Day Holy Shit I've been here Fucking Forever

Well all, I know it has been a while but the military has kept me very busy to say the least. In the past month I've traveled around my area of operations and I've seen a lot. Here is a brief overview of some of the things I've experienced.

The members of the various district council throughout Iraq are some of the highest paid officials in the country. The US government subsidizes there salary and they get a decent stipend from the Iraqi government and they collect even more money through the various extortion schemes they all run. With that said every council meeting regardless of which council (I deal with five) opens up the meeting with the same item a vote that they there salaries must be raised. Also I got to witness the first ever vote to concur with the previous vote, which in turn cancelled the previous vote.

As part of the surge the US military has opened these small bases referred to as Joint Security Stations (JSS). To be blunt staying at a JSS just plain sucks. The one I was at was manned by an Infantry Company so in English it means 120 dudes live there. The only entertainment is AFN television. So needless to say when the reality television show the next pussycat dolls came on there were a lot of viewers. Approximately 90 to be exact the rest were on guard duty.

Another way I've known I've been here a while. Now immediately upon walking into the dinning hall I have to a take a dump. Previously I at least needed to taste the food.

Engineers are a commodity in Iraq today I did a favor for one of the infantry units so in return they give me a gift, two high explosive grenades and two fragmentation grenades. Good news honey, thanks to latest supreme court ruling I believe we might have the latest in home defense. We can take out the intruder as well as any thing else within a 5 meter radius ... sweet thank you second amendment.

Almost there ... almost there.

Iraqi Government Translation

If a member of the Iraqi Government complains about "Quality" on my project it means. "Dear, contractor please give me money."

If a member of the Iraqi Government complains about "Security." It means that he is an idiot who can not get the simple task accomplished also he would like some more money from the contractor.

God, I love this fucking country.