A Soldier's Journey: Michael Mundell

Arrival in Kuwait
6/23/06  5:01 PM

Hi to all friends and family,
Yes, I have arrived safely, more or less, in the lovely country of Kuwait. Anyone not detecting the sarcasm there, have your detector checked—immediately. ...The camp is, to put it nicely, in the middle of NO WHERE. We are packed into metal framed plastic tents, 60 to a tent. They are air conditioned, but when the heat comes up, they struggle and sputter ... it's good when it is only 90 or so inside. We sleep on cots, VERY close to each other. So close, in fact, that I had to warn my battle buddy, CPT Warren Snook, to stay off my side. Nevertheless, it isnt too bad. For 3-5 at the county pen, anyway.

Other goods and bads. Mess hall= Good. Actually, great! No lines (it's big), plenty of good food, juice, fruit, ice cream and even FRESH donuts. Amazing. Nothing too fancy, just good and lots of variety. And ESPN on the TV. Showers= semi OK ... we get to take combat showers, which is get wet, turn off the water, lather up, then turn it back on and rinse and you are done. 15 gallons a man per day. Bathrooms= BAD and worse. Portajohns. In the desert ... hot, smelly, 'nuff said. Dont get downwind. Just some friendly advice.

Now, to the heat thing. It is 120-130 EVERY DAY. To feel this, turn on a blow dryer, point it at yourself and stand there. And stand there. And stand there. Throw some dust from the vacuum in the air everyonce in a while. Viola! You are experiencing Kuwait. It is with out a doubt the MOST oppressive thing I have ever felt in my life.

All else is well. I cant talk much about training, or when we leave for Iraq (soon). They are quite hostile about the bad guys reading our email and so on. Apparently, they spy on this place all the time. Oh well. At any rate, I am healthy and reasonably happy. I would call home, but the wait is worse than the wait for this. I hope everyone is healthy and happy. I will email as soon as I can, whenever THAT is.
Mike

Boredom in Baghdad
7/08/06  1:00 AM