Wade in Iraq: Week 35 - My Week In Iraq

Greetings from Umm Qasr….(Umm Qasr – which I believe is Arabic for “where the wind is so strong the birds have rear view mirrors to see where they land….)

So….first thing – I have gotten my marching orders – and I am going to be leaving Umm Qasr (and Iraq) early in December and will be heading to Afghanistan (Kabul to be exact) and will be staying there until June of 2012. I haven’t decided if I will change my blog or my email address (wadeiniraq….) – but I will think about that. I will be working as a “Facility Engineer” for the Joint Program Executive Office – and will be working directly for a Brigadier General….. sounds cool – and I am really hoping I get to do a lot more travel around the country. My general memory of Afghanistan was it was a LOT more beautiful country (REALLY steep mountains, rolling hills, etc.) than Iraq (and especially Umm Qasr – which is basically sand and scrub brush) – so I am hoping to get a lot more photos of the country – but we shall see…

So what have I been doing this week? Well, the ITAM-Navy (Iraq Training and Assistance Mission) is quickly ending and OSC-I (One Slug of Contractors – Iraq)….actually, that is not it – it is something like Office of Security Cooperation….but I don’t remember exactly – so don’t quote me on that….but that mission is taking over. So Myles and I are trying to wrap up – and turnover as much stuff as we can before we both go.

One of the really important things we have done since we (the US) got here (and again, none of this is sensitive or classified) – is to turn over the US made “Swift Ships” to the Iraqis. The other thing that is very important for the Iraqi Navy – is to have a place to “maintain” the ships (all of their ships – not just the Swift Ships – but they have boats made from Italy and China as well). The Iraqis call this building “their workshop” – and as I showed you the boat last week (the 102 – it is a Chinese made craft) – they have started “rebuilding” the boat.

The Chinese-built “102” – in drydock for rebuilding.

Remember last week I told you about the flimsy “stairs?” – the steps are warped, one of the frame legs is starting to spread out.

These stairs are the ones that were fabricated – wider (and made of heavy steel)….we could finally go up on the boat.

So Myles (as the Site Lead and “in charge” of the Iraqi Workshop) and I go out to check out the boat as they have started working on it….a couple of interesting things….

First, the manholes (where the Iraqi Navy guys enter the engine room from the deck) – is TINY. Most of the Commodores and Captains I know – couldn’t fit down there. Myles (who is not a big guy…) had a tough time going down (I didn’t go down –as I had my “civvies” on – and there was a lot of grease on the handles.) …..well, that and I didn’t want a photo of me – stuck in the manhole – with my belly hanging over all four sides

Myles – getting ready to go down into the engine room through one of the manholes – note how tight it is – not sure if he is falling – or stuck - or if there was music playing and he was trying to do the Y-M-C-A

We also went into the “crew room” – this is an awful small area where 8 guys live in about the space of a small bedroom – here I am reaching across one sailor’s bed – and you can see another bunk on the top – and you can see the small cabinets where they can “stow” their gear….also – these bunks don’t have mattresses…they only have blankets and quilts to soften the plywood beds….

Here I am in the engine room – two diesel engines – both have since been removed and are being repaired in the Iraqi workshop. If you look above my head, you will see the “tarp” – they removed the panels and pulled the engines out through there. This whole boat will be totally rebuilt and put back in original shape. A VERY important thing for the Iraqi Navy to accomplish – as part of their “self-sufficiency.”

I know – a lot of photos of “me” – but I wanted to show you the instrumentation on these Chinese boats (on the left) – VERY Spartan – especially compared to the US Swift Ships (below – those blank panels in front of me are computer screens). Also notice on the Chinese boat – the “ivy” along the top of the window. It is not unusual for the Iraqis to put “wasta” (flowers, greenery, etc.) in their vehicles, boats, offices, conference rooms, etc.

I continue my design work for several areas (I have mostly completed the designs – I am waiting for the translations to send to the HoN – so I can get comments and I can incorporate into the designs).

The “final” layout for Khour Al Zhabayr (and this is not sensitive – as it is not for construction – but allows us to do further detail planning….)

And of course, I have been working on the waste water treatment plant….

Myles standing on the acceptance tank – looking over the excavation of the old manhole (where we are going to be building a new “screen chamber.”) The pipes were a lot lower in the ground than we originally thought – so we had to re-design the chamber. Also note that the concrete on the side is “undercut” and you shouldn’t walk on that – or you may get a bath in “previously used” water….

This is the contractor preparing the “top” of a concrete “sludge” tank form by placing rebar into the form. Note the rectangular form for the manhole on the left hand side.

So, it was a good week – even though we are winding down. I am in process of doing a lot of “turnover” and packing to get the heck out of dodge…. and I am looking forward to new adventures, new places to go and new people to meet.

I have made many good friends during my time in Iraq – I believe next week will be my last weekly report from Iraq – so I will try and touch on the many good friends I have made.

I hope this letter finds you well – I hope you had a great Thanksgiving – and hopefully - you spent a moment giving “Thanks” for all of the great things you have….. faith, family, and freedom,

God Bless America

Mr. Wide

مهندس واد بروير

Bonus Photos….