022108 Blue skies in Iraq, Patience....is bliss
The dust is gone and blue skies are now in Iraq again (see the pic below). When its cloudy/dusty/overcast here its very dreary but sunny blue skies really 'feel' different (ie Good!) The pic below doesn't 'show' how cold it is and it is chilly here. I've not seen any bats out the last few nights either so it looks like 'Baquba Bob' (Pauxatawny Phil's Iraqi cousin) was right and 'winter' here is hanging on for several more weeks.
As a contractor here we generally 'work' for DAX (Depart of the Army civilians) who then report to/work for the Army directly. Very few Army or DAX personnel (civilians or soldiers) spend over 12-15 months over here but a contractor can easily be over here for several years (I've been in Iraq 3 years now). Now imagine if you will that you're a contractor and you've been over here working for 3 years (which is easily '6-7' United States years) and some DAX comes in as your new boss. Needless to say that recently happened and while the contractor had his way of doing things they didn't exactly mesh with her way. It didn't help that he (the contractor) was older and retired military (read 'attitude') and she (the DAX) was younger and operated 'by the book'. So after a while push came to shove and just the other day he up and quits. He walks right out of the office and over to AirOps to schedule a flight home. He flew out the next day, unceremoniously and unnoticed. Its not the best ending for someone like him and the Army will be hard pressed to replace his skills....but everyone is replaceable.
It can be a very stressful environment over here but it's not good to let 'them' (be it persons or the environment) to get the best of you. There are military over here who hate DAX (and make their lives miserable) as well as DAX who hate contractors (bloodthirsty money grubbing mercenaries) and make their lives miserable but I KNOW that all I have to do is WAIT and time will eventually rotate them out. Patience....is bliss.
The dust is gone and blue skies are now in Iraq again (see the pic below). When its cloudy/dusty/overcast here its very dreary but sunny blue skies really 'feel' different (ie Good!) The pic below doesn't 'show' how cold it is and it is chilly here. I've not seen any bats out the last few nights either so it looks like 'Baquba Bob' (Pauxatawny Phil's Iraqi cousin) was right and 'winter' here is hanging on for several more weeks.
As a contractor here we generally 'work' for DAX (Depart of the Army civilians) who then report to/work for the Army directly. Very few Army or DAX personnel (civilians or soldiers) spend over 12-15 months over here but a contractor can easily be over here for several years (I've been in Iraq 3 years now). Now imagine if you will that you're a contractor and you've been over here working for 3 years (which is easily '6-7' United States years) and some DAX comes in as your new boss. Needless to say that recently happened and while the contractor had his way of doing things they didn't exactly mesh with her way. It didn't help that he (the contractor) was older and retired military (read 'attitude') and she (the DAX) was younger and operated 'by the book'. So after a while push came to shove and just the other day he up and quits. He walks right out of the office and over to AirOps to schedule a flight home. He flew out the next day, unceremoniously and unnoticed. Its not the best ending for someone like him and the Army will be hard pressed to replace his skills....but everyone is replaceable.
It can be a very stressful environment over here but it's not good to let 'them' (be it persons or the environment) to get the best of you. There are military over here who hate DAX (and make their lives miserable) as well as DAX who hate contractors (bloodthirsty money grubbing mercenaries) and make their lives miserable but I KNOW that all I have to do is WAIT and time will eventually rotate them out. Patience....is bliss.
posted by Chris in Iraq @ 8:59 PM
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