Killing time in Al Asad

I've been in Iraq for 3.5 days now and all we've been doing is sitting around Al Asad, trying to occupy ourselves. Battalion doesn't know what to do with all of us or at least hasn't decided and isn't ready for us, so for the next little while we're free to do whatever we want to do. For me that has been reading, listening to music and sleeping. Our first night after we flew in from Kuwait on a nasty C-130, we stayed in some temporary little huts over by the airstrip, but now we're in a nice big tent with plenty of air conditioning in mainside, close to the px and all that fun stuff. They've got Burger King, Pizza Hut and Subway here, not to mention a really nice chow hall and the MWR, where I'm at, with internet, phones, pool tables, movie rooms, all sorts of fancy stuff. From all I've heard this is about the nicest base in Al Anbar province. For the sake of pessimism, it's worth noting that that means it's only downhill from here.

My chances of meeting up with my boys in Al Quaim are sounding slim. It sounds more likely that I'll either stick around and be on radio watch with Schauer and a few other guys at battalion HQ or maybe I'll get to do convoy security, which is sounding ever more promising a job, if also a touch more dangerous.

We had our first sandstorm yesterday, but sadly I forgot to bring my camera with me today so I could upload the pictures for you. It was a really awesome sight to behold, and it also brought blendy of wind to blow away the heat, so yesterday and today have been pretty nice. I'll try and remember the pictures for next time.

I can't think of much else worth reporting. Hope all's going well back home. Take care folks.