life on MORALES-FRAZIER 3 NOV 2010

Wow, what a place.  Like I mentioned before, we flew into this place on a blackhawk helicopter under a full moon through and Afghan valley.  It was fantastic.  Definately one of the cooler things I've done.  Helicopters are constantly zooming in and out of here and I have to make way for a multitude of different wheeled armored vehicles everyday.  It is not uncommon to hear test fire mortars and machine guns and sometimes there are true firefights outside the base.  Even now after having been here a copule of weeks, it is all still surreal to me.  I havent been on a mission yet but the things I'm getting to do in my life are once again, incredible.  This is everything I could have asked for.  Sure, it could be better or more exciting.  I dont really ever get to see any action but that may change.  I think its going to be a good several months.  All the training sucked but now I'm glad I have it.  It may save my life one day.  Walking around with a loaded pistol at all times is a new experience and its kind of growing on me.  I always wondered what it would be like to walk around in an area that could turn chaotic at any moment and how nervous and uptight I would be but strangely, its not that bad.  Granted, I'm on a protected base and I'm sure it's different when you ride in a convoy but theres still that edginess that anything could happen at any time.  The siren could go off at any time meaning we are under attack.  I don't worry about it too much though.  If it happens it happens.  Over the years I've learned to sleep through fighter jet engines and now screaming helicopters and explosions.

I've finally gotten to move to a botttom bunk after several months of training and traveling and it is marvelous.  I have my own litte room that is basically a bunk sectioned off by sheets and blankets and a little bit of space between my bed and the tent wall.  I grabbed a wooden crate out of a courtyard and it is now my desk/clothing cabinet.  This little 6X8 ft space is mine and I love it.  I couldn't be happier.  I no longer have to freaking share a space with someone else and I can have near total privacy when I close all the sheets and make my "bedroom".  I like the guys I am rooming with(all 7 of them) and we get along pretty well.  Trying to hit the gym every night but it's difficult to get in a routine as I have weird hours.  It's also hard to get up the motivation.  So many of the leaving team have given me workout supplements that I now have about 7 big bottles of various weight gainers and muscle builders which I rarely use.  Of course the water is not safe so it is a new experience using a water bottle for everything except showering.  The bathrooms are about a 3-5 minute walk away from where I live so its a hassle to get there all the time when it gets pitch black dark at about 530 in the afternoon.  Often times, we'll go multiple days without showering or washing hands.  Hand sanitizer, port a potties, and baby wipes become your new best friends.  When I say it's dark, I mean the ONLY light you get is from the stars or a headlamp.  There is very little electricity in Afghanistan therefore, there are stars here like you wouldn't believe.  I have never seen so many stars with a naked eye.  I frequently see shooting stars when walking back which usually causes me to trip in a pothole cause I'm not paying attention to where I'm walking and dont like using a headlamp.  They have a strange kind of dust here that makes a cloud when you step in it.  It looks a lot like the term everyone labels it as-"moondust".  It gets into everything.  We have to take malaria pills everyday so that's something to keep up with.  I took mine this morning on an empty stomach and nearly threw up.  Lesson learned.  No empty stomachs.  We can't drink alcohol here so you find other things to pass the time.  Lot's of people smoke cigars and hookah. The food was crappy when I got here but a bit better now that the 2 cooks we have, have more supplies.  They still have to ration out the food though so you never get a full belly.   One thing everyone really looks forward to here is mail.  Oh the simple pleasure of receiving a package or a letter becuase when you order something, you never know when it will arrive.  It could be weeks or it could be months.  It all depends when someone gets a chance to bring it here.  Theres not a whole lot to do here and its not like we can leave the base at our own will so you find little things to pass the time and mail is one of them.  Little things get us by day to day.

Anyways, those are just a few random observations I've made since being here and some of the experiences I've had.  I'm incredibly enthusiatic and having a great time.  Keeping in touch with the girl and with Mom makes it better of course but the cell phone minutes and prices rack up quickly.  Thanks for all the support from everyone back home.  I'm having a blast.