No News Is...No News

Several people have asked if there is still time to send mail to Scott. Sick of guessing and sick of rumors, I'm back to assuming the initial orders are the best guess and that Scott will be home mid- to late June. So, feel free to send greetings from very cold here to warm and sunny there!

Scott Thomas Ramsay
NMCB-27
Detachment 4, Charlie Company
FPO, AA 34099-2204

The Super

Despite Scott's preference to be a worker, not a supervisor, he was just tasked again with a new building project. Yesterday they finished their second warehouse build and today he found out that he'll be in charge of the siding crew for the new headquarters building. Luckily, he was told he can hand-pick his crew. He was cautiously pleased and expects that his top picks will be "unavailable". Nevertheless, it is a good sign that he has been given another project and this time with more authority. His biggest concern is that supplies are running low and with changing administration/goals for Iraq, it isn't likely that money will be flowing for building projects. Since this is the HQ building, he expects the client is going to expect more than the left-overs from the last couple of builds, but that may be all that's available.

Swing, Batter, Batter...

The following story is about troops in Scott's battalion who were sent to a different location. Given Scott's enthusiasm for baseball, I'm sure he'd appreciate his brothers-in-arms' latest hobby-project.



Baseball, America’s pastime, has helped Marines and Sailors stay connected to home for years, no matter where they are in the world.

By Cpl. Sean P. Cummins Regimental Combat Team 5COMBAT OUTPOST UBAYDI, Iraq –

The Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27 have brought a touch of home to the Marines near the Syrian border here with a new batting cage.“[One of the Marines] wanted a batting cage and [Petty Officer 1st Class Paul] Campagna, being a very aggressive and enthusiastic petty officer, fulfilled his wish,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Barrassco, a builder with NMCB-27 stationed here. “Campagna designed it and we started building it. Some people came out to help on their down time.”The batting cage gives the Marines and Sailors operating within sight of the Syrian border a way to relax when not operating in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.“Morale has gone up,” said Barrassco, 40, who is from Peabody, Mass. “It’s for whoever wants to swing a bat and play ball. It is a gift to the Marines who are [working] every day. I’ve seen guys on convoys getting out of their trucks and running to the batting cage to play.”Plans for the cage started long before the building and many of the Marines and Sailors couldn’t believe it was actually going to get built, including the Seabees themselves. “I can’t believe I’m building a batting cage in Iraq,” was heard frequently during the building of the cage, according to several Seabees and Marines.“Why did we build it? Because we love baseball, and there’s no batting cage here,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Paul Campagna, 45, a builder with NMCB-27 from Salem, Mass. “We talked about it for about a month, but I don’t think any of the higher-ups really believed that we were going to do it. Then they saw it going up and they were pretty shocked.”While Campagna admitted to building some “pretty wild stuff” in his 25 years of building, including a pool table and golf tee in Afghanistan, this is the first batting cage he’s ever made.“I enjoy using the batting cage; it’s a good way to get a little stress out when you get off post and off a hard work day,” said Cpl. Cory J. Stuard, 29, a team leader with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, from Cedar Hill, Tenn. “In my younger days, I played a lot of little league back in Tennessee. On my free time, I try and get in there and take some swings.”Despite having to scrape together scraps of material from other projects to put the cage together, the satisfaction of another finished project and the memories the sport brings back have made all the work worth it for the Seabees.“We’re in the middle of the holidays, and I think on every deployment, regardless of where you are in the world, when you’re away from your family you still miss that little piece of home. It’s a beautiful feeling to hear that bat crack and that ball hit the wood and the fence and these guys cheering and finding that little peace of mind,” said Barrassco. “We feel as Seabees that we’ll build anything, we’ll do anything and we don’t mind doing it. We do not mind building for the Marines and supporting the Marines. We’re family.”

TV Shout Out

In preparation for the Army/Navy football game back in December, Scott's battallion filmed a shout-out that was not aired during the game. The link to the video is below. Once on the page, click the arrow to get the video to play. (You may need to click the link "Naval Mobile Construction Battall... Sends a shout out to the Navy football team".) The image is pretty small, but Scott is easy to spot because he is the only one wearing a flight suit. He is in the second row, second from the right.


http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=51610

River Project Commendation

Just before Thanksgiving Scott was in the field on a mission to help secure the Euphrates River near the Syrian border. The military has finally released some basic information. An article was posted to the Ombudsman's blog and I'll re-post it below. The article doesn't mention Scott specifically but he was one among the 200+ soldiers and sailors on the project. I do know that Scott was awarded a commendation for his work on the mission.

River Project Story
Posted Jan 23, 2009 11:19am

Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 27 homeported in Brunswick, Maine along with the Army 341st Multi Role Bridge Company and Marine Corps Kilo Co. 3rd Battalion , 7th Marines recently completed a construction project in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in al Anbar province.
The Mission consisted of constructing an 800 foot incursion barrier spanning the Euphrates River.
Equipment Operator First Class Brian Workman, of Lowell, Mass., Lead Petty Officer for NMCB 27 lead the project which included steelworkers, construction mechanics, equipment operators and an engineering aid and builder from NMCB 27 as well as coordinated all efforts between the other services.
“As Lead Petty Officer, my job was to plan and oversee the execution of our mission,” said Workman. “I was designated for this project prior to our departure from homeport; as a Civil Engineer, I had plenty of varied construction experience to oversee this project and make it work.”
“The collaboration of the joint efforts could not have been smoother. Together there were seven units that joined together providing 200 plus people working on the project,” added Workman.
“Our task was to construct approximately, eight hundred feet of small craft incursion barrier across two sections of the Euphrates River.” stated Workman. “In addition to the barrier, we were tasked with the construction…of security wire on a mid-stream island. The project would require approximately two hundred meters, (six thousand feet yield) of wire.”
In charge of the Army crew was 1st Lt. Michael J. Lordeman. The Army supported the project by providing their MK2 Combat Support (bridge) boats and six float rafts (42E) to transport the equipment needed by the Seabees to the other side of the river.
“It was a pleasure working with the Seabees to complete this project and bring a little bit more security to the country of Iraq,” said Lordeman.
Steelworker 1st Class Edward Frank of Parishville, NY, lead steelworker in charge of constructing the anchor assembly for the north anchor, was also in charge of anchoring island concrete T- barriers, each weighing roughly thirteen-thousand pounds for each barrier.
“As the project continued I had gone from lead Steelworker to crew leader of all work on the north shore,” said Frank. “I believe this was a very good change for the project because of my civilian experience as a Lead Superintendant of a world wide construction company.”
On the banks of the Euphrates, Frank, along with Equipment Operator 3rd Class Eric Kauffman of Granville, PA, installed the anchors to hold the barrier in place. During the evolution Kauffman was tasked with operating the excavator and the D-7 dozer to provide land clearing for concertina wire that stretched across the island and digging t- barrier foundations.
“Being a professional excavator operator in my civilian life, I felt at home on the project and had a lot of fun.” said Kauffman.
“We had a lot of good leadership on the project which in turn made my job a lot easier,” added Kauffman. “I had roughly eleven hours a day of operating time over an eight day period. Me and Frank set the barriers and worked together like ‘peas and carrots’.”
The crew had to overcome many obstacles including the elevation difference between the survey points. The elevation difference between both shores was greater than the equipment could overcome in order to see across the island to the North Shore to find our point of reference. This problem was quickly solved by setting Engineering Aid 2nd Class Jose Soto of Long Island, NY, up on top of one of the security gun trucks which added an extra 10 feet of elevation. From there they could see where to begin to set the centerline for earthwork.
“The mission was to place a water barrier as close as possible to the border in the Euphrates River,” said Soto. “The most critical part of the mission was to exact a line as close as possible to the border without causing an international crisis, and it was my task to trace that line. I can say that I am proud to be a Seabee.”
Also, the high water table added problems to the project, but were soon overcome. “Kauffman and I had installed the anchors and with each one ran into problems because of the water table being so high at the edges of the island,” said Frank.“I had made two field adjustments, bringing both anchors away from the river... These anchors would not have been installed as expediently as they were, if not for a skilled equipment operator such as Kauffman,” said Frank. “In my fourteen years with the Seabees, I have not worked with such a talented operator Kauffman.”
After the anchors had been installed the crew then had to fill Hesco barriers for the Marines to build a bunker for the Iraqi Army. This process involved demolishing an existing Iraqi Army island outpost. The excavator encountered mechanical problems but, the Seabees adapted and overcame with the assistance of the two Construction Mechanics that were on the project, Construction Mechanic 1st Class Tyron Sykes of Virginia Beach, VA., and Construction Mechanic 2nd Class James Stefflin of North Smithfield, RI..
“We were up and running the next morning and we were able to make up time,” said Frank. The following day Steelworker 2nd Class Joseph Pierce of Boston, Mass, and Steelworker Constructionman Nicholas Padellaro of Lawrence, Mass and I had installed the final anchor.”
“We could not have finished without the other forces,” said Workman. “There was joint ownership of battle space just within the 200 meters on the island. The performance of the 341st MRB and the Marines from Kilo 3/7 could not have been more professional or proficient; each element exhibited amazing command and control of their personnel as well as their equipment,” added Workman.
Seabees bring a broad range of technical and military skills which provide a unique capability to the support of an engineering mission. In addition to construction, these essential capabilities include robust organic support functions such as logistics, maintenance, and communications.
The Seabees of 27 also known as the “Skibees” are homeported in Brunswick, Maine, and are deployed to Iraq and other areas to provide general engineering support to Multi-National Force-West in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Story and photos by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kenneth W. Robinson - Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27 Public Affairs

Whether the Weather

It was a beautiful day in sunny Iraq. Scott said the weather this week is just about perfect--the nicest he's seen since he's been there. All week it should be in the upper 60s/low 70s. The fact that it has been sub-zero here seems to add to his enjoyment. The nicer days really are a blessing when they are working on building projects; the cold and windy days made it difficult, if not impossible, to do things like pour concrete and hang steel.

I'm reminded of a little poem/tongue twister that we used as a warm-up before speech tournaments:

Whether the weather is cold,
Or whether the weather is hot,
We'll (work) together whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not.

Turkish Delight

There is a large contingent of Turkish contractors on base. Scott has enjoyed talking with them and reminiscing about his time in Turkey. He has even had the opportunity and challenge of doing some translating from time to time. He has enjoyed it all, but on Sunday he and others who have worked alongside the contractors were invited to share a meal. Instantly, Scott was transported to another time and place as he savored soups and relished real Turkish rice (emphasis Scott's!). There was no report on whether dessert was the super-sweet Turkish Delight (kind of like a giant soft gum drop--but much , much better) but certainly, Scott was delighted. There were two disappointments to the event. First, communication about the invitation was poor so only a handful of Americans showed up and the Turks were expecting 40+. Second, when Scott and the guy he went with got up to go, they were the only Americans left so they had to walk and walk and walk and walk back to their section of base. He said it was worth every bite!

Evening Prayers

Each night, Gianna and I crawl into bed and say our evening prayers. We start with thanking God for blessings of the day (Gianna usually starts with Daddy and then lists all the people she knows and then adds blankie, milk, and church). Then we ask God to bless us tomorrow and we name people or events that will be part of our next day. At the end, I say, "Thank you God for all of your blessings. Please continue to help us. Amen." Tonight, Gianna added to my ending by explaining, "Mommy, I think maybe we need to help God, too."

Out of the mouths of babes...

So I asked her what she thought we could do to help God. She said, "like when He falls on the sidewalk, we could help Him up." I don't know that she knows enough detail of the passion of our Lord to have made a specific reference to Christ's third fall, but I do know that she has a pure and good heart and wants to serve God through neighbor. Praise God!

The Best Form of Flattery

I'm not sure Scott feels flattered, but he is being imitated. Scott has been serving as a crew leader for some time. His "unique leadership style" has been replicated by one of the junior troops in quite a comical way. Apparently, his impression of Scott is quite a good caricature and is quite good-natured. Scott hasn't seen the guy do his impression but has heard he "just has to see it!" Once he does--if he's not too embarrassed--he will try to get it video-taped to share with us here.

Leader of the Pack

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., a 5k race was held on base this morning. Scott entered and ran with 300+ other soldiers, sailors, and marines. It was a chilly 30 degrees at the starting line. He was running in a pack of about 25 guys for the first two miles but then pulled away and finished a good 45 seconds before the next runner. He wasn't sure what place he finished overall, but he was the first Seabee to cross the finish line!

Pocket Change

Of all the things you wouldn't think Scott would miss--pocket change! Apparently, the government realized that coinage gets pretty heavy in bulk. (Any woman with a handbag could have filed the brief on that one!) So to save money/weight on shipping, they do not use coins on bases in Iraq. They use regular U.S. mint bills but for change they use plastic disks that only have value on base. This seems to work well for everything except calling cards. The little silver film-covered strip on the back of a calling card needs to be scratched off to reveal the card's pin. The discs were useless and since Scott has always been militant about well-groomed finger nails, he was in a phone booth with no way to call home. Then he remembered the one thing he must have on him at all times--his weapon and its ammunition. The back end of a bullet did the trick a little too well and scratched off part of the pin. He guessed at the partial numbers and got through, but the pin he entered was slightly off and the automated voice told him that his new card had three minutes remaining. I think I'll put a quarter in my next letter!

Time Keeps Moving

Scott's working hard as always but has been put in a position of a bit more leadership. One day he had 25 Marines reporting to him. The days are long and run into each other. During our last conversation, he noted the date and was pleased that time keeps moving.

I'm sure he is missing playoffs, but there is a good chance they'll get to watch the Superbowl. News reports indicate that troops may be allowed to drink a beer or two during the game but since Scott doesn't drink, I think he'd prefer a bratwurst!

Mail Update!

Scott's battalion will keep delivering mail past February 1st after all. He is still planning to be home earlier than June, but the date continues to fluctuate. The bottom line, mail sent by February 1st should still be delivered.

As the Crow Flies

I'm reminded of the Proclaimers' song, "I Would Walk 500 Miles." I'd have to do so thirteen and a half times to fall down at Scott's door. That's right, I just figured out that Scott is roughly 6800 miles from home. (How's that for useless trivia?)

I Thought Daddy Said Construction Was Hard Work!

New Year's Day R&R

Scott had the day off today and used it to get a little extra sleep and relax a bit. When we talked this morning, he was interrupted by someone looking to borrow his seed catalog. I sent the one from Seed Savers, an heirloom seed organization about 45 minutes from here. We haven't received any others yet. If you have a seed catalog you're done with, pass it on to him and he'll share with others. Apparently their are several like-minded sailors who are getting the itch to feel some good old Midwestern soil in their hands.

Happy New Year!

The new year is starting with some great news! For months there have been rumors that Scott's battalion might be coming home earlier than initially expected. Not wanted to get my hopes up too high, I've kind of blown it off, but now a few adminstrative changes [not to be confused with administration changes :-) ] give a bit more credibility to the rumors. For instance, yesterday Scott was told that his battalion will not be getting mail delivery past February 1st. This does not mean he'll be back by then as they stop mail service a few weeks before the end of the deployment, but it is likely he'll be home in the spring instead of the summer!

Any mail sent after the third full week in January will not be delivered which means he will not get any mail for the last few weeks. Next week I plan to send a few letters marked with instructions not to open until Ground Hog's Day, Valentine's Day, Mardis Gras, etc.

Thanks for all the cards, letters, and packages you've sent so far. Scott told me today that the person who handles the mail for his battalion singled him out and told him to make sure his "fan club" knew that the mail service was ending. Apparently Scott and two other guys get more mail than the rest of the battalion combined. Keep it up; we're on the home stretch!

Christmas Camel

Scott sent this camel--complete with uniform boonie cover and dog tags--to Gianna for Christmas.

Chrismas Messages

I know how hard it was to not have Scott with us over the holidays so I can only imagine how difficult it was for Scott to be without all of us. In an effort to bring us all a bit closer, I compiled a video of Christams messages for Scott. A DVD of the complete video was sent to Scott just before Christmas. Here are just a few clips. (I tried to load the entire video but it was too long.)

The Bob Salm Family

Oshkosh Friends

Gianna Ramsay

Happy Birthday, Gianna!

Gianna got a birthday phone call from Daddy this morning. While we were on the phone, Gianna opened her present from Daddy--the book Green Eggs & Ham and a DVD of Scott reading it to her.

(Screen capture from the video.)

After we hung up, we put in the DVD. Gianna went up to the TV and stood cheek to cheek with her daddy for the entire video (almost five minutes!). She watched it at least a dozen times before I was able to coax her away with the promise of swimming. We went to the Y and then to Chuck E. Cheese. She went to sleep on the way home and is still napping!

Christmas Happenings

We've been traveling, so I haven't had mush time to post. Here are the highlights from the week:

Scott's Christmas party was a success. It was last Saturday. I had sent a Santa suit and some decorations. Our friends Tracy and Chris had sent hundreds of holiday plates and napkins. (Thanks again, you two!) Friends and family of the other guys at the same rank as Scott sent a variety of party supplies, too. They had a great time and even had to do a beer run--near beer that is--half way through the evening. One of the chiefs was going to wear the Santa suit but the $30 felt costume I found didn't quite fit his 6 foot steelworker frame, so Scott was going to wear it but the chaplain asked if he could do the honors. Scott didn't think much of it until later when he overheard two women complaining that they couldn't very well climb up on Santa's lap and be naughty-not-nice when he was the chaplain. Scott's not one for public attention to begin with so you can imagine how embarrassed he would have been!

At long last, Scott was pinned with his SCWs (seabee combat warfare) pin. A few weeks ago I mentioned that he had been studying for written and oral tests. He successfully passed everything and earned the certification. Getting pinned is a bit like a hazing ritual but he seemed to enjoy being part of the tradition!

Scott plans to attend Christmas eve mass. There is a midnight mass that is actually being held at midnight (out local parishes have them starting as early as 9:00) and he planned to attend with one of his running buddies. They got to reminiscing about going to midnight mass as kids and wondered if they could still stay up that late and function the next day now that they are in their 30s. While their parents were in their 30s when they took their kids to mass, they probably did so knowing the kids would pass out before the readings began and it would be the one mass all year that they'd actually get to enjoy! In the end, Scott and he decided since they were in their 30s and were not taking kids to mass, there was no reason they could not go tot he 4:00 p.m. mass and get a good night's sleep!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Blessings!

This year has been filled with blessings! Scott’s deployment to Iraq has given us opportunity anew to recognize how very blessed we truly are. Allow us to share a list of this year’s blessings:

Care packages! Thanks to all who have kept Scott supplied with jerkies, granola bars, phones cards, and most of all, your thoughts and prayers!

Hospitality! Grandma and Grandpa and Nana and Papa--whether at our place or theirs, they have gone above and beyond to help us! Countless friends have invited us to spend nights, weekends, even weeks with them to save on travel and to provide companionship.

Rome, Italy. Thanks to my parents (and lots of frequent flier miles!) we traveled with the entire Cerny family to Italy for nearly two weeks last May. Highlights were touring the excavation site under St. Peter’s Basilica, attending an audience with the Holy Father, visiting each of the four basilicas in Rome, and walking in the streets where St. Gianna worked, lived, and prayed.

Incredible colleagues! They have covered classes and writing lab hours at a moment’s notice.

Snow! Admittedly, I’m probably only thankful for a white Christmas because I have not shoveled a flake since Scott left thanks to the generosity of our amazing neighbors for whom I am incredibly grateful!

Thoughts and Prayers! Sunday school groups out east, prayer chains in Iowa, novenas and lit candles in Wisconsin, countless individual prayers. They mean more than anything, and they’re working! Know that you’re all in our prayers, too!

Marriage! My sister wed Ben in October. I was pleased to serve as the matron of honor and Gianna was the adorable flower girl at the beautiful private ceremony in a quaint chapel in central Wisconsin. We are grateful to have Ben as part of the family!

Adorable Gianna--what a blessing! She is growing up so quickly; it seems impossible she will be three this month. She is obsessed with Dora, wants to eat nothing but peanut butter, hot dogs, and the occasional serving of peas, and misses her Daddy. She has even started saying separate “daddy prayers” after our regular night time prayers.

Safety and security! We praise God that Scott and his group have remained safe. More now than ever, we are grateful for the hundreds of thousands of troops and their families who regardless of politics or position have volunteered to do their part to help provide peace on earth.

CHRISTMAS!
The birth of our savior--the greatest blessing of all!
We pray you and your families have a wonderful Christmas and

are blessed in the new year!

School's Out!

Scott and I both finished school yesterday. I submitted semester grades and Scott had his last oral board for the SCWs pin. He has been in class after class and taken test after test. After a three-hour oral defense, he was finished. Surprisingly, three hours is relatively short. A guy he spent time with in Mississippi spent 8 hours in his and had to go back the next day for three more. Hopefully now that this hurdle's been jumped, he'll have a bit more time for sleep!

Steel Stories

Scott's back in steelwork and since he has no fear of heights, he was volunteered to do some work 26+ feet up in the air. So, he headed up the ladder only to discover the ladder stopped about five feet short of the piece of steel he needed to mount. After analyzing the situation, he begrudgingly made his was back down the ladder. Another Seabee was volunteered. He too made his way up--and down. There was no lone left to be talked into volunteering, so Scott decided to give it another go. He climbed up the ladder and reconsidered the possibilities. His chief called him down, told him to forget about it. Did he not realize that was as good as a double dog dare??? Scott yanked himself into a partial chin-up and swung his body onto the beam before finally being able to tie-off for safety. (There's a reason steelwork is the second most dangerous job.) I'm sure he was quite pleased with himself, that is until a chief ten years his senior walked onto the job site, strutted over to an I-beam that was straight up in air, and managed to shimmy up the thing in no time. Granted, the chief is a journeyman steelworker, but I'm sure it was a bit deflating. In any event, it made for an interesting first day back in steelwork and a great story that is sure to get greater with time. By the time he gets home, I bet the steel beam will have been at least 40 feet in the air!

No Peeking!

Scott received many packages in the last few days. He decided to wait until Christmas morning to open everything so that the day is marked in a special way. He asked that if anyone wants him to open a package early, he or she should email him at ramzeeola90@yahoo.com.

SW1 Ramsay

He has has office jobs, driving jobs, and miscellaneous other jobs, but for the first time since he mobilized back in June, Scott was assigned to do steelwork--what the SW stands for!

It may not last, however. Scott's roommate was on a construction project in which many Turkish civilian contractors were involved. Apparently the communication gap was making progress impossible until Scott's roommate told a higher-up that Scott knows some Turkish. Scott was called off of his work site to translate and while his working vocabulary has diminished a bit over the past 15 years, he was able to get the two groups on the same page and the project up and running. Afterwards, he was grilled on his language skills. Given the number of Turks and Azeris on base and in the area, translation may become another job to add to the list.

The Fewer. The Prouder. The Seabees!

A group of Marines who had gotten themselves in a bit of troubled were sentenced to a day of hard manual labor. Their punishment? To work with Scott's company for the day. What Scott's group does day in and day out is what the Marines consider punishment!

Go Navy! Beat Army!

The Midshipmen pulled out a huge victory--the first shut-out in 30+ years! Scott was able to watch the game. The command was projecting up on a huge cement wall. It meant a late night for the sailors but I'm sure it was well worth it especially since they were the winners. I'm sure the soldiers on base will be dragging tomorrow!

Unfortunately, the shout-out Scott was a part of was not aired. I've got feelers out to see if I can get a copy of his Badger shout out. I'll post it if I track one down.

There's Still Time!

Believe it or not, the Christmas presents I mailed on Monday, November 24 arrived today--in just 10 days!

I had written on the sides, "Do not open until Christmas day!" I even gave him strict orders that when he saw that message on a box, he was not allowed to read the customs slip! I didn't know if he would follow my rule though, so I devised a test. When he told me it arrived I said, "wow, already? What date did it say it shipped?" If he answered, I'd know he cheated. Luckily, he said he didn't know because he didn't look at the label. So either he wants to be surprised or he wants me to think he wants to be surprised.

In any event, if you haven't yet sent a card off to your favorite sailor, you have time to get it there by the big day!

SCOTT THOMAS RAMSAY
NMCB-27
DETACHMENT 4, CHARLIE COMPANY
FPO, AA 34099-2204

Testing, Testing, Testing

No, I'm not checking my mic. Scott is in the process of earning his Seabee Combat Warfare pin--a three-test process. He had a written test this morning which he passed with a solid score. He has two more tests to come: a preliminary oral board and the final oral board. Scott tests and presents well but this is a pretty big deal so let's pray that he is able to demonstrate his knowledge and strength during the tests to come.

Gobble, Gobble!

A few days before Thanksgiving, Scott reported that the mess hall (cafeteria) was advertising a "Hawaiian Thanksgiving"--not a turkey, giblet, or cranberry on the menu! When it came time to head to lunch, he and his roommate decided they just couldn't replace cranberries with pineapple and gravy with poi. They started a pilgrimage, if you will, for a more traditional dinner.

There are five mess halls on base and each serves their own menu from day to day, meal to meal. They decided to walk from hall to hall until they found one staffed by people who knew what Thanksgiving is about. They eventually found it complete with turkey, stuffing, potatoes, even green beans with almonds! But, alas, there was no cranberry relish. Thus became the quest for their evening meal! I never heard if they found it.

Just in case, I had sent a Thanksgiving-in-a-box:
Turkey Jerky
Sweet Potato Chips
Craisins
Pumpkin Muffins

It wasn't really anything like the real deal but I figured if he had been in the field, it would have been better than a Swiss steak MRE!

We hope your Thanksgiving was blessed. We have much to be thankful for including your love, support, and most of all, your prayers! Thanks!

Holiday Greetings and Reflections from Iraq

Scott sent a letter in four parts: an opening salutation, a description of his work, a reflection on his disposition, and an indication of the future. Each part is posted below as a distinct entry. I hope you find his insights as engaging, sobering, compelling, and enriching as I do.

Greeting (Part 1 of 4)

Feast of Christ the King, 2008
Al Asad, Iraq

“I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.” (III John 1:13-14)

“At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.” (Philemon 1:22)

By some miracle of God I got a day off today. It is my second day off since getting here a couple months ago. I decided to spend it writing a letter to all the people who have written me or prayed for me while I’ve been here. I feel terrible that I am unable to return your mail and well-wishes individually at this time, but I feel blessed for the kindness all of you have shown me! You are wonderful relatives and friends! My plan is that when/if I get another day off, I will phone all those who have written me here.

This is a three-part letter. The first section is a general portrait of my work here within the boundaries of rules and security limitations. The second section is my frame of mind. The third section is the future. Please do not feel like you have to read the whole thing. Skim it or discard it if you want! We can catch up in person in the spring when I’m back home! That would be infinitely more entertaining, I’m sure!

Happy holidays! – In Christ Jesus, Scott Ramsay

Reality: Iraq is Hard Duty (part 2 of 4)

“Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the earth a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising and the moon will not shed its light. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and lay low the haughtiness of the ruthless. I will make men more rare than fine gold and mankind than the gold of Ophir.

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pride of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. It will never be inhabited or dwelt in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there. But wild beasts will lie down there, and it houses will be full of howling creatures; there ostriches will dwell, and there satyrs will dance. Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged.” (Isaiah 13:9-12, 19-22)
Exhaustion. Mind-numbing exhaustion. Up for thirty hours or more of loading and unloading trucks, driving truck, and that most quintessential of military activities: “standing by.” Sentence fragments. But then the zoned-out mind thinks in sentence fragments. Prowords, comm, truncated thoughts ala Orwell’s 1984. Wired awake, road hypnosis, mesmerized. The thought occurs to me that you could get almost anyone to do almost anything if you deny a basic need long enough – rest, freedom from pain, bathroom privileges, water, food, you-name-it. Just dangle that carrot in front of the donkey. But I don’t think on this long – thinking hurts. Being. Pure being.

My mind drifts on to what I put in my combat pack. I almost packed a stuffed ladybug that my daughter had sent me in an Operation Homefront box. It was either the ladybug or all my ammunition. The thought to leave some ammo at “home” and pack the animal was almost a rational one at the time; tired people don’t think straight. In the end every round I have squeezed its way into my pack. (As corny as it sounds, I had made a promise to a guy I don’t even know at Don Sommermeyer’s birthday party that I would never get an “I don’t give a care” attitude over here, and that was the tipping point for the ammo over the ladybug.) I bid the stuffed ladybug adieu and left it standing sentry over my gear at Camp Cupcake.

Stay awake. Have to stay awake. Yawns. Micro-tremor in the eyeballs. Pale skin. Bags under the eyes. The temperature never seems right when you’re at the brink of collapse. Twenty hours awake and on duty. Thirty hours awake and on duty. Forty hours awake and on duty. (Of course there are rules against all this but they can be waived in wartime.) Finally the head bob.
I know all the tricks. Keep pumping caffeine into your system. The military has this energy drink called Rip It. They also give you this espresso stuff called Shock – it comes in Mocha or Latte cans that look like automotive fluid containers. When this quits working you get your a-driver (assistant driver) to talk to you. Keep shifting in the seat. Keep moving your head around. Then you blast the air conditioning until you’re frozen (the windows don’t open on most tactical vehicles). Then you try pain, which is actually pretty effective – everything from pressing on nailbeds, rubbing my sternum, pinching myself hard, et cetera. After that you make up some bologna excuse for why the convoy has to stop – convoy commanders are loath to stop in “Indian Country” – and you get out and walk around the vehicle checking your cargo straps for ten minutes while Al Qaeda is supposedly zeroing in on you and your position. The remedy of last resort for head bobbing is this nasty chewing gum called “Stay Alert.” I cannot convey in words how disgusting this stuff is; it is absolutely enough to make a maggot retch. The longer you chew it, the more bitter it gets. It comes with a cheerful endorsement: PROVEN EFFECTIVE AND SAFE BY WALTER REED ARMY INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH. Great. The same people who brought us the anthrax vaccine are now in the gum business. I would have hated to be taking care of the monkeys the day they fed them this awful/offal stuff – thousands of hyper-energized, ticked-off lab primates simultaneously shoving their fingers down their throats. I must confess that when I’ve chewed Stay Alert my first instinct is always to look for a dead camel on the side of the road, hoping that if I could just chew on its moribund mohair fur and some desert lice, I could just possibly get the taste out of my mouth.

At some point in these marathon work stretches, my mind always wanders to a cousin of whom I have no memory: Allen Adams. I haven’t heard anyone speak his name in years – you know how it is with the names of those long dead, it is almost taboo/eerie to speak their names even when one is alone. Anyway, he tried driving from Nebraska to Wisconsin or some such thing and fell asleep at the wheel a few miles from home. He thought he could drive a few more miles but he died instead. I bet he was a good guy; I bet he THOUGHT he could make it. And I bet I’m no less human than he was. A big thing touted around here is that last month there were more non-combat deaths than combat-related deaths in Iraq. Awesome. The U.S. pushes people beyond human limits more often than the enemy kills us. Strange thing to brag about.

At last the outpost. Usually some forlorn spot in the desert although one time I did drive to one of Saddam’s old palaces. The opulence of the palace, contrasted with the squalor and poverty of the nearby cities (I am not allowed to name them but they are some of the most notorious names on the planet), makes one boil with righteous indignation. And then again the thought occurs to me that if most of the world walked through most of America they’d probably be indignant. In a philosophical tone I tell myself, “The despot is dead. Tried and executed. Why begrudge him this monument to his megalomania?”

But today it’s an outpost of the plywood and canvas variety. Time to bed down for the day like a vampire or some creature nocturnal anyway. There always seems to be a rodent-infested tent set aside for travelers to make up food at any hour. None of it really appeals but I force something down to accompany that mashed-up protein bar I squirreled away in a pocket. Rodents. I don’t like rodents. Besides being vectors of disease they attract snakes. Iraq has forty or so venomous snakes – asps, adders, cobras, who-knows-what’s. Supposedly two of the asps are so deadly that they won’t even send a Medevac if one of them bites you. (You’re already dead so why risk a helicopter crew’s lives?) I think in reality somebody would call for a helicopter anyway – no one out here has a PhD in zoology and reptile identification. I find a GWOT cot. Good. I hate the Vietnam ones that are still floating around – they have this metal bar that goes across the small of my back. I put my rifle beside me and then: Collapse – utter, total surrender to physiological reality.

You always seem to wake up a few hours later; you never seem to be able to get back to sleep. The reasons vary – air ops, heat, cold, millions of flies, tentmates, residual caffeine, a full bladder, a cough, who-knows-what. Today I wake up sweating to death and my sleeping bag sticking to me. The power’s been off for a couple hours and there is no air conditioning. I stare at the ceiling of the tent and all its holes letting the daylight in. Most of the holes are taped; the age and type of the tape makes for different colored holes. The effect is that of a planetarium. The red hole is Mars. The next is Betelgeuse. The one over there is the Morning Star. A landing helicopter swoops in so low and loud it feels as if it will land in the tent itself. My planetarium shakes violently to and fro. At last the Day of the Lord, when the firmament will shake and pass away with violent intensity and heat. Isaiah, Zephaniah, the rest of the prophets – they were right, I knew it! Well maybe not, the helicopter passes and “the heavens” return to their previous serenity.

Dust everywhere and in everything. Moon dust. Dust like talcum powder six inches deep. Dust midway up the boot or higher generates suction to the ground. And merely walking around generates a cloud up to one’s waist. Dust even has a smell to which I have still not quite accustomed myself. They call it the Sandbox for a reason. We are naturally filthy. Water is in short supply. Some outposts have showers. This one does not so I make do with some baby wipes and a liter of bottled water. I offload my truck.

Now I have to do the pre-trip checks on my Oshkosh truck. My truck is my life out here. The fluids and everything had better be right. Get some fuel. I walk past a pile of unexploded ordnance – IED materials. This stuff’s the real deal. No one hauls that stuff very far or keeps it for very long. A guy I knew from my squad at the Green Bay reserve center got killed by an IED over here – Chuck Kiser from Cleveland, Wisconsin. He was in the Naval Reserve with me and then joined the Wisconsin National Guard. It makes you think. A recent Navy Times had an article stating that two years ago they were finding/exploding 2600 IED’s a month in Iraq and that now they’re finding around 550 a month and they tend to be less lethal. How comforting. I generally spend my last several minutes of freedom on the hood of my vehicle reading the Bible. I’ve been into Saint Paul’s letters lately.

A couple last checks of my gear and it’s time to put on my “battle rattle.” The whole get-up must weigh fifty pounds. Groin protector. Bulletproof vest. Kevlar helmet. Flameproof flight suit and gloves. Ballistic glasses that look like something Robin wore on the ‘60’s TV series “Batman and Robin.” Sometimes a wire hanging out of my ear, sometimes not. Oh well, there’s no one here to witness how patently ridiculous I look except for a desert fox and her kits. And those bats. And that scorpion.

Back out into the desert night. A patch of earth lighter than the other terrain – I don’t like that. Natural calcium deposit? That ubiquitous greenish clay stuff? Nighttime mirage? Freshly disturbed earth concealing an improvised explosive device? Green cheese? The Sea of Tranquility lies just beyond the horizon you know, or so the landscape suggests.
At last Camp Cupcake, my home away from home. Fuel up. Check in. Go home for some sleep and be back later the same day for more loading and unloading trucks and cargo.
The typical workday is about 13 or 14 hours long at Camp Cupcake, longer when I’m away from here. I have not written one note/letter since getting here. I apologize to all who have written me and “heard” silence in return. I just have no time at the end of any of my days here. I have been in Iraq for more than two months and I have had two days off… and they weren’t “really” days off. I truly love all of you and appreciate the time and effort it takes for you to write me. I will try to call everyone who has sent me anything at some point. Lord-willing, I will return to you in the spring and we will celebrate together. Thank you.

In the meantime, meditate on these words of beloved Saint Paul, “I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts of the Apostles 20:33-35)

Reality: Iraq is What You Make of It (part 3 of 4)

“For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’ Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you; therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” (Isaiah 30:15a, 18)

I go to church every chance I get over here. Catholic church. Protestant church. An empty church. It doesn’t matter. I read a short section from _My Utmost for His Highest_ and get on with my day.

I like the camaraderie and rapport among me, my brothers-in-arms, and my sisters-in-arms. The Navy isn’t as “serious” as the Marine Corps, for which I am grateful! We joke, we tease, we involve ourselves in each other’s cares and home lives. I have a good laugh several times a day. No matter how sleep-deprived we are, we take time to celebrate birthdays. Most of us use first names.

I run three times a week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5 AM. I really don’t have time to lift weights.

I try to call my wife everyday when/where there are phones. It is good to connect with her, America, and my chattering daughter. Internet service is very spotty and slow but better than nothing.

The money for being here is good. The money is not worth it, but the money is good. We have an exchange at which to buy mundane items. There is an AT&T phone center five minutes from my room and I can call America for 19 cents a minute. My longest call – forty minutes – was still less than $8. Calling people is money well-spent. $100 a month buys a lot of sanity.
I have been gone for more than five months now. I should be home in three and a half months (early March?). Time does indeed pass….

They do have some cookouts and other diversions here – “mandatory fun,” as it’s known. At the end of one work project, I chipped in $20 to buy a goat. The goat cost $100 total. Courtesy of our interpreter and his knife skills, that goat went from drinking water to being killed, skinned, and gutted in under two minutes. By the time I got back to the tent from working that day everyone had eaten the goat! I didn’t even get a bite, but the junior troops had fun and that’s what was important.

I did an individual “shout-out” for the Wisconsin Badgers and a group shout-out for the Army-Navy football game. I am guessing the U of Wisconsin put me on a 3 AM women’s field hockey re-run since no one saw it – either that or the football season was so dismal that the Cheese State has collectively quit watching Badger games. The Army-Navy one says that the midshipmen will show “them” how it’s done on the field and the Seabees will show them how it’s done in the dirt. There are a bunch of trucks and about sixty guys in it. The usual: “Go Navy, beat Army!” I should be toward the front on the right of the TV screen. I am wearing a flight suit and a hard hat. Of course, neither one may ever get played. But it was something to do other than work! We had a Halloween party and we will have a Hawaiian Thanksgiving – whatever that is! Counterintuitively most of us are looking forward to Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentine’s – we’ve known for months that they’re benchmarks on the calendar that will bring us closer to coming home….

As for the inherent dangers of this place, I was in a place where there was daily gunfire for a week and a half. I don’t think any of it was actually aimed at us – at least it wasn’t very accurate. It was very close only twice. We all hit the deck and took cover. Everyone in my group remained very loose and very focused – exactly what you want in a situation like that. A couple of the guys half-my-age were busting my chops that the Iraqi children were lying flat on the ground for a few full seconds before I was. I told them they’re a lot younger than I am, they’re not wearing all the gear I am, and they’re a lot closer to the ground. Within a half hour of both incidents, we were all laughing and working hard again. One of the convoys I was on had a near miss with a small IED also. I have nothing but praise for the Iraqi army – they’ve been great. My roommate’s also worked with them extensively on a different project and he thinks a lot of them too. Both interpreters I’ve dealt with have been some of the most idealistic and hardest working people I’ve ever met.

Camp Cupcake has two Subway’s and a coffee shop (the Green Bean). Neither of the Subway’s have any vegetables – ever. Meat, cheese, black olives, salad dressing, and bread. That’ll be $9, please.

There was a dreadful Pizza Hut and a nauseating Burger King but they both closed. I predict a spike in the local varmint population. One night I stopped by the Burger King, waited a half hour for my camel burger and fries, and then I asked for some mustard. I always eat mustard with my French fries. Burger King’s slogan is, “Have it your way.” Well this Burger King crew was the same one from when Saddam Hussein and sons ran this base. I’m guessing that back then it was known as Burger Dictator. The employee had one of those yellow squeeze mustard bottles two feet from him but he wouldn’t give me any mustard. Finally he told me he was going to Pizza Hut to get my mustard and stormed off. I waited for fifteen minutes wondering how Pizza Hut would have any mustard. He finally emerged with one of those clear plastic Solo cups from Pizza Hut, squeezed some mustard into it, and sent me on my way. Why he didn’t just put it on my fries or on a napkin or something, I will never know. My food was in the backroom, not under a heat lamp, and ice cold by the time I got it. The meat tasted like it had been frozen and thawed a dozen times – so nasty I didn’t even finish it. All that and a pop for $11. But the fries and the mustard were divine!

There’s kind of a b-list of celebrities that make their way here once a month or so. The former lead singer from Creed was supposed to come here and put on a concert at the soccer stadium on base (supposedly the same soccer stadium where Uday Hussein had his Olympic soccer team executed for losing a match). He got cancelled because of a sandstorm. The American Gladiators were here too (some TV show), but I had to work. They had put on a pugil stick demonstration at one of the other bases in the region but one of the Marines beat up a gladiator so bad that they decided against doing anything more than autographs and pictures. It seems to me that somebody else came here as well but I cannot remember.

I love hiking and the outdoors. The desert and its creatures have their own austere beauty. One scene indelibly etched into my mind is the Euphrates at dusk. Strip of blue desert river, strip of green fertility, and then khaki cliffs. Orange full moon coming up over the horizon. The Muslim call to prayer from so many mosques in the distance. Feral dogs baying to the mysterious tones of Islam….

I love the Navy. Of course I have days when I hate the Navy. I have done some very cool stuff over the years, including on this deployment. Hopefully someday I will be able to give you more details…. In any event I am in good spirits and dealing well with it all, I think. In three and a half months I will be home. In five and a half years I will retire from the Reserves. Keep paying your taxes everyone because I am going to collect a reservist pension someday for going through all this!

Reality: An Uncertain America is Better Than the Sandbox (part 4 of 4)

“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:6-9)

“Christ is the light
Which illuminates our existence.
Before this light
The darkness of evil and war and sin
Will not prevail.
Even death is defeated
For God’s love is eternal.
He desires Communion with us
And makes us enter
Beyond death
Into His eternal life.”
(A Carthusian prayer; my favorite prayer, in fact)

My mind wanders to America from time to time. I dream about holding Gianna and Amy. I dream about lighting the Advent wreath together. I think about the Mississippi River and its ghostly silhouettes in the snow and in the fog. I think about gun season and family gatherings. I miss my neighbors talking in the street. I’d like to go camping. I’d like a day off. I can smell my garden and my lawn….

I received a well-meant suggestion that I should stay here for another tour because the economy is so bad at home. All I can say is I am definitely coming home when they say I can go home!

Thanks again and God bless, Scott Ramsay

Up On The Rooftop...

Scott and the other E6's (other guys at the same rank) are planning a surprise Christmas party for the junior troops. He called and asked me to send a Santa Suit. Apparently, the tradition that started at the Salm Family Christmas parties when he needed no extra padding will continue in Iraq, but much extra padding is now required! And while he wont likely find any chimneys to slide down, he is likely to be up on the rooftops quite literally. He officially finished his "project" today and thought he would be reassigned to the truck driving position he was in. Instead, he has been assigned to a steel worker position not unlike the one he had in Greece (during the Kosovo deployment). So he will likely be up on the roof tops--or at least the steel frames supporting them--in the very near future.

Moonrise Over the Euphrates

Scott isn't able to report much about the events of last week, but he did write a description of his surroundings one evening.

I watched the moonrise at dusk over the Euphrates. Desolate cliffs in the backdrop and a thin, green strip of life in the middle. Jackasses brayed in the distance. Feral dogs bayed to hypnotic tones of the Muslim call to prayer from so many mosques.

Scott returned to base around 1:00 a.m. and made a quick call to say hello. He hadn't had running water or a bed in a week, so our conversation was brief. He sounded tired but good. He plans to call tomorrow and I'll presumably have more to post then.

Incommunicado

From the generic nature of my less frequent posts over the past week or so, you may have guessed by now that Scott is incommunicado currently. As soon as I hear or read, I'll post. In the mean time, I find learning more about his command through the Ombudsmen (basically liaisons between the command and the families), the family grams, web searches, etc. helps me feel connected to Scott, so I'll keep posting related interesting tidbits as I come across them.

Workin' Hard

Scott's battalion sends out a family gram every six weeks or so. It contains letters from the commanding officer and from the heads of each company. It usually also has a few photos. The latest gram included this picture of Scott.

More Seabees in the News

One of the guys Scott spent a bit of time with when they were still in Gulfport is making state news in Vermont.

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Oct19/0,4670,DeployedAuditor,00.html

NMCB-27 On-line

I just stumbled upon the website for the battalion with which Scott deployed.
https://www.seabee.navy.mil/index.cfm/47920

15 Seconds of Fame

Scott and his follow truck drivers just filmed a commercial that is set to air during the Army/Navy game on December 5th. The game will be broadcast on CBS and kick-off is at noon.

Look for an ad with troops in front of a fleet of trucks. Scott will be in the lower right-hand corner wearing a flight suit and a hard hat.

GO NAVY MIDSHIPMEN!

Scott was in the chow hall when he a conversation caught his attention not because of what they spoke about but because of the language they spoke in: Turkish. Apparently there is a small contingent of Turkish forces on base. Scott introduced himself and explained that he had studied in Turkey. They quickly realized that Scott had been to many of the places they were from. He was surprised at how easily he was able to slip back into the language and really enjoyed the conversation.

For the first time in weeks, Scott had a couple of "free" hours today and planned to use that time to finally respond to so many of you who have sent letters, emails, packages, etc. Unfortunately (fortunately?) he ended up sleeping 14 hours last night which meant two things: he didn't get to write his letters but he got some much needed sleep and feels as if his cold has finally broken.

Please know that your thoughts, prayers, letters, emails, etc. do not go unappreciated. Both Scott and I are constantly uplifted by your generousness of heart! We keep you in prayer and pray you may be blessed as you have blessed us!

Happy Halloween!

Gianna and Daddy discussed costumes and trick-or-treating for a couple of minutes this afternoon. I can't wait for him to see these pictures of his little angel!

Bring on the NyQuil

He's sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy-head-ing, fever-ing! (The lack of parallelism in that slogan always drove the English teacher in me crazy!) Between wading in waist deep water for hours during the marathon (read post below) and the rain that has continued pretty much ever since, Scott's got one heckofa cold going on. Today the safety team stopped his project. Apparently climbing on slippery surfaces 30 feet off the ground during a rain storm isn't too safe! At least there is one benefit to the weather, a few extra minutes of down-time; they got off 30 minutes early today!

D-A-D-D-Y

Scott has been working 15+ hours per day doing pretty demanding work. I was telling Gianna that Daddy worked very hard today and she broke into a song we learned for our trip to Gulfport. I asked her to sing it again but I cut off the beginning and couldn't get her to sit still enough a third time.

D-A-D-D-Y
Daddy, he's our guy
He works so hard
All day long
D-A-D-D-Y

Desert Flood

Yesterday was the national Marine Corps marathon and since there are many marines on base, they set aside a couple hours in the morning so anyone who wanted to run the marathon could. Scott was assigned to man a Gatorade station at the end of the route. His description of the event is below:

The marathon turned into the world's biggest fiasco... I got out the door at 4:40 AM. It was about 60 degrees and it started to drizzle, which should have been great marathon weather. I went back in my room and got my gor-tex jacket. Our ride showed up at 5:15 finally. We took our post on a corner at the edge of the oasis. The oasis sits in a wadi (kind of like a mini-valley that deserts have). The drizzle turned into pouring rain that lasted two hours.

All of a sudden we were in the world's biggest flash flood. The oasis disappeared; only the tops of the highest palm trees could be seen in a roiling sea of brown current. Hayes, myself, and some others were waist deep in current that was almost knocking us over. We were helping runners through the "river." They were all trying to hug the barricades around our corner, but the current was strongest there. All of a sudden it got to be way too much. Tree limbs were crashing into us. Three Ugandans from the security forces got stranded on a concrete barricade. Their car literally started floating away. We got out of there and the Ugandans got rescued. They tried to re-route our part of the Marine Corps Marathon but after another ten minutes they cancelled the whole thing.

I went to my workplace and was put on stand-by in a huge truck in case we were needed for rescues. Finally they cut me loose but told me to be back by 1 PM.

Hello from the Sandbox!

Generally Scott has the ability to check email once a week but usually doesn't have time to respond. This morning, however, I was excited to see his name in my inbox. Here are a few excerpts:

Bad weather today -- thunderstorms and torrents of rain. So here I sit in the computer room. I hope they don't have me doing anything too mindless this afternoon. It's the first real rain of the rainy season. I am wondering if it will bring the desert to life.

There was no World Series game on in the chow hall this morning and I cannot get into preseason NBA. The news has been a broken record the last few weeks. The economy, the stock market, the housing market, and the election. It seems so distant from here.

Feel free to email Scott at his yahoo address (ramzeeola90@yahoo.com). He would love to get updates from you. Just realize you will not likely hear back.

Good Times with Gourds

We carved pumpkins tonight. Gianna thought the squishy part was "yuuuuu-keeeee!" She was very adamant that she did not want a mad, or sleepy, or scary, or silly, or happy pumpkin. She wanted a sad pumpkin. (Can you tell we've been working on feelings?)

Seabees in the News

Here is a link to a news story about Scott's battalion. He is not with the guys who went to Tripoli, bit it is interesting nevertheless.
http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=25360

Pump 3, You're Ready

For those of you who are not surrounded by Kwik Trips, the title of this post is the standard greeting that emanates from the magical land of the Kwikery when you prepare to put fuel in your car. Until the mighty and powerful Kwik Trip associate readies your pump, you're out of luck--not a drop leaves the hose. If only the Kwik Trip associate's powers extended to the middle of the desert. Somehow, a gasket on a fuel tank failed and Scott was doused in fuel. While he has a minor (first degree) chemical burn on his legs and some related swelling, he shouldn't have any problems beyond some discomfort for a few days. His uniform will have to be replaced which means breaking in a new pair of boots. I think he was more concerned about the impending blisters from that process than the burn. In any case, please say a quick prayer for his comfort and healing.

Lookin' Good

A friend of Scott's just sent these photos. I must admit at first the weapons and bunkers in the photos really unsettled me so I wasn't going to post them. Then I realized that this is his reality. The only time he doesn't carry that weapon is when he is showering and sleeping. He is not just on vacation or at boy scout camp. So, here is our little dose of reality...

The More Things Change...

Scott called this afternoon after another long day of driving. In fact, it was around 2:00 a.m. when he got back to his living area. The phones were down for the last day or so and the computers have been really slow and finicky (probably due to an increase in use during the phone down-age). We didn't talk very long but it was great to touch base and since I was home, he was able to talk to Gianna for a minute or two. She had been playing with a barnyard Spin-and-Say and spent most of the conversation sharing animal sounds.

There is a chance Scott's job will change again. There is talk of a building project similar to the type he worked on in Greece (during his Kosovo recall). While I know he would prefer to just get a job and stay in it, at least the work would be somewhat familiar. Who knows when or if that change will happen or how long it would last. The only thing certain is uncertainty.

More Birthday Wishes

We couldn't let Scott's birthday pass without recognizing it in some little way on this end. So on Thursday, when Gianna and I joined the Cernys and Webers (Sarah's new in-laws) for dinner, we took dessert--a birthday cake for Scott. We sang "Happy Birthday" and Gianna blew out the candle for Daddy.

Even though Daddy doesn't really like cake, I didn't see the need to subject the rest of us to Scott's favorite, mincemeat pie. I did, however, send him individual pie crusts and a jar of mincemeat pie filling which he shared with a friend on Thursday night. I'm sure it was nothing like the one I usually make, especially since I thought I better get the booze-free version. Hopefully it was still reminiscent of the real thing.

The Reward for a Job Well Done...

The reward for a job well done is more work! Scott's one-time driving project has turned into his full-time job. He has already driven over four-hundred miles in the past week which is quite something if you consider the timing of travel and the terrain. The good news is he enjoys driving and is using a skill he has grown quite comfortable with in the civilian world. Granted, the equipment is subtly different than the trucks he is used to driving (although I bet they are about the same age which doesn't say much for Amerigas or the military!) but he seems to be adjusting well.

Like Father, Like Daughter

Most of you know Scott has quite a dislike of fish, so I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised by tonight's mealtime escapade. For several weeks, I've been trying to sneak as much protein as possible into Gianna's food. I've had quite a bit of success with shredded chicken in pasta and rice dishes so tonight I attempted tuna casserole. I called Gianna to the table purposefully a bit late to ensure a good appetite. She climbed up and appeared excited so I tried to build enthusiasm by touting how good it looked. She exclaimed, "Yeah!" and could barely finish praying before she grasped the spoon and shoved a mound of gooey noodles into her mouth. A barely perceptible pause was followed by facial contortions and spitting that seemed to be involuntary reflexes! She did manage to eat--or rather, tearfully gag down--two bites of "just the peas, Mommy" before I broke down and made a peanut butter sandwich. I guess an aversion to anything aquatic must be genetic.

Happy (early) Birthday!

Since I don't know if Scott will be able to check his email or this blog on Thursday, I thought I'd post a special message from Gianna now.

The Wheels on the Truck...

Yes, I know--another illusion to a toddler song. This time, however, it is one Scott actually sang to my voice mail. Apparently even though he is still changing jobs, he was tasked for a different project over the weekend and got to put to use his CDL and Amerigas experience. No details to report but I'm guessing he didn't need to know that the wipers go woosh woosh woosh as the weather has been 90s all week.

Christian Community

With the exception of the week in Kuwait, Scott has been able to participate in Holy Mass during his entire deployment--Praise God! What's more, he can access the chapel throughout the day (nonworking hours of course) and a bible study is even starting up tonight. He was unable to attend due to the new job today (see post below) and the distance, but it sounds like in future weeks the study will be held closer to the lodging area so he won't have to go back and forth the three to five miles in the evening. In any case, there are opportunities to connect with other Catholics and fellow Christians for which he is quite grateful.

From Work to Work and More Work

It had been a couple of weeks and Scott was beginning to settle in at the new job. He was gaining comfort with his new coworkers and the tasks of the job. Even though he wished he could have crossed-rate to a medical position, this position was certainly a better fit than some of the tasks he could have been assigned. Yet nearly as soon as he settled in, he's shipping out, so to speak. Apparently another seabee got injured in an on-base work accident and has been reassigned from construction work to Scott's area. Since they had enough people in Scott's area, Scott has been reassigned and will have a new job effective immediately.

Speaking of work... I took out the garden today and Gianna insisted on helping. We were both covered in dirt, seeds, and tomatoes within minutes. A neighbor was kind enough to throw our plant waste in the back of his pickup and haul it to the town compost heap. Believe it or not, because of our kind and generous neighbors, this is the first yard work I've had to do since Scott left.

A Tired Boy...

...is a good boy, as Grandpa Salm would say. Apparently the Navy is really interested in having good boys since they've been working 12 to 14 hour days all week. Yesterday, after 14 hours of work, the officials decided to reward the group with pizza. So instead of going back to his can, showering, and relaxing a few minutes, he spent yet another hour or so with his coworkers. I'm assuming the pizza was better than the Burger King burger he described as likely being monkey meat!

On the whole, despite being tired, he sounds good. He was interested in the latest rounds of debates and was very grateful for the cards and packages he's received this month. He hopes to send personal notes of thanks as time allows but know that your thoughtfulness and generosity are appreciated. I too appreciate anything you send his way. It is reassuring to know that he knows he is thought of, loved, and missed.

Boots on Ground

I just recieved this photo of Scott's battalion

landing in the Middle East.

Good to the Last Drop

Apparently coffee-making equipment is hard to come by and Scott had been without caffeine for quite some time (a shock to his several-cup-a-day habit!). He sent an email with a brief celebration of the arrival of a coffee maker to the detachment:

My brothers-in-arms and I hovered over the coffee machine as we made our first pot. We briefly considered staying “un-hooked” on caffeine but then rejected this idea for the sheer madness and lunacy it was.

The Phone, The Phone is Ringing...

I apologize to those of you who don't have toddlers who are obsessed with The Wonder Pets. The title of today's post is part of the theme song to one of Gianna's favorite PBS programs and is what we sang as we went to the phone this morning to answer Scott's call. I guess the phone system on base was down for a day or so and was still only available in a limited way. As a result, we only had a very few minutes to chat. Basically, he reported that he has had a couple of good days at work. Starting any new job is stressful; I can't imagine starting a new job under those circumstances! During the other minute or two I told him a bit about our Octoberfest parade adventures. (I'll post more about them when I get pictures!)

It's Planting Time

While Mom, Sarah, and I were having our fun, fabulous weekend (see post from 9/21) Gianna and Papa were busy planting fruit trees!

He Called, and Called, and Called...

After several hours and three failed attempts, Scott gave up on Skype today. Actually, Skype would probably work fine, but his built-in mic picks up too much noise and apparently the external mic he borrowed is not compatible with Microsoft Vista. We had hoped that the cost (it is only 2 cents a minute) and convenience of talking in his "can" would allow us to talk more than a few minutes at a time but at least we still have calling cards!

Routine in the Making

Scott is officially in his position now. He isn't able to share many details but it sounds like it is office work. Of course, when building projects come up, he'll be tasked for them.

Between the travel, the chow halls, and his schedule, he had been off his diet and exercise regimen for a couple of weeks. Now that his work schedule should be a bit more structured, he started back up. He ran three miles this morning with two of his brothers-in-arms and they plan on doing it every other morning. On the other mornings, he walks three to five miles to work. He is also going back to using protein bars and jerkies as his primary source of protein (sure beats Swiss steak in the chow hall!).

The other benefit that comes with a more structured work schedule is he has been able to call home almost daily. Usually, we talk for less than fifteen minutes but it has been nice to touch base.