Here we go again.... off into the void!

I am sitting in what appears to be a 3^rd world airline terminal.  We landed on a runway with only about a mile of visibility due to the ever present blowing sand.  It’s really more like brown talcum powder than sand, but whatever.  The runway looks unkempt, weeds growing through the concrete on the shoulders of the taxi ways.  Now inside, the terminal is under construction, I think.  Welcome to Kuwait!  I have never been fond of Kuwait but thought that might be because I had only been on military facilities here.  I can’t say this terminal has helped my perception.  My fellow passengers milling about or slouched in chairs are a mixed bunch… many American’s looking like military of contractors, a fair number of Arabs in traditional Bedouin garb and about a hundred Chinese in cheap suits all seated together.

This is the start of my five hour layover.  I am waiting on Kuwait Airlines to find and weigh my checked bags so I’ll know how many dollars I need to convert to dinars for the excess fees.  I kicked off this portion of my trip at noon on 23 Mar when I departed St. Robert, MO.  If you take that as my start point I will be traveling for about 31 hours when I finally reach my new residence in Islamabad’s Diplomatic Quarter tomorrow morning. 

It’s been a busy 2 ½ months since I came back on active duty.  After a week of initial processing and uniform issue in San Diego I flew off to Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.  That was for a course in Foreign Military Assistance.  After OH I few to Camp McCredy, Fort Jackson, near Columbia, South Carolina.  That is where the Navy goes to learn how to fire and clean M4 carbines (a short M16) and M9 pistols (9mm Beretta’s).  We also received training in exiting rolled over vehicles, battlefield medicine, crew served weapons (machine guns)… all fun stuff.  Most of the time we were wearing full body armor, in the mud firing on the ranges while the temp hovered in the 40’s and heavy drizzle soaked us.  That is training all Navy receive before assignment to CENTCOM, even those heading to Tampa, FL!  I’ve been through it twice now, both times during winter.  From what I have heard you definitely want to attend this training in winter as wearing full armor on a South Carolina summer day is not much fun.  Anyway, my last course was an evasive driving course two hours west of St Louis.  That was the best course I have ever taken while in the military.  They specifically asked we don’t post anything about the course online so I won’t get into details here.  Just know that I now have some skills I have wanted to learn since I began driving! 

Now I am nearly finished with my ramp up to this new position.  Early tomorrow I will finally be in Pakistan.  My predecessor leaves in a week so the turnover will be a bit intense.  It will be nice to get started.  It will be nice to finally have my pay fixed so I get the proper amount and no longer have to juggle finances.  Funny, those whose only knowledge of Pakistan is Fox News or the film Zero Dark Thirty think I am nuts and worry I will be in grave danger.  Since getting these orders I have met a half dozen or so people who have been posted to Pakistan in the past.  Every one of them tells me I will love it.  I am heading in with an open mind.  It is part of the land Kipling wrote about.  I enjoyed my time in Afghanistan I see no reason I won’t enjoy my time in Pakistan.  I’ll find out soon enough.