Checking In
Hello to all from the world of dust and sand. I'm sorry that its been a while, getting in country proved to be more difficult than we imagined. Its not unlike traveling in South America were a schedule is a suggestion and nothing to be taken seriously. Germany was a short stop and they kept us corralled in a tiny hanger away from the general public but I did manage to buy some $4 water! From Germany we flew to Kuwait and then were bussed to Ali Al Salem Air Base and then bussed to Camp Burhing were we awaited transportation to Iraq. I know I've mentioned this before, sorry.
Oh! and to answer Nata's question: How do they get water in the desert; well Nata the water we drink and use is made in Kuwait from sea water and then trucked to the different bases that need it, but now that I am here in Baghdad, if your Mom or Dad can (Google-earth) Baghdad and look were all the man made lakes are, Uncle Shawn lives very close to the one that looks like the letter Z and that is where we get our water now.
For all the Morinda nuts out there I was visiting with a friend who was stationed at Camp Burhing, and come to find out the husband of the friend was Justin Day from Morinda. It took us a few days to recall where we knew each other from, but as you guessed it, we did. It was great to see him and his wonderful wife so far from home. We had a great time visiting and they are dong well.
Now to the boring stuff. I work in what is called the Central Intelligence Command Information Center here at MND-B (Multi National Division – Baghdad) in a giant amphitheater type room looking down on giant TV monitors everywhere. They show streaming video from the different surveillance cameras around the city. On one hand its all very exciting and there is a large WOW factor to the stuff that goes on in that room, but after a short while the excitement wears off and the reality of what happens out there on the streets hits home. Explosions, fighting ,small arms fire and even death is captured and fed live into that room and its my job to analyze it all through the eyes of what we want or can to release to the public. There are a lot of restrictions and protocols that I work under to do this, and there are things that I can't share but its a daunting job and one that has placed me in the front seat of this war.
I miss my beautiful wife and children but pray they are safe and that I will be with them soon. Well I have waxed long enough today. Now that I can access this blog, I will be sure to write more often.
Be safe,
Shawn
For all the Morinda nuts out there I was visiting with a friend who was stationed at Camp Burhing, and come to find out the husband of the friend was Justin Day from Morinda. It took us a few days to recall where we knew each other from, but as you guessed it, we did. It was great to see him and his wonderful wife so far from home. We had a great time visiting and they are dong well.
Now to the boring stuff. I work in what is called the Central Intelligence Command Information Center here at MND-B (Multi National Division – Baghdad) in a giant amphitheater type room looking down on giant TV monitors everywhere. They show streaming video from the different surveillance cameras around the city. On one hand its all very exciting and there is a large WOW factor to the stuff that goes on in that room, but after a short while the excitement wears off and the reality of what happens out there on the streets hits home. Explosions, fighting ,small arms fire and even death is captured and fed live into that room and its my job to analyze it all through the eyes of what we want or can to release to the public. There are a lot of restrictions and protocols that I work under to do this, and there are things that I can't share but its a daunting job and one that has placed me in the front seat of this war.
I miss my beautiful wife and children but pray they are safe and that I will be with them soon. Well I have waxed long enough today. Now that I can access this blog, I will be sure to write more often.
Be safe,
Shawn
1 comment:
Wow! So you are the filter to the media? Do you get to pick what we see and don't see. Has it been hard emotionally to see some of the things you have?
Jon
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