Well, Final Greetings from Umm Qasr! (Umm Qasr, which I believe is Arabic for “What a great place to be FROM!”)
I hope you had a good week. My week has been filled with turnover, packing and saying goodbyes. As with any job – when you go – it is the people you miss. I have made many good friends – US, British, Iraqi, other…. I will soon be heading off – first to Kuwait – and then……I am coming home. The job in Afghanistan fell through….so I will be home before Christmas. And so, this is my LAST update.
I thought I would show a lot of photos - to illustrate the memories that I have made...
First, the Iraqi Navy
 |
| Capt Esmele and I have made many friends with the Iraqi Officers. This was one of our final meetings with them. |
 |
| Capt Sami, Commodore Adell, Myself and Myles |
 |
| (Marine) General Hassan and I – “self portrait” |
Now, I have to admit – sometimes the officers weren’t the easiest guys to deal with…. but I always found them generous, they loved to laugh, they love to eat, and they loved to talk (and I wasn’t kidding about me being “part Iraqi”).
 |
The Iraqi Navy could be demanding
(that is Commodore Abdul-Wahid on the left
talking to an interpreter as we are
“touring” the Iraqi Workshop).
But they were always gracious and polite…. |
 |
These are the Iraqi Navy officers
that we invited to our “Thanksgiving Day” luncheon.
(BTW, I gave thanks that I only took a small portion
….the Officers politely shoved the food around
on their plate – and then went back
to their own DFAC to eat….) |
The Locals (Contractors)
I was blessed to have many good contractors who I worked with. I tried to show them respect – and let them know that I was not just there to “oversee” their work, but to try and help train them on how to do their work (and their paperwork) correctly – so they could improve their chances of getting future work. I tried to learn the basics of their language (again….TRY is the operative word here….) – so I could say hello, thank you, good job and ask what was for lunch…. One of my regrets is that more construction work was not done while I was here – but that is the luck of the draw. I wound up planning a lot more projects and “fixing” some older projects….but the contractors were always respectful and up front with me…..and again, I never had a contractor here tell me something that I didn’t have a contractor tell me in the states….(of course, I didn’t believe either of them….but oh well…)
 |
One of my favorites –
it was over 100 degrees and we had
started construction at 8 that morning –
and this was taken about 7 at night…
we had just finished the camp sewer project –
and we were all exhausted.
That day proved to me that all of the stuff
about “lazy Iraqis” was untrue.
These guys worked their tails off. |
 |
Me working with the waste water
treatment plant contractor –
just before I had to inspect the large
underground lift station… |
The Locals (Interpreters and Engineers)……
When you come over to a place like this, it is hard not to “get involved” with the locals – most of the interpreters said that if given a choice – they would rather work for Myles and myself – vs. any of the other folks on camp. We have held dinners in their honor and they have held dinners for us. Either way, it is a great group of folks that we have gotten to know (and love).
 |
Two of the various dinners we have had
with the local Interpreters…. |
 |
| what a great group of fine young men |
 |
Often, the intrepreters would put
themselves “at risk” to get
“the mission” accomplished.
They live here – whereas most of the
US Forces will transition out
in a year or so. |
 |
| It is a tough job they do….and some have quit because their families were threatened. Many have stayed on in spite of those threats…. |
 |
The Interpreters also handed out the clothes,
soccer equipment and supplies
that I had collected while I was over here.
It is so hard to understand how poor
the kids are in Umm Qasr. |
 |
If we could have some of our kids come over here
and see how hard life could be…..
well, let’s hope our kids or grandkids
never have to experience what these kids
have had to experience……. |
I am not sure why I made such good friends with Haleem – he is a 27 year old Iraqi – and he is probably the closest of all my Iraqi friends. He and I have shared many stories – and his ultimate dream is to make it to the US. He has a love of America – he has worked with the NATO forces since Sadaam fell…. He has worked at Camp Bucca (which is closed), Baghdad, Basrah and here at Umm Qasr. He is a hard worker and wants to bring his wife and kids to America – more than anything else….it is his number one goal in life right now….he loves talking about his wife and kids – and their bright future in their new home. I worry about a lot of things – but Haleem making it in America is NOT one of them.
 |
| Of all of my photos of Haleem and I, this is my favorite – and he asked for us to get photographed that way. I think he is a “natural” show off…..like someone else you all may know and love… |
Anyrate, in case you don’t know – all of my Iraqi friends (but especially Haleem and his family) have a “standing invite” to come visit me – if and when they get to America. My one regret in working with all of the Iraqis is that I cannot get to meet their wives and children (and if you know me, you KNOW that I love meeting the whole family)
The US (and NATO) Citizens
Now my job didn’t have me interact a whole bunch with the US Citizens – but when you are thrown together 24/7 for 9 months, it is hard not to get to be friends. Sometimes, it is hard to deal with individual personalities, but you can never say you have not benefitted by getting to know them…
 |
(In the foreground) –
my good buddy Vince –
he is a retired civil servant who is over here on a
“term” job. |
 |
“Big Sam” - who was a contract worker here.
Big Sam lost over 65 lbs while he was here.
He took a job in October to another part of Iraq. |
 |
Larry – who was the Force Protection Officer
(in the khaki colored shirt) and “Doc”
(in the black shirt) who was a contractor –
who worked for the SOC (security guys) –
as well as he was the camp medic for a while.
Doc rotated home a few months after this photo. |
You can’t forget - the Servicemen
I have gotten to work with MANY great soldiers, marines, sailors, and an airman or two while I was here. The British were fun to work with (although as I said, I wondered what language they spoke….) but they (and all of the military I dealt with) were ALWAYS professional – no matter what the circumstance – even when we were having fun or laughing. I am VERY proud to be associated with them and even mentioned in the same breath with them.
 |
| This was the ceremony where the British left the camp – you can see British, American and Iraqi military all mixed together… |
 |
The Few, the Proud, the Marines…
I worked closely with the Marines
as I developed the “plan” for the
Iraqi Marine Infrastructure Project. |
 |
They had a tough job – to train
the Iraqi Marines how to work together as a unit |
 |
They were also responsible for my protection
when I went “outside the wire”
…..I was never worried…. |
 |
My job here was ITAM-Navy
(Iraqi Training and Assistance Mission) –
so I mostly worked with the Navy guys |
 |
– and a great group they were….
from protecting me when I was on “a mission”
to daily oversight of training the Iraqi Navy, |
 |
| they were hard workers and a fun group to be with. |
 |
| More of the ITAM-Navy guys…. |
 |
| all have rotated home now…. |
 |
| Mission Accomplished. Great job, guys! |
I think you all know that I have met my “spiritual brother from another mother” – Captain Myles Esmele and his fondness for getting to know the culture, his love of food (but I won’t mention the last two cookies that went “missing”…..), his love of working with people – and he is one of the few people I know that will go where I go…..a great example is the waste water treatment plant….many people I bring over there – CAN’T WAIT to get out of there….the first question they ask is “do you have any hand sanitizer?”…..but so far, Myles has “met every challenge” and never complained when I dragged him along to some pretty nasty places…..
 |
Captain Myles Esmele – USN –
accompanying me in various places….
when we first discovered the waste water treatment
plant (wwtp) wasn’t working –
note the water is “pink” which means it is not
getting oxygen (and it stank REALLY bad)… |
 |
| – after they started fixing the wwtp, Myles joking that he almost fell in….(either that or he was practicing his “mime in a box” routine….) |
 |
| Myles in the engine room of the 102 |
 |
Myles standing with the contractor
as we entered in the lift station of the wwtp….
it was clean – but there is a YUCK factor of standing
in a concrete bin that was formerly full of waste…..
(and I am taking the photo…
but no one else has gone down in there
with me….go figure). |
And finally….me.
Of course, it is hard not to live someplace for almost 9 months and not be affected (how long were you in your mom’s tummy – and how do you feel about her??). As I said, there have been times that I truly did not want to leave here (not many – but a few), a few times when I couldn’t wait to get out of here (a few more), and there were times, I knew that I am impacting people’s lives here – and I shouldn’t take that lightly – even though I really miss home (most of the time)….
 |
One photo for each month I was here….
Going out on the water with the coast guard –
and me with my “water wings”. |
 |
| How many guns do you need? |
 |
| Riding in an MRAP “can we ride with the top down?” |
 |
| Yakking it up with the Commodore |
 |
| – wearing the warriors scarf – although I look more like Aunt Jemima on the syrup bottle…. |
 |
| Studying the “layout of the land” |
 |
| on the boat to Khour Al Zahbayr |
 |
| “What happens if I press this button?” |
 |
| Only the shadow knows…. |
So my time here has come to an end. As always, it has been fun and an adventure. I am a better person for being here – even though at times – it has been very difficult to even wake up, let alone go to “work” with a smile on your face. I hope you have enjoyed this Iraqi adventure…..
One last thought from Iraq….my mother and my late brother once asked me if I had a “death wish” – riding motorcycles, going off to war zones (several times), etc. My reply was – it is the exact opposite…..I have a “life wish”….I don’t want to be lying in my death bed (80 years from now….) thinking “I could have…..” or “I should have….” I want a full life.
Could something happen? Sure. But know this, I have had a ball. I wouldn’t change a thing. And also understand that…..one way or another – wherever I am at……eventually, I am going home. I will either go home to Ohio - to my wife - my kids - my grandkids - and my friends – or I will go “home” to a mansion – that is over a hilltop – in a land where we will never grow old…. and there….I will wait for my wife and everyone else…..but no matter what happens….. I will be heading home.
So don’t feel sad or worry about me.
I’m good.
So for the last time from Iraq…..
God Bless America
Mr. Wide
مهندس واد بروير
(by the way – no one has ever asked what the above “says”….it is written to read (from right to left) “Brower Wade Engineer” – so if you read it left to right – it reads “Engineer Wade Brower”….as stated previously, you are introduced by your “profession” – so to the Iraqis, I was actually “Mohandis Meester Wide” At least that is what it sounded like….. J….)
Blog Editor - Mrs. Wide.......
