Update from Iraq June 6, 2008
June 25, 2008
Hello ya’ll. I arrived in Iraqi almost a month ago–time is flying by so far. I’m living and eating very well. My trailer, though small, is nice with a private bath and a big screen TV. I can only gt Iraqi TV stations, but I use it to watch videos. I purchased–from an Iraqi store for $20– the first 6 season of 24. I try to watch an episode each night before I go to bed. As for the food, no complaints there. The Forward Operation Base (FOB) I work on has the best dining hall in Iraq. You can get four meals a day and this dining hall has a pasty bar and ice cream bar–I try to stay away from both, but I do treat myself to ice cream every Friday and some kind of pie every Saturday night.
I work long hours here–first three weeks I worked nearly 100 hours per week–that does include my mealtime and I do PT 3-4 times a week. But that doesn’t leave much time but to sleep when I get back to my trailer. Speaking of the old trailer, it is 2 miles on a different FOB from where I work. I have a car (Ford Explorer), but I usually let the folks who work for me use it and I take a shuttle bus or walk back and forth between the FOBs.
My job consist of advising my Commander on all legal issues along with 16 other General Officers–like herding cats!!! The other part of my job is being a senior advisor to the Iraqi General Counsel for the Iraqi Army, to the Senior Iraqi Military Judges, and the Senior Legal Advisors to the Iraqi Army, Air Force, & Navy. I also travel with them around Iraqi visiting the local attorneys and judges. I spend a good time of each day flying (either C130s or Blackhawk helicopters) or convoying around the country to meet with these Iraqi generals and visiting the local attorneys and judges. Each day is long and tiring, but each week seems to go by fast. Friday & Saturday are the Iraqi weekend so I have a day to catch up on paperwork, meet with my attorneys, and take care of personal business like wash clothes and go to the PX. Speaking of my attorneys, I have 2 Army lawyers, 3 Air Force lawyers (one is my deputy), 1 Navy lawyer, 1 British and 1 Australian attorney, and 2 Iraqi attorneys. My secretary is Iraqi as is my personal translator who travels with me whenever I meet with the Iraqis. I have so have an Iraqi Ph.d. professor who is my advisor on Iraqi cultural issues and he also travels with me. By the way translator is a former Ms. Iraqi and was a runner up to Ms. World. Amazing how many of the generals here visit my office frequently to get “her advice” on matters!!!! Believe it or not, I’m learning some Arabic and am doing much better at it than I ever thought I could. All my lawyers were afraid I’d learn it too well and we’ll lose our translator/beauty queen–I assured them I’ll never get that good and they all gave a big sigh of relief!!!!!! As you may have guessed, all my lawyers are males except one.
Well, I need to go to the endless meeting I attend so I’ll say goodbye. I’ve include a couple pictures–one was a reception the General Counsel and two other Iraqi generals held to welcome me to Iraq–and no it is not beer I’m holding!!!!; the other one tells you how little things are a big deal here–I just received my first care package from Kerry that consisted of toothpaste, towels, underwear, and deodorant and from the picture you can see how happy this made me!!!!!
Hope ya’ll have a great weekend and stay in touch.
Kenny
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