14 June 2009
2045

Last Moments In Iraq
A Look Back
First off, I want to wish the Army a Happy 234th Birthday!  I've been with you for the
last 15 of them and I do have to say, everything gets better with age!

Alright, so this is my last few hours being here in Iraq...I hope!  Plan is to go to the
airport and get a Space Available flight to Kuwait.  Doing this on the 15th, will give us
a couple more days in Kuwait to hang out and chill and so we can tell each other, "We
ain't in Iraq no more!"  

Yesterday, I received my "Round House" plaque from the people in the building in
which I worked with for the past year.  It's just a picture of the buildings, both Round
House and the HQ building, a saying, and everyone's written comments.  The saying
they had for me was, "The one that made things happen."  I find that kind of ironic
because 6 years ago when I left NORAD, they had labeled me as "Clutch" on my
farewell plaque.  Just seems to me after all this time and totally different people that
they basically see the same thing in my work ethics.  

Also, I received my going away token from the J2 Shop.  It's a huge plaqued piece of
wood behind glass.  It has Iraq burned into it with the cities in which we dealt with
inscribed in it.  Bucca, Basrah, Cropper, Baghdad, Taji and Mosul.  On top it reads,
Task Force 134 Detainee Operations.  On the bottom it has my name and a quote
from GEN Patton, "The Solier is the Army."  Centered in the middle up top is where
the TF 134 coin is located.  On the bottom, the coins representing the Army, Navy,
Marines, and Air Force are in a row.  It's very nice.  I will take a picture of it later and
post it up here.  I left it with my shop so they can mail it to me since I don't have the
time to do it while I am still here.

As much as I may complain about some of the people here, it's really no different than
anywhere else I have been stationed.  Once you get to the end of your tour, you start
getting annoyed and you just want to leave.  That was the case here.  I've met a few
people I will keep contact with in the future and I have met people that I hope to not
remember .  I do have some great memories here and I will deep inside, miss this
place.  I will miss my place over here and what I mean by my place, I am not referring
to the place I lived, but where I was in the food chain.  My place I mean my job, the
people I worked directly for and the overall mission of why I was here.

The summer months are hotter than hell, but the other months makes this place really
enjoyable.  Very calm and lovely weather everyday.  I think it rained fewer than 10
times during my tenure in country.  I will miss some of the picturesque opportunities I
had while being here.  I've seen some of the most beautiful sites and sky formations
and I was able to see it all the time.  I have taken over 1600 pictures and video clips
combined in the 12 months here in Iraq.  Pretty good to have only left the base once....
twice including my 4-day pass to Qatar.

I won't miss the idiots here and the lack of urgency these people lack when doing basic
things like crossing the street.  Please refer to my MySpace page if you want to know
what I am talking about.

In the end, I will definitely look back at this place and what I did here as a positive
thing.  I wanted this deployment for experience and I also felt I needed it for the
promotion board to E-7.  Not sure if it was the deployment, but I am sure it helped on
my selection to SFC this year.   And now I am finally "Right shoulder up!"  After 6
years of being at war and being one of few without a combat patch, I finally have one,
even though most people will be like, "That's not a combat patch."  HAHA  

With all that said, I currently have less than 18 hours remaining.

Peace!
Randy Bell - Blog This!
Blog
Archive
Adobe Reader
required to view.
Is She Aware?
6 March 09
A lot Of Work
10 March 09
Nothing Really
14 March 09
It Was 14 Years Ago
25 March 09
Thank You America!
9 April 09
First off, I want to say I am not a writer by far.   I hate to
write and I hate to read even more, but sometimes I have a lot
on my mind and just need to get it out there.   

I will update this page periodically with things that are going
on.  Please check back often!

My warning statement has been issued.
06 June 2009
1830

So they say timing is
everything…

I read a blog the other day, where timing was great.  Someone had a flat and instead of
him having to change the tire by himself, in the blazing heat, a friend pulled up and
offered his help.  Great timing!

Sometimes, that’s not the case.  Timing is EVERYTHING; however, it’s not always for
the good.  Or shall I say, someone gets something good out of it and then someone
doesn’t.  

I am sure where I am going with this, it will end with a happily ever after, but before I
get there, we’ll need to travel in two directions, both going up hill with no shoes, and
since I am in Iraq, it’ll be in the scorching hot weather and not in the snow.

Two weeks left before I leave, what could be grander?  Well, leaving I would say but
time is getting short, really short.  I’m almost completely packed and ready to go.  I
have a small box or two to mail off, some out processing and some briefings to attend.  
Other than that, I could just give the key to the billeting office and leave.  This is how
close I am to returning home.

I’ll start with the first timing issue - Since mid-February, I’ve been roommate less.  I
haven’t had to worry about waking anyone up when I wake up early in the morning.  I
can turn on my light, play some light tunes, and crack open a nice cold mountain dew;
walk outside to smoke a cigarette and walk back in without having to bother anyone.   
Until a few weeks ago; I’m sitting outside on my front step when two guys walk up and
ask, “Two people are already living here?”  I say, “Nope, just me.”  Their reply was,
“Well, you have a new roommate.”  Just great, I am a few weeks from leaving and
NOW I get a roommate.  Good thing he’s a cool person!

Secondly, at work, we get quite a few new personnel in the Task Force.  A few in the
round house that need constant attention like a baby.  I will leave it at that!

Thirdly, my NCOIC goes on a 4-day pass.  Nothing wrong with that!  He’s been
working his tail off since he arrived here in January.  He deserves a few days away
from work and the office and the Task Force.  Do ya thang, Master Sergeant!  Oh
wait….come back!!  A task gets handed to me because he didn’t do it before he left.  
Now I am sitting here, trying to figure out what paperwork needs to be done to extend
our Intel Analysts contract through 31 December 2009.  To start, I have the
paperwork from last time.  Is this it?  This is all I have to go by?  First off, the point of
contacts I am sure has changed.  The dollar amounts I am sure has changed.  These
memorandums, yeah they’ve changed.  Formats to memorandums are always
changing.  Oh yeah and now you have to do a risk assessment.  I’m only going to give
you an example, but I am not going to tell you how to do it or what form to put it on.  
Ok and why do I need a risk assessment to keep and maybe acquire more analysts?  I
have no earthly idea!  Did I mention the deadline for this is in 4 days?!?!  So, what if I
submit it and it’s wrong?  What if I am missing something?  The fate of the analysts
having a job after 31 Aug 09, now lays in my hands.  Pressure?

Why the fuck is it when you ask for help, they act like it so freaking easy.  Ok, I have
never done this before.  Let’s say I give you a computer case and a list of possible
computer parts and I tell you, you have 4 days to put this together.  See what I am
saying!!  Am I just stressing out more than I should be?  I don’t know.  Do I need to
submit this with signatures, because if that’s the case, then we won’t meet the
deadline?  The days can’t go fast enough, yet they are going too fast!

Finally, there is no perfect time to get sick.  Ok, maybe there is but now with eleven
days left, this is definitely a bad time!  I can barely breathe, sleep or think straight.  I
am weak, I am tired and I could really care less about anything going on around me.  I
don’t want to talk to anyone and I damn sure don’t want anyone talking to me.  
I am irritated and my nose hurts.

I have good news & I have bad news.  
The good news is I ONLY have 11 days left in country!
The bad news is I STILL have 11 days left in country!

Once I am over my cold and on the plane, I am sure to live happily ever after!