Finally arrived in Kuwait this week after being on training hold and later medical hold at Ft. Bliss. Last Friday I was informed there would be a flight leaving Ft. Bliss on Monday; my information was taken for the manifest. Packed most everything and was ready when I received the call at 11 am on Monday to have my bags in the parking lot to be transported to get my weapon and proceed to the airport at Ft . Bliss. I was informed that I would be a tag along with units.
In my military career I have found that flying on chartered aircraft brings or awaiting a flight can bring about some drama. In 1991 our job completed in Saudi Arabia, our company was split with half going home, leaving the unmarried, higher NCO's and officers back; there dealing day to day of how we would get home. In 1998, trying to leave Equador our flight was delayed a day and stayed the night in an Equadarn Army base. In 2003, our flight to retrive my company in Kuwait was delayed by weather on the US eastcoast. With no real place to sleep, some of us stayed up all night and I had the opportunity to try out a Cuban cigar.
These time around the plane was not able to take off due to ice on the wings. Cold fuel was added to the plane and it was unusually cold in El Paso, TX and I slept on the floor of the airport terminal. Next morning the flight took off without any trouble and proceeded to Hahn, Germany. Landing in Germany, I added this country to my European list that already included: Belguim, Italy and Ireland. While in Germany in the terminal, I purchased an hour of internet for 8 Euros. Money well spent since I was able to use Skype to call someone in my section to gather last minute information of what zone and building number and also alert the company that I was on the way.
With 22 years of experience in the military and making my 3rd overseas deployment I had the odd feeling that some would go wrong (a Charlie Foxtrot was in the making). We arrived at Kuwait City International Airport and the escorts for the buses informed me that we would all go to Camp Arifjan. I got some sense of relief and boarded the bus after dealing with the baggage. Got in a short nap and awoke looking around and the location was no longer familiar. I pulled out my GPS and saw that Ali Al Salem Airbase . I had downloaded a pocket quarry of all the geocaches in Kuwait and knew I was heading the opposite direction of Arifjan. Like I told my 1st SGT later, can't fool a geocacher. We went to the airbase to check in and there I was informed I was on my own and to get on the 1830 bus to Arifjan. I did not have time to find a wi-fi and make another attempt to call anyone in my company. Arrived at Arifjan bus terminal and it was just a set of benches. Met other service members and they asked if I knew my way around. I told them that may last visit to Arifjan, most of the roads were not paved and building were underconstruction, that was 2003! They pointed the way to another bus that moves about from zone to zone. My feeling continued to sink due that I was hauling over 300 pounds of gear that included body armor and a rifle. Leaving any of my bags unattended was out of the question. Arrived at my zone (Zone 6) and thankfully there were two soldiers on the bus who recognized my patch and knew where my company was located and helped me get to my baracks. I entered the building to the surprise of everyone that I made it from Ali Al Salem totally on my own.
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