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Old 06-17-2007, 01:16 PM   #1
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Default Camp Victory

Well. I thought I would share a little about my life as it currently is. In order to do that, I have to set the scene.

I have been in the United States Air Force for just over 20 years. I love my country and I love what I do. I am married, with two daughters (18 and 15). I am currently deployed to Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq.

I thought I would write a thread about it. Just a little about this and that. Nothing too revealing. Mainly, I want to just share a little of life in Iraq, the sanitized version… I also have to say that I am way inside the wire. Meaning far from the hazards of war. I am essentially an office worker, working 12 hour days, 7 days a week. There are many military here who do go outside the wire, or are stationed in less hardened facilities. And most are here for much longer than I am.
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Old 06-17-2007, 01:22 PM   #2
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Default What I have missed

Even though I am deployed, life moves on. I have missed some major things on the homefront. Fortunately, my better half has been there to take care of our family.

My husband retired from the Air Force, after 28 years, soon after I left. He has since did the job search thing, found a job, and starts his new career come Wednesday, lots of stress, and he handled it without me there to support him.

Our fur baby Andy passed away. He was mauled by a neighbor’s dog. Unfortunately, many of us know that the loss of these babies is painful for all.

Our youngest participated in her first ever horse show—and won a blue ribbon. And our oldest graduated from high school.

My husband’s support and dedication have been phenomenal.
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File Type: jpg Retirement Pics 010.jpg (45.1 KB, 20 views)
File Type: jpg horseshow.jpg (151.5 KB, 16 views)
File Type: gif graduate.gif (110.4 KB, 20 views)
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Old 06-17-2007, 01:24 PM   #3
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Default Al-Faw Presidential Palace

This is where I work—while originally it was a beautiful building, with our occupation, it has been turned into a cubicle farm, not unlike offices any where else in the world.

Al-Faw was one of eight presidential palaces used for hunting and recreation by Baathist party members, Saddam Hussein and his family. Both sons, U’day and Qu’say had villas on the artificial lake. There were houseboats to move them around; often they would cruise the lake and take tea at one of the artificial islands.

The palace was built to commemorate the sacrifices made by the Iraqi Army during the Iran-Iraq War in regaining the Al-Faw peninsula, located in southern Iraq.

The palace is 450,000 sq. ft with 62 rooms and 29 bathrooms. The bathrooms are elaborate rooms with gilded metal work and marble façade. The palace is made primarily of marble, glass, wood, plastic and brass. Many of the banisters are gypsum and not carved marble. The Arabic script is made to look like gold but is actually gilded brass. The marble and locks are Italian. Many of the apparently glass pieces are actually plastic or plastic and intermittent glass.


The ceiling of the rotunda – art work – is actually Moroccan-formed plaster cast frescos secured to the ceiling.
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File Type: jpg outside palace.JPG (35.7 KB, 14 views)
File Type: jpg inside palace.JPG (32.6 KB, 12 views)
File Type: jpg inside palace 2.JPG (33.9 KB, 10 views)
File Type: jpg stairwell.JPG (24.0 KB, 10 views)
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Old 06-17-2007, 01:26 PM   #4
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Default Some More on the Palace


The rotunda and chandelier in the center of Al-Faw is the focal point of the palace, it boasts 256 lights. At one time it could be lowered of raised. A catwalk is located above the chandelier. People who view the chandelier suspension decide never to walk under it again. It does not strike them as well supported. Again - -the chandelier, as with many things in the palace is deceiving. It looks like solid glass but is in fact an intricate lattice work of glass and plastic.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Al Faw Palace Light.jpg (52.6 KB, 4 views)
File Type: jpg Top Detail Al Faw Entry Chandelier.jpg (55.4 KB, 4 views)
File Type: jpg chandy.JPG (69.9 KB, 6 views)
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Old 06-17-2007, 01:28 PM   #5
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Default Hmmmm

When I sat down to get this ready, I thought I had lots to share. Turns out, I don’t. Maybe I just wanted to show ya’all pics of my family and of the palace.

Here is just a couple more pics. The first is me in Saddam’s chair. Some of you may recognize it from a news blurb a few years ago. The next is a picture of some baby geese. I thought they made a great contrast with the tactical vehicle behind it. We have several families of geese here. The last is a pic from some volunteer work I did here. There is a place where we supply medical care and basic quality of life items to the local nationals. Including shoes.

Let me end by saying I do love my job and do believe that we serve a purpose. The more time you spend away from home, the more you appreciate it.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg chair.jpg (45.9 KB, 23 views)
File Type: jpg geese.jpg (52.7 KB, 16 views)
File Type: jpg Airman Help with shoes.JPG (42.3 KB, 21 views)

Last edited by jvwheeler; 06-17-2007 at 01:29 PM.
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Old 06-17-2007, 01:55 PM   #6
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Those pictures and stories were very interesting to me to see life in Iraq outside of our media's "non-biased" views. That palace looks beautiful...

Most importantly, I wanted to say thank you for everything you do for our country. Words cannot express how much it means to all of us back in the States what y'all are doing. I hope you all never feel unappreciated because I know that I'm so thankful for everything you all have done, and I'm praying all the time.

That's terrible that you missed your daughter's graduation and your furbaby's passing among other important things, but it's great your husband could at least be in the States holding down the fort.

Thank you again for everything, and I really really mean that! You and your family will be in my prayers tonight! Please stay safe over there
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Old 06-17-2007, 02:16 PM   #7
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First and foremost, I want to say "Thank-You" to you and to all the troops who are putting their lives in harm's way to make it possible for us to sit here in air-conditioned rooms in our lazy-boys with our feet up, a dish of ice cream in one hand and a coke in the other while we watch tv with no worries about driving over a land mine on our way to work tomorrow, or learning that the sniper we heard last nite killed our best friend. Having been raised an Army Brat and watching my dad have to go to war, having lost friends and relatives to war, and now having 2 nephews (1 who is getting special training at this very moment for his 2nd tour of duty in Baghdad in the heart of the fighting, and 1 who finished basic in March and is waiting to see what happens to him and 1 other nephew who plans on enlisting after graduation next year), I truely believe that there will never be enough "Thank-You's" to make up for the sacrifice and heartache that our "Protectors" have to endure. You have my total respect and admiration.

The pictures are awesome (I love your wheels - I am very partial to HumVee's and your post is awesome. I would love to know more about life over there. I am so sorry for the loss of your precious little Andy and for missing those important parts of your daughters' lives. I'm sure they know and appreciate what you are giving up so they can be free.

You have a beautiful family. Oh, and welcome to YT. I hope we get to learn more and see more pics.

You and everyone else serving our country are always in my thoughts and prayers. Be safe and again, Thank You for what you are doing for us.
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Old 06-17-2007, 03:11 PM   #8
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fabulous pictures. You stay safe young lady

I am a military mom who has experienced my son serving time in the "desert". I can not say it any better than those that have posted before me.
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Old 06-17-2007, 03:42 PM   #9
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First of all Thank you for protecting our Beautiful country and protecting our Constitution! With out each of you serving in the Armed Forces, I shiver to think...

I hope you post more from time to time.

Congratulation on all your happy news! Hubby's retirement, win in the horse show and your daughter's graduation!

I Salute YOU!


PS: Saddam must have had really greasy hair... Look at the stain on the sofa! Yuck!
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Old 06-17-2007, 04:21 PM   #10
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That chair has seen more tourist business since we moved into this palace. I wanted to sit in the middle and cover it, but I just couldn't bring myself to sit on it!

Well, you all are, of course, welcome. But I am just doing my job. After all these years, I still am not comfortable with people thanking me.

I should thank all of you, in the months I have been on YT I am sure I have more than tripled my knowledge on the beautiful babies who run our lives.
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Old 06-17-2007, 05:22 PM   #11
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Thank you for giving up so much to help insure our freedom. The pictures are fascinating. I just cannot fathom how someone so evil could surround himself with such beauty.
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Old 06-17-2007, 05:57 PM   #12
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I can not say it any better that previous posts. I find the pictures and stories very interesting. I would like to say THANK YOU for defending my freedom! Keep the posts coming, and stay safe. If you could post a mailing address------you just may receive a "care" package from YT.
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Old 07-09-2007, 09:53 AM   #13
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What great pictures. Thanks for sharing! My husband has been to Camp Victory before but your camera takes much better photos than his disposable that he used LOL.
I am sorry to hear how Andy passed on. I had heard you mention it but I had not seen a post on what had happened and I did not want to ask. I am so sorry to read about how it happened. Thanks so much for sharing the photos!! I hope you come home safe soon!!
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Old 07-09-2007, 04:31 PM   #14
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From the bottom of my heart I thank you and your family for all you are doing for all of us. I appreciate EVERYTHING you are doing. I know you have missed out on a lot to help protect this country. Never underestimate the appreciation that millions of us have for you and all the others in the Armed Services. I admire you greatly. Patty
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Old 07-10-2007, 01:22 PM   #15
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Default Thanks to you!

It is strange, really. I started this thread to share pictures of the palace. It is a beautiful place (if you mind block the cubicles) and it is a benefit of the job that I get to visit places like this. Also, the day I had pictures ready to post, was one of those days, when you never feel like you are going to go home (right after my daughter's graduation). Which is the two sides of the thread -- what I have missed and the palace. Now I am about 10-15 days out (yesterday it was 5 - 10 days, but these things change ) and I don't think so much about what I have missed, but what I have learned.

The military isn't for everyone, but it has made me who I am today. I am fairly comfortable with myself as a person and where I am at in life. I have been to many places in Europe, South America and Japan. And many of my contemporaries from high school have never left the state. My first boyfriend, I found out at my last high school reunion, is the school janitor. Not a bad life, but I wanted to get out and see things. And that I have. Now, as my husband and I approach actual retirement, not just military to civilian transition, I am working on convincing him that my home town, in the great white north, will be an excellent retirement epicenter (at least for us!) in 10 - 15 years.

There are many jobs that take people away from their loved ones and put people in harm's way. I just happen to be on this awesome forum and needed a place to vent! My family (sisters, brothers, etc) aren't sympathetic, as my nephew, with three growing boys, was just here for eight months. Unfortunately, most of the people I work with are here for 15 months. So five months isn't bad, in that perspective!

So again, thank you, YT members one and all, for your thoughts and for your prayers.

Janelle

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