Deployment

[cloasters]

From what he's posted, he may well be on his way to Iraq or Afghanistan. Or maybe already there. Chin up, fantomfreq!
I heard that it may be difficult for him to access the Web.
Love and wellness from all of us!!

[fantomfreq]

Nope, still not overseas. Currently, it looks like I'll be flying to Kuwait at the end of April. Currently, I'm on leave sitting in the Charlotte airport waiting for a flight to see my family. I love this airport; in a time when nearly every airport charges money to use the internet, it's free here.

[Samuknow]

Not quite as gory as one would hope! ":O}

But we all have to watch out for the French fishermen...

[Daniel ~]

And if any one is going to take an eye out...I want to know about that to!! ":O}

[fantomfreq]

I'm taking a short break from packing up my stuff to get put into storage, so I figured I'd leave an update. I finished up a 10-day training regimen that everybody has to do before deployment this past week. Only have a couple things left to do before I leave, as far as the Army's concerned. The deployment date hasn't been nailed down (which I imagine has to do with OPSEC) but it's very soon.

Just got the last few things I needed to get before leaving, of which the PSP and DS games were most important. You can never have too many computers/handheld consoles on a flight halfway across the world, as far as I'm concerned.

[danrok]

Reckon you'll be going to Iraq or Afghanistan?

[fantomfreq]

I'll be outside of Bagdad in Iraq with the rest of my unit.

[Daniel ~]

It's hard for me to realize that you will be going...and all that entails. I know I will think of you often and know a certain sense of peril until you retun to all of us.

Hopfully you'll be able to stay in touch will all of us while your away and perhaps tell us what you think we need to know as you learn it?

[fantomfreq]

I'll be able to stay in touch. Believe it or not, they do indeed have internet over there. I believe it's almost entirely satellite-based internet, so it's expensive and high-latency. However, it's a link to the rest of the civilized world so I'd say it's invaluable.

Anthrax and Smallpox shots tomorrow. Can't wait.

[Daniel ~]

Well, two less things to worry about...":O}

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by fantomfreq

I'll be able to stay in touch. Believe it or not, they do indeed have internet over there. I believe it's almost entirely satellite-based internet, so it's expensive and high-latency. However, it's a link to the rest of the civilized world so I'd say it's invaluable.

Anthrax and Smallpox shots tomorrow. Can't wait.

I don't recall getting the Anthrax shot; that may be something new. I VIVIDLY recall the smallpox one though; made me sick as a dog for about 3 days. I was unusual, though. And it wasn't an actual shot; they poked my arm about a dozen times with a needle that carried the culture

[cloasters]

That vaccination sounds like a blast, yeah right. I wonder if the Black Plague shot is still part of the fun? Sounds impressive at any rate and it didn't make me ill, yay. I hope they don't still use a pressurized "gun" to force the vaccines into a muscle. Too communicable for fun.
Please be careful over there. Shuh, like he doesn't already know that?

[Daniel ~]

But it's what's in all our hearts George, yeah, please. Be careful over there.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by cloasters

I wonder if the Black Plague shot is still part of the fun?

It was required if you were deployed to any 'third world' country when I was in. I gather they stopped making the vaccine around '99, deeming a course of antibiotics to be cheaper and just as effective. IIRC, you had to receive a booster like every 6 months. Oddly enough, that one didn't bother me, other than to make me a little queasy for a day or so.

Originally Posted by cloasters

Sounds impressive at any rate and it didn't make me ill, yay. I hope they don't still use a pressurized "gun" to force the vaccines into a muscle.

One would hope we've advanced a little since then. I'm not fond of the memories of that little 'gun', either.

As for the rest, what can I say? War is an insane business, even when it is the sanest response to a particular situation. Be as safe as you can until you return.

[Samuknow]

I was just talking to a coworker that just got out of the military. He said they still use it. I remember getting one in each arm at the same time. Had 5 in one day. I hated that thing.

[fantomfreq]

The Flu shot and Anthrax vaccine that I got were just regular needles. The Anthrax shot left a nice little welt in the arm they put it into; hurts a bit. The smallpox vaccine was different though. It's as Gizmo described. They took a large metal object that looked strangely like a huge sewing needle out of a package, got some vaccine on the end and poked me about a dozen times. The needle just has to break the skin apparently, so you can barely even feel them poking you. I'm supposed to get a nice nasty blister where they poked me in a few days. Can't wait.

Flight got pushed back a few days too.

[Samuknow]

I forgot that all you youngsters did not have this done as a child. I have a scar on my arm from the smallpox vaccine that was done when I was a young child. It was part of the normal vaccinations.

[Daniel ~]

When I first was entering school the vaccine makers were worshiped! They changed the world! It's interesting to go back and read the accounts of Polio stricken US and UK... my mother had 4 kids and thought Jonas Salk hung the moon...