Communication Slowdown

In an ill-timed mishap, apparently a trans-atlantic communication cable was damaged. The result was that the base, along with the entire AOR restricted internet use on official computers to official business only: i.e. no ".com" websites. So in order to check email I have to come to the cyber cafe. This also affects the DSN phone lines, so I cannot call home during my off time at work, only from the cyber cafe. Other communication slowdowns have been from the US to here. I have been trying to ask my squadron about the exact date I will return home, as well as trying to plan ahead for taking some vacation time, but have not heard back on either. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it somehow has to do with the damaged cable...

Less Flying... More Logistics...

Now that I've been here for long enough to not be worried about how to do the actual procedure for launching or landing a Predator, a new set of challenges has come up: logistics. For the last week or so, it has been a constant game of trying to figure out the logistics of running the show. Every day I come to work hoping that everything will go as scheduled, and without fail, something always happens that throws a wrench into the plan. A few nights ago, for example, I took off and handed over a plane, no problems. Then, as I was getting set up for the next one, the plane I had just handed off had a major maintenance problem and needed to come home immediately. So I gave stopped the start-up sequence I was in the middle of, and gave that to the newer guy on my shift. I went and quickly got set up to take back the malfunctioning airplane and set up for my emergency landing. While all the was going on, the leadership at the planning level was asking me when they could expect a relaunch for this airplane, and the maintenance people were asking me what was wrong with the plane and telling me how long it would take to fix. After I safely landed the plane, we had to figure out the flow of how we would get the rest of the airplanes airborne that were still scheduled for that night, as well as the relaunch of the malfunctioning airplane, not to mention the airplanes that were airborne and needed to land. So it seems like my job is less like being a pilot, and more like being a logistician.

The Halfway Point

Well I am about halfway through the deployment now. I am pretty comfortable with doing the daily operations in the squadron. I have been an operations supervisor for about a month and just trained a new guy to be an operations supervisor, too. There is going to be a big swap of people as some guys move out and go home while their replacements show up. Among these replacements is a good friend of mine. I worked my magic to have us be roommates and also work the same shift. So I think the last half of the deployment will be even better, and will also, therefore, pass as quickly, if not faster.

My general impressions thus far: Iraq is not too bad. This base is very nice, and has a lot of things that make quality of life pretty good. My job is easy, although I wish I were doing something else (i.e. actually flying). And I am making pretty decent money while out here. Obviously the big drawback is being away from Jen (as well as everyone else) for 4 months, but all in all, I have a positive view of this deployment so far.