Initial thoughts on the deployment

Hey guys, I'm just checking in and trying to update the blog site. I have been in Basrah for about 2 1/2 weeks now and things are going okay. I've been indoctrinated into Facebook, and I have found it to be very addictive. Maybe, because I feel like a prisoner here on my free time. The base that I'm at in Basrah is pretty small which is good and bad. The good points is that everything you need is fairly close, but the bad points are that when the Iraqi/Iranian thugs send rockets over at us they have a pretty good chance of fragging some Soldier because we are packed in. We had three Soldiers killed here not too long ago because of indirect fire. Things are still quite dangerous here, but everything is quickly winding down. You can tell that there is a big push to get out of this patch of land called Iraq. Our forward surgical team has been extremely sleepy. We've had two minor traumas in our first two weeks, and our surgeons are probably going bonkers (which is a good thing because Solders are not getting injured, but we wouldn't mind some Iraqi stuff). Our clinical set-up is pretty impressive, and I think the folks back in the states would be amazed at the level of our surgical capabilities in this austere environment. I've been busy refitting our trauma set-ups and clinical layout of our ATLS tent since I've arrived. We've got a really good set-up in our triage and trauma section, but won't be able to fine tune it until we actually start treating a lot of patients. The team I'm with is really great group of talented and professional Soldiers. The heat here is really hard to get used and describe to people back home unless you really feel it. I have never been so hot in my life, and the spot I was in on my last deployment was nowhere near this hot. That's all for now, but I hope to add some pictures when I can get a faster internet connection.

JB

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