Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 6:04 AM
All,
Hello from sunny Tallil, Iraq. Just arrived a couple of days ago, and starting to sort things out. Have found the chow hall, and know where all the bunkers are. Its a start!
There is the usual initial confusion as to what exactly my job is, but the current truth is that I will be running sort of a training camp for convoy security vehicles. As you may be aware, many of our casualties are sustained by soldiers who are guarding the logistics convoys that criss cross the country moving supplies from FOB to FOB (Forward Operating Base). In response to the activity, we have set up an 'academy' that sets up a practice area for units to practice the convoys in. The area includes the latest tactics, techniques and procedures gleaned from a close study of how the enemy is operating. To date, the academy has saved a bunch of lives. I hope to continue that effort and expand the academy to include other perishable skills such as combat first aid and combat life saving medical training, radio operations, and other items that convoys would find useful. We are calling it the Combat Logistics Patrol (CLP, pronounced 'clip') Academy. I will be running the classroom portions out of an old bombed out aircraft bunker.
Tallil Airbase is part of Logistics Support Area (LSA) Adder, pretty close to the city of Al Nasaryah. If you look on a map of Iraq, you can find the city half way between Kuwait and Baghdad. Don't get hung up on the spelling, as this whole country got hooked on phonics a thousand years ago. Nobody spells anything the same way twice. Tallil Airbase is basically a big square, several miles to a side. As a side note, just North and East of the base is the biblical city of Ur, which boasts Abrahams house, the Ziggaraut (oldest known pyramid structure), oldest known arch, home of the first writing, first museum, first wheel, first written laws, etc.. Saw and toured the site last time through, and hope to do it again soon.
My job has be bouncing around to other FOBs as we get set up, but within a few weeks I will be somewhat of a FOBBIT (someone who seldom leaves the security of the FOB). I know that the deployment will be fairly safe, but it might be miserably boring, too.
My address is:
MAJ Brad Schutz
If you decide to mail anything my way, it will take a couple of weeks to get here.
Life is pretty good here on Tallil (also nicknamed Camp Cupcake). The chow is plentiful and tastes good, and my little trailer is fairly well equipped. I will pick up a fridge and a TV here in a few weeks. Weather is starting to cool off, with lows in the mid 60s. Highs are still up around 100, but dropping. The heat of the summer peaks at somewhere around 130 to 140, so 100 sounds pretty good. The gear is not worn here normally, unless there is a threat. This is again a good thing, as it weighs in at 50 pounds, then about 80 pounds with ammo, water and other gear.
All for now, as this is a borrowed computer. Will write again as I begin to assimilate a desk, a computer, etc...
Brad
Subject: Hello from Tallil
HHC, 7SB
LSA Adder, Iraq
APO AE 09331