112509 Traveling in Iraq and Actions Speak Louder than Words

112509 Traveling in Iraq and Actions Speak Louder than Words

I'm a contractor in Iraq working for the US Army here at Balad Air
Base (Joint Base Balad) in Iraq. I came over here over 4 year ago
because I got really, really of working in a cubical at a 'large
software company' in Seattle/Redmond Washington. I've known many
other guys who also were/are very tired of the same ole, same ole.
But I eventually found someone who knew someone who knew someone who
knew somebody (John Bishop) who offered me at job initially at KBR.
So without knowing too much about what I was getting into, I came to
Iraq. I really wanted a change. Actions speak louder than words. I do
computer stuff here and every now and then get to travel to exotic
locations here in Iraq such as Speicher Air Base and Marez Air Base.
The last few weeks I've been traveling. Iraq can be very green where
there's water and the Tigress river nearby flows all year round.
Traveling by helo carries inherent risks as well and the 50 cal is
'hot' when in the air. Helos also never travel alone as every now and
then, a helo goes down. As you can also see the accommodations are
generally Spartan at best but
to get a 'room' to myself is actually a luxury. More often than not I
can only expect a bunk bed (sans linen) in a tent. And like the
poster says 'actions speak louder than words.'