Our colleagues from Services to Armed Forces Sherri Brown and Peter Macias are on an 8 day tour of our operations in Kuwait and Iraq. Sherri sent us some thoughts from her first day and Peter has been keeping us updated on Twitter.
Okay, I’m packing and Red Cross attire looks as if it’s been thru a couple of hurricanes, tonados n earthquakes. OH, IT HAS!
Well, it’s time to go. Down the street, Across the Country and Around the World.
Day 1 – After a 12.5 hour flight we are here. Just met our security detail. They rep. GA anf FL. Hooah! Off to Camp Arifjan.
Just finished a briefing with Col. Hoffman, ASG Commander at Camp Arifjan The Red Cross office serves approx 16K 24/7 w/3 staff. GO TEAM!
Gonna catch some shut eye. I have an 0500 run with the troops. A quick 5 moler…Hooah!
OMGoodness-0430 here in Kuwait looks and feels just like it does back home…dark and way too early! Time for some road work! Hooah!
Just toured sites in N. Kuwait by Blackhawk. Commanders in the field very happy with Red Cross. BTW-saw R. McD in the middle of desert.
Am having dinner with SAF volunteers at Camp Arifjan. Army, Navy, AF, Marines and civilians. These guys are great. Hooah!
Never been a ? in my mind on why the RC serves US Military. Seeing the faces of our troops on the ground confirms need for our mission.
If you haven’t done so lately…Thank a Soldier, Salior, Airman or Marine for the work they do. Especially when you see them in uniform.
Yesterday’s Msg of the day “Stop Your Screaming. I’m Scared Too!” Read it on back of my Blackhawk pilot’s helmet.
Day 3 – am in Balad, Iraq. Flew in this a.m. on a C-12. Toured hospital and lunched w/the mayor. RC has a large facility. 100 vols here!
Just found out Balad Air Base gets a mortar attack every couple of days. I now know where the closest bunker is located.
Just viewed Iraqi agriculture in the desert…dates, tomatoes and sunflowers all growing with water from Tigris River.
Day 4 – listened to aircraft conducting sorties all night long. It is beautiful morning in Balad, Iraq. About to take another BHawk ride.
Wow, there is activity everywhere. Personell on the move, aircraft overhead, convoys on the road. RC does it with a staff of 3 24/7.