Jeanne D'Arc

So yesterday for the first time in my life I set foot upon a surface ship that went to sea and was not a museum relic. It was an interesting experience. Not only that but it was a French warship. The Jeanne D'Arc(Joan of Arc) a helicpoter carrier that houses 8-10 helicopters and is a member of the French Training Squadron.

This ship's sole purpose is to take Officer's-in-training(Midshipman) a chance to go out to sea participate in real Navy exercises and get a feel for what it is like to be a Sailor. This ship is on a 6 month tour that started in December. Some of the comm and's most recent success involved the Jeanne D'Arc's successful attempt at thwarting some local Somali pirates.

What amazes me the most is the lack of security in the deployment schedules. Being a Trident Submariner we are not allowed to tell anyone outside of parents/spouses our deployment schedule and dates. But behold it all here I am sitting with a pamphlet that has the entire deployment schedule of the Jeanne D'Arc and what port it will be at and when it will be there.

It blows my mind!

But back to traditional submarine mentality. Another pamphlet has information on the Submarines in the French Fleet. Naturally I compared the French SSBN to American SSBN's. Here is the French stats:

Nuclear-powered Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) Le Triomphant class
Length: 138m
Beam: 12.5m

14,200 tons submerged
1 nuclear reactor, steam turbines, 1 electric motor 30.5 mw
speed of 25 knots with 2 crews of 110

16 M-45 strategic missiles
4 x 533mm weapon tubes for F17 torpedoes or EXOCET SM-39 sub launched anti-ship missiles

1 multifunction sonar
1 very low frequency towed array sonar
1 acoustic telemeter
SYRACUSE communications system
SET combat system

Now all I need to know is what they are having for lunch tomorrow.

P.S.

This is pretty comical


YN2 Hurt with his new French cover he acquired.

Pessismism and the ballod of life

I often joke with my wife that I am going to be a Polygamist and have multiple wives. All this originated with Ron Paul (the Mormon) running for President. The latest face to this joke is that my next wife will be a Djiboutian. Last night while at the EDG that I attend regularly now on Mondays. One of the boys told me that the women love me and I did notice some peculiar looks from some of the women that attend the school.

Things are back to normal in the aspect of my job. My momentary lapse of unhappiness with my rate has passed and sunk in. So much that I decided to bounce out of class after my quiz in order to participate in more positive things such as writing this and shortly afterwards reading.

My unhappiness with my rate comes from the fact that I find the work bland. It is the same thing day in and day out. No variety and more importantly I get no satisfaction out of it. What is the product of my work? A signed piece of paper that will be forgotten about for the most part.

Even the customer service facet of it reeks of horribleness. My CLU mate Pelfrey (who is a PS) and I figured out earlier in this IA what is one of the significant reasons people hate being in Admin. Our interaction is rarely on a positive note. When people come to talk to us it is because they have a problem. Something that needs to be fixed and most likely has already soured the mood for the day. Very few people come by just to talk and when they act like that is the reason they come by you later find out that they want something and are trying to be subtle about it.

I know the saying all to well “pick your rate pick your fate”. I think if I could I would have quit by this point in time, and I have another 2 ½ years until I can reconsider doing something else inside or outside the military. I just thank my luck stars that I have an understanding and compassionate wife who is willing to listen to my gripes.

Even this IA has been a sad disappointment. I agreed to it in an effort to advance my career prospects. However that hardly seems the case here at Camp Lemonier. I would be lucky to walk away with a lowly Flag Letter of Commendation. This place is hardly exciting, and leaves you with little free time to enjoy yourself or your surroundings. I do even less here than I would back at the boat. No matter how bitter I seem toward the boat environment I miss it immensely as of late.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

First of all, last night while waiting for our van to depart for our English Discussion Group this Air Force Technical Sergeant walked right by me and the first thing I noticed was that my 'Dolphin Sense' was tingling and sure enough. This Chair Force guy had Dolphins on his chest. It's been blowing my mind since then that 1. You care wear Navy warfare qualifications in the Air Force and 2. That you left it for an obvious reason and would have enough pride to continue wearing it.

But now onto something more humorous. Check out the Djiboutian President and tell me what you see that stands out in this picture!

Do you give up? I thought so not many have been able to notice what stands out. Look at his feet and note that he is 'walking on water.'

Snaps to him!

The Djiboutian People

This last week was quite the memorable one. Through the local Embassy we participate in a English Discussion Group that allows us to the chance to visit the local schools where we sit, speak and converse with the Djiboutian High School population.

Perhaps it could be narrow mind-ness on my behalf but never before have I witnessed a group so ambitious. An ambition that makes me jealous that my ‘great’ country lacks it. These are people who not only wanted to be Doctors, Lawyers, Educators and all those great careers. But they wanted to make Djibouti better. They wanted to be a catalyst for change! That is something I’ve never heard. Sure American’s say I want to do this and that. But few will openly say that they want to do it to make the country a better place.

It’s caused me to wonder, why we don’t do more to make suffering countries like this prosper. Sure we send our military forces in to partake in humanitarian work, to rebuild the country and the such. But we are doing it wrong. Sure it is great we are doing this. But how much are we doing to provide the local’s with the skills to do it themselves. We have Corpman and Doctors here who could teach the locals. Seabee’s who could teach them how to build and operate equipment. Electricians who could teach them how to do electrical wiring.

When I look at what we do and compare it to what we could do it all seems inadequate. Like we are saying that we care but acting like we only care to a degree. But the ambition and drive that these children demonstrate is par none. I only wish that I could sit there and record it for the rest of the world.

Food for thought

Okay some things to consider when going on an IA to Djibouti, Kuwait, Iraq or Afghanistan. First of all no pornography at least if you bring some be clever in hiding it. Not only are you military and not supposed to possess it but it’s illegal in a lot of these countries and can get you placed in jail.

A lot of the power outlets here run off 220 so a variety of American electronics cant handle that much power, so I recommend you either buy or mail yourself a transformer that can convert it to 110. The plug in’s are also different from American one’s so purchase adapters that can plug into the sockets here so you can plug in those products that can handle 220(I.e. your laptop for example). Without these plugs you won’t be able to run any electronics. They can be purchased in Djibouti as far as I know, I did not see any in Kuwait and I can’t speak in regards to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sunscreen, yeah I know logic would dictate that it’s a no brainer but you would be surprised how many do not think of it. Wait till you get to theater until you buy an iron. No you don’t have to iron your uniform but some prissy Sailors still like to iron the uniforms they wear despite the fact they are in 1. A dessert and 2. A combat zone.

Do not buy or bring a Camelbak you will be given one during your training. If you are going to Djibouti we have wireless internet in our CLU(pronounced CLUE’s) however if you are in Echo or Foxtrot you won’t get a signal on the wireless unless you have an antenna which will amplify the connection. You can purchase them out in town and I will post the name once I get it. However you can also find them online at: http://www.ccrane.com

For those who are going to Djibouti you can also earn your Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal while you are here by doing community work out in the nearby villages and neighboring countries. From what I gathered you need from 70-120 hours to qualify for it.

I’ve also heard you can earn a Humanitarian medal but I will check into it so as it stands that is just gossip. There is a P-3 squadron here so it might be possible to earn your Aviation Warfare qual while here. Also there are colleges on base that will teach you in classes or via online.

If you are on the HOA side(note there is the HOA side and Camp Lemonier side) you qualify for Joint Service medals and will most likely get one. If you are Camp Lemoiner you will get NAM’s or NCM’s if you are lucky. People have been known to walk out of here with a CO LOC for the end of tour. Remember you do get a NEC from your training with the Army that singles you out as an IA.

Phone cards are a good thing to have. I recommend checking out: http://oif.spawareurope.net/index.htm
They have insanely cheap phone cards for military members especially if you are deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan you will look at about 9 cents a minute at most. Costs may vary depending on which parts you are located at. AT&T also has reasonable phone cards but they are not the best.

Do keep in mind though if you have a DSN number you can use it to call long distance for free. All that you have to do is find your local DSN operator (like a major local base in your area code). For example I am stationed in Bangor, WA so I would call Bremerton, WA and from there they can forward my call to a number in that area code. You can find a directory online of different DSN dispatchs to call. Once I am able to find it, I will post the number for one in Illinois that will forward you to any area code however the thing with this number is your phone calls are limited to 30 minutes.

If you live on the West Coast like myself you are looking at a 11 hour time difference. I.e. it is 2205 in Djibouti it is 1105 in Washington. Same time zone while in Kuwait.

If you are going to Djibouti bring your check book! There are no ATM’s on base and you have to go to Disbursing to get money in Djiboutian Francts. In order for this to happen you need to give them a check. You are limited to $200/day and $500/week. The NEX does accept ATM cards. Speaking in regards to the NEX it sucks. They run out of supplies quickly and are not quick to get them. So it might behoove you to have some harder to get things forwarded to you. Cleaning supplies go rather quickly here such as swiffer’s, brooms and mops.

On another note the air stinks here. Locals dispose of the garbage by burning it, so the rank odor fills the air. Some people place ionizers(check out Sharper Image) on the AC units to get rid of the odor. You will notice it and it will drive you nuts. Also bring stuff to deal with mold you get a lot of moisture in your CLU from the air conditioners so it molds easily. They have mini fans in the back of the unit’s however it can only do so much. Some people also leave the AC off for a day and let the fan dry it out with the help of the outside heat.

You cannot carry backpacks around in Kuwait and Djibouti. So try to avoid brining one other than your laptop bag. There was a situation not too long ago when someone snuck an IED onto the base in Kuwait and because of that the rule now stands. As far as I am aware it applies to Camelbak’s as well.

The food in Kuwait is awesome! It is the best food I have ever had in the military. Djibouti not so much. Here the water is bad as is most places in the Middle East. Bottled water is placed everywhere for your drinking pleasure and at all costs do not drink the local water. It will not kill you but it will turn your stomach into liquid and you will spend a lot of time on the toilet(trust me I found out the hard way). Brush your teeth with bottled water. Get use to battle showers as they call them or Submarine showers as I know them as. This consists of 30 seconds or so to get wet. 2 ½ minutes to soap up and rinse off. Some places they give you 5(such as Kuwait) in Djibouti it’s 3. They say that by taking 3 minute showers you can save 700 gallons of water a month.

Bring heavy duty sandals such as Croc’s, they will be a godsend for you. Do not open your CBR bag when you get it. One it will save you a pain going through customs and you won’t have to pay the government money for opening it. When it comes to keeping things if it touches your skin it’s yours to keep is the standard philosophy. The exceptions to this are canteens, sleeping bags, the Gortex jacket and pants you will get. Also you will get an Army Fleece that is the King of all fleece’s as far as I am concerned. I fully anticipate Mortal Kombat between my wife and I when I get back over this fleece.

It would be wise to bring a diggit(leatherman) and a flashlight(preferably with a red lense) because you will find yourself in many a situations wishing that you had one. I know I did. You will get a summer and winter(gortex lined) dessert boots. The gortex one’s are good for while you are training in fall/winter/spring weather because they are more comfortable and warmer. However do not wear them in theater.

Do not expect to see any new movies while you are on deployment. You will only get to see the movies as they come out on DVD. They release them to the military earlier than the general public so you might see them before you can buy them. But again nothing new in the theaters(boo hiss I get to miss my Iron Man and Batman movies).

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn a few basic phrases in Arabic before you come here. If you are interested in buying jewelry remember in the middle east gold is fairly common and cheap. In Africa as is diamonds but do exercise caution that you don’t purchase a ‘conflict diamond’ because they are illegal and will land you in hot water.

Also most bases are no salute zones, Kuwait as far as I know is the exception to this rule. Even Fort Jackson was a no salute zone. In regards to your Army training pack locks and use them. In the case of Fort Jackson those unfortunate people who got reactivated would process through there as would the National Guard since the Navy rents the facilities there. So thieves are a common occurrence.

If your tour is for a year you get 15 days of R&R in which you can travel somewhere. I do not know if it includes home I am willing to wager it doesn’t. If you are a 6 mother you will get 96 hours of R&R which you can spend in the AOR. Which includes such places as Bahrain, Qatar, Djibouti, Ethiopia to name a few and if you are real lucky Egypt. Some places not allowed is Somalia Lebanon and Israel(boo hiss to that too).

As I discover/learn more useful information I will pass it along to you.

P.S. if you are a Djibouti IA get a No Fee Passport, it takes about 3 weeks for turn around you just need a photo(get them at Wal Mart/Walgreens) your birth certificate and the paperwork. You need one and if someone at your command tells you to wait until later THEY ARE WRONG!

P.S.S. Submit a travel claim regularly not only for sakes of paying your Government Travel Card but you also get a per diem rate of $3.50/day ontop of your Hazard Duty Pay, Imminent Danger Pay, Family Separation Allowance and your Tax Free(which you have to spend at least one day in theater to qualify for the month).


In terms of heat in Djibouti think of a hair dryer on high in front of your face and that would be the summer here. Things are changing here in October AFRICOM is going to be established in which JTF-HOA and Camp Lemonier will fall under this command instead of CENTCOM. Also this is becoming a PCS place so it might fall of the map in term of IA's.

Also even though it is considered a hazard duty place this is not an actual warzone like Afghanistan or Iraq. The mission here is centered around humanitarian work instead of war.

Nightmare in Qatar

So the plans to travel to Djibouti shifted at the last minute. We had to be packed out, bags loaded and staged in order to fly out at midnight as opposed to 1000 the next day. This of course did not happen on schedule. We lifted off at 0100 onboard 1 of 5 C-130 Hercules in the United States Air Force. It was the most uncomfortable flight in my life(roughly 90 minutes in length) not to mention half my body was asleep from the vibration.

We touched down in Qatar and were bused to customs where we started filling out paperwork to be processed into the country. Our Senior Leadership failed to brief them that we were flying out on another flight at 0300. A flight that we would not be able to make considering we touched down at 0230. In Qatar you can be sent to jail for possessing pornography. This includes actual nudity magazines, or magazines that show women scantly clad such as Maxim, FHM and Stuff for example. Even some fitness magazines are considered controversial.

So naturally if you possess any of the listed material you have to purge your collection, computer and mp3 players of such material. Which caused a great panic in many of the men and women. So they collect our CAC cards and orders and begin to process us into the country while they continue the brief. Eventually they find out that we were supposed to already have boarded a plane and left the country. They turned tail and began to correct there mistake and process us out of the country. Our bags which had been neatly stacked were torn out of the stacks and thrown about in preparation of being searched by customs.

Once the situation was corrected we were ushered from tent to tent before boarding our flight. Now we were told we were flying on a C17(or was it 14) anyways as we walk up the airport tarmac we are greated by our plane another C-130.

Now a C-130 is not a very comfortable plane, it is ment more for cargo and hauling items. This plane was outfitted with cargo netting, straps and steel benches for seats. While flying it is loud to the point you have to wear earplugs. Warm enough to require constant hydrating and uncomfortable enough that you cannot sleep in it because you are butt to nut with someone else next to you. Then factor in that the flight is 6 ½ hours long. Needless to say I’ve been off the plane for 12 hours now. My ear feels clogged and I’m at partial hearing in it because of what feels like swimmers ear. Hopefully it will clear up soon, so here is to hoping.

In reflection I leave this sage piece of advice: Steer clear of Qatar at all possibility.

Kuwait: Camp Virginia

We departed Fort McCrady late on Thursday evening. Our flight would take us from Colubmia Airport to JFK to Hahn, Germany and from there to Kuwait. Originally our stay in Kuwait was going to be a short one consisting us staying just Saturday and flying to Qatar for an overnight stay on Sunday and then to Djibouti on Monday. However due to many planes being grounded at this point and time and a lurking sand storm on the horizon our stay was delayed by a day. Instead we depart Kuwait on Monday for an arrival in Qatar that day. From there however we have no idea how long of a stay will be required before we report to Djibouti as anticipated.

Certain people will be designated as shooters in which they will be armed out and attached to a single vehicle, if the convoy comes under attack these are the select handful of people that will protect the convoy. So keep in mind that you may be designated as a shooter.

The flight from stateside to Kuwait was rather boring. However there was no short abundance of food given to us. The Army provided us with there own meal which was mediocre at best. Shortly before we landed a crew would feed us and as soon as they were relieved they would feed us once more. The flight crew showed various movies and tv shows to provide us with entertainment other than sleeping.

We arrived about 2300 on February 29th and were bused under armored escort to Camp Virgina. It’s an interesting place mingling with the locals and seeing how they view us and vice versa. For those who have never been here the vendors and shops deal in American currency. They vendors will be willing to barter however with the shopettes you will pay sticker prices. Everything is tax free and ATM’s are available. You can also get Kuwaiti Denars from the ATM. Check online for the exchange rate between the two currencies.

We are sleeping in 12 cot wall tents(and yes there is air conditioning). The food and service here has been the best I have experiences yet in the military. There is a shortage of activities to do. A local USO provides entertainment in the form of slow internet, video games, movies and a library. There are a couple of phone centers and internet labs as well as a movie theater which shows movies on DVD.

There might be more to Camp Virginia than I am aware of and please do bear in mind that my stay here was only two days at the most so I do not have a full assessment of the camp.