Our Awesome Little Clinic in Bagram

This is our clinic.  Our prime contractor has been amazingly accommodating and has made us feel right at home here.  They have made sure that we have everything we need and have bent over backwards to get us set up in a great location with great equipment.  The carpentry shop here on the compound has been working over time to build everything we need to have a full-fledged clinic.  They have built cabinets with plexiglass doors for the exam room,  a reception desk and benches for the waiting room and even an exam bed--from a picture no less! I am quite proud of our little clinic and I can't wait to see the one that I will be working from in Kandahar.

There is only one down side to being on an airbase.  The F-15 Strike Eagles fly several missions a day, taking off only a few hundreds of meters away.  This of course halts all conversation in the clinic while we wait for our tables to stop shaking and our hearing to come back.  I once thought diesel engine and road noise in the back of an ambulance were the loudest sounds to interfere with taking a blood pressure.  However, an F-15 definitely trumps them.

Its a short commute to work every day.  

The 20' white building is where the medical staff lives.

Closer view of our clinic.

Our exam room / PA office.

The guys in the carpentry shop built our exam table from 

scratch with no plans and only a picture from the internet to go off of. 

They even upholstered it themselves.  

 Pretty  darn good job!

Our waiting room and reception area.  The benches are going to 

be upholstered soon.  They came and measured for cushions today.

First Report From Afghanistan

I've been in A-stan for a few days now and haven't had time until now to post anything about it.  Currently, I'm at Bagram Airforce Base.  Afghanistan is definitely a different animal than Iraq.  Afghanistan has mountains, for one.  Also, my limited Arabic skill seem lost on the mostly Indian population here in the AECOM compound.  I wonder why that is?  Hm......  The DFAC is good.  The weather here gets cold enough to require a jacket and watch cap to walk to dinner or the bathroom at night, but gets warm enough during the day to open the windows and door and let the clinic air out.

Mountains coming into Afghanistan.

The sun coming up over the mountains this morning.

Driving down mainstreet BAF.

Random Shot.

Some housing units.

Driving to the PX.

Bombed and abandoned buildings.

More destroyed buildings.

Russian built bunker from the last invasion of Afghanistan.

Life goes on for this shepherd tending his flock.

Dubai

I and M.M. transitioned through Dubai on our way to Afghanistan.  Flying into Dubai brought up a lot of mixed feelings.  In some ways, it was like coming home again to be back in an Arabic country, hearing Arabic and seeing road signs in two different languages felt a little like visiting your old high school 10 years later.  It was familiar, but all together different.  We knew the customs a little bit more and were able to navigate in a foreign country easier this time.  However, it was a little bittersweet, as we had left our families on Christmas Day, not to see them again for many months.

Dubai is much cleaner than Kuwait.  Whereas Kuwaiti streets are lined with refuse, and it is commonplace to witness littering on a massive scale, Dubai streets are spotless and everyone seems to keep their trash in their cars.  The use of TCNs for service work is as pervasive in Dubai as Kuwait.  At least when Dubai runs out of oil, they still will have a shopping mall with a ski slope and plenty of land in the mostly unsettled Palm Islands to sell.

We stayed at the Al Bustan Apartments Hotel.  After seeing the expansive lobby with faux marble pillars and floors, I was excited to see our rooms.  Visions of whirlpool tubs and King sized beds with fluffy comforters flashed through my head.  I was mostly disappointed.  I got a somewhat fluffy comforter with only a few lumps, a standard shower and a bed whose size I can only call "European."

M.M. and I decided against fast food for dinner and after a 40 Dhs. ($11-12) taxi ride, we arrived downtown where we were visually assaulted by the amazing amount of restaurant choices.  Initially, we sat down at what we thought was Lebanese, but turned out to be what I now believe to be the "McDonalds" of Lebanese food.  Our taxi driver had remarked that there was an Iranian place down the street from where he dropped us off  that was "famous in Dubai."  I figured a Pakistani guy driving a taxi in an Arab country probably knows good Persian food when he eats it, so we made an executive decision to track down this Restaurant Sadaf.

We found it shortly after and proceeded to gorge ourselves on all manner of delightful Iranian delicacies.  I'm sure there is a difference between Iranian and Lebanese, but it is lost on me.

Our bellies full, we hailed a cab and rolled ourselves into our beds for a quick nap before departing for Afghanistan.  

The lobby that caused the excitement.....

.....and the room that let me down.  $229 just doesn't buy what it used to.

Outside of our hotel.  Sorry so blurry, I couldn't fit 

the tripod into my backpack!

Leaving Dubai.  The super skinny tower on the left side of the group of

buildings in the center is currently the tallest building in the world.

Facebook Deactivated

For anyone concerned, I have deactivated my Facebook page for the duration of my tour in Afghanistan.  I won't be able to access it due to network restrictions on my base.  Anyone who wants to get in touch with me, please email medicevans at gmail dot com.  Of course, use @ and . instead of the words.  Thanks.

Considering a career in overseas contracting....read this first!

This is a letter that was given to me by another contractor a few months ago.  It has some good information to consider before accepting a job in overseas contracting.  Take these suggestions with a grain of salt.  If you follow them to the letter, you will make your transition into contracting rougher on yourself.  Basically, stand up for yourself, but do it diplomatically.  I don't know the original author, but thanks to whomever he is.    

E.U.L.’s Rules/Guidelines/suggestions for contractors/mercenaries and those who wish to be.

Greetings! E.U.L. here to give all you “contractors”, “mercenaries” and those contemplating that “career change” some – “take it with a grain of salt” - rules, guidelines and/or suggestions pertaining to hiring on with a PMC (Private Military Company) PSC (Private Security Company) or such.

I spent my military career in Special Forces and Intelligence. Gave “Uncle” 20 years and got out. I have been “Contracting” since 1993. I have worked for what are considered the “Industry Standards” all the way down to the “Fast Money” boys. I have been taken care of and pampered by those who “take this stuff seriously”, to being abandoned in place (and because of that, almost thrown in a Middle Eastern jail…) by a company who went bankrupt smack dab in the middle of the contract…

Because of this, and due to the fact that there are a lot of folk – highly skilled, highly trained folk – who are leaving Military Service, in search of the “Big Buck” – I feel I should pass on “what I know”.

First and foremost! Get yourself a GOOD Accountant – one well versed on International Tax Law, IRS Procedures on Overseas Tax Exception and the likes. (DO NOT do this yourself – or have “Sweetie, because she’s really good at numbers” do this – you don’t hire a Plumber to bake a cake?) Additionally, put a GOOD Lawyer on retainer. One who is also well versed on International Law pertaining to Overseas Contractors and Contracting in general. Trust me, these two gentlemen or ladies, will be worth their weight in gold to you in the future!!! Don’t “half step” on this! You may never need the Lawyer, but the Accountant WILL be a blessing!

Money. Megabucks! The lure of obscene amounts of cash for doing what you didn’t get paid for in the Military. ‘T’ain’t always so. Money is proportionate to the conflict, danger level or environment you will be working in. Promises of insane amounts or money are often NOT the case. Once you figure in Taxes, deductions, sneaky little fees and exclusions, one often finds out that that vision of “Megabucks” is just that – a vision. A promise. Still, and in most cases, it sure beats Retail and the “Fast Food Industry”. Important Clue: Always get your money promises IN WRITING! Negotiate your contract. Find out just what IS actually being paid, and who is paying it. Don’t settle for a “handshake and a kiss” – or that is just what you will get! GET IT IN WRITING!!! If the company doesn’t want to do this, steer away!!! Not willing to put agreements in writing indicates that something is going to happen – and it won’t be pretty. Oh yeah, let your Accountant handle your taxes. I know of people who made the mistake of letting the company file the “tax exemption” paperwork – and still had taxes taken out… Makes that paycheck look a whooooooooole lot smaller… (You get it back – up to $82,000.00 in earnings – provided you stay OCONUS for 330 days (!!!) but that takes time and during that time, your money could be working for you… not the IRS.)

Be very wary of companies who tell you “we don’t have all the changes in the contract yet – we’ll mail it to you.” – Believe it or not, this happens an awful lot! This is known as the “Old Bait and Switch”. Most often IF you actually DO get your “New, Revised Contract”, you will find that a lot has changed… And never to your benefit. Meanwhile, you are sitting in “God Knows Where” with no way out… GET A CONTRACT IN WRITING, BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT! Make sure your Lawyer and Accountant, each has a copy of this contract. Be very wary of companies who tout an “At Will” contract! We call this the “Two Week - Two Second Rule” – Which means, for any reason there is a will to terminate this agreement – by either party - you have to give them Two Week’s notice, but they only have to give YOU 2 seconds…

A contract is a contract. Without one, you don’t have a leg to stand on should the “Dream Company” turn out to be a nightmare. Verbal promises and agreements aren’t worth the paper they are printed on.

The Pimp – uh, Recruiter… His or her job is to hook you into the contract. Once you are talking to this person, he or she has read your resume/CV and it has pretty much been decided that you are “the one” they want… ASK QUESTIONS!!! On a recent contract I was on, no less than 16 lies were told to get me and others, to sign up. (Unfortunately, the lies weren’t determined until AFTER we got there…) A LIE, IS A LIE, IS A LIE – PERIOD!!! Any company that feels it is OK to lie to its employees, is not a good company to work for. A lie in something small, might just turn out to be a lie about something life threatening. Can you trust them? Would you trust a team mate who lied to you? Put your life in their hands? The same applies. In most cases, your background demanded Honor. You should demand the same.

In some instances, a “New” company needs to get “Boots on the Ground” in a hurry, so as to establish themselves. But this is not necessarily so, in some instances, they need to get the “promise” of boots on the ground. This means, they bid on a contract, but don’t actually have it yet – they “recruit” a number of people – with the promise of employment – not always telling you that the contract is a done deal – and then string you along… They tell the perspective Client that they can provide “so many” bodies… It’s a numbers game… There are always “problems” with contracts – but a company who continuously postpones, puts off, or can’t give you a departure date, is not a good bet. It means they haven’t got – either the contract – or, all the goodies in the contract, ironed out… This means, IF you actually DO get overseas, all will not be rosy. If a company tells you there is a “small glitch” in the contract, or some such - but please be ready to depart at a moment’s notice - ask for a “retainer”. Something to show you that they are serious. Something to keep you “on the hook” as it were. After all, you most likely quit your “Fast Food, Fry Master” gig and are sitting at home, unemployed - while the creditors are howling at the door… If they give you money, they are serious. If not, well…

Passports. Usually a company will ask you for your passport (have one) – so as to get the necessary visas put in (and THAT IS the company’s job – not yours!) – However, when you send them your passport, they have you. Period. You ain’t going anywhere else. Vacation? Forget it. Take another contract? Not going to happen. Check with the State Department for information on how long it takes to get things done – I have found, they REALLY are quite helpful. (Also, make sure your shot records are up to date. And if you have a security clearance – have the paperwork in hand.)

YOU are the “Captain Of Your Own Ship” – yourself. You are the product. They are the “renter” – they don’t buy, they rent. Don’t get into the mindset that “Geez, I sure am lucky to be considered for this job!”. If they call you back or email you, they pretty much are impressed with you. Or they just need to get as many people as they can – sick, lame, or lazy, just so they can get an immediate presence in-country! (I have seen this too…) Still, you aren’t lucky to get the gig – you have skills the company needs. They are lucky to have you.

As was told to me by an old Merc Vet – NEVER PAY FOR ANYTHING. If the company doesn’t pay for the required stuff they say you need, warning flags should go up. If you have to pay “out of pocket” for the privilege of working for this company, something is wrong. You NEVER PAY YOUR WAY OVER to a contract, and NEVER PAY YOUR WAY HOME at the end of the contract. The company is being paid by the “Client” to do that. The “you pay, and we’ll reimburse you” is just a way for the company to draw interest on that money, until you hit ‘em with your bill… and then, it is at THEIR leisure, as to when you get your check. Sometimes, if at all…

Everything has originally been agreed upon by the Client, to the Company, in advance. Believe me; they are making an awful lot of money, just by hiring you. Much more than you are making… Much, much more. Everything required to get you there, get you paid, equip you, keep you safe and sane, help you do your job, and get you safely home again, is included in and is being paid by the Client/Company contract.

Find out, and GET IT IN WRITING – if you are “salaried” or “hourly” – you can’t be both. If you are “salaried”, it doesn’t matter if you work one hour, or 100 hours a week. Your pay has been set. No overtime. IF YOU are hourly, you fall under another set of rules. You are required to work a set amount of hours per week – the company can determine those hours – unless you are a “Government Subcontractor” – i.e., DoD Contractor/Civilian, in which case, you fall under Federal rules and regs defining your work week… That means Overtime. Be VERY WARY of a company that tells you, you are “salaried” but then has you fill out a time sheet. Something is “Rotten In Denmark”… Somebody is pulling a scam. Perhaps they are charging the Client for overtime… Which you are not getting… And is illegal. Then again, maybe they are just doing a “time/manpower/ resources study”… so as to help them better bill the client for work done… Uh huh. No, really…

OK, so you get to that fabled vacation paradise you were hired to “Protect”, “Disrupt”, “Observe”, etc… More and more people pour in to the contract. Time goes by. Then, you are told that in order to be “Competitive”, you have to take a bunch of tests, physical, weapons, mental, etc… Or, adios. You have already been there, doing the job, but since the company now has folk knocking at the door to get in, it feels that the initial “panic” of getting people “there” is over and it’s time to weed out those who don’t fit the “projected profile of the company’s self image”. Changing requirements in mid-stream is very bad. This should have been done prior to coming over. Prior to hiring. It destroys morale and sets the company up for all numbers of Law Suits… (Remember that Lawyer you were supposed to put on retainer?) Prior to accepting a contract, study the company. Ask questions – not only of them, but of people they have hired. Why should they be the only ones asking for “five references”?


If they do change requirements in “mid-stream” - don’t quit because your feelings of “self worth” are shattered… because suddenly, you aren’t the equivalent of that 21 year old stud… If you voluntarily leave, you have to pay your way home, and you don’t have a chance of anything legal.

Be very wary of the phrase “we aren’t hiring you for what you are, but for what you know”…

Companies who profess to have a “5 Star” rating, means that rating is for Insurance Purposes… Not for performance. It also means that they haven’t had legal action taken against them… Remember that. When you consider a company, research that company’s rating. A low rating indicates people, somewhere, Client or employee, are not happy with them and their resources are being taken up in legal fees and settlements. That also indicates to some degree, how you will be taken care of.

Bonuses. Get it in writing. Often one will find that professed bonuses tend to disappear as time goes on. Or requirements for said bonuses – change. Again, get it in writing and make sure that your “support structure” has copies.

Leaves and Vacations. Have this settled in advance. This should be in the contract that you are supposed to have in your hot, little hands. Days of Leave for Months Worked, should be established. A company that constantly changes leave policy, bears close scrutiny. A company that won’t “buy back” leave – but uses a “use or lose” policy, should have this stated at the beginning. This is also not a good thing. You are giving them time. Your time. If you have earned it, compensation in time or money should be given to you. Again, the company’s policy will be brought forth in your questioning, or through questioning of former employees… (After all, if I did a good job, I would want people asking about my performance… wouldn’t I?)

Time off. Will you be getting time off? Will you be able to “decompress”, sometime during the week? Or are you expected to go full tilt, 24/7? Find out BEFORE you take the contract. Preparedness is perfection… or something like that…

If you drink – which I would never recommend in a hostile environment – can you? If the answer is no, be prepared to go “dry”. If you can’t, don’t go. Getting fired or putting either your co-workers or the client at risk is unacceptable. “Dying for a drink” is a horrible cliché.

Equipment. In the Military, you were subject to “the lowest bidder”. The same goes for Contracting. The company is there to make money. (Duh.) They are not a “Boy’s Club” or “Fraternal Order” set up so you can relive your glory days or “get back to where you once belonged (get back Jo Jo…)”. Hence, they will provide you with what they deem is NECESSARY for you to do your mission. It may not always be the best. And it certainly won’t be expensive. Ask the company about the equipment you will be working with. Its capabilities and such. It’s YOUR life on the line… And the client’s… Again, ask and get a definitive answer – in writing!

Comms are premium. Communications can make a difference between life and death. Any 18E will tell you that. As will anyone who has been in a firefight. Ask.


If your contract requires you to be mobile, ask about the vehicles you will be using. What are their capabilities. Are they armored or unarmored… (The environment will often dictate that – and sometimes, speed can compensate for heavy bulletproofing…) Are you going to get the “hand offs” of another client or agency? Will your vehicles be new? Can they do the job? Or will they be spending most of their time in the maintenance shed? Ask. Gas or Diesel? Modify or not modify.

The Client. They will be anywhere from “really cool guys” to “raving prima donnas”… No matter whether you would let them marry your sister or not, DO NOT include them into your and your company’s “dirty laundry”. They MUST have a perception of you as their “savior” or “The Professional”. NEVER, NEVER – NEVER, drink in excess, in front of the client!!! Trust tends to go out the window when they see you dropping trou and playing “fart flute” while giggling insanely… An occasional shot with them is acceptable, providing it is just that. “One For The Team” to show you are not “The Terminator”… but are a human being – someone they can rely on to think, someone they can rely on to trust. That said, it is simply because the Client IS human that they most often do not take kindly to “Holier Than Thou” attitudes… As stated earlier, drinking is a bad idea, but if you must – do it for a reason, and be an adult.

The client will often include you in their conversations. It is THEIR conversation. Your “there I was…” is not the required focus. And often they will vent. That is as far as it goes. Do not commiserate. Do not add your “two cents worth” – or that may wind up what you are earning… Do not try to “one up” them. And in doing so, let them know your or your company’s problems. It tends to degrade trust. And as was explained to me by a State Department trainer – “If the client poops in the middle of the truck, it is your job to compliment him or her on his or her movement, and ask him or her if he or she wants a wipe.”… REMEMBER – YOU WORK FOR THE CLIENT!!! HE or SHE DOESN’T WORK FOR YOU!!! If the client has a “bitch” session, what you hear goes NO FURTHER. PERIOD. Your and your company’s contract depend upon the client’s trust. Airing their dirty laundry will totally destroy any and all rapport you may or may not have established.

Telling the Client “No” is a cardinal sin – unless it will get one of you killed. Then explain it in simple terms – no military acronyms – and appeal to their adult logic. If the client is still adamant, it is your choice whether to pack your bags and head home, or comply. More than likely, the words “death”, “dismemberment” or “Al Jazeera” will serve to sway his or her way of thinking… ALWAYS offer an alternative. Unless the client is some Middle Eastern Princess, used to whim and want, they have a reason for their request. That reason is important to them. It may not be to you, but… (See the “YOU WORK FOR THEM” paragraph above…)

The bottom line, is both of you getting home at the successful completion of the contract, to enjoy the copious amounts of money you earned.

OK. We have talked about the company. Now, everything has been done. You are here. And it sucks. The pay is less than you figured. The working conditions are less than adequate… The folk you work with are idiots. The company hasn’t kept its word to you. What do you do? Quit? Question is: Did you tell them you would work for them? Did you give a time period? Three months? Six months? A year? If you did, that means you gave them your word. The most important thing you have.

Your word is your honor. And honor is everything. So, you break your word and quit. Fine. This is a small community and people talk to each other. Getting a reputation for breaking your word is not a good thing. Keeping your reputation as an honorable man is. So, you ask the company to release you. Ask permission. Most companies will do so. Some are short handed and will hem and haw. OK. Keep your word.

During the time you have spent “in country”, you will no doubt, search the web, be told of other contracts, etc. Not living under a rock will expose you to the “rest of the world of contracting”. Contract Jumping is a bad precedent. Regardless of the company’s attitude and procedures, you made a deal. Other companies also look dimly on “Contract Jumpers”. Most of the honorable ones will not hire you away from another company, but will insist that your finish your commitment prior to their hiring you. That goes to reason – they don’t want people jumping away from their company either. Search out your options, but if you say you are going to do something, do it. If you absolutely cannot stand working for the company (and of course, that is the reason – not that the other company is paying waaaaaay more than you are currently making…), ask to be released from your contract. Just leaving is a bad thing. And gives you a bad name. Believe me, the companies talk to each other too! It IS a “Good Ol’ Boy’s Club”…

And hey, here is a word of advice. Unless you are working for somebody named “Denard” or “Hoare”, regardless of the “really cool weapons” and “Black-something or other - super stud kit and gear” (holsters and harnesses – magazine pouches and a really, really big knife) you may or may not have - a “Rent-a-Cop” is a “Rent-a-Cop” is a “Rent-a-Cop”. Security is just that. You are not a “Commando” anymore. You don’t have the infrastructure, charter or governmental tolerance to be that “Barrel Chested, Steely Eyed, Freedom Fighter” you once were. Let it go and do the job.

So, I have rambled. And in doing so, hopefully gone into what you should do PRIOR to taking a contract and what you should do while on a contract. Your inquisitiveness will help determine whether you are getting in way over your head, whether you are hating every moment of your “greed induced indentured servitude” and eventual contract termination, or whether you will walk into a contract head up and “port arms”. Knowledge IS power. Ask QUESTIONS!!! ASK QUESTIONS!!! ASK QUESTIONS!!! And GET IT IN WRITING!!!


E.U.L.

Coming Soon......

Coming soon, look for a new series, "Contract Medicine, Operational Medics Tell Their Stories."  Several medical contractors will tell their individual stories and share their experiences from around the world.  Look for it soon......

Advice and Packing List for New Deployees

One of the most frustrating and overwhelming things about my first deployment was packing. What do I take, what do I leave, what will I need immediately in country and what can I have sent over in a footlocker later? It would have been a lot easier and a lot less stressful if I could have had someone give me a detailed list prior to shipping out.

One of my former coworkers has a really good list on his blog Lone Wolf Pals Packing List that will help you a lot. I have made a few modifications/additions/qualifications to it.

Now remember, this is based off my experiences in Kuwait and Iraq, so it may be different for your situations, but it shouldn't be that different. My basic advice is buy good gear. That may mean more expensive in the sort term, but long term it will pay off. Spend the money and get good stuff so you don't have to replace it every year.

1. Michael Says: 4 pair work pants- no blue/black- dust shows really well, zip off bottoms not necessary
I add: 5.11 Tac-Lites work awesome, especially in hot weather evironments like Iraq and Kuwait. Also, khaki matches more colors of shirts, but in Iraq (at least for my company) you can wear olive drab as well.

2. Michael Says: 6 work shirts- at least one long sleeve because of flying in helo regs
I add: Again, I recommend 5.11 shirts. I know that Michael wears the long sleeve 5.11s that are able to be rolled up into short-sleeves. They are made in Tac-Lite and nonTac-Lite material. I am going to Afghanistan (lower avgerage temperature), so I bought the long sleeve, nonTac-Lite shirts. If I was going to Iraq or Kuwait, I would have bought the SS Tac-Lite version.

3. Michael Says: 1 gator or scarf for dust storms
I add: You can get this on base. Don't worry about finding something at home.

4. Michael Says: 2 towels- quick dry ones are great
I add: I bought 2 at the base PX that are microfiber. Very similar to chamios that you use to dry cars off. They are a lot smaller and more compact than a traditional towel and easier to pack with you mobile. Probably not a big deal if you are going to Kuwait, but maybe in Iraq.

5. Michael Says: 1 pair boots- not military issue- tan because of dust- get some comfortable ones that are durable, such as vasque light hiking boots.
I add: Lot of speculation on this one. I would find something that makes you comfortable. Most people aren't going to need combat boots, so buy tan hiking boots that are lighter and more comfortable. Remember, the less you have on your feet, the farther you can walk and more you can pack on your back. BUY GOOD SHOES whatever type you decide on. Your feet and feet condition directly affect the mission. Take care of them.

6. Michael Says: Badge holder, Toiletries, Bedding, Pillow, Sunglasses, Goggles
I add: Buy all this stuff at the PX. Save your space in the luggage.

7. Michael Says: -Reading material- a couple of books and some puzzle books, but don’t bring a lot of medical books. We are supposed to be getting some at each site. Books weigh a ton; have them sent over if you want them.
I add: If you read, take enough books to last a week or two. Have everything else you want to send over sent in a foot locker when you leave. I bought a Kindle because it cost me $100 round trip to send books last time.

8. Michael Says: Leatherman and/or a pocket knife- they have no tools over here it seems.
I add: Get a Leatherman. Get a Leatherman. Get a Leatherman.

9. Michael Says: Thumb drive and external hard drive
I add: The price point for 8gb thumb drives has come down so much in the last year, there is no reason not to buy at least a 4 gb. I have two 8gb thumb drives (one for medical references and one for personal documents) and 6 hard drives. If you get hard drives, I highly recommend getting 2.5" drives that you don't have to plug in to external power.

10. Michael Says: Adaptors or convertors
I add: Buy this stuff when you get here. Don't worry about getting them at WalMart.

11. Michael Says: 2 collared shirts and 1 pair blue jeans good for casual wear
I add: Yep. Good to have casual wear even in the desert.

Additional**:  If you are going to Kuwait and living off base-- you can buy anything you need while in Kuwait.  Yeah, I know, who would have thought that you could actually buy blue jeans and, *gasp*, towels and sheets in a foreign country. 

ADVICE:

The biggest piece of advice that I can give to new deployees is to be flexible.  Plans will change, flights will be canceled at the last minute, your assignments can be moved in minutes.  If you worry about little stuff, you will have an ulcer by the time you go home.  View each day as an adventure.  As long as your paychecks keep cashing, have a good time and don't worry about what tomorrow is going to bring.  Thinking too far ahead and planning more than a few hours in advance is a sure fire way to upset yourself. 

When you get to your site, get out and meet people.  We provide medical care, so find out if you have a TMC or a CSH and where it is.  Meet the nurses and docs if you can.  Get out and meet the other contractors at your site.  It is a very lonely existence if you stay by yourself for the next year.


Hopefully this has helped you a little bit.  Good luck on your next deployment.  If you have any questions comment on this post and I will try to answer them. 

Site Updates

You can now navigate to my blog by going directly to one of the following sites: contractmedic.com or contractmedicblog.com. Feel free to give people the address. Thanks for reading.

More Airport Sitting

Well, once again I find myself sitting in an airport, waiting on a jet plane. I'm flying on Southwest for the first time today, and so far I am not liking it. As most of you know, I tend to over-plan. The lack of assigned seats on the plan is causing me some slight anxiety, but I am going with the flow.

CNN is playing behind my head right now, reporting on troop movements in Afghanistan, and winning the hearts and minds of the general populace in that country. This is the heart of the matter and the war in Afghanistan, a villager in southern country to a soldier "The Taliban can be here in ten minutes and can kill one person every second. Can you be here that fast?" As I reflect on this day in history, in which the United States was attacked without provocation for the first time since the Revolutionary War, I remember the words of FDR in his address to Congress.

"Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God."

We must fight, we will fight, for our sake, and for those who cannot fight for themselves.

In rememberance of those on both sides who perished on 7 December 1941.

Going Back, More to Follow

I made it home a few days after the previous post. I have enjoyed being home and getting reaquainted with friends and family. Had a great Thanksgiving at home, and figured that I would be here for Christmas too. However, that was not to be. Yesterday morning, I received a call from my company and accepted a position in Bagram, Afghanistan. I leave for Florida Monday morning and then to Afghanistan by way of Dubai at the end of the week or early next week. I will miss everyone so much, but I remind myself that I am sacrificing now to make the rest of my life easier. I hope when I look back on this time in 15 years, I find myself with more happy thoughts than regrets. More information to follow as it becomes available.

Back In Tent City

I'm back in Tent City, Ali Al Salem, Kuwait. This time, I kept a hold of my luggage so hopefully I won't languish here for a week like last time. The flight from Balad was uneventful with only moderate turbulence. I got all of my IBA turned in at the CIF and my passport turned in at the GLS counter. I should have my passport back around 0800 tomorrow morning and hopefully will get to spend the day with some friends on the Kuwait contract. I should be back in the States in less than 48 hours. See ya'll soon!
Brian M. Evans

The Hammer has Fallen

Well, the hammer that I have been waiting on has fallen. I knew when I accepted the Iraq contract that the war in Iraq was slowly drawing to an end. The Army is pulling out unit by unit and with less soldiers comes less need for linguists. Less linguists mean less medical personnel to take care of them. I, then, am leaving the Iraq contract.

I'm not sure where I am going, whether it be back to Kuwait or home. I would like to stay working for my company, but I do not want to be an emergency paramedic in Kuwait; I want to work as a remote site medic. My future depends largely on what my company decides to do and how they decide handle the situation going forward.

I do know however, that my time in Iraq and Kuwait has not been wasted. I have met some amazing people, had some awesome experiences, and saw things that I had only read about before. I feel truly blessed to have been chosen to come on this journey. I look forward to whatever the future brings, and I will welcome it with open arms.

As I said in my very first post.....BRING IT ON!

Keeping Us Safe...Or....Bringing the Fight

Indirect fire is fire delivered on a target that is not itself used as the point of aim for the weapon.  Usually mortars, but sometimes rockets or other stuff.  Balad's nickname is Mortar-rita-ville, a play on the 1977 Jimmy Buffet song "Margaritaville" due to the seemingly over abundance of indirect fire attacks on the base.

However, that isn't to say we don't fight back.  Enter the MK15 Phalanx Close In Weapons System.

The Phalanx is 4.7m tall and sports a 20mm M61 Vulcan Gatling autocannon that fires tungsten or depleted uranium rounds at 4500 rounds a minute, or 75 rounds a second.  It is radar guided and completely automatic.  When it senses an incoming round that meets its predetermined guidelines, it looses a fury of rounds that destroy anything in its path.  Hearing these things go off in the middle of the night is an amazing thing and I'm glad I'm not on the receiving end.

The first video is of the Phalanx right across from the PX on JBB, the second, somewhere on JBB and the third, Basra.  Good stuff.  Not my videos, but ones I found on youtube.com.  Make sure your speakers are on.  You really don't want to miss the sound.  The white flashes at the end of the videos are the incoming ordinance exploding when the depleted uranium slug hits them.

Rhino and Youtube

When there is too much dust in the air or it is storming, the helicopters don't fly.  If you are anywhere but BIAP or Baghdad, you are stuck on the ground.  But, if you are in BIAP and want to go to FOB Union III or FOB Prosperity, or vice versa, then there is only one option left--RHINO.  A rhino looks like an uparmored RV with tiny bulletproof windows and gun ports.  They travel in convoys (herds?) three times a day (migration?).  No more animal jokes, I promise.  They are skittish about being photographed (the people running the rhinos, not the rhinos themselves--last joke, seriously) so I took a picture of a picture to post.

To supplement my blog and for your viewing pleasure at home, I have made a youtube.com channel and posted some of my flying videos.  For those of you with slow internet connections, open the video page, click play, then immediately click pause.  Let the video load all the way, then view it.  It is a lot more enjoyable that way.  The link is:  http://www.youtube.com/user/medicevans   Take a look and see what you think.

Back in Balad.....Finally

 Warning: This post is long and picture intensive.  I went a little nuts with the pictures.

Well, it has been a saga.  A short saga, but still enough to prove again why movement in this country can be difficult at best and frustrating enough to make you pull your hair out at worst.  It can take a couple of hours start to finish to fly 50 miles, or it can take two and a half days.  I started two and half days ago.  Flights kept getting canceled at the last minute due to dust/sand in the air.  Apparently, it can look completely clear on the ground, but be too thick to fly through at the cruising altitude of a Blackhawk. 

I was finally able to make it off the ground this morning and fly to Camp Sather where, supposedly, I was to catch my connecting flight to Balad.  I don't think they do it on purpose, but the flight crews really screw with a guy's head.  We had a showtime, gear on, bags ready, and had walked out to the flight line.  The helo was on the ground, rotors turning, ready to go.  This particular flight is called the "ring flight."  It goes from base to base to base in a certain pattern, everyday.  We were headed to LZ Washington (in the IZ, yeah that's right, back where I came from) then to Balad.  The four people ahead of me were disembarking at LZ Washington.  That left three of us to finish the ride to Balad.  They let the four board, then turned myself and two others back.  The crew had to pick up a full-bird colonel.  Not sure of the math, but there it was.  No flight. 

Resigning myself to another boring night of terminal sitting, I decided to make the best of it and have Taco Bell for dinner.  I was about a taco and a half in to a five taco binge when the guy behind the desk stood up and exclaimed, "All personell for Balad, grab your bags, police your area, get your gear on, and line up!"  I looked around at the nest I had painstakingly built for myself, thinking I would be there all night.  Ripping cords from the wall and my computer and wrapping up my headphones, I did a pretty good impression of an idiot.  As I was about to don my IBA, I realized that I had forgotten to take the plug adapter back to the USO office.  I skated across the wet floor (literally, wish I would have had a camera) and ran it back to the USO.  They were shouting at me to hurry up and counting down every five seconds.  I shoved the remaining tacos in my medic bag and ran to the flight line while trying to not knock myself out with the plates in my armor. 

I made it with 30 seconds to spare. 

This flight was my first during the day.  It is sooooo much better than flying at night. 

Getting ready to take off.

 

 

Date Palm Grove (I think)

 Bridge over the Euphrates.

 

Iraqi Tomb of  the Unknown Soldier

 

 Getting brave....took me twenty minutes to get this far.  

 

Inside of the Blackhawk

 

Patchwork of fields, note the irrigation canals.

 

Over Baghdad.  One of the Hussein son's palace in the background.

The "Gold Dome"   Our clinic in Baghdad used to be in one side of the base of the dome.

 

Flying in formation.  See the Blackhawk behind me?

 

Very introspective look coming into Balad.

 

This is my favorite shot.  The guy sitting across the helo took it.  Note the abundance of ground and absence of sky.  Also, my huge smile.  Better than any roller coaster!

 

IZ/Baghdad Update

Flying into Baghdad.

Interior of a C-130 at night.  Too bumpy to get a good clear picture, but you get the idea.

I have been in the IZ at FOB Prosperity in Baghdad, Iraq for almost two weeks and I haven't posted any pictures of the surroundings.  FOB Prosperity is my favorite base that I have been on yet.  It is easy to forget that you are in a desert country here.  There are mesquite and palm trees everywhere and even the occasional plot of grass has survived the enormous amount of foot traffic.

The coalition has placed most of the IZ security duties back into the hands of the Iraqis.  As such, many of the areas that we could previously walk to or take pictures in have become to unsafe to walk in as unarmed Americans or the Iraqis will arrest you for taking pictures.  The following pictures were taken from inside of an up-armored Suburban, which is why they may look blurry/dirty. 

FOB Prosperity and FOB Union III are the two US bases in an area of Baghdad that has been "roped off" so to speak and called the International Zone, IZ for short.  The IZ contains all of the bases for coalition forces and all of the embassies for the occupying nations.  The United States Embassy in Iraq has the distiction for being the largest US embassy anywhere in the world.

In the picture above, you can see the US Embassy on the right (long tan walls) and the "215" apartments on the left.  The apartments are considered the "red zone."

This is the "High Road" which runs on the north side of the bases.  The other side of the low fence is the "red zone."

 Much of the destruction from the initial 2003 campaign is still visible. 

Ba'ath Party House Headquarters

Sadaam's Presidential Palace (right outside of my CHU)

The following are some random pictures that I have taken while driving around the FOB or around the IZ. 

This is outside of FOB Prosperity.  The blue dome in the background is in Union III.  It was a mosque that has been turned into a hajii mall.

The t-walls on the left protect LZ Washington.  This is where most of the inbound helicopters land.

Driving down one of the roads on FOB Prosperity.  Note the t-walls stacked for storage on either side of the road.

 

The front entrance to FOB Prosperity.  This is looking back at the entrance after coming through.  Note the sniper/machine gunner's nest on the left top arch in the bottom right corner of the arch.  There are at least three guns in various positions trained on everyone coming through this gate at all times.

Taken by another person a few years ago.  Aftermath of a suicide bomber.

 

From left to right, picnic table, tree, mortar tube, grill, tree.  For when you want a relaxing day by the BBQ, but might need to fend off killer ants or insurgents.

 

  This was taken from the front steps of our clinic.  Behind the large tree sticking out of the top of the building on the left is where they found a bomb a few days before I got here.

Last night I sat and talked to my CHU-mate for almost two hours straight.  We talked about everything.  He now knows about my med school plans, that my parents farm, and that both of my grandparents still living have had cancer.  I know that he lives in the Philippines with his wife on a rice farm, that this is his last or next to last year in country, that when he gets home he is going to increase his operation to include buying and selling rice to mills, and that from seeding to removing rice seedlings to replant is about 28 days.  I also know that his brother has pancreatic cancer.  The 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer in Caucasian men is less than 5%.  I really wish I hadn't had to lie to him when he asked me how bad pancreatic cancer was. 

The point is, this has happened to me several times since I have been over here, and twice in the last week in a half.  I will have been talking to someone, sometimes for hours, and realize that I never gave them my name and they never gave me theirs.  Sometimes, we even part ways without ever finding out the other's name.  These conversations are sometimes your garden-variety bus stop bench, grocery store line chats, but more often are lengthy discourses on love, life, home, or dreams.

I don't know what it is that makes perfect strangers open up to each other in a way that would take months in the States.  Does this type of work draw those people that naturally open up to complete strangers?  Or, is it the common bond shared by being 8000 miles from home in a place where most often relationships are quickly formed and even quicker broken?  I think that it is human nature to want to reach out and connect with those around us, even if we know that those connections will soon be over.  I have had some of the longest discussions I've ever had with people I've only known for five minutes.

Oh, and my CHU-mate?  I finally found out his name, right before he left for another base this morning, but for the life of me I can't remember it.  I guess it really doesn't matter.....

In Honor of the Ulitimate Sacrifice Freely Given

Fairbanks-based soldier dies in Iraq copter crash; 12 wounded

By Jeff Richardson

Originally published Monday, September 21, 2009 at 3:50 p.m.
Updated Monday, September 21, 2009 at 7:57 p.m.

FAIRBANKS -- A Fort Wainwright soldier died Saturday when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in which he rode crashed north of Baghdad.
Spc. Michael S. Cote, 20, of Denham Springs, La., had been in Alaska since March 2008. The helicopter mechanic was assigned to the Task Force 49 aviation unit at Fort Wainwright.
The circumstances surrounding the crash, which occurred in Balad, Iraq, are under investigation, according to a U.S. Army news release. Cote’s relatives have been notified.
The New York Times reported on Sunday that 12 soldiers were also wounded in the Saturday night crash in Balad. Maj. William Coppernoll, an Army spokesman, confirmed that the injuries were from the same flight.
The Times reported that a powerful thunderstorm passed through central Iraq at the time of the crash, stirring up dust that cut visibility in the area.
A ceremony of prayer and remembrance will be held at Fort Wainwright, although a time for the memorial has not been set.
As of Saturday, there had been 25 soldier deaths in U.S. Army Alaska this year, including six soldiers based at Fort Wainwright.
Link to original story

 BREAK

 My own words......
The thunderstorm that the above article talks about was very powerful.  The wind kicked up massive amounts of dust and reduced visibility to very short distances.  The fine sand filtered into the hallway outside our clinic where it hung like light smoke in the air.  I ventured out to take pictures of the storm, but they came out too dark to post.  The rest of the clinic staff and I left at 2030 on the dot, during a intermission in the storm.  I laid down to sleep about 2045, and shortly thereafter heard the Big Voice talking, but couldn't understand what was being said.  Listening for the accompanying sirens that would signal an indirect fire or other attack, but hearing none, I rolled over and went back to sleep.

Only after learning of the crash the next morning did I put two and two together.  The Big Voice had been recalling all medical personnel to the Air Force-run 332nd EMDG Hospital.


Someone once said a veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life."  On 19 September 2009, the United States of America cashed that check.  Spc. Michael S. Cote was 20 years old.  He didn't die from a sniper's bullet, an enemy rocket attack, or even friendly fire.  He was a victim of the cliche "being in the wrong place at the wrong time."   That does not make his sacrifice any less, or diminish his family and friends' pain in any way.  He will be missed.  Rest in peace Spc. Cote.

Requiem

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Under the wide and starry sky,
Dig the grave and let me lie;
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you 'grave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.

Let's Roll!!--First Mobile Clinic Experience

 Let's Roll!

The View From My Seat

The rear hatch was down the entire flight! 

I am in the middle of my first mobile deployment in Iraq, and let me tell you, it has been a HUGE learning experience so far.  I knew ahead of time that I was leaving, in fact I knew about three or four days ahead of time that I was leaving, but when it came time to let me know when I was leaving, I had about 45 minutes notice.  We had already packed about half of the mobile clinic in a big olive drab sea bag the day before, so it was almost ready to go.  It just needed to be finished up with the final test kits and my stethoscope, otoscope, and ophthalmoscope.  I ran back to my CHU to pack my ruck with my computer, a book, and a few clothes.  It's interesting packing for a trip with 45 minutes notice and with no indication of for how long you're leaving.

I got back to the clinic with a few minutes to spare and finished packing the mobile clinic.  Right before I left, the veteran medic in Balad shook my hand and passed on these words of advice, "Remember, pay attention, anything can happen anywhere at any time." He leaned closer, looking into my eyes and stressing every word repeating the words, "Anything can happen anywhere at any time."

The Movement office took me to the Catfish Air PAX terminal and explained how the whole process worked.  If you think that flying commercial air is slightly confusing, fly Mil-Air.  It's not so much that it is confusing, it's that you have to learn an entire new set of lingo.  Showtime, Space-R, Space-A, Space-Block.  It takes a little bit to get it all straight in your head.  Anyway, I got Space-A'd and had a showtime for one of the Chinook missions that night going to Camp Warhorse. 

I really thought a Chinook would be bigger.  They are only about the size of a small bus.  I was thinking more along the lines of a flying Greyhound.  But I was not disappointed with the flight experience.  Handing my sea bag  with the mobile clinic in it to one of the crew members, the words of a contractor aquaintance came back to me.  "Sit near the rear."  So I did. 

I looked forward towards the cockpit and watched the crew members perform their last pre-flight checks.  It really hit home that we were getting ready to fly over hostile territory when I watched the starboard door gunner lock and load his 240B 7.62 mm machine gun.

The engines whined and strained as we began to roll forward, gently rocking back and forth as we taxied to the runway.  I certainly saw the wheels on the helo while boarding, but I didn't instinctively understand that the Chinook could roll along the ground like a taxiing fixed-wing.  The guy across the aisle motioned at me and yelled, asking me if this was my first time.  I read his lips more than heard him.  I nodded.  He made motions like the chopper was going to rock back and forth even more, and then made vomitting movements.  Not the thing that you want to have someone tell you moments before liftoff on your first chopper ride. 

Within a few minutes the engines became even louder and the dual props spun faster, and we lifted off.  We hovered several feet off the ground for a few minutes while the pilots and crew checked the aircraft one last time.  The rear crew member dropped the rear hatch as we lifted into the Balad night.  As the lights of JBB faded into the distance, the night completely enveloped us and the whine of the engines became a dull drone.

It was only a ten minute ride from JBB to Warhorse, but it was a beautiful ride.  It would have been very peaceful if not for the fact we were flying over unsecured territory.

Got into the PAX terminal at Warhorse and tried to contact GLS movement, but no luck with the first number.  Went back to the desk Sgt, got two more numbers.  No dice.  Interupted his dinner a third time, he had no idea what to do, and went back to eating.  I took down a number from the poster on the desk for the Mayor cell.  Number didn't work.  Disconnected.  Dang.  Interupted Sgt for the 4th time.  He called over a bus drive and asked him if he would get me away from him so he could eat in peace.....uh.....bring the bus around and take me to the Mayor cell.  Got to the Mayor cell.  They had no idea who to call or what to do, so they put me up in temp billeting.  Somehow, my GS rating of GS-12 was high enough to rate me a VIP CHU.  I'm not sure what makes it VIP.  The horizontal twin bed, nightstand, and locker that are in every single CHU or tent or barracks I have ever been in?  I'm not complaining, considering the first CHU they assigned me to was full, making me have to return and listen to two SGTs and a SPC argue over why the board said the CHU was empty, but was really full.  Finally got to another CHU, got settled in.

I got to the GLS office the next day and got my mobile clinic set up.  Had my first patients today and it went very well.  The last guy shook my hand and said, "Thanks, Doc."  I finally feel like I'm making a difference.

First Mobile Clinic

 

The outside of the office where I have my clinic .

 

 

People wanted more pictures of the Iraq bases, so here is the view from the clinic door.

  My Buddies, the Ugandan Guards