japanese, Georgian, Peruvian, and of course Iraqi & American. Haven’t seen any of Iraq outside the IZ yet but Ill let you know how it looks later. I’ll try to send more details soon.

If you were wondering what work I’m doing over here the attached website will help explain it.

This is the command I’m working for and if you follow the bottom link to the Ministry of Interior TT link it explains a little of the exact office I’m working in.

http://www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil/

Chuck Slaven
Contractor

MNSTC-I MoI TT (FOB Shield)

Bagdad, Iraq

Email: cwslav@msn.com

[Pres712]

Jim: Thank you for sharing!!! I hope everyone reads this; we need to understand what is going on over there and letters from the guys on the scene help. My step-son has two tours over there but he was flying C-130's and doesn't really like to share. Try to think about sharing a tent with 9 other guys! And probably not air conditioned! The last I heard it was in the 100's there and as he pointed out, sand everywhere!

Please keep his e-mails coming? I for one would read every one of them.

[ynkedad]

Originally Posted by Pres712

Jim: Thank you for sharing!!!
Please keep his e-mails coming? I for one would read every one of them.

Keep them coming.

[JIM KILL]

TUESDAY JULY 3, 2008


I finally made it to my final destination. The armored convoy over here was cool!
We had two fully armored Humvees in front and rear while I rode in the Big Black
Armored GMC SUVs in the middle. Yes; just like you see in the movies...
We rode about 40 min into some really crappy areas with lights flashing,
horns blaring and everybody moved the hell out the way.
We moved into FOB Shield which just happens to be right next to SADR City.
Yes; that Sadr City.... I like my roommate. He is a corrections officer, there’s a prison & a corrections
officer's school as well as the BPC (Bagdad Police College) here on the FOB.
His name is Keilan; he’s about a 325lb black guy from Washington State
that nobody would mess with. Not militant but definitely looks seriously mean,
he's actually a family guy. We seem to be well matched so far.
My room is a dorm set up; two to a room and the communal bath is at the end of the bldg.
This place is crawling with a very diverse set of folks. First are the mentors,
all well seasoned (old) office dwelling types trying to move the
Iraqis along the road to self reliance.
Very Multinational crowd but mostly from Britain and the US.
All older than me and it's the group I work in so I feel ahead of the curve.
I sit right next to Lea (said LEE)Billingsly.
He is another intense 300lb black guy but he's an ex cop so were evenly matched.
I did get to meet the Iraqi General I’m mentoring already;
his name is Major General Jassim. Seems like a decent guy
but I need to get a better feel for the place and people before
I start to form opinions. Next group is the Army.
We have a unit that does patrols of the area (Sadr City)
They are all armed to the teeth and ride around on Humvees
or these big new vehicles called MRAPS.
Ill try to get a picture of one and sent it over.
They are so young, just kids really. Third is the Ugandans,
they do the FOB site security. Hired by a security firm at half the price
US guards would cost. Really nice guys very polite and very happy.
Fourth is the personal security folks I work with,
the military pulled cops from every uniformed service to
perform personal security for us while were in the MOI Bldg
which is off the FOB. We all have radios and guns to defend
ourselves but these guys can bring the pain in a hurry if need be.
Fifth are the Police and Corrections trainers.
They contracted cops from all over US to come and train the Iraqi police.
These guys are more my speed and more my age.
We work different hours though. They work from 5AM to about 3:30PM.
(The sun comes up at 4:30 AM around here.)I work from 8:30 to about 8:30.
Lastly we’ve got the EDOT guys; these are all South Africans (
white, big & mean) they do security for the British, Auzzies,
and South Africans. They are all former Special Ops types and it shows.
They drive these silly looking lime green trucks though. It’s funny.
The Forward Operating Base or “FOB” itself is small; the local PX
is a part time convenience store that only operates when people
volunteer to work it. The gym is top notch, apparently the Air Force
SP security guys "acquired" two trailers full of new equipment
and gave it to the FOB and the Mayor (that’s the officer
who is responsible for amenities and maintenance) isn’t
saying a word to anybody. All in all it’s not too bad; it’s not nice...
but not too bad. Its coming up on the 4th of July.
And the local bad guys always treat us real special and
help us celebrate by setting off a few rockets, mortars,
and such. Looks to be real sporty for a day or two.
Starting to get a feel for the lifestyle again.
Spent some time at the firing range this week as well as
the daily convoys to the Ministry of Interior Building to keep me on my toes.
We have been getting these severe dust storms.
They actually hold off the heat because they blot out the sun.
And the dirt in the air is so fine it gets into your lungs and chokes you.
I walk around the base wearing goggles and a balaclava to cover my mouth.
Ive attached a few pics of the stuff around base.
There isnt much to see except for big deadly machines.
Enjoy… Ill write more soon..

http://www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil/

Chuck Slaven
Mentor / Contractor
MNSTC-I MoI TT (FOB Shield)
Bagdad, Iraq

EMAIL: cwslav@msn.com

SEND HIM AN EMAIL WITH YOUR SUPPORT!!

[MRS. XTREME]

Chuck Slaven
Mentor / Contractor
MNSTC-I MoI TT (FOB Shield)
Bagdad, Iraq

EMAIL: cwslav@msn.com

SEND HIM AN EMAIL WITH YOUR SUPPORT!!


DONE !!!!

[C5Rick]

I didn't know what to say when Jim first posted this. Should communications from the Sand Box or such areas be made public, especially ones from military members containing information about locations, and troop numbers / names or am I just paranoid ?

[Yellow]

Jim,

Thanks for posting, I am sure he can use words of encouragement.

[donzee]

I thought the same thing when my son arrived in the armpit of the world,
but I think we should worry more about whats in the Washington Post, NY Times, and the rest of the news media, instead of letters form the folks trying to maintain their sanity.

[JIM KILL]

Originally Posted by C5Rick

I didn't know what to say when Jim first posted this. Should communications from the Sand Box or such areas be made public, especially ones from military members containing information about locations, and troop numbers / names or am I just paranoid ?

All this has been cleared already by Military per Chuck.
Jim

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by JIM KILL

All this has been cleared already by Military per Chuck.
Jim

There ya go (kinda figured as much )