Benzene. That's the smell that hits you when you step off the plane at
BIAP (Baghdad International Airport). I don't think I've ever smelled
benzene before, but everyone who has deployed here before says that is
the smell that makes them think of Iraq.
The flight from Kuwait to here was on a military aircraft designed more
for shipping mass amounts of cargo and equipment than comfortable
transportation of humans. They packed us in to makeshift rows of
modular airline seats bolted down in the cargo bay and turned on the
heat, or at least that's what it felt like. With all of our gear on, it
wasn't long before we were drenched in sweat which made this flight the
hands down winner of the worst plane ride I have ever taken in my entire
life. Because our flight landed late, we were unable to get transported
over to the holding tents to spend the night at BIAP. Instead of a
comfy army cot to rest my travel weary bones on, a picnic table became
my temporary bed for the remainder of the evening. Chow this morning
was at an Air Force facility and I have to give props where props are
due; the Air Force knows how to keep it's people plump and happy. After
a big fatty meal, we went to the staging area to retrieve our duffles
and rucks.
The ground transport from BIAP to our new home in the IZ was, well, it
was classified. In fact, most interesting events that happen here fall
under the umbrella of the "secret squirrel clause" that the military is
holding over us. I understand about OPSEC and all so maybe these are
stories that I'll keep to myself until one day, many moons from now, I
can sit in my rocking chair on my screened in porch and tell my
grandkids of the zany things their grandfather did in the war.
Regardless of everything, I am here and have only 359 days to go before
I return to the states.
Interesting deployment fact of the day: Light switches in Iraq are
opposite from those in the US. Up means "off" and down means "on".
This takes a little getting use to, especially if the light fixture you
are trying to turn on doesn't have a light bulb in it.
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