tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7873500310481698382024-02-18T22:08:27.138-05:00Major Martymarlesserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13416444524494867608noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-74107263172851625172019-05-23T16:00:00.002-04:002019-05-23T16:00:47.529-04:00test<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
test</div>
Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-71109866580704047712011-02-07T23:29:00.005-05:002011-02-08T15:16:41.223-05:00DEPLOYMENT COMES TO AN END WITH JOYOUS AIRPORT REUNION WITH FAMILY.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdK1g-kF31ZCJe3fuEdDGlOqYpKHeRC5RMdPTGETDzV-TfnsO8N6xDGjSc4CGJ3tOz_Cg9SfU5nSx18Hzse6wEsM58MYUdxG_Br6brrvRKemilZxlwU0MMTtF5whyPC0EQA6f_ybsLW7n/s1600/DSCN0310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdK1g-kF31ZCJe3fuEdDGlOqYpKHeRC5RMdPTGETDzV-TfnsO8N6xDGjSc4CGJ3tOz_Cg9SfU5nSx18Hzse6wEsM58MYUdxG_Br6brrvRKemilZxlwU0MMTtF5whyPC0EQA6f_ybsLW7n/s320/DSCN0310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">After five days of processing at Fort Benning and another day of delay due to the snow I returned home on February 03, 2011.</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I had been on active duty a total of 112 day. This was a very long time to be away from family and my practice but I couldn't help think of the soldiers who have had deployments that lasted over a year and many of them had several deployments. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The war in Afghanistan & Iraq has been going on for so many years it was all starting to feel like it was yesterdays news. I found the very thought of tuning out of a war was particularly frightening and especially unfair to the many thousands of soldiers who are still there. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Although I was in a combat zone that could be hit by rockets or mortars I generally didn't have to go on missions outside of the wire looking for the enemy. During my mobilization and training I met countless soldiers that were on combat teams headed for dangerous missions and I think about them every day.</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">This was a difficult but a memorable ordeal. Interestingly, I think deploying as a physician would have been more difficult to do after finishing residency when my children were very young, which is when most military physicians are sent on their first (of many) deployments. I think it's actually easier when your children are older and I've pointed this out to the army and the recruiters. </span></b><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I also remember being tempted to use my age as an excuse not to join but I know that would have been a rationalization that I couldn't of lived with. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">While being apart from my family and away from my patients was difficult the most enjoyable part of the deployment was, without any doubt, simply being close to the other soldiers on this mission and being there to provide medical care to our troops. I did love & cherished being able to make some contribution to a very difficult war that has gone on too long.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">My enlistment with the Massachusetts National Guard is not yet over and next month I'll be back at my monthly drill.</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>This will be my final blog edition.</b></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Major Martin Lesser </span></b></div></div>Zach Schiffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02935507742385916698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-87871041570608471492011-02-03T22:21:00.004-05:002011-02-04T02:14:39.313-05:00I'M BACK IN THE USA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Last Wednesday, 01/26/2010 I flew from Tallil Air Force Base, Iraq to Ali Al Salem Air Force Base, in Kuwait. I'm assigned a bunk in a tent where I will sleep while waiting for my flight home that departs Saturday night. I can't believe that after working for almost 100 days in Iraq without a day off I now have two days with nothing to do except get ready for this flight. Working endlessly with very little rest and then having nothing to do for days has always been standard operating procedure (SOP) in the military.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The flight home is on a real commercial jet chartered by the military which leaves from the Kuwaiti International (Civilian) Airport. To get there we board a bus for a 45 minute ride through the desert.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Once there we embark on the weekly chartered commercial flight back to the United States, aka The Freedom Flight. We board the flight in uniform with all our weapons, banners and other equipment and everybody is breathing easier as we take off. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We make a fuel stop in Germany and fly on to Atlanta and then board buses for the two hour bus ride to Fort Benning. It's about 6:30am Eastern Time when we arrive in Atlanta. We then assemble in a large auditorium and we're greeted by a delegation that includes a Colonel and a Chaplain who thank us for our service & we're given a picnic style meal. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The group I flew with are "individual augmentees" which means we're not deploying as part of a large unit, rather we are individually assigned to different units when we reach our assigned unit. Since none of us are based at Fort Benning there are only a few civilians there to greet us. They did have some flashing signs and the sounds of Hail to the Chief is played as we enter the auditorium and we're thanked again and again. This is a huge auditiorium and I've heard that the place is filled when a unit of several hundred soldiers, with families living in the area, return after a deployment of a year. The scenes are simply emotionally over the top.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you'd like to see some brief videos of redeployment ceremonies:</span></div><div class="p4"><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LsCsy-45Lk&feature=fvw"><span class="s2">www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LsCsy-45Lk&feature=fvw</span></a></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p4"><span class="s2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtdM0VCI5do&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtdM0VCI5do&feature=related</a></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We are then taken to a huge warehouse facility to return our equipment and weapons before being taken taken to CRC which stands for CONUS Replacement Center (CONUS stands for Contiguous United States or the 48 states; OCONUS stands for Outside of the Contiguous United States) where we are billeted for the next several days. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We are then processed which includes sessions with medical, dental, mental health, audiometry, optometry, mental health, finance, veterans agency etc. Returning soldiers do have slightly higher rates of medical, mental health and family as well as additional problems of unemployment, homelessness, divorce, domestic violence etc. After we clear all of the above they will buy us an airline ticket home. Of course everybody wants to get out and get home ASAP so soldiers tend to deny having any needs for services. Fortunately they know they can get services later through the Veterans Administration. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">At this point I've cleared everything and I'm holding an airline ticket to fly from Atlanta to Bradley/Windsor Locks for tomorrow.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="p1"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A6%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336999766434%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B9%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336999766734%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div></div><div class="p2"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcoming us home after our flight at Fort Benning, GA</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B%3B%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336%3A45%3C9%3B%3B34%3Bnu0mrj" width="300" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336%3A45%3C9%3C234%3Bnu0mrj" width="300" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A%3A%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336%3A45%3C9%3C334%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339%3A%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336%3A45%3C9%3C434%3Bnu0mrj" width="300" /></span></div></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This deployment was the culmination of my decision three years ago to enlist in the Massachusetts National Guard. I did this knowing that this was a period of frequent call-ups and deployments because of the conflicts in Afghanistan & Iraq. It was specifically because we were at war that I felt I should do something when I was asked. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This has certainly been one of the most momentous decisions of my life which will never be forgoten and will always be a part of my identity and my families identity. My deployment was possible because of enormous sacrifices made by my wife Joan, my children, my office manager Kelly plus countless others including all my office staff, the many covering medical providers, my neighbors and friends plus a small army of others that helped in countless ways. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Originally, I decided to write this blog because I was afraid Joan would get swamped by endless calls from people wanting to know how we were doing etc It appears that the blog did what it was supposed to do and it was generally well received.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I continued the blog because I got the impression that many people were quite interested not only in me but in all our soldiers on deployments. I was very happy to see this because many people have become disconnected and uninvolved which weakens our democracy. Apathy is not consistent with good government. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Infrequently, I've been asked if the deployment was fun and I try to sidestep such questions because I don't feel they are even worthy of an answer. Hopefully, all the soldiers experienced moments of fun during their deployment but we all experienced far longer periods of sacrifice, danger, boredom and loneliness. More importantly war is not fun and if you're having fun you are tuning out the enormous amount of suffering that is all around you or happened in the recent past. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thus far I'm well which is a good thing because I know there will be mountains of work for me to do which I need to start as soon as I'm home.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This deployment & mission is now over for me. Unfortunately the war continues.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C2%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3369%3C9%3B6%3A434%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp6338%3B%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D334%3B3436%3B334%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Memorial & Plaque to the fallen soldiers at Memorial Hall.</span></div></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Memorial Hall is where all the major entertainment events have been held including Aaron Pipin (Country & Western), Avenged Sevenfold (Heavy Metal), Fight Night, EnVogue & The Bluenote Gospel Singers. In front of the structure there is a memorial (boots, bayonet, semiautomatic rifle & helmet) plus a wall that lists the names of several hundred American Soldiers that were killed. Sadly, the total number of Americans killed in Iraq as of today is 4,436. Therefore, this listing possibly was made up several years ago and it hasn't been updated. Another possibility is that this is a listing of only those killed from this region. Nobody seems to know for sure. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This base is going to be turned over to Iraq by December/2011. I wonder if the plaque & memorial will be left behind and what it's fate will be. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Major Martin Lesser</span></div></div>Zach Schiffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02935507742385916698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-60790190266756389322011-02-01T22:27:00.005-05:002011-02-01T23:27:26.398-05:00MISCELLANEOUS STORIES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="p1">"THE HOUSE OF PAIN"</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">The only sanctioned after hours establishment at COB Adder is our gym which stays open 24/7 and does a good job of meeting the needs of a garrison in a combat zone. Before I arrived, the gym held a contest for the best name for the gym and some creative soldier came up with the brilliant and winning suggestion: "The House of Pain" which described it perfectly. Soldiers have to continuously meet physical training standards so one of the first semi-permanent structures that gets built at a base, even in a combat zone, is a gym. Although aerobic training is also emphasized at a military gym, weight training is more popular and is taken very seriously.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">The army actually tries to encourage aerobic training and their Physical Training Test rates soldiers only for push-ups, sit-ups and a two mile run. In addition to encouraging aerobic exercise rather than weight lifting, the medical providers try to discourage the use of the ubiquitous body building supplements. However, the demand is enormous and the PX clearly devotes more shelf space for body building supplements than any other product. Although the products they sell are legal I've seen them cause many medical problems and I discourage their use but I know my comments rarely have any effect. The bottom line is that many soldiers take their body building (not to mention their tattoos) very seriously. Military bases used to be able to show movies which were very well attended but now that everybody can watch DVDs on their computers nobody is going to go out to a tent to watch a movie so the gym is by far the most widely used recreational facility. </div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">Just a few days before I arrived a rocket hit one of the blast walls surrounding the House of Pain. Fortunately the blast wall absorbed most of the blast but a fair amount of debris came crashing through the roof and there were a few minor injuries. The damage was quickly repaired and The House of Pain was soon back in business and more popular than ever. In the case of "The House of Pain" the rocket attack gave it even more of a macho image and if you wanted to be cool that was the place to be. Besides, we have no other choices anyway.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B5%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D33684%3B957334%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weight lifting area at The House of Pain. Weight Lifting Goes on 24/7.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B3%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368525%3A3634%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WE DON'T PLAY AT OUR HOUSE</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></div></div>Zach Schiffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02935507742385916698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-47666217303893700762011-02-01T22:21:00.009-05:002011-02-04T22:41:23.196-05:00Shabbat at COB Adder & Miscellaneous Pictures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B6%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D33684%3B67%3B434%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Kabbalat Shabbat at COB Adder. We actually had a service most Friday nights with five being about the maximum. I understand there were ten soldiers for Passover Seder</span><br />
<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="268" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B7395334%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="265" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A9%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B58%3B%3A234%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="265" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C2%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B7395434%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="265" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A9%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B7395634%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C2%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B58%3B%3A434%3Bnu0mrj" width="300" /></span></div><div class="p1"></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73399%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B7395934%3Bnu0mrj" width="300" /></span><br />
<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Emergency medical equipment carried by a Combat Medic.</span></div></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339%3A%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B7396234%3Bnu0mrj" width="300" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B7396534%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><div class="p1"><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Entrance to TMC (Troop Medical Clinic). One of our talented Combat</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Medics painted the blast wall. I'm the third listing (Major Lesser, Martin DO) </span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Standing next to me is Major Andrew Altman, my replacement.</span></div></div></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A%3B%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B58%3B%3A334%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Boots on ground</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A7%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B7395734%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span><br />
<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Bunker built by Sadam Hussein, there were many of these on the base.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B7%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B58%3B%3A534%3Bnu0mrj" width="300" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="265" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B7%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B58%3B%3A%3A34%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A7%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B58%3B%3B434%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span><br />
<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is the blast wall that took the rocket headed for "The House of Pain"</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> See "The House of Pain" feature</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A9%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3368%3B7396334%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">House of Pain surrounded with new blast walls.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B9%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336999763234%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Headquarters at Ali Al Salem Airport in Kuwait </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A8%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336999764534%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span><br />
<br />
<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Theater Gateway Outbound Ops. Soldiers headed for Iraq & Afghanistan</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">are processed and held in that building until it's time to go.</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A5%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336999763634%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">These soldiers are waiting to go to Kabul, Afghanistan</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339%3A%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336999764%3A34%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A3%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336999765534%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Outside and inside of tents at Ali Al Salem Airport in Kuwait</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A%3A%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336999765934%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Artwork on a barrier at Ali Al Salem Airport in Kuwait</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp63248%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D334%3B32888334%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Raising the flag at the Troop Medical Clinic at Adder, Iraq</span></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Zach Schiffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02935507742385916698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-19652310816200484892011-01-26T00:59:00.004-05:002011-06-14T23:53:31.279-04:00I'VE DEPARTED IRAQ AND I'M IN KUWAIT WAITING FOR MY FREEDOM FLIGHT TO THE UNITED STATES<div class="p1">After 98 days in Iraq I left Wednesday, 26 and flew by military transport to Ali Al Salem Airfield in Kuwait where I'm waiting for the weekly flight to the United States, also know as the <b>Freedom Plane</b>. I flew by military transport which is always an adventure.</div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">Although officially Kuwait is still considered a war zone it's much more relaxed than Iraq and I believe there haven't been any hostile fire incidents recently. We're actually not even required to carry our weapons with us. Ali Al Salem Airfield is not only a military base it's the gateway to Iraq and Afghanistan. On my way to Iraq we flew from the United States we stopped at Ali Al Saelm Airfield in Kuwait. About two thirds of the soldiers, who were headed to Afghanistan, immediately got on another plane and left the same day. The other third of us, who were headed for Iraq, went to another base in Kuwait for a few days of additional training. A few days later we flew to Iraq.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">This time I arrived at Ali Al Salem on a Wednesday and my flight to the United States doesn't leave until Saturday night. I've been given just a few chores and I just have to wait at this Air Base in the Kuwaiti desert for two days. The place is a huge tent city that reportedly handles over a thousand soldiers passing through every day either going to or returning from Afghanistan or Iraq. Most everybody is like me they have to wait a few days for a plane to go somewhere else. </div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">So everybody is either "inbound" which means they're headed back to the United States or "outbound" which means they're headed to either Afghanistan or Iraq. Again, among the outbound soldiers I see bigger goups standing in front of signs saying "Kabul" and Mazar-i-Sharif which are destinations in Afghanistan and these soldiers don't even get assigned a tent.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">There seems to be hundreds of men & womens tents and they have a concrete floor and there's about a eight double bunk beds in each tent. You walk a short distance to a dining facility, shower houses and bathrooms, which the military calls latrines. I'm traveling by myself but there's always soldiers to talk to if you feel like it. My tent has filled up with a group of male nurses who worked "dustoffs" which are medical evacuation helicopters in Afghanistan and it sounds like they've been through a lot. However, everybody seems relieved that they've finished their deployment and they're headed home. We are all feeling a huge sense of relief as we realize we're finished and we're away from the combat zones. </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">MAJOR MARTIN LESSER <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73396%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D33689%3A%3B%3B6734%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 11.0px Verdana}
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<div class="p1">Tallil Air Base (AKA Ali Air Base) adjoins COB Adder. A talented soldier painted this blast wall & included the Ziggurat (see post 01/17/11)</div><div class="p1"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A2%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D33689%3A%3B%3B7734%3Bnu0mrj" style="cursor: move; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div class="p1" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This is my <span class="s1" style="background-color: white; color: #232323;">view</span> as I enter the plane (military planes load from the rear)</div><div class="p1" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73399%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D33689%3A869%3B34%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="p1">Good place to nap.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Zach Schiffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02935507742385916698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-66245527647179280972011-01-24T21:47:00.003-05:002011-01-25T21:39:23.211-05:00THESE ARE THE LAST DAYS OF MY DEPLOYMENT!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All good things have to come to an end and it looks like the end is</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">coming. I'm supposed to to be on active duty not longer than 120 days<br />
with 90 days "in theater" (don't you love this term). Actually, I<br />
arrived in theater 10/23 so I'm already over 90 days and it will be<br />
about 100 days by the time I leave although I've been assured that I<br />
won't go over 120 days by the time I get home. It's useless to argue<br />
with them anyway. I'm not allowed to say when I'm leaving because<br />
troop flights are considered classified.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"></span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336668326834;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336668326834;nu0mrj" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Unit begins to assemble for the ceremony</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:4%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336668354734;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:4%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336668354734;nu0mrj" style="cursor: move;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Colonel pins medal</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
My replacement, Major Andrew Altman, arrived this past Wednesday. He's from<br />
the Tennessee National Guard although he now lives in Michigan but all<br />
of us have complicated lives. Major Altman was in the Marine Corp for<br />
four years before he even went to college or medical school which I<br />
find extremely impressive. He says that after he became a physician<br />
he joined the National Guard as an enlisted soldier just to give<br />
himself something different to do one weekend/month. Then after a<br />
while he told them he was a physician and they reclassified him. He<br />
did a 90 day deployment at some remote outpost in Afghanistan and then<br />
he did a double deployment in Iraq. That means he did his 90+ days and<br />
volunteered to do another 90+ days so he gets out of having to go back<br />
to the USA and go through all that travel and orientation. He did<br />
this to try to save himself the 20-30 days going back and forth can<br />
take. He was hoping to get double credit so he wouldn't have to<br />
deploy again for a while because he was planning to move to another<br />
community. Guess what, he finishes the double deployment about 20<br />
months ago and he's already back in Iraq!! He said they told him<br />
physicians are resigning (surprise) and are in short supply so he was<br />
told that he had to go back. He has four kids and he's upset that<br />
he's away from the youngest who is six years old. He says he's going<br />
to get out of the army even though he doesn't have enough time to<br />
qualify for a pension. It would be an awful shame if the army has to<br />
lose someone as special as him. I tell him maybe he can come back<br />
again when he's older like me.<br />
<br />
<br />
I'M AWARDED THE ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL<br />
<br />
I really did not expect something like this but this is a combat zone<br />
and apparently the army takes your work out here very seriously. Your<br />
commanding officer has to write up a commendation reviewing your work<br />
and citing your actions and accomplishments. I do have to say that<br />
even after being here this long I wasn't prepared to to be called up<br />
in front of the unit and given a medal. I was never even in the cub<br />
scouts, boy scouts or even the Little League. Plus other than the<br />
Colonel the majority of these soldiers are younger than my son Eric<br />
and many are younger than my older daughter Rebecca (many of them also<br />
remind me of both of them as well). Life is largely whatever you<br />
choose to make of life.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow I begin the ordeal of packing and preparing for military air<br />
travel to Kuwait. Travel is usually with a C-130 Hercules<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_C-130_Hercules" style="color: #0000cc;" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/<wbr></wbr>Lockheed_C-130_Hercules</a><br />
and this is always an adventure. You sit on these improvised straps<br />
in the cargo bay carrying your weapons and wearing your flak jacket<br />
and battle helmet. It's actually a lot of fun. I'm supposed to then<br />
wait several days at this air base that is literally in the middle of<br />
the desert in Kuwait for my flight to the United States but I don't<br />
want to get ahead of myself.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;:%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33666832%3C;34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;:%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33666832%3C;34;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The ceremony consisted of Physician Assistant Susan</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Harcke being promoted to Captain and Major Martin Lesser</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">being awarded the Army Commendation Medal.<br />
</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;9%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33666868:434;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;9%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33666868:434;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Colonel removes the Lieutenant insignia (velcro) and replaces it</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">with the Captain insignia.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:2%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336668353;34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:2%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336668353;34;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Somebody told a joke (I think it was me)</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A3%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336668354334%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Back at attention</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336668354734%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Colonel pins medal</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A9%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D3366693%3A3434%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I thank the Colonel</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A2%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336668849734%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Colonel (on my right), and Command Sergeant Major</span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>(on my left).</i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336667955534%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Back to my formation. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336668869434%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Colonel decides to tell a story</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339%3B%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336668849%3B34%3Bnu0mrj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Captain Susan Harcke (Captain's insignia is the two bars) and Major Martin<br />
Lesser (Medal is attached to the green and white ribbon)</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div></div></div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-12290620901038592282011-01-17T14:06:00.005-05:002011-06-14T23:51:32.203-04:00Mission to Ur, The Biblical Home of Abraham & The Ziggurat<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unless you are on an assigned mission soldiers are never allowed at any times to go "outside the wire" of the base. Today we were taken to one of the most well known archeological sites in all of Iraq "The Ziggurat of Ur". (Ur is the ancient name for this area.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This trip was actually the only bit of sightseeing I ever even had a chance of doing and since I'll be leaving soon I was quite relieved that I was able to go. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The area of Iraq know as Mesopitamia, which means "the land between two rivers" and it is called the "cradle of civilization" because ancient people were able to use the availability of water from The Tigris & Euphrates River to develop irrigation and ultimately enough agriculture that they could form communities. The Ziggurat, with it's unique architecture and massive size was a religious temple. There were many Ziggurats built in the area that is now Iraq and Iran and several of their ruins have </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">been discovered but the one outside of Adder is the largest and most preserved of them. This Ziggurat which was built around 6,000 years ago was actually buried in the desert sands for many centuries. Excavations by British archeologists were first started around 1850 and continued on and off for decades. About 75 years ago most of the work was completed making the structure visible again after thousands of years being buried.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You are actually able to see it from inside the army base and originally it was inside the camp's perimeter. Several years ago the military decided that it was bad public relations to have these archeological ruins inside a military base so they shortened the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">perimeter to keep it outside of the base's perimeter. I looked at the Ziggurat everyday from the base and I wondered if I would ever get to see it so I was very happy that I was able to go.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Parts of modern day Iraq are actually mentioned several times in the bible and Abraham ( the oldest of the three Patriarchs of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob) was from Ur and a prominent area of ruins alongside the Ziggurat are identified as being Abraham's home. Abraham is a vey respected Prophet in Islamic religion and apparently not only Moslems but Jews and Christians also recognize these ruins as being Abrahams home. Abraham's family worshipped idols and quite possibly participated in religious practices at the Ziggurat. Later Abraham left Ur and moved with his family to the Land of Canaan. In addition to being the first Jew he is credited with being the first spiritual leader to express belief in monotheism and is respected by Jews, Moslems & Christians & Moslems.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times;">Several other biblical events took place in modern day Iraq including Jonah who was swallowed by the whale, Daniel in the Lion's Den & The Handwriting on the Wall. Additonally, the Jewish Nation was exiled in Babylonia, which was a mighty empire in modern day Iraq. Queen Esther and the story of the Jewish holiday of Purim took place in ancient Persia which is nearby in modern day Iran.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Although we were actually going to be sightseeing this was an army mission. We had to assemble for our briefing in full battle dress at 5:30am which meant IOTV (body armor), battle helmets, weapons & ammunition, first aid supplies, water supplies, armored cars plus additional security escorts. We moved out in complete darkness on one of the coldest days yet. It occasionally rains in the winter and it was also raining this day.</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;5%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336585878834;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;5%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336585878834;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73399%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33658468;834;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73399%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33658468;834;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Typical army mission: we leave in the dark and arrive at our destination in the dark. The 2nd picture includes our Iraqi guide who spoke to us in English.</span></i></td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">None of this mattered to me because, as I already said, I was thrilled that I was going and the closer we got to the structure the more impressed I became with it. The military tours/missions to the Ziggurat of Ur are done on a very limited basis and only offered to soldiers who are based here. Although there are many disadvantages to being at this base (as well as some advantages) I consider myself very fortunate that I was able to see the Ziggurat at Ur.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;6%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336585878;34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;6%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336585878;34;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Arriving at the Ziggurat as dawn is breaking. We decide to go to the surrounding ruins first and we'll then return to the Ziggurat.</span></i></td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For more information:</span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat_of_Ur">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat_of_Ur</a></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;:%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336585;;5234;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;:%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336585;;5234;nu0mrj" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;;%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572829:34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;;%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572829:34;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;8%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=3365734;7;34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;8%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=3365734;7;34;nu0mrj" width="300" /></span></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;2%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33656;868334;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;2%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33656;868334;nu0mrj" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<div class="p1"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Entering the ruins which surround the Ziggurat.</span></i></div><div class="p1"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">This is one of the oldest surviving arches in the world.</span></i></div></td></tr>
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<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After exploring the ruins we now return to the Ziggurat:</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ascending the Ziggurat:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73395%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33657282;734;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73395%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33657282;734;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33657368%3C334;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33657368%3C334;nu0mrj" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;6%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572%3C68:34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;6%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572%3C68:34;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:;%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33657347%3C434;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:;%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33657347%3C434;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73396%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336573836334%3Bnu0mrj" width="300" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Top of the Ziggurat:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B%3A%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336573638334%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</style></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We now leave the Ziggurat and we head to "Abraham's House". This site is accepted by Jews, Christians & Moslems as the remnants of the home where the first Patriarch was born & lived. He later clashed with his family & the community because of his unwillingness to accept their beliefs in many gods and his belief in one god.</span></div><div class="p2" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Colonel Rabbi Joel Goldstein, who is a brother in-law of Rabbi Noah Kosofsky of Yeshiva Academy in Longmeadow, is from the New York National Guard and is the highest ranking Jewish Chaplain in the army. Colonel Rabbi Goldstein wrote to me after Rabbi Kosofsky told him that I was going to be in Iraq. Colonel Goldstein stated that Ur indeed is where Abraham was born, lived and developed his belief that there is but one god and became the first Jew. He urged me, if it was at all possible to visit the site.</span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</style></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We now approach Abraham's house. This is SGT Candedo who is a "Chaplain's Asssistant". Since he is not an actual Chaplain he carries a weapon.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B3%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336597428234%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>As we view Abraham's house Sgt Candedo read's to us the biblical account of Abraham.</i></span></div></td></tr>
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<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exploring the ruins of Abrahams House. Our Iraqi Guide is seen below:</span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336597959634%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3A%3B%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336597428434%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B%3B%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336597959734%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</style></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exploring Abraham's house while standing on the roof. NOTE THE VIEW OF THE ZIGGURAT IN THE DISTANCE.</span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336597665334%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B4%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336598324534%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339%3B%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D33659765%3B534%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B7%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336597%3B83434%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3B8%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336596%3C43234%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339%3B%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336597889%3B34%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</style></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Arabic sign describing Abraham's house. This was the only printed marker seen at the entire site. Our guide and his family infrequently lead tours with armed guards but the area is otherwise neglected.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73399%3Enu%3D3399%3E%3B39%3E25%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D336598325634%3Bnu0mrj" width="400" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</style></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">When we finished the trip and returned to base it wasn't even 10:00am. We had been through some of the most well preserved archeological remnants of Mesopitamia & the accepted birthplace and home of Abraham, sacred to Jews, Christians & Moslems. This is a closed military area and I was able to see this because I was part of the US Army which conquered this area in 2003 and has occupied it since. When these trips are allowed it is only with the highest degree of security. There are some signs that the region is becoming more secure and stable and our guide claims that more than one group from China has managed to tour the ruins. He says he is somewhat confident that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">tourist may start to come in the future.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">When I returned I went straight to my Level 1 clinic and began seeing soldiers immediately. We started one hour later that day. There are no days off during deployments.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Major Martin Lesser</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;">Sunday, January 16, 2010</span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-- </span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exploring the Ruins:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33658658%3C334;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33658658%3C334;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336573523734;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733%3C3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336573523734;nu0mrj" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572896934;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;3%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572896934;nu0mrj" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73397%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572896:34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73397%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572896:34;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;6%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572896;34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;6%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572896;34;nu0mrj" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="p1"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:9%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572::7634;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733:9%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572::7634;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;5%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572897234;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;5%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=336572897234;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;8%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33656;;:8834;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp733;8%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=33656;;:8834;nu0mrj" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-37197116772435878432011-01-09T20:14:00.009-05:002011-01-15T13:20:34.949-05:00Thank YouAS I ENTER THE LAST 30 DAYS OF MY DEPLOYMENT I WANT TO THANK THE ARMY OF PEOPLE IT TOOK TO HELP ME GET ME DEPOLYED AND KEEP ME DEPLOYED.<br />
<br />
MY WIFE, JOAN WAS LEFT TO ALONE TO FEND FOR HERSELF AND KEEP OUR HOUSEHOLD FUNCTIONING. MY THREE CHILDREN ERIC, REBECCA & ESPECIALLY JULIA, MY YOUNGEST WHO STILL RELIES ON ME FOR SO MUCH YET MANAGED TO PASS HER DRIVING TEST WITHOUT ME. MY EXTENDED FAMILY WHO CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK FOR THIS ONE AND CONTINUED TO ENCOURAGE ME THROUGH THE ORDEAL.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp63242%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=325598:3%3C;34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp63242%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=325598:3%3C;34;nu0mrj" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a name='more'></a><em>MY WIFE JOAN & YOUNGEST DAUGHTER JULIA WELCOME ME BACK FROM LAST YEARS </em><br />
<em>CALL UP FOR FOUR WEEKS OF TRAINING.</em> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DID IT BUT SOMEHOW MY OFFICE STAFF KEPT THE OFFICE RUNNING. THEY HAD TO SCHEDULE AND BILL FOR THE FOUR COVERING PROVIDERS. KELLY, MY OFFICE MANAGER ALONG WITH JUDY, KATHY, LILLIAN, LINDA & SANDY MUST HAVE A DEEP LOVE FOR OUR SOLDIERS BECAUSE EMPLOYEES SIMPLY COULD NOT BE PAID ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF WORK INVOLVED IN A SOLO PRACTITIONER LEAVING FOR 120 DAYS. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339;%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=335;;5668234;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp7339;%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=335;;5668234;nu0mrj" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kelly, my office manager, & Judy getting an award from ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard & The Reserves) <br />
for keeping my office running for 120 days without me.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
ESGR, WHICH IS A DEFENSE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION, RECOGNIZES EMPLOYERS AND OTHER GROUPS THAT HELP THE MOBILIZED SOLDIER KEEP THEIR COMMITMENT HAS GIVEN CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTERS;<br />
<br />
ELIZABETH ANDERSON, NP, GARY JACOBSON, DO, TALAL KHAN, MD & REHEMA MWANGA, MD - THEY ARE THE FOUR PROVIDERS WHO HAVE WORKED IN MY OFFICE DURING THE DEPLOYMENT<br />
<br />
MICHAEL HOUFF & ROBERT SUCHECKI FROM HAMPDEN COUNTY PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES WHO COORDINATED MOST OF THE MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR MY OFFICE<br />
<br />
REDA ISHAK, MD, GINO MERCANDANTE, DO, FRANK STIRLACCI, MD – PHYSICIANS FROM MY COVERAGE GROUP WHO COVERED MY OFFICE<br />
<br />
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLTE WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN FEATURED IN THE DEFEENSE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MEDIA BUREAU AND HAS ALREADY BEEN PRINTED IN THE NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU PUBLICATION. IT WILL ALSO BE FEATURED IN SEVERAL ADDITIONAL MILITARY PUBLICATIONS.<br />
<br />
<h2>Massachusetts family doctor deploys to Iraq</h2><div style="padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><strong>224th Sustainment Brigade</strong> </div><div>Courtesy Story</div><br />
<br />
<div><strong>Date:</strong> 12.21.2010</div><div><strong>Posted:</strong> 12.26.2010 07:14</div><div><strong>News ID:</strong> 62614</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d2.static.dvidshub.net/media/thumbs/258w/photos/1012/353232_q75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><em><img border="0" height="265" n4="true" src="http://d2.static.dvidshub.net/media/thumbs/258w/photos/1012/353232_q75.jpg" width="400" /></em></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Maj. Martin Lesser, field surgeon with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a Brooklyn, Calif., native, prepares for his patients at the troop medical clinic Dec. 22 at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq. Lesser, 58, took a leave of absence at his private practice to serve on his current deployment. </em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq— A field surgeon with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), decided to leave his private practice for 120 days to serve at the 224th Sust. Bde. Troop Medical Clinic at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.<br />
<br />
Maj. Martin Lesser, a field surgeon with the 224th Sust. Bde., and a Brooklyn, Calif., native, asked some of his colleagues to substitute for him in his absence at his private practice in Hollyoke, Mass., after being asked to serve in a tour overseas.<br />
<br />
Lesser, 58, joined the Massachusetts National Guard in December 2008 as a major in the medical corps. He explained why he decided to join the Army and work as a physician in Iraq.<br />
<br />
“I was told that there was a serious shortage of physicians in the military,” said Lesser. <br />
<br />
“This was just an unbearable thought being told that there was a shortage, so I responded, ‘Well, if I were younger, then maybe I could help you.’ And they responded, ‘Don’t worry about that, we have age exemptions.’ So a recruiter decided to look me in the eye and say, ‘We desperately need you.’”<br />
<br />
Lesser resides in Longmeadow, Mass., when he’s not on a deployment. He has been a solo practitioner in family medicine for 18 years.<br />
<br />
Lesser said that his age didn’t limit him from joining the National Guard.<br />
<br />
“I was told that age was not a consideration,” he said. “I was also told there was a limit to how long they send doctors out. So I didn’t think it could get any easier than that. I almost couldn’t imagine saying no.”<br />
<br />
Lesser described how his colleagues are managing his workload in his absence.<br />
<br />
“They are seeing my patients in my office and they are using my charts,” he said. “There are four different providers. One physician is working four shifts. Each shift is roughly four hours. Then I have one working two shifts, which is an entire day, and two working an afternoon. So basically they were volunteering to do anywhere from one shift per week to four…They’re also doing their own 'deployment.’ It’s a limited time; they know when I’m supposed to come back, so there’s an end in sight.” <br />
<br />
Lesser said that he learned a lot from his four-week basic training at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. <br />
<br />
“The training did not consist of teaching us medicine,” he said. “The training was learning about the Army. .<br />
<br />
The Army has a program for entering healthcare officers. That includes everybody from physicians and surgeons to dieticians and psychologists, and we all trained together. [The training includes] how to wear a uniform and how to be in formation. Some of it is a traditional boot camp. Most of the classroom stuff is how the Army is organized. We had physical training every day at five in the morning. We did land navigation courses. We were introduced to firearms. We carried M-16s [assault rifles] with us just like any Soldier does.”<br />
<br />
Lesser said that he got into excellent physical condition during his basic training.<br />
<br />
“I came out of it in the best shape I’ve ever been,” he said. “I knew that we couldn’t hire a private trainer that could duplicate something like that. I went from being sedentary to being able to run 4 ½ miles at the end of four weeks. I was very proud of that. What I liked most was formation. I liked just the idea that, in less than a minute, all 550 of us were assembled and we knew where everybody was. We could move as a group.”<br />
<br />
Lesser described how he learned to treat combat injuries at Fort Sam Houston during a five-day course that teaches technical combat medical care. This training includes stabilizing traumatic wounds and loss of limbs. <br />
<br />
He went on to describe his experiences in Iraq compared to his work at home.<br />
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“The experience has been very good,” Lesser said. “I had to first get used to the bureaucracy because before you can do anything, you have to know how to use the Army electronic medical records and their information sources…I had to get used to that. It was a little frustrating to learn that I had a lot of computer work before I could even see the patient, but once the soldiers came in, time just flew, and I loved it.”<br />
<br />
Capt. Gabriel Fabian, surgeon section officer-in-charge with the 224th Sust. Bde., and a Menifee, Calif., native, is one of Lesser’s colleagues during this deployment. He described his working relationship with Lesser.<br />
<br />
“Even though I’m the OIC, Maj. Lesser is the brains as far as the medicine is concerned,” he said. “As the logisticians and statisticians, we take care of that side of the house, but any medical decision that needs to be made on a patient—Dr. Lesser is the senior medical provider there. I handle the administrative paperwork side of the house; he handles the patient side of the house.” <br />
<br />
Fabian described Lesser’s greatest strengths, which include his 18 years of experience in family medicine and his willingness to accept guidance and advice from other people in the unit. <br />
<br />
“He’s been very open to any suggestions on how to adapt to the Army culture,” said Fabian. “He’s humble, but at the same time, he knows all his stuff pertaining to medicine.” <br />
<br />
Fabian also described Lesser’s willingness to be in Iraq when the choice was completely up to him.<br />
<br />
“I just want to recognize that Dr. Lesser really didn’t have to be here,” said Fabian. “…He felt the right thing to do was to come out here and provide medicine. I’m very grateful that he came to that decision to be out here with us.”<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-6545250220507389602010-12-27T18:24:00.002-05:002011-01-09T20:16:30.998-05:00Gospel Bluenotes Bring the Spirit to COB Adder<div class="p1" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><title></title> <style type="text/css">
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<div class="p1">They couldn't of come at a better time. It was between Christmas & New Years, December 27, 2010 to be exact, and people's spirits were getting kind of low. Most of the soldiers were thinking of their families and friends that they weren't go to see this year. Nobody really expected salvation but salvation did arrive and it came from the most unlikely source.</div></div><div class="p2" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Another entertainment group called "THE GOSPELL BLUENOTES" was going to be performing that night and they were going to be joined by a group of soldiers who sing at church services here at Adder. I am embarrassed to say</div><div class="p1" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">that the crowd wasn't nearly as big as the ones that showed up to see the Ultimate Fighting, Heavy Metal or Country & Western. Although fewer in numbers there was simply no comparison to the joy, spirit and meaning they were able to bring to all of us who attended. Here you are stuck in this army camp in the middle of a wilderness during the holiday season and professional gospel singers are singing to you about lives that have known pain, loneliness & despair yet their voices are filled with hope, joy, and redemption. The lead singer claimed that he knew that the soldiers spirit had been sagging and he intended to fill our spirits with hope.</div><div class="p2" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div class="p2" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">Please take a good look at these pictures and the brief video of this performance and it will give you an idea of what music can do for your spirit.</div><div class="p2" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxbi70PBv5Mv8I1eZL7fmugCzsNdCbYWWtJi62BFMO77q_gcMxz6Cj2xfNvnj9REk3dQe8z0YjUNDyfPV7LTA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div class="p1" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Because of internet issues it's very difficult to transmit video from Iraq. These brief clips cannot even begin to describe the emotions of this gospel performance held at Adder, Iraq on 12/27/2010.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzIHpggDvFT63ifMxOCmbwmpWBc_fqBgZ-Xg9WObepyj1inJGsnihdaxmp0BkZKZmgldwRb6mBShuxu6pu0iw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-46008201396171410232010-12-27T02:35:00.003-05:002010-12-27T10:21:02.959-05:00See the latest pictures!<div style="text-align: center;">Major Marty and Physician Assistants, Susan Harcke and Vijay Soprey receive their 'Combat Patches' in a ceremony held in front of the assembled brigade. Colonel Lisa Costanza is seen placing patches on their right shoulders.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2yYDm5hGt6ajgIOlikH-2sIIvsMgfAaFeKhc0sbSBkUDPUa-ygkzo2WZI9UoN996hREqZEJVuxCEJHZWCye9nbtiGTbAEH4zBS96ii2n536PxohRMeibZ0LojBW9lUCvly7RhpSf8Esn/s1600/232323232-fp73399-nu%253D3399-%253B39-25--WSNRCG%253D3355%253B9447%253B34%253Bnu0mrj.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2yYDm5hGt6ajgIOlikH-2sIIvsMgfAaFeKhc0sbSBkUDPUa-ygkzo2WZI9UoN996hREqZEJVuxCEJHZWCye9nbtiGTbAEH4zBS96ii2n536PxohRMeibZ0LojBW9lUCvly7RhpSf8Esn/s640/232323232-fp73399-nu%253D3399-%253B39-25--WSNRCG%253D3355%253B9447%253B34%253Bnu0mrj.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-74851305694654654662010-12-27T02:19:00.004-05:002010-12-27T10:22:44.947-05:00Happy Holidays!<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwL1TDnuYE9T9Xu-WIZCRgDgkdk7GqdiMJXl0t2KhmFHy9bEKa-5BfVMMebZZ-iCfUOsIunCJXKM2oYO1nWXw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br />
<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">This is almost my entire Medical Staff. To my right are my two physician assistants: Susan Harcke and Vijay Soprey. Next (in sunglasses) is captain Gabriel Fabian, the Commander of the unit. All the others are medics: Sean, Annmarie, Erika, Nolan, and Glenn. Several others are missing from the picture.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-64537173299884442632010-12-19T09:00:00.003-05:002010-12-19T09:00:07.335-05:00USO Show Brings Heavy Metal Band to COB AdderI don't believe I've ever seen a live Heavy Metal concert and I never considered that to be a loss or something I'd go out of my way to check out. But when the USO brings entertainment to you on a deployment you'd have to be a complete geek to avoid it. You have no idea how boring it can be out here. We work practically seven days/week and unless you're on a mission you never go outside the wire. There is absoulutely no alcohol allowed, including beer, even when your off duty and officially you're always on duty even when you sleep. So it's hard not to go when you hear that a rather big name is coming to your miserable outpost it's hard not to stay away.<br />
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If you've never seen or heard heavy metal my opinion is you're not missing anything. On the other hand I have to be fair and say that there were huge numbers of soldiers, mostly younger ones but not exclusively young, who literally were sent into another world when they listened to this band play. Probably most of the younger soldiers were at this concert and they formed a huge mosh pit around the stage. Many of them had an out of this world look on their faces which might of been okay if the music was good. Well they obviously thought so but I can't say that I liked the music at all. On the other hand I'm not twenty years old anymore.<br />
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It wasn't especially enjoyable but I'm glad I didn't miss it.<br />
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</div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-3973999349951116342010-12-12T20:36:00.000-05:002010-12-12T20:36:27.456-05:00In a season of firsts, I celebrate my first Hanukkah in IraqOne of the ways the military gets you through your deployment is by keeping you very busy. They have to keep you busy because if you had idle time that might create mischief and of course that's the last thing you want to have because it would divert you from your mission.<br />
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The week is organized so that all the days blend into each other and there really is no difference between the weekdays and very little difference between the weekdays and the weekend. In fact all the military offices are open 7 days a week. I recognize that I may of lost you there but even though this is considered a war zone we do have different offices. For example, we have a base post office which is run by both containers and US Postal workers who come here as civilians and soldiers go there to mail packages etc and the post office is open 7:30am - 5:30pm 7 days/week. We also have a finance office where you go if your having problems with your pay and they are also open 7 days a week. Your pay is deposited directly in a bank and you're given a swipe card called an Eagle Cash Card. You swipe it and that will transfer some money to the swipe card and when you buy something at the PX, which is also open 7 days a week, you pay for it with this swipe card.<br />
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So you never see a check and you never see a pay stub. How do you even know if you're getting paid? You go on line and you see your virtual pay stub. The combat zone is completely digitalized and couldn't function without computers. <br />
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Holidays and religious observance is different. We do celebrate holidays and we are encouraged to celebrate our religious holidays but observances are secondary to security concerns. All enlisted soldiers are issued an automatic weapon and the officers are issued handguns which never leaves your side. My patients come to see me carrying their weapons and I'm wearing my holster and a revolver. We also carry our weapons during recreational activities and into the chapel. In these pictures the enlisted soldiers have put down their automatic weapons nearby for the picture but the officers are wearing their sidearms.<br />
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The army does want us to celebrate our national and cultural holidays and they want us to celebrate our religious holidays including the Sabbath but everything, including all observances are secondary to security. The base and the mission are functioning 24/7 and you wouldn't dream of asking for time off for any type of holiday because obviously security and the mission trumps everything else. Additionally, everything you do is primarily for the other soldier, your buddy, your unit and the whole mission. Therefore you simply would never want time off to celebrate something for yourself because that would mean that you're putting others at risk which is far worse than putting yourself at risk which is already bad enough.<br />
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Our holidays will not be remembered as having the best tasting food or having our favorite delicacies. We're not celebrating reunions with friends and family and the best we could hope for was perhaps a brief phone call or possibly a video connection through this technological marvel called skype. As you can see from these pictures I did get to celebrate Hanukkah at base and it meant a lot.<br />
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I certainly didn't get to light candles every night and we didn't get to linger around a table consuming latkes (potato pancakes) and other delicacies. I was with my troop that I'm with 7 days/week and I had to do a lot of improvisation with the holiday delicacies that my family, especially my wife Joan, had sent me. <br />
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On the other hand I got to intoduce this holiday to soldiers who had never seen a Menorah lighting before and who were intently interested and were thrilled to participate. It was squeezed into our schedule and everybody eagerly participated, and then it was back to work. I'm very grateful that I was able to get some type of a picture because we had a lot to do. If you look closely you should be able to see a small lit menorah but the real story are the faces and the expressions of the other soldiers which are realy what's important.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp633;2%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=334;339;%3C:34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp633;2%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=334;339;%3C:34;nu0mrj" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp633;2%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=334;32627;34;nu0mrj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp633;2%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25:%3EWSNRCG=334;32627;34;nu0mrj" width="640" /></a></div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-54787974713397633192010-12-05T23:29:00.001-05:002010-12-05T23:41:32.822-05:00Army home grown Ultimate Fighters bring out huge crowd at Adder 'fight night'I wasn't surprised when I heard soldiers saying that fight night brings out a bigger crowd than at any other event. I know quite well that young males and females love to go to a whole variety of different types of martial arts. I've attended WWF/WWE wrestling events with my kids and big groups of their friends. We've also attended many of the amateur boxing events held in Western Massachusetts most of which I'd be the officiating ringside physician.<br />
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I never attended any of the Ultimate Fighting events that have recently become so popular and feature<br />
both very little in the way of rules and the fighters are allowed to fight anyway they wish. Therefore when I heard that an Ultimate Fighting event was coming to Adder I assumed that professional fighters had agreed to perform. Well I had it all wrong. At this army base there are so many individuals that are eager to fight on a stage that this event is held about every 3-4 months and many contenders aren't even placed on the roster because they event can't accomodate everybody who wants to get inside the ring and fight it out. Memorial Hall was filled beyond capacity and the event was projected outdoors so the others can see. <br />
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To me they fought like professionals and the crowd seemed pleased and loved watching the young soldiers fight until one defeated the other. Apparently ultimate fighting has become a sensation and for several years they've been able to fill sporting arenas and earn a fortune in pay for view receipts. It is certainly alive and well and I can attest, it's very popular in the military. <br />
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Major Marty<br />
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I doubt I would ever go somewhere on my own to hear a Country & Western Performance but I do like the music and this was a great setting to watch the performance and we didn't have anywhere else to go anyway, Most of my TMC (troop medical clinic) unit went and we did enjoy it. <br />
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If you want to know more about Assron Tippin <a href="http://aarontippin.musiccitynetworks.com/index.htm?inc=5&news_id=19071">click here.</a><br />
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Major Marty<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigymoy5-XvZcsgtBvPGVodPS2Iyqe60Idx8M2RXkgw5t9bJwk-MxrWWe0w8T5V0S3trBiFqQQk-kDngIQ7c-hR2x1PaNYJnTCf0vB1u8G3rO1EGkw4OSuxJKzQ9G9PgXOIItZB4oWBN1fF/s1600/232323232%257Ffp633-7%253Enu%253D3399%253E%253B39%253E25-%253EWSNRCG%253D334596969%253B34%253Bnu0mrj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigymoy5-XvZcsgtBvPGVodPS2Iyqe60Idx8M2RXkgw5t9bJwk-MxrWWe0w8T5V0S3trBiFqQQk-kDngIQ7c-hR2x1PaNYJnTCf0vB1u8G3rO1EGkw4OSuxJKzQ9G9PgXOIItZB4oWBN1fF/s640/232323232%257Ffp633-7%253Enu%253D3399%253E%253B39%253E25-%253EWSNRCG%253D334596969%253B34%253Bnu0mrj.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN0uqD5XFKVeVTsnxsHrKIT1p8UsoGjsfLigJAOTGoSf9Uk8MZahFiMdCCP64Z53Ajcw0522uVp_7PMoyLxpDo9yFCXgZ_6gzwOkwx7MYgDTCpyjXQjkB0J6CAcDC92M9S-HrFtJ8_J0Y/s1600/232323232%257Ffp6327%253B%253Enu%253D3399%253E%253B39%253E25-%253EWSNRCG%253D334597--5634%253Bnu0mrj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN0uqD5XFKVeVTsnxsHrKIT1p8UsoGjsfLigJAOTGoSf9Uk8MZahFiMdCCP64Z53Ajcw0522uVp_7PMoyLxpDo9yFCXgZ_6gzwOkwx7MYgDTCpyjXQjkB0J6CAcDC92M9S-HrFtJ8_J0Y/s640/232323232%257Ffp6327%253B%253Enu%253D3399%253E%253B39%253E25-%253EWSNRCG%253D334597--5634%253Bnu0mrj.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These Thanksgiving Day Displays were set up outside our DFAC (Dining Facility) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-87236483352888013642010-11-22T23:51:00.001-05:002010-11-22T23:53:10.614-05:00Major Marty's Newest Pictures!Click "Read More" to see all the new photos!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jV5lESG3mmDnDZz33EZX_7iWkX8bntaSaf3oQe3dNWgRonWbdWgH5B5uNiO7oasWBMupe-77st2xj2tPMSouE2Hys3Ye5rd97s1aCyXKqwO_xuvDaSN10pSBslaH-wIFsfcXhnyq_ceQ/s1600/106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jV5lESG3mmDnDZz33EZX_7iWkX8bntaSaf3oQe3dNWgRonWbdWgH5B5uNiO7oasWBMupe-77st2xj2tPMSouE2Hys3Ye5rd97s1aCyXKqwO_xuvDaSN10pSBslaH-wIFsfcXhnyq_ceQ/s640/106.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-13234733044939699872010-11-22T22:24:00.003-05:002010-11-27T23:05:31.281-05:00In case you we wondering, THIS IS WHERE I LIVE<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my CHU, or Containerized Housing Unit. Notice the size of each of the three units. Mine is the one on your left. Amenities include bomb shelter and blast walls.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Earlier in the blog I described first going to CONUS (Continental United States) Replacement Center at Fort Benning, Georgia</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b> </b></span>and I included two pictures of myself along with my three bunkmates. This is a permanent structure and we were staying in a real building aka a "hard building" which means a permanently constructed building. When I got to Kuwait that base has probably been open a few years and maybe after the mission in Iraq is over it will be closed. So for the time being the set up is a large tent built over a concrete floor.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm not completely sure why but at my base in Iraq a few years ago, they decided to stop using tents and they brought in what are basically small sub-divided trailer parks called "Containerized Housing Units" call CHUs (pronounced <u>chew).</u> They are basically shipping containers roughly divided into thirds with connected electrical wiring and a built in heater & air conditioner. The enlisted personnel and the officers below the rank of Major live in CHUs built for two single beds and do not have water and these are called dry CHUs) so the occupants have to go outside to a bathroom/shower that's been installed in either a big trailer or in two separate trailers that are joined together. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The officers from the rank of Major (which includes me) and up are given the courtesy of a private but even smaller CHU that is only big enough for one person but it does contain a bathroom and a shower and it's called a wet CHU. The shower is okay but the water pressure is so poor that I try not to use the bathroom and instead I prefer the outside latrines.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">If you'd like to see an actual tour of a Chu at Adder I found one on youtube:</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5AtXZmsh0V4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5AtXZmsh0V4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<span style="color: #0022e4;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">If you’d rather skip the Youtube tour I’ll describe it and it won’t take long because there’s not much to say. There are electric lights with outlets, a small single bed, a single chair and a small wardrobe closet plus a very small bathroom. There are obviously no cooking facilities since we go to mess halls, which are now known as the DFAC , which is short for Dining Facility. It’s a generic room for one and if you had a guest it would be a challenge for both of you not to become claustrophobic. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Officially we are allowed to have guests in our CHU but only of the same sex and the army doesn't mess around with this. We have been told repeatedly and emphatically that we will be severely punished and prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice if any member of the opposite sex is allowed in your CHU. It's uncanny but these are the army rules. (The army also has very strict rules about officers "fraternizing" with enlisted personnel and because of a scandal involving drill sergeants several years ago they have zero tolerance for sexual harassment.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>CORRECTION<br />
<br />
In the previous posting "This is where I Live" CHU was listed as an abbreviation for "Compact Housing Unit"<br />
This was an error. CHU is actually an abbreviation for "Containerized Housing Unit. The correction has already been applied.</i></span> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jV5lESG3mmDnDZz33EZX_7iWkX8bntaSaf3oQe3dNWgRonWbdWgH5B5uNiO7oasWBMupe-77st2xj2tPMSouE2Hys3Ye5rd97s1aCyXKqwO_xuvDaSN10pSBslaH-wIFsfcXhnyq_ceQ/s1600/106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jV5lESG3mmDnDZz33EZX_7iWkX8bntaSaf3oQe3dNWgRonWbdWgH5B5uNiO7oasWBMupe-77st2xj2tPMSouE2Hys3Ye5rd97s1aCyXKqwO_xuvDaSN10pSBslaH-wIFsfcXhnyq_ceQ/s640/106.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div></div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-14480202228112008692010-11-09T19:18:00.004-05:002011-03-11T21:45:11.317-05:00Sick Call At The TMC (Troop Medical Clinic)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><style>
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The soldiers were waiting for me in great numbers as soon as I arrived. Of course not for me personally, they are waiting for the "doc" and trying to take advantage of their down time. In return for joining the military and agreeing to serve wherever they are sent soldiers are assured that they will be provided with all their basic necessities including medical care. Getting it to them is the responsibility of their officers while in this case they simply have to show up. Once they've checked in they can take advantage of their down time. Soldiers often have to work extremely hard but they are also accustomed to being asked to wait and almost no one is worried about how long the wait is going to be. They've been accounted for and it's all out of their hands. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sick call means you show up and wait to be seen since the TMC (Troop Medical Center) doesn't make appointments. Military medicine is now highly computerized and it's gone from being a backwater medical service to among the most advanced and highly computerized medical services anywhere but at this location everyone is urged to come at 8am when we first start seeing patient because it's first come first served. It's all very similar to how most things are done in the army and nobody is surprised.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQN3kw-_gnVfR_kRpBqZds5vnnccvW4u68O55tjADnnhLsHMMlP2X39hou1LpH9omsGcfIAXfXM_NLgQVqatcJfMPdLRlunU8VTUXSKv_H7Gnx1u_G3s3BRQu-5Q2UOZu22MNafTj9TG9/s1600/232323232%25257Ffp6339%253B%253Enu%253D3399%253E%253B39%253E25_%253EWSNRCG%253D333758757934%253Bnu0mrj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQN3kw-_gnVfR_kRpBqZds5vnnccvW4u68O55tjADnnhLsHMMlP2X39hou1LpH9omsGcfIAXfXM_NLgQVqatcJfMPdLRlunU8VTUXSKv_H7Gnx1u_G3s3BRQu-5Q2UOZu22MNafTj9TG9/s640/232323232%25257Ffp6339%253B%253Enu%253D3399%253E%253B39%253E25_%253EWSNRCG%253D333758757934%253Bnu0mrj.jpg" width="480" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I'm staffing what's known as a Level 1 Battalion Aid Station (BAS) but in this setting it's also referred to as the TMC . This is the entry level medical facility and there is also a small army hospital, know as a level 2 in the vicinity</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">During a war when the front is actually changing the entire facility is packed up in trucks and can be on the move rapidly. During hostilities you don't wait until the wounded arrive you anticipate it. Ideally the the medical command is briefed as to when an offensive is going to take place and they should try to set up their BAS as close to the front as possible so that you're fully staffed and waiting for the first wounded to arrive. Fortunately, even though there are explosive devices and some firefights on the roads daily, Camp Adder & Tallil Air Force Base has a very secure perimeter and we only have to infrequently worry about rockets and mortars. </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">There is a lot of history associated with my base. The building I'm in was part an Iraqi Air Force complex and was reportedly part of the operations center for Sadaam Hussein's cousin and henchman, Ali Hassan al-Majid, the notorious Chemical Ali. The planes that dropped poisonous gas on the Kurds as well as on Iranian targets during the 1980 - 88 Iraqi-Iranian War took of from Tallil. What a terrible history but at least this section is now a health care facility.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">At enormous expense all building including our housing units have been surrounded with 20-25 foot high reinforced concrete walls known as T walls, which are lifted and positioned by cranes to protect against rockets and mortars. In addition to the T walls all structures have nearby bomb shelters utilizing the reinforced concrete that are also covered with layers of sandbags.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">My Aid Station (or TMC) like many facilities is understaffed. The doctor I relieved actually got on the same military plane to leave Iraq that I arrived on so we never got to even speak to each other much less sign off. There's supposed to be a physician plus at least two Physician Assistants but for now I'm it. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">On the day I did arrive I was very pleased to learn that the army hospital has assigned one of their physicians, Dr Findlay, to staff the TMC until I got set up. When I met Dr Findlay I could immediately see that she is simply a class act and a great physician. She's an experienced army physician and one of those very special people. She has three young children including an infant and her husband is also an army physician. She has several more months at Adder but says when that's over she'll be leaving the army so she can spend more time with her children.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Given that they're so short of medical providers I'm surprised that they're allowing so much time for my orientation until I discover what I believe is the answer is. The answer is computers & technology. I soon learn that in order to start seeing patients I need to be up and running with either four or five different computer systems each with it's own user ID and passwords. I've also never seen such requirements for user names & passwords. My main password has to be entered twice for each individual patient and it has 16 separate key entries, which must include several upper case and lower case letters plus several additional symbols. Only the army could create such a monstrosity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The soldiers are waiting for their doctor to get ready and I'm over ripe to finally get started. I've gone through all the years of my medical training and went on to run my own practice for eighteen years. I turned eighteen in 1969 while the Viet Nam war was escalating but Uncle Sam left me alone because I was registered at City College of New York. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Even though I was at best a fair student who consistently underachieve the student deferment held and I was never drafted. Long after the Viet Nam war ended I somehow completed my undergraduate education and went on to become a physician and three months ago I recertified in Family Medicine for the third time. Six years after 9/11 I crossed paths with a National Guard medical recruiter who looks me in the eye and tells me that the army desperately needs physicians like me. The deal is one weekend a month, two weeks a year and 120 days of active duty with 90 days in theatre if there's a national emergency and I'm called up. Yes, there is a national emergency now, the same one that started on 9/11.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The army would still take a full year to process my application and slowly things start to move. I'm sworn in and I go to my drills for almost a year and I'm scheduled for my four weeks of basic training. The weekend drills do not seem significant and my life really hasn't changed one bit until months later when I'm given a deployment date and then it all changes rapidly. The past was all an abstraction with privileges, then preparation and now it's show time. I'm pretty good with the first three computer systems, the fourth I'm still sketchy with and I'm not going to get oriented on the fifth one until the following day. I'm now in "theatre" and I've decided that I'm going to start in the morning and everything else I'll learn on the job. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">There are four medics who will be working with me and they are the greatest. They've been in the infantry and some of them have worked in the convoy escort vehicles. They couldn't be more welcoming and seem so glad that there's a physician for this TMC. Meanwhile I'm trying to express to them how honored I feel to be able to work with them and contribute something to this war which will have lasted ten years before my enlistment is over. This will be my first day treating patients in a war zone and for the moment everything has come together to make this a first day for me unlike any other first day of my career. I want to give thanks that I have been allowed to treat our soldiers and I pray that I will meet their needs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The day has flown by and I hardly realized that I should be taking breaks. Every day is similar and if it wasn't for all these computers and the passwords that take forever to enter I would be even more productive. Now I understand why it's called <b>An Army of One".</b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div></div>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-79163642148886596762010-10-28T10:03:00.010-04:002010-11-17T17:06:20.333-05:00The way to Iraq starts in Kuwait<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can’t say exactly when but I arrived in Iraq a few days ago after extensive additional processing in Kuwait. The two countries border each other and the distance was not that great however, the ordeal of traveling by military aircraft (the cargo bays get transformed into patient areas where you huddle down sitting on beach chair webbing secured with straps, ropes and clips) kept you on your toes. Additionally, we wear all our battle gear including full flak jackets, helmets, weapons and ammunition. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It was actually a lot of fun but we were already sleep deprived and this ordeal started at midnight and wasn’t over until noon the next day. It was stressful but it was so much fun and I wouldn’t have missed it for all the sleep in the world. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">The military doesn’t want you to simply fly from the states to Iraq and the entire process has been carefully thought out into a series of gradual steps and transitions. I didn’t fully expect this and I actually thought that this would be more like a mad dash and you’ll learn things on the job. The military has discovered and become big utilizers of Power Point, focus groups, Instructor evaluations, equal opportunity clauses and they have an abundance of senior officers with a wealth of experience that are available for lectures and round table discussions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">The army calls their style of preparation and meetings “briefs” and they have nothing to do with brevity. Before I left Massachusetts I had several days of “briefs”. Whatever was discussed was again repeated in Texas and most of the same material was again repeated in Kuwait and repeated again when I got to Iraq. Before you get your equipment the quartermaster gives you a brief, before you go on the firing range that chief gives you a brief and before you’re allowed on the airplane the pilot and crew chief gives you a brief.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m in the general area of Tallil Air Base (google knows all about Tallil) and it is a big complex. It is presently quite quiet but there are signs of war everywhere. The area is covered with large reinforced concrete walls and sandbags and everybody now carries weapons with magazines but the area is quite secure and we are relaxed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">I no longer live in a tent I now live in a trailer park that has been transformed into barracks. Officers above the rank of Captain get their own room with water while the others have to share a room and have to go outside to either the male or female shower room. Toilets in the military are referred to as latrines which are porta-johns which are located all throughout the camp. There are endless rows of these trailers (as far as the eye can see) separated by blast walls, concrete bomb, shelters and sandbags. Everything has been built over flat arid dessert and the base and our trailer park home is barely shielded by a single tree. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">I ‘m allowed to say that I will be working at the TMC (troop medical clinic) for the 224<sup>th</sup> Sustainment Brigade. I won’t explain what a Sustainment Brigade is but if you’re interested Google will give you a concise explanation </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">They also issued us these combat shirts, Boonie Hats (like the Australian's wear) because they have better protection from the sun, and I got the same set of cold weather gear that the soldiers in Afghanistan get for the winter even though it's 100 degrees every day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">The main thing they seem to emphasize is that you wear a proper uniform, carry your weapon (I have the Baretta pistol) & display your ID at all time. They also keep reminding us to report any acts of sexual harassment and that married soldiers that commit adultery will be prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Depending on whose calendar you’re using day #1 of my 90 day deployment (I refer to it as my Diaspora) is the day I arrived in Kuwait which was either 10/23 or 10/24. We had thought that day #1 might be the day I arrived in Iraq, which was 10/27. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">I actually saw some patients today but will write again after I catch up on my sleep and get more settled into Iraq. </span></div>marlesserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13416444524494867608noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-8028650178181729182010-10-22T23:35:00.010-04:002010-11-05T19:39:37.505-04:00CONUS<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExYY7A6kjGxqhDq_zQd8bo06wdDpkBErpDoguUQuuTS-eDcyhtLNjyfRNtOLYoAtK5SE8RtfpifL9OsC_6DGjC8hRJc80gGniJhW0-X8VSKvvBfPtvmbuefGhX8X4jOnrLt-_CnSAIMne/s1600/232323232%257Ffp6325_%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25_%3EWSNRCG=333465_83634;nu0mrj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExYY7A6kjGxqhDq_zQd8bo06wdDpkBErpDoguUQuuTS-eDcyhtLNjyfRNtOLYoAtK5SE8RtfpifL9OsC_6DGjC8hRJc80gGniJhW0-X8VSKvvBfPtvmbuefGhX8X4jOnrLt-_CnSAIMne/s640/232323232%257Ffp6325_%3Enu=3399%3E;39%3E25_%3EWSNRCG=333465_83634;nu0mrj.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Welcome to the CONUS replacement center. For those who do not know, CONUS stands for Continental United States. The term CONUS replacement center has a lot of significance in army circles.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Major Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835860675377751870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-7877758364928423542010-10-22T23:32:00.003-04:002010-11-17T17:06:54.547-05:00REPLACEMENTS<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The last I recall we had 50,000 troops in Iraq and around 100,000 troops in Afghanistan. Most of these troops arrive as entire units such as a company of perhaps 200 soldiers, a battalion containing about 750 soldiers or a division which might contain 15,000 soldiers. However, in addition to these large groups there is always a need for individual replacements for specific purposes. <br />
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My assignment is for 90 days in Iraq so I’m sent to a replacement center at Fort Benning, Georgia which processes as a group several hundred individuals every week. I believe there are several replacement centers. Just providing replacements for 150,000 overseas troops is a very big job. Most of the replacement soldiers are sergeants or officers since the lower ranking soldiers (privates & corporals) would likely be arriving with their units.<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Although this is an army base only about half of us are in the military with the other half contractors. The contractors, who mostly have prior military experience, are older, and quite casually dressed. They usually go over for a year at a time and we won’t talk about their personal or family life. There is also a small group of Department of Defense employees and I’ll omit the details as to who they are and what their job is. <br />
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So we are in a sprawling compound on a military base for the purpose of being “processed” into an overseas military mission. We stay in single story dormitory type buildings with two bunk beds making it four to a room with a central bathroom with showers, a dining facility, a gym, a general store carrying stocked with the specific goods we need for our deployments and some large buildings for classes and support services. Because we were about half military and half contractors the atmosphere was like a cross between a military base and a frontier town. The contractors were a very varied lot with some being very high functioning and others looked like the crowd at the horse races or at an OTB betting parlor. They also reminded me of the male crowd at one of the old Jewish bungalow colonies except that most of them were tattooed and a few looked like they consumed body building supplements. There is also a day room with computers, lounge and a wide screen TV that is always featuring Rambo style movies or martial arts flicks.<br />
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Everybody seems to get along and I found everyone very helpful. They know I’m new at this and without even asking I’m constantly offered support and I’m coached as to how to do all this processing that is unique to the army. <br />
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My three roommates, all of whom I believe are in the National Guard, have prior deployments and a significant amount of military experience including combat experience. They’re all headed to Afghanistan and it seemed like two thirds of the soldiers and contractors are headed there with the other third (like me) going to Iraq. <br />
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I don't think anybody would imagine that my bunkmates are military veterans with combat experience and they are quite reserved about it. They all live in rural areas and are all extremely interesting, very physically fit and exceedingly bright. Two are younger who started out as privates and are now newly minted officers and it is so obvious that they have been promoted based on merit. I believe that two and possibly all three said that they're of German ancestry.<br />
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I would estimate that one of them is in his late 20's, the second one is in his early 40's and the third one, who is a Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) is probably in his 50's. I believe that when he first went into the military he was as a combat engineer and served in the First Gulf War. He later became an attorney practicing in a small town in one of the prarie states. He said he’s with the JAG (where the military puts lawyers) but in addition to legal work he is obviously involved in the actual operations of the military. Unlike the other two he’s not in superb physical condition however he certainly does carry himself the military bearing of a highlevel officer. <br />
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The LTC immediately showed his leadership abilities by showing his interest in all of us and making sure that our needs were addressed and that we got to know each other. We were only roommates and each of us are headed to different units and we really didn’t have to get to know each other. He simply took advantage of the fact that by bunking together this was an opportunity for us to get to know each other and help each other and it worked. I already know that because I interacted so much with my three bunkmates I will also feel close to them and be interested in their welfare.<br />
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Every day we went to various stations for more processing. I received at least six vaccinations including Smallpox & Anthrax and the soldiers going to Afghanistan have to take daily antibiotics due to the threat of malaria. In just one of the six days of actual processing I had to do the following:<br />
Because I’m over forty I had to get labs, EKG and answer many pages of medical questions but when I finally got to see the doctor she said she didn’t have to examine me because I have no medical problems. We had to answer pages about our backgrounds including minute details about our first pet, first car, first girlfriend, first apartment etc which they said they needed to know in case we had to be identified in the future.<br />
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We also received some lectures about Middle Eastern culture, improvised explosive devices and similar subjects that I’ll pass on those details. They asked us from every possible angle you could think of as to what type of care we would want if we were hurt, who gets our life insurance if we die, who gets notified , who gets notified first, second & third, who gets to make medical decisions if we’re not competent and more details on top of details<br />
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I also had to qualify on a 9 millimeter pistol called a Beretta on a firing range with pop up targets and I’m happy to say that I did pass. I’ve been issued my firearm which I must keep double tied to me at all times. A few were issued M-16 automatic weapons but generally higher level sergeants and officers carry side arms.<br />
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Finally on the day of departure we are addressed by a series of high level sergeants and officers about properly representing our country everywhere we go, thanking us and our families for our sacrifices. Our names are called and we file past several different check points and we were told that our country is grateful to us and they are eagerly waiting for our safe return. As we are ready to pass through the gate and board the bus more high level people and a Chaplain shake our firmly shake our hands and look us straight in the eye and wish us Godspeed.<br />
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There is a two hour bus ride to the Atlanta airport and we are taken we meet our chartered commercial jet at the private & cargo terminals area. There is an advance party of military police which choreographs every stage as we board wearing our uniforms and carrying our weapons. We don’t have to go through any airline security as we walk out on the tarmac to board the plane. There are just a few airport employees around who wave & urge us on. When you get to read this chapter I have already deployed.</span></div>marlesserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13416444524494867608noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-12362297823362235982010-10-16T23:07:00.003-04:002010-11-17T17:07:05.625-05:00THE REAL SHOW ISN'T ON THE STAGE IT'S OUT THERE IN THE STANDS<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When a group of us would go to the WWF/WWE wrestling matches and sometimes the Golden Gloves events in Holyoke we spent as much time looking at the spectators as at the matches. As outlandish as the wrestlers were they were tame compared to the many of the people in the crowd.<br />
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I had an enormous logistical challenge in arranging medical coverage for a 120 day absence. There's a shortage of Primary Care Physicians in Western Massachusetts and it seemed like mission impossible that I was going to find covering doctors who would see my patients in my office. In the end it wasn't that hard at all because everybody wanted to help. <a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/longmeadow_doctor_martin_lesse.html">See the article written in The Republican 10/13/2010</a> <br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Similarly, I had to tell patients, some with multiple medical problems who have seen only me for over a decade that I was going to Iraq. In the end it turned out to be easy.<br />
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The real story is not about a physician going to Iraq it's about eighty year old patients telling me that they're going to be fine because they actually like the idea that they're going to be inconvenienced so that our soldiers will get the medical care they need.<br />
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In a world where we routinely put ourselves first and we're all out for number one and whether we listen to rap music or any music everything seems to be about ourselves and getting more for ourselves. I admit that I've always been a military wannabe but wannabes generally stay as wannabees and just fantasize about things that are never going to happen. I'm headed for Iraq because someone told me that our soldiers had a critical shortage of medical providers and somebody looked me in the eye and asked me to do it.<br />
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Well, since the recruiter had such good results by simply looking me in the eye and asking me to help our soldiers I decided to do the same thing when I went out looking for the help that I needed. I put out the word that I needed help from other physicians and amazingly getting commitments from other physicians was not hard at all. In the end I had more coverage lined up than I could use. I now have three different physicians and a nurse practitioner covering my office and every one has made a point of telling me how glad they are to be helping me to bring medical care to our soldiers.<br />
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Additionally, my office needs to be covered every day after closing and every weekend which involves coverage from my existing call group in which we share call. Same problem and the same enthusiastic response. I had to inform my call group not only that I couldn't do my share of the call for the next 4 months and additionally that I needed them to cover my practice through these four months which will all include the holidays. They quickly stepped forward, thanked me for for my decision to serve and told me how proud they would be to cover my share of the call and cover my practice as well.<br />
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The story is not just about a 58 year old doctor deciding to join the National Guard and go to Iraq it's about countless vulnerable patients who have only seen me for years and years and now that I'm leaving they want to tell me that they're going to be fine with the covering doctor because they even as senior citizens they want to make this sacrifice for the sake of American soldiers who are fighting a miserable war. It's about other doctors, several of whom were not born in the United States, delighted to find themselves in a situation where they can indirectly help our soldiers. It's everybody I know, which includes the educated and the uneducated, extreme liberals and extreme conservatives, atheists, orthodox Jews and born again Christians all showing the same degree of support with nobody injecting politics into my sendoff.<br />
<br />
<br />
Please look at the big picture. When we'd go to the wrestling matches we'd constantly remind each other to look out into the stands at the people to see the real show. The real show is out there in the stands involving my patients, the medical community & everybody I know who, when given the chance, knew immediately how to do the right thing.</span></div>marlesserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13416444524494867608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787350031048169838.post-91625804811147339192010-10-11T00:34:00.003-04:002010-11-17T17:07:13.686-05:00WEEK OF DEPLOYMENT<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I finished my "Tactical Combat Medical Course" (TCMC) which was the week of 09/27/2010 and returned to my office to work the week of 10/04/2010 which I finished 10/08/2010 and that was my final day in my office.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Monday, 10/11/2010 is Columbus Day and the office is closed. Starting on Tuesday, 1012/2010 I will spend the week processing with the National Guard. Officially, on Wednesday 10/13 I go on active duty and early Friday, 10/15 Joan will drive me to the airport for my flight to Fort Benning, Ga. I spend about a week there getting equipment and I presume some more training and from there we are flown to the Middle East. I believe all deployed soldiers fly to the same Middle Eastern country, which I'm going to leave unsaid for now, and from there we are either dispatched to Iraq or Afghanistan.<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It appears that I indeed am going to Iraq and the people I'll be working with and especially the physician I will be relieving have already been e-mailing me. A PA who sat next to me for the TCMC course is also headed for the same place. It sounds like they really are short of medical providers and they're already trying to speed me through my processing when I arrive and get me set up quickly which is fine with me. Also, the sooner I arrive the sooner the clock starts on my 90 days "in country". If you're stuck somewhere in the dessert porocessing you're delaying the beginning of the 90 days of your deployment "in theatre." Even when the army truly needs you they have a way of delaying and making you wait and do nothing.<br />
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For next weeks processing, as usual with the army, I need bring in documents that nobody ever asks you for. I need to produce my marriage license, the birth certificates of all of my children, copies of my mortgage and the list goes on and on. The packing wasn't hard because you wear the same style of clothing every day. Since I've always been fashion challenged this is a relief for me. The army is now highly digitalized and each soldier essentially needs to bring a computer. Orders, memos etc are sent out by computer and this part has been good for my poor computer skills.<br />
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I'm not really worried other than the concern I have for Joan who will have to run things here without me. I am very concerned about everything she will be left to deal with but that doesn't really belong in a blog.<br />
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People have been very good to me and for the sake of those who are serving much longer tours than I will be I'm very happy to see how much people really do support our deployed soldiers. I happen to know a lot of people who voted against George Bush both times he successfully ran for president and who completely oppossed his decision to launch the 2nd Gulf War. Some of these individuals are what I call "Too Liberal To Function" but there is no diffierence in the concern they show for our soldiers and the concern I see from the Republicans and The Conservatives. They all seem to show pride and support for our military and concern for our Armed Forces on overseas deployment.<br />
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Last week I finally received my "orders". In the military you don't go anywhere without your orders which start out saying "You are ordered to active duty as part of Operation Iraqi Freeding/Operation New Dawn starting on............<br />
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It will begin on 10/15 and the planning and training stages are over. My concern now is that I perform on the level that is expected of me and that I provide these soldeirs with the highest standards of medical care available anywhere in the world. </span></div>marlesserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13416444524494867608noreply@blogger.com1