17 Dec 08 It Does Rain in the Desert

NOTE:  I had the address wrong for the last several posts so I'm reposting.

 

17 Dec 08 It Does Rain in the Desert
I returned to Balad on 23 Oct.  I actually caught a flight on the evening of 23 Oct from Dulles in DC and flew to Franfurt where I then caught a taxi for a hour long drive to Ramstein Air Base.  I got to Ramstein at about 3 PM and VERY fortunately there was a flight to Balad leaving that evening BUT with only 17 seats available.  There were about 20 soldiers/civilians trying to get on that flight and I was the last one allowed on.  The flight was about 6-7 hours and while they did their best to heat the aircraft, it was cold.  I landed at Balad that evening and for the next 2-3 days it rained.  For the most part Balad is pretty flat but the housing area evidently has a bit of a depression since the standing water had no where to go.  Several hooches were flooded and water came up to about an inch or so from my hooch.  Needless to say, it was a REAL hassle getting into and out of hooch for about 3 days.
R/Chris