Dave
First off this past couple of weeks has been busy. I am in the process of getting out of one job in the squadron as the person in charge of maintenance tools and support equipment and getting ready to become a Quality Assurance maintenance rep. So I have been up to my ears in training my replacement, turning over and in general getting myself out of the mud with out any thing foul smelling sticking to myself.
On top of that just before my birthday near Halloween, I spent three days in a place called Manama, Bahrain. Just after that we transited back out to our box and then because of a maintenance emergency sent a plane to the beach in Oman. A rescue maintenance detachment had to go out, in turn I had to gap some short falls in the avionics shop. On top of all that like I said my birthday passed. So now I am 31 as of the 23rd of October. Along with my first wedding anniversary passed on the 8th of November. So it has been a fun couple of weeks.
One of the things that happened was visiting Bahrain. The city we visited was the capital of Bahrain, called Manama. It is also the home HQ of US 5th Fleet. This was the second time that I have visited Bahrain. It isn't a very big base. The biggest attraction is the NEX. Most people go there to pick up some last minute uniform items they have lost or forgot. Let alone getting some basic shopping done without hitting the economy. I didn't go out on the town this time primarily because I had to work late the first day and had duty the second day. Liberty was cut short on our third day because the powers to be in charge wanted everyone back onboard before midnight. This is normally termed Cinderella liberty. My last time here was back in 2004 and some things had changed versus then. Before we had to anchor out and ride tug boats in. Wasn't fun. This time we were pier side and rode buses to the base and then could leave to head out in town via taxis that operated outside the base. Like I said I was here in 04 and went in town then, it was in the midst of a building boom. We had gone over to the Gold Souk bought some 18K and 24K gold on cheap and then went over to a shopping mall to walk around hunting for other fun things to bring home. We left town after three days in and by the end the weekend we were back out in our zone in the eastern half of the Indian Ocean flying missions in support of the guys on the ground.
One of the weeks we had to send an airplane to a divert field ashore because it had gotten an unsafe indication from its gear. So they were sent ashore to an allied field on the Saudi Peninsula. The problem happened upon landing where the gear wasn't all the way down and locked. The aircrew and plane survived for the most part. We ended up eating part of a drop tank and the tip of a wing. It took a week to get the airplane back up on its landing gear. It was then flown back to the ship. Right now we have some specialists out assessing the damage and manufacturing some replacement parts and fixing some damage.
The wedding anniversary is the hardest thing to deal with. Being that it is the first anniversary. So it was trying to hunt online when the internet was up for gifts to mail out. Hoping they would arrive on time. On top of that I also tried to order some flowers for the wife and had them delivered to where she works. Over all I got the gifts that I needed ordered and shipped out. The last one arrived on her doorstep the Friday before the anniversary. While I was in Bahrain, I went through the NEX and ordered some flowers for her. I tried for tradition and ordered carnations for her. That was a pain in the ass because I wanted to have purple carnations sent. The FTD rep told me no problem. In the end the wife sent me pictures and it looks like they substituted roses and some other flowers. Oh well.
That is about it for out here. We are almost there towards the half way point. On top of that the wife's birthday and Christmas is coming down the pipeline. Along with Valentines day. I really can't wait till I am home.
That is about it for out here.
Charlie
