We were at Liberty Pad early this frosty morning. I do mean it was frosty. Our showtime was 0630. Unbelievably, once we checked into the flight we found the people in the pax tent were watching "Teletubbies". I exclaimed disapproval immediately. One of my Coast Guard Petty Officers changed the channel to Sportscenter. Nobody protested.
About 0730, the KBR personnel held roll call for our flight. Our destination was FOB Falcon. This is a small FOB located a short flight from Liberty. It was very cold - well below freezing. A wind whipped across the flight line, which added to our misery greatly. We stood shivering for about twenty minutes until our Blackhawks arrived. There were only nine passengers among us so we had plenty of room to stretch out. I purposefully selected a seat in the rear of the aircraft where the compartment was heated. About 0815 we lifted off for the five minute flight to Falcon. The flight was very uneventful.
When we touched down we quickly exited the aircraft and made our way over to the waiting area. At Falcon, passengers have to cross a small wooden walk bridge as they exit the landing pad. My team crossed the bridge ahead of me. I noticed one of my Sergeants turn and start signalling to me (we couldn't hear anything from the rotor blades). He was pointing down towards the bridge. I acknowledged him, but didn't register what he was trying to tell me. At the exact moment I stepped onto the bridge it hit me. The wooden planks were coated with a deep layer of frost. It was too late. My foot failed to gain traction and I fell backwards. With a heavy thud, I hit the ground laden with all my gear. That's probably what saved me from any pain. My rucksack hit first, I was wearing my IBA, and my Kevlar bounced the concrete. I had encountered the FOB Falcon "Bridge of Peril" and had failed to negotiate. My team laughed at me. I stood up and grinned. The second attempt at crossing proved much more successful.
FOB Falcon is a small place, but home to a lot of Joes. Space is a premium. There's mud everywhere. Our ride was waiting on us and whisked us to our billets to drop off our gear. Surprisingly, I was housed in the nicest CHU I've seen in Iraq. On the outside it looks like every other CHU. It's pimped out on the inside. It has real furniture, a nice bed with linens, and its own full bathroom. I couldn't believe the place. It's all mine for a few days.
We set off to work right away. Later we hit the gym. The place was packed. There are few sources of amusement at a small FOB like Falcon. That means everybody goes to the gym. The MWR is getting renovated. The PX has a Green Beans. I bought a couple of magazines to read. There is no TV in the hooch. I could only find one internet cafe and only managed one quick check of e-mail. It was too cold out to do anything so after supper I cruised back to the pimp-daddy hooch and read my magazines.
Now that you have read this entry you should all be forewarned. If you travel to FOB Falcon in winter you must take caution when crossing the Bridge of Peril. Otherwise, you will have a very embarrassing moment - like I did today.
About 0730, the KBR personnel held roll call for our flight. Our destination was FOB Falcon. This is a small FOB located a short flight from Liberty. It was very cold - well below freezing. A wind whipped across the flight line, which added to our misery greatly. We stood shivering for about twenty minutes until our Blackhawks arrived. There were only nine passengers among us so we had plenty of room to stretch out. I purposefully selected a seat in the rear of the aircraft where the compartment was heated. About 0815 we lifted off for the five minute flight to Falcon. The flight was very uneventful.
When we touched down we quickly exited the aircraft and made our way over to the waiting area. At Falcon, passengers have to cross a small wooden walk bridge as they exit the landing pad. My team crossed the bridge ahead of me. I noticed one of my Sergeants turn and start signalling to me (we couldn't hear anything from the rotor blades). He was pointing down towards the bridge. I acknowledged him, but didn't register what he was trying to tell me. At the exact moment I stepped onto the bridge it hit me. The wooden planks were coated with a deep layer of frost. It was too late. My foot failed to gain traction and I fell backwards. With a heavy thud, I hit the ground laden with all my gear. That's probably what saved me from any pain. My rucksack hit first, I was wearing my IBA, and my Kevlar bounced the concrete. I had encountered the FOB Falcon "Bridge of Peril" and had failed to negotiate. My team laughed at me. I stood up and grinned. The second attempt at crossing proved much more successful.
FOB Falcon is a small place, but home to a lot of Joes. Space is a premium. There's mud everywhere. Our ride was waiting on us and whisked us to our billets to drop off our gear. Surprisingly, I was housed in the nicest CHU I've seen in Iraq. On the outside it looks like every other CHU. It's pimped out on the inside. It has real furniture, a nice bed with linens, and its own full bathroom. I couldn't believe the place. It's all mine for a few days.
We set off to work right away. Later we hit the gym. The place was packed. There are few sources of amusement at a small FOB like Falcon. That means everybody goes to the gym. The MWR is getting renovated. The PX has a Green Beans. I bought a couple of magazines to read. There is no TV in the hooch. I could only find one internet cafe and only managed one quick check of e-mail. It was too cold out to do anything so after supper I cruised back to the pimp-daddy hooch and read my magazines.
Now that you have read this entry you should all be forewarned. If you travel to FOB Falcon in winter you must take caution when crossing the Bridge of Peril. Otherwise, you will have a very embarrassing moment - like I did today.
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