This is a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force.  The girl he’s holding became an orphan when her entire family was executed.  They tried to shoot her in the head, but failed to kill her.  She’s healing in John Gebhardt’s hospital and he’s the only one who can calm her down.  His new bed is this rickety chair and his blanket – this baby girl.

If you were in Basrah today without a calendar, you might mistake it for a holiday.  We have two live events – a chipping contest and soldiers gathering to watch the MN Twins game (they’ll be twittering during the game) – and professional skateboarders visiting the base to perform.  Tonight there will be a 9/11 memorial ceremony and an NCO Induction Ceremony – which I think would be appropriate except the induction ceremony is an hour after the memorial ceremony which won’t be over by then.

I realize that today isn’t a day when we should hide under the covers and shy away.  I realize that it’s been 8 years and America has moved on.  But that doesn’t mean that today needs to be celebrated like it’s the 4th of July.  Today is a somber day.  Let’s save the chipping contest, the performers, the live baseball game party for another day.  Let’s save it for a day when we know thousands of families aren’t in mourning over a national tragedy.  Today we should just remember.

*** Update – Turns out I have allergies.  The doc gave me enough Zyrtec to last me the rest of the time I’m here.  He also gave me antibiotics and some nasal spray (yum).  I should be back to my normal self soon.  YAY!

I had to move to a new tent yesterday.  When billeting came through at 7:30 am and noticed I was sleeping and the only other girl in the tent was leaving, I was woken up and told I couldn’t sleep if I was the only one in the tent.  I must have looked at her like she was stupid (because she is) and she asked, “you disagree?”  I said no, no waving my hand in the air and summarily waving her away from me, “I’ll get up.”  Then she decides that I should just move tents.  “You don’t need to be in here by yourself, someone can come in turn off the lights and steal your cookies and all your belongings.”  I tried not to laugh – I definitely don’t want anyone getting near  my cookies.  So, I moved my stuff, 5 minutes after I was rudely awakened, three tents down.  Turns out that girl who was leaving, the reason I had to move, is still here.  She moved too. 

I found out there’s another tent rule – the lights have to stay on 24/7.  I had been turning them out every night and even lectured a soldier who came in at 3 am and turned them on.  (oops).  I turned off the light and handed her my flashlight.  She said “I thought the rule was the lights had to stay on,” to which I responded, “the rule is to be courteous to others.  we’re all sleeping, so here’s a flashlight.”  I tossed and turned the rest of the night in fear she’d put gum in my hair.  I’m not sure what the reasoning is behind the lights, it’s absolutely insane.  Luckily, I have a mask that blocks it out – but it gives me a headache if I wear it too long… woe is me on my 25th birthday. 

I leave for Europe in 3 days!  I’m so excited.   I can’t wait to see Craig and Cade.

Sora is 21 and has dual-citizenship in America and Iraq.  She loves them both.  She and her parents have called Chicago home for the past 10 years, but Sora visits Basra annually to catch up with her siblings, aunts and uncles, and cousins.  She came to the conference with her husband who’s a government contractor working on our base.  She was really excited when she told me she got to spend 3 days with him on the compound a few weeks ago.  Sora’s been in Basra about two months visiting and will catch a plane this week to head back to the states and prepare for pharmacy school, which she starts in August.  

Most people in Iraq would kill for the chance to have dual citizenship, come and go as they please, and have the chance of a new life in America.  Sora knows she’s lucky, but she’s not so sure she wants the bright, shiny American life.  ”I wake up and I’m with all my cousins and I want to stay here, but then I check my facebook and all my friends are saying they miss me and to come home and then I’m going home.”  Like you’d imagine, Sora says going back and forth is a culture shock.  ”I can’t drive here and I’m so used to having my car back home and go where I want.  There’s not much to do here and I’ve gotten really good at solitaire.  I play it all the time sitting at the house.  And when I go out, I wear all black and really cover up … People know I’m different, because I wear flats.  All the women here wear a lot of color and big shoes, but we’re simple.  In America, we just wear simple clothes,” she says with lots of arm movements and a sway of the head. When someone asks her nationality, she claims American without a second thought, but that, she acknowledges, is dangerous.  Sora says she has to be more careful than other people.  Although she’s noticed a change in Basra – safer streets, less bombs, gunshots and kidnappings – she knows her American background makes her an attractive target.  ”I do get scared, and I know I need to be more careful than other women.”  

What does she miss about America?  Tabloids, her car, the nightlife, miniskirts.  ”I’m sacrificing a lot if I stay here.”  So why stay?  Family, she says.  Compared to getting together with her family once a month in the states, she’s with them everyday here.  She says that’s a big difference in the cultures and something she values.  

Sora has a big decision to make.  Either head back to her parents and friends in Chicago and become a pharmacist or stay here in Basra with the rest of her family and start a construction company with the help of her uncle.  She needs to decide soon – her Chicago-bound plane takes off Friday.

• The final roll call – where the 1st Sgt calls out the names of people in his company and they sound off, but when he gets to the name of the deceased there is no answer and he calls for him three times, falling on silence
• When the bugler plays “Taps” – it’s the saddest song to hear
• At the end of the ceremony, when friends walk up to the memorial – the rifle, dog tags, boots and helmet – and say their goodbyes to their friends, often kneeling before the only thing they have left of their comrade.  There’s also an ammo box next to each memorial to put letters to the families.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcFW5_ICLPE[/youtube]

3 soldiers spoke on the behalf of each of the deceased, and the final soldier to speak was Spc Jacob Benson.  It sounds to me like the 3 soldiers that were killed were Benson’s best friends.  He was with them during the attack and received a Purple Heart for his injuries.  He spoke about his friends and what they were doing right before the attack – talking about their future.  One soldier, Sgt Mensen, said when she met Spc Wertish’s dad he told her “Take my son to Iraq, he loves to serve.”  That broke my heart, because she won’t be bringing his son back home.

It’s so easy to get complacent over here, but we have to always remember that we’re in danger.  The ceremony was emotional, but I can’t imagine what it would be like if I was standing at that podium talking about one of my friends.  It’s unbearable to think about and I pray that I never have to do anything like it.  This is the reality of our jobs.

Please continue to keep the families of these soldiers in your prayers.  Pray also for their comrades who are still here.  I know if I lost one of my friends over here, I wouldn’t be able to get up in the morning.  Pray they can stay strong, move on, never forget, always remember.

Isaiah 13:19 says “Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, the flower of Chaldean pride, will be devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed them.” and Jeremiah 51:37 – “and Babylon will become a heap of ruins,haunted by jackals. She will be an object of horror and contempt, a place where no one lives.” Jeremiah predicted Babylon’s treasures would be robbed.  Cyrus the Median took treasures, Xerxes the Persian stole gold, and Alexander of Greece took what was left.  (amazingdiscoveries.org) Although Babylon was located at the center of economic trade routes of the time and it’s inhabitation seemed far fetched – the prophecies hold true.  It’s now a desolate area – quiet as you walk through the ruins of what were.

It was a very long tour, but cool and informative.  I would have enjoyed it better if I wasn’t so worried about my next shot.  While we were watching the bats in the Hanging Gardens, the Command Sergeant Major thought it would be funny to grab my elbow and act like a bat was on me.  I almost freaked like I normally do when I’m scared – it results in the flailing of arms accompanied my a scream.  I’m very glad I didn’t since I was in the enclosed area with two generals.  The ride back was hot – I was in the worst seat you can be in, where all the wind hits you in the face.  I dozed off and figured it was okay since the Sergeant Major (who was sitting across from me) was sleeping too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R70NBHu-KM[/youtube]