TOURS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Deployments in the middle east shots out to all the troops serving I feel your pain. After twenty plus years I can enjoy sitting back knowing I contributed to the freedom that all Americans share. Fighting the war on terrorism led me to Saudi Arabia twice, Kuwait , krygistan, and Iraq once. I spent many lonely nights away from my love ones. And I'd often ask myself; is this worth it?

My first trip to Saudi was a vacation Eskan Village. We had running water, individual rooms with plush beds, kitchens and bathrooms with flush toilets. Not much action there mostly guarding intelligence facilities and personnel. Some referred to it as the Betty Ford clinic and man I thought I had it made. This tour is a cake walk, and it was.

My next trip to Saudi was worse and I knew uncle Sam's Mister Rogers approach was over. Princes Sultan Air Base, Tent City USA should have been the name. A cart for a bed, out door Port-O-Johns for toilets, and a public shower tent. The work wasn't to hard, long hours and not much to do after I got off. My most exciting day, my fire teams and I were coming back from lunch when we noticed alot of dust a head. As we approached we notice a HMWV flipped over and two troops lying in the desert sand. I got out and immediately took charge; I radioed for medical and fire support. Everybody began to panic when the HMWV started leaking gas and smoldering. One troop was crying and conscience and didn't have many visible injuries; the other troop was in shock with a golf ball size lump on his fore head. His pulse and breathing were very rapid, sure sign of internal bleeding. He being African American it was hard to be sure so I had to use the pinch his finger tips test, if the color was dark he had internal injury, if the color was bright pink, he was ok. I confirmed the results with the medical troop who had responded and took over. I later found out sure enough the guy did have internal injury and was flown the Germany.*When your on the battlefield and the clocks ticking, your instinct and training are what you depend on.

Next, Al Jaber Kuwait, who could have trained for this. Guarding the International Airport I have two words that would describe it other than the long hours; boring and dull. A few times I thought I saw Bin Laden, even though at the time Saddam Hussein was the major target then, I think. Well, life was going along and then BAM! The day that will live forever, 911. I didn't know what to think. The worse thing was noticing the TCNs (third country nationals )huddled up making loud jokes and pointing at curtain people. Man, I said to myself somebody F'd up. The TCNs for their protection should be guarded or prohibited from coming on base. On day a pilot and I shared this concept and agreed, somebody F'd up. A few days later it was announced the TCNs would not be allowed on base temporarily. I knew as soon as they said we would have to do their jobs, the barment wouldn't last. Coming home after 911 was very scary, so many thoughts went through my mind. Fear really struck as we landed in BWI. The news media was there and asked my opinion of how 911 had effected me, I told them the truth. That the American people was not and will never be prepared for something like that. There is no way to know who can fly a plane prior to them boarding.

Next, Krygyzstan a small province 90 miles from Russia. Man talking about an eye sore, I never seen poverty like that. Kids sleeping out side the main gate, kids missing all or part of their limbs from frost bite. When I'd ask where are your parents they'd usually respond with vodka, vodka. I found out that Vodka meant their parents were drunks and didn't care. Downtown Kyrgistan was nice the people seemed friendly enough and like any other city the street merchants are out to get you. The work was the same as usual, except we worked with about 7 different nationalities. Mostly EPAF (European Protection Air Forces), some of those guys were really squarded away. They had the latest antiterrorism weapons, equipment and I heard their training was more advanced. Kyrgyzstan was fun and the two drink a day alcohol policy really help me make though the long hours.

Finally, Balad Air Base Iraq. Constant bombardment daily we were mortared and rocketed so much I thought they had the bombs on a timer. Between 6 and 8 am and between 6 and 8 pm. Two days after arriving tent city got hit. I was in the bathroom when the alarm red siren sounded, stranded there for hours. When the all clear sounded I return to my tent and found out that Delta 14 a tent on our row got hit. People were running around screaming and shouting.

Guys from my tent posted security at ground zero, and later told us that one CE (Civil Engineer) troop was killed and two others suffered minor injuries. Two days in country and one hundred and seventy eight to go, damn! The bombing continued as the casualties and fatalities mounted and we mourned. The scariest moment was lying in your tent trying to sleep during alarm red.

I could hear the rockets or mortars whistle a few feet over head before hitting something ; all you could do is cross your fingers, and hope your tent wouldn't get hit. The Army soldiers posted on the perimeter got into numerous small arms fire fights all through the nights; sometimes until dawn. The next day we'd travel along the perimeter and see the bullet riddled guard towers and adjacent facilities.The closest I'd come to getting hit by indirect fire was about 50 feet. Working a entry control post to the flight line, I and two other troops from other bases got pinned in our gate shack.

The bombs were raining in, we saw them flying through the air like a football someone had threw. While I was calling in our Sit Rep (Situation Report) I'd to get confirmation and from the corner of my eyes I saw the brightest flash I'd ever seen along with a belly aching earth shaking explosion. Damn, what the hell. The other troops starting shouting and screaming, " we got to get out of here serg" all I could say was and go where? No place was a safe haven. I must have thought of every thing I had did wrong in those few seconds.

Being a Pilot of a UAV (Unmanned aerial Vehicle) I got a chance to gather lots of (intel) and heard other squadrons reports. One night while conducting routine flying missions we fell under attack. Our supervisor gave the order to set an azimuth over a village he had conducted raids in and it was known for terrorist activity. Flying with our cameras on white hot, or IR (infrared Red) we observe two males standing on a street next to a vehicle with a hot engine. Our supervisor advised us that the vill (village) was under curfew and nobody should be out on the streets. We orbited the area for about five minutes when one of the locals started to run.

The OIC (Officer in Charge) radioed in our Sit. Rep. to the BCT (Battle Combat Team). They ordered us to descend to 100 feet AGL (Above Ground Level) and return. The Army's Chinook fleets were flying in to take over. My team and I set a course back to base. A few days later at the BCT meeting my team and I found out that the (intel) we provided led to a few arrests.

PS: Hopefully that was my last deployment as a pilot and troop.....