Bayahni Bash

Bayahni Bash (sound it out as if you are reading english and it means "Good Morning" in Kurdish)! I am trying to learn a little bit of Kurkish because that is what language they speak in North Iraq. I am also trying to learn a bit of Turkish because everyone who runs the MWR palace is mostly Turkish.

The Turkish people (or at least the ones here) have figured out that Uncle Sam pays really really well for workers in a combat zone even if they aren't doing the shooting and hard work end of the deal. For those of you who don't already know -- the strykers and the infantry are out every day busting their butts for us. *Not to leave our CATA teams out -- they help do the hard work too; they are the ones crazy enough to enjoy all that action* Everyone else here is doing their job to support them either tactically or administratively. So a big three cheers for the strykers and infantry and CATAs!

The closest thing to a security blanked we have around here is when we see the strykers (like a tank, but on wheels; can go on land or in water) roll in after a misson and a few of them pop out of the top of it to give a victorious wave to all the people they are passing by. It is like their little parade float. *I'll try to snap a picture of it sometime*

Note: If any of you are interested in a high paying job and don't mind having to abide by some rules then you may want to research the jobs MWR offers here, or Titan, or US Army Contractors. There are several groups of people here working together: The US Military (mostly Army, Marines, and Airforce), Contractors (US, British, and other international companies), local nationals (translators and workers that help support us), and then a few embassy (US and Iraqi) workers. The military gets the lowest pay, but has the most support and best armor. We pay the local nationals very well according to their standards. The contractors get the highest pay, but they usually have the riskiest jobs (meaning less support for help if something happens).

I am amuzed to see everyone collaboratively working to keep this place going. There are a lot of people solving a lot of problems. Wish me strength and luck to do my job during this next year. And thanks Uncle Sam for allowing be to be a small part of something so grand!