hi

Good to hear from you,Viv keeps us all updated.We put the clocks back so I was up at five thirty.Molly has got the devil in her this morning don't know why. Dad is off to drain vans down for winter. Won't be going any more this year. Nick is busy, he's going to Wales later. Viv , Ann and I all had lots of cuddles with Samantha.Everyone asks after you,the lads from the fishing match. Sue, karen even Maureen so you're in everyones thoughts. take care missing you Mum and Dad G. Mum and Dad B Hope your colds get better real quick.Love from all.

I'm still around

Hi everyone. Its been a few days, and I apologize. The interent connection is really bad here, and goes down every other day for several hours. I'm also working lots (12-15 hours a day), so I am kept busy. I still don't have a stable job at the moment. They might push me down to the company level (I'm at the battalion right now). That decision will be made sometime next week. I would like to stay here, but if I move, I get to be an Air Force of one (and my own boss!). So I kind of win either way. :)

Guys here are nice, and are treating me well. I feel like a part of the team, and they give me lots to do, then leave me alone to do it. Foods not bad (not great, but not bad). Am going to the gym starting next week (bed is too enticing in the mornings!), as I am starting to feel like the fat, crotchety Air Force sergeant in the office.

All my love to everyone. Take care of each other.

Myron

Long time no word

Just a quick note to let everyone know Roni is fine. I spoke to him last night and apparently they are having problems getting connection to the internet, so he sends his appologies. His new base is slightly more up market than the last as he's staying in one of the old palaces. Still no address as there is talk of moving him again, will keep you all up to date as and when we hear things.
Dad hope you don't have to many leaves to clear up.

How long am I here?

Just a quick note to let everyone know I am at my new destination. I don't know how long for, as I seem to be averaging about six days in a location at the moment :). Will go into details a bit later. Let me just say its is much nicer here than where I was, at least to my intitial, tired as all get out view. From what was said, I won't be going back (I was listed as a loss at the old place
I was at, and not just a temporary mission. I hope that's the truth, because I am tired of being a diddi-coy.

mums third try

Hi how are you doing. Me and my big mouth saying it could be worse.one day I'll learn to keep it shut.The murder was great fun, Dad met his match in Drac , he had a witty reply to everything.Ann and I talked ourselves out of the right solution.looking forward to doing one with you , maybe you'll ask the right questions. We run into the clouds on top of the moors but it was very mild, now we're back to wind.Gran and Ann both send love , and I'll keep trying on the lotto. Just seen Kyles pictures, he looks so grown up .Take care.

All Change at the Next Stop..

Well, they aren't letting me grow any moss around here (or unpack for that matter). Seems I am moving bases (again). I will still be in Iraq, but I'm moving down to Baghdad. From what I hear, its a safe base, with really nice facilities. I have no idea where it is or what job I'm going to do, but we shall find out.

So do not send packages out now, wait until I get there so I can give a new address.

Answer to questions and update

Hi all! Just a chance to clarify things. We have a seperate compound that's on the base, we just have to travel a bit to get places. Its not like we have to get armed and armoured to go out (although we do in case we get mortared). Slim to none chance of getting shot at (again, except for mortars). Our workplace and living conditions are surrounded by big concrete blocks, so we are really as safe as we can get (probably safer than LA and New York).

Electricity is plentful, although European two prong standard. If Viv can find one, a small lamp with a clip would be nice, as the light controls are on the far side of my room (and it get dark!!).

As for care packages, Pop tarts (cinnamon N Brown Sugar, frosted and unfrosted cherry and blueberry, and strawberry). Special K bars as well. Quaker Oats granola bars in chocolate chunk or peanut butter. If I'm going to nights and missing dinner (I don't start till 8 at night, and chow closes before then) then I will need packaged food. I also wouldn't mind crisps/chips (pringles types would be good).

Other than that, so far its been tiring but interesting. I'm taking care of myself, take care of you and each other. Say hi to everyone for me.

Myron

Care Packages

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know I'm sending Roni some underwear, some breakfast bars (poor thing will fade away without his breakfast) a pillow and sheets I'm hoping to mail them out Monday when I'm at Lakenheath so If he lets us know when he gets them we will have a rough idea of how long packages are taking to get to him.
Molly and I are doing ok seems very quiet without Roni. I'm sure Molly is going to tell me to stop talking to myself or one day answer me back. She is great company especially now the dark nights are here.

John: Molly says woof woof lick lick woof
I love you and miss not having you around take care. All my love Viv

mums second try

hi , glad to hear you 've arrived safely. it sounds as if it could be a lot worse. i bet you have better weather than us, its blowing a gale right now. Heh I 've found capitals. Everyone sends their love and we're all thinking of you. Take care. Mum and Dad B. looking forward to seeing you soon.

Update

Well, I survived the first night. Not much to worry about, as there are huge concrete blocks all over the place, surrounding our huts, etc. I'm in a four-bed corimec, air-conditioned, so I am in relative comfort at the moment. We are fairly isolated, so I should be saving lots of money for Viv, but I will need a supply train to get things. Going to eat is a pain, is a fifteen minute ride by vehicle, and we have to check one out, so if all the vehicles are gone, then you're not eating. Happened at breakfast this morning.

Rumour has it that I'm getting lumbered with nights (again). That is one thing I am looking forward to when I get out, no nights unless they are paying me exceptionally well. I tend to get psychotic when I don't get enough sleep, and with no days off here, I will have no time to recouperate.

Anyway, I will relay stuff when I have news.

I'm here

Well I made it to Iraq. I don't have much time, so this is short. I'm ok, although tense. Don't know what I am going to be doing yet. Billets are fine, don't know about the food. Mailing address is
Myron Bateman (do not use rank)
Unit 5
APO AE 09391

Do not put return address on it, except for Viv because its MPS.

Later;

Myron

I'm back at the moment

Well, today was an adventure in hopelessness. We got up at midnight to travel over to another base to try to get on a flight out of here. We tried three times, and only got three people out. Then we had to hoof everyone and everything back here and unload. Lots of fun.

I don't mind if Moe comes on. Probably better if you walk her through it. Do we know where Jason is going, as in a specific location yet?

I'm hot, tired and hungry. I have to go to a meeting sometime this evening, and I don't do meetings well.

Talk to everyone later.

The next stage of a very long journey

I spoke to Roni earlier today and he should be leaving in the very early hours of tomorrow for the airport. Once there as I understand it it's a waiting game to see if there's enough space on the flight . He is hoping to be able to give us an address sometime soon as he has already asked me for a care package, apparently I did to good of a job packing and he can't find alot of his underware. ( I put them inside a pair of boots which he has now left in the one bag he isn't taking, the bag is now in a secure room so he can't get to them) .
I went up to Molesworth today and checked mail it's amazing how quickly it mounts up. While I was there I noticed that they have tied a yellow ribbon for each of the deployed members on one of the fences that brought a tear to my eye.
Molly is recovering well from her operation and is missing her dad ever time we speak on the phone Molly licks the phone to try and get to him. How do you explain to a dog that it's his job.

John: I love you very much and miss you like crazy make sure you take care of yourself. All my love Viv

Are we there yet?

They are trying to get us on a flight. I don't know when they will be successful. We are stripping our gear down by one bag (I brought four) to go up there, and leaving one here, which is a good sign that we will come back here at some point. Earliest we can go is tomorrow. We spent this morning picking up weapons. We were issued M-16A2s at Molesworth, but we are pulling M-4s here, which is better because they are smaller, and we have to carry them with us everywhere up there. An M-4 is a shortened version of an M-16 with a shorter barrel and a collapsable stock.

One of us talked to a guy who had gotten back from up there recently. The food is good, better than here, and the support facilities are nicer as well, so it should be ok there.

Will keep everyone posted. If we go out tomorrow, it may be a few days before I get a chance to post. I will get ahold of Viv and let her know what is going on, one way or another.

mums first try

hi hope this will work. seems funny without you. could do with some of your heat.vans almost packed up for winter. take care,

mums first try

hi hope this will work. seems funny without you. could do with some of your heat.vans almost packed up for winter. take care,

How things are here

Just to give you guys something to read, I thought I'd let you know how the living conditions are out here. We are living in corimecs (those prefab buildings they use at building sites for offices and breakrooms. They are small, about ten foot by twenty foot. Two beds in each, with pumped in airconditioning. These are placed inside a big warehouse (so we have double insulation from the heat. The airconditioning is always on, and not controlled so it is freezing in the romms (as in hang meat freezing). The toilets are along the outer edge inside the building, along with the showers (very nice, by the way). Food is okay, they have a fair variety. The worst thing is that they don't have a free-flowing milk dispenser, so when I want a cup of tea, I have to open a small bottle and use a little, then chuck the rest.

The weather here is hot, and as of yesterday, humid. We had pea soup fog last night and this morning. We had unit PT (physical training) and I kept having to stop running and clean my glasses because they fogged up so bad I couldn't see. Did I mention I was with a bunch of Marines? So PT isn't nice.

We still haven't heard when we are going, although from things that were said, it shouldn't be tomorrow, which is fine by me. The longer it takes, the less time I have to spend there. It should be pretty safe where I am supposed to be going, but it's still Iraq!

I don't have an address for up there yet, might get one soon, but I won't give it out until I get there, in case we are delayed (military flights are hard to come by, apparently, so we may be sitting here for some time).

Bought a nice little present for Viv, and am contemplating some more purchases for others. Nothing big, but they have cheap souvenier trash that would be unique for people.

Been doing schoolwork all day today. My brain is frazzled (trigonometry hurts!). I'm going to dinner now. Will keep everyone updated.

Viv: Miss you terribly. Barney and Brit Bear say hi. Tell Nick to post and let me know if he pulled!

Everyone else: I'm taking as good of care of myself as possible, eating three meals a day, having my requisite cup of tea with breakfast, staying out of the heat, and exercising. Take care of yourselves. 174 days to go, if they don't screw with my orders (which they can do, but only to extend me 30 days) .

I'm going north

Found out the answer to my query today. The answer was no. I am going north (to the not-so-nice place). We don't know when, although they are trying for Monday or Tuesday. The good news is that we are supposed to be going someplace with a reasonable standard of living, although the hours are probably shite. And even better is that come December/January, we might be pulled back here for the rest of our time. Fingers crossed on that one.

Update From Qatar

Well, I made it to Qatar. We got in about 1130 at night, then had to wait for bags, etc., then we got bused to where we are currently staying (more later). Got to bed at around 0400, and had to be up by 0900, so I got up around 0745 to have a shower. It is hot (like as in desert hot), and I am perspiring profusely. Luckily, after initial in-processing, we have been released for the day, so, with a full belly, I am going to take a nap.

As an update, I am not sure what we are doing. I was slated to go to Iraq, but I made a pretty strong argument against it, as one of the guys staying here wants to go, and the job he's been slated for he hasn't been trained to do, whereas I have. We shall see. Keep fingers crossed.

Update from Germany

Hi all. Got on a computer at the USO office in Frankfurt to make this update. I arrived last night after a three and a half hour plane trip from Mildenhall, which was already delayed due to the plane breaking, followed by a two hour bus ride from Ramstein to Rhine-Main. Now our flight has been delayed out of Rhein-Main, and it will probably be early tomorrow morning before we get in. Not overly excited at that prospect, but never mind. After yesterday's food debacle (no lunch or dinner), they are shoving food down our throats. Just had a Philly cheese steak sandwich, onion rings and drink, courtesy of AAFES. So in the first two days we've had lots of ups and downs. Will keep everyone posted when I can.

The first stage of the journey.

Just a quick note to let you all know that after a very long day Roni arrived safely in Germany. I spoke to him earlier and apart from being very tired he's ok. Tomorrow he starts the finaly stage of the journey to Qatar and then hopefully we will know a postal address for him.

When I'm Going

I will be leaving Wednesday. Don't know where I will wind up yet, as they have farmed out our jobs all over the place (Iraq, Djibouti and elsewhere). Will keep everyone updated.