Al Taqaddum

I arrived at Al Taqaddum four days ago.

TQ is a nice base. The chow hall serves 3 hot meals a day. There are real showers with hot water. Most of the officers have there own room. Every one sleeps in an air-conditioned space. I am now the S-4 Logistics Officer and Camp Commandant for Lakeside. Camp Commandant is responsible for facilities maintenance.
Overall I think it is going to be a fun and productive 7 months.

GPRS and your everybody's friend

CSSD-29, is currently deployed to Camp Matilda at March Air Reserve Base. There is no phone or internet here at the condemed base housing we are using as an Iraqi Villiage. But the cell phone coverage is excelent. Turn on GPRS and like magic, I am connected in the middle of this mad max like scene.

Working up for deployment

Back at the first of June, I discovered that it would be about 2 - 3 months before I actually get to Iraq. no one liked that idea. We wanted to get to the SandBox. Any delay here would just delayed the date we return home.

Now after a month on deck here in Camp Lejeune, I see how wrong I was. There is essential combat training all the Marines are getting, and 2 months is barely enough time. A normal UDP or MEU does a 6 month work up before deploying. We are a support unit made up of a mix of reserve and active duty, mission organized for the task. In two months we need to learn our strengths and weakness, sharpen our fighting skills, and understand how to perform our support roles in the deployed (read dangerous) environment.

The Warrior Geek.

Why a new blog. I have been activated as a Captain in the United States Marine for duty in Iraq, so I thought I would start a new one just to talk about what I am doing during my tour. I am a mix of Computer Geek and Elite Warrior. So the name seemed to fit.
I turned my first computer on in 1979. I have loved it ever since. However I was the smart but too skinny guy. I remember having the school bullies threaten me to do their homework. I quickly learned to play the two bully against each other. In high school I made a deliberate effort to excel at sports. But the real difference came when I decided to join the Marine Corps. I was already the smart guy. So I wanted to do the most physical thing I could. At 17, I convinced my parents to sign the papers to join the Marines. After a year of college, I turned 18, married Maria, my high school sweetheart and left for boot camp. I love being a Marine. I was fortunate enough to be selected for the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Program and became a Data Systems Officer. After 14 years active Duty I decided to get out and pursue a career in computers.
I have really enjoyed being a programmer. I chased a dotcom, consulted for a while, and now I am a Sr Engineer for Apple Computers at the Power School Division in Folsom, CA. I stayed in the reserves as the Commanding Officer of Landing Support Company "B" in Lathrop, CA.
After 20 years I am still happily married. I have four Children, Kevin, Kyle, Kayla and Kelsey, and now I am actived in Camp Lejeune, NC preparing for deployment.