Home From Afghanistan

[Licker4U]

bDok asked about being over there but there isn't much to say. I know nothing of the military and what they did or are doing. I got info through the news media like everyone else.

As far as working there it wasn't too bad. I was an electrical foreman with Fluor for three years and most of the work was preventive maintenance inspections. (some new construction every now and then) I was at a small FOB (forward operating base) with about 100 soldiers and had two helpers from India that had worked in Iraq and were reasonably knowledgeable. We built up to 600 soldiers for a while then they cut back to about 200. The last two years with Fluor they hired Afghans for each trade so I had three Afghans, Rafatullah, Faridullah, and Mohammadullah. They were good at digging ditches when we had to install a cable. We had rocket/mortar attacks about once a month but they never hit anything. (we were behind a wall so they had nothing to aim at) We would go to a concrete bunker for an hour or so until the all clear sounded over the speakers. My base closed so I applied with DynCorp and spent 13 months as a foreman with them at Camp Leatherneck in the south. HUGE base (18,000 acres according to Wikipedia) We had an electrical supervisor, two general foremen, around 8 foremen, 40 electricians and a bunch of helpers from India and Kenya. That was a pretty neat gig. The electricians would go out and do their inspections and I and another foreman would go over their paperwork to check for accuracy, errors and omissions. I sat at a desk in a tent all day and looked over paperwork for a couple of hours.

Anyway, I made good money, invested well, and can now buy a house with no mortgage with enough left over for retirement.

[ecchi]

Originally Posted by Licker4U

bDok asked about being over there but there isn't much to say. I know nothing of the military and what they did or are doing.

So rather than "If you weren't there man, you don't know." You are saying "I was there man, and I still don't know."

Welcome home.

[RedCherry]

Welcome Home!

[Simon]

You fucker! You could have sent us word that you were just fucking fine for the last year+ so we didn't have to worry about someone sawing off your damn head.

Oh ... and... welcome home.

[JustRobert]

Welcome Back one more time!

Good to hear experience wasn't so bad and I remember you telling me your pay years ago on OTB (still miss MML) so you should be set up purty darn well in the south I reckon

[Cleo]

Originally Posted by Simon

You fucker! You could have sent us word that you were just fucking fine for the last year+ so we didn't have to worry about someone sawing off your damn head.

Oh ... and... welcome home.

This thread would have been much more interesting to read if Licker was posting after having his head sawed off.

[ecchi]

Originally Posted by Cleo

This thread would have been much more interesting to read if Licker was posting after having his head sawed off.

Only if he included pictures!

[Licker4U]

Originally Posted by JustRobert

Welcome Back one more time!

Good to hear experience wasn't so bad and I remember you telling me your pay years ago on OTB (still miss MML) so you should be set up purty darn well in the south I reckon

Yep, I can retire in a brand new home and not have to worry about a mortgage and have enough left in the market to live on the dividends. Now, if Apple would just get over $100/share.....

Originally Posted by Simon

You fucker! You could have sent us word that you were just fucking fine for the last year+ so we didn't have to worry about someone sawing off your damn head.

Oh ... and... welcome home.

Nymph would have been thoroughly pissed if I "lost my head" over there. Not much chance of that happening though. Only time we left the base was on a helicopter going to the main base to catch a charter jet to Dubai for R&R every three months.

The small base I was on with Fluor had a contingent of Afghan soldiers, about a hundred, and one shot and killed two U.S. soldiers just after the Koran burning thing. We heard a lot of gun fire one day but didn't know what happened until later that day. He escaped over the wall leaving a trail of blood. Never heard if they caught him. After that their ammunition was taken away from them and only issued when they went out on a joint mission.

All in all it was pretty safe.

[Licker4U]

Originally Posted by ecchi

So rather than "If you weren't there man, you don't know." You are saying "I was there man, and I still don't know."

Welcome home.

Yep, I still don't know what's going on over there. What a waste. Just look at Iraq. I'm afraid that's what's going to happen in Afghanistan. Not enough people have the balls to stand up to the Taliban. The U.S. and other allies have stepped up to the plate to help, lost many good men and women, but I don't think the Afghans are up to it. We'll see.

[Licker4U]

Oh, I let my hair grow the first three years....


But cut it all off before I went back the last year.

[JustRobert]

Originally Posted by Licker4U

Now, if Apple would just get over $100/share.....

Don't worry, that will come soon enough

[Fonz]

Good to hear you made it back in 1 piece and are filthy rich now

[Cleo]

Originally Posted by ecchi

Only if he included pictures!

Then he would have been a talking head.

[bDok]

What kind of stuff would you do for R&R? Wild couple three years. I remember back when you were talking about going. Glad you made it back and have some nice coin in your pocket for being over there.

[Licker4U]

Originally Posted by bDok

What kind of stuff would you do for R&R? Wild couple three years. I remember back when you were talking about going. Glad you made it back and have some nice coin in your pocket for being over there.

Sometimes I came home, other times I flew Nymph to Dubai and we stayed there for 10 days or so. There's a large Indian population in Dubai so we were able to get some really good Indian food. One time we met there and went to Thailand for 5 days. Went to Ko Chang, an island off the coast near Trat. Had a bungalow to ourselves with a view of the beach, palm trees, water and other islands. Awesome views and great place to stay.

[bDok]

Originally Posted by Licker4U

Sometimes I came home, other times I flew Nymph to Dubai and we stayed there for 10 days or so. There's a large Indian population in Dubai so we were able to get some really good Indian food. One time we met there and went to Thailand for 5 days. Went to Ko Chang, an island off the coast near Trat. Had a bungalow to ourselves with a view of the beach, palm trees, water and other islands. Awesome views and great place to stay.

That's awesome! I've been to southern Thailand and it really has ruined in a way a lot of spots. For what you get for you money there it's one of the best times I've ever had.

Did you feel completely safe in Dubai to do things? Is everything really expensive there or can you have a good time for decent amount of money?

[Licker4U]

Originally Posted by bDok

That's awesome! I've been to southern Thailand and it really has ruined in a way a lot of spots. For what you get for you money there it's one of the best times I've ever had.

Did you feel completely safe in Dubai to do things? Is everything really expensive there or can you have a good time for decent amount of money?

Yes, completely safe. None of the terrorists mess with the Emerits. Not all that expensive either. Dinner out for two was usually around $20. We stayed at the Premier Inn, a Scottish chain I believe, for $40-70 a night depending on time of year. Seven story hotel, 6 years old, pool on the roof, free internet, sports bar, restaurant, a shuttle bus that would drop you off at one of two malls or a grocery store and had pick-ups during the day. The grocery store was a 10 minute walk so we got a ride there, got groceries, then walked back. Fridge in the room so we had breakfast and lunch there and went out for dinners. Hotel was 10 miles outside of the city so we didn't have a lot of traffic, which is what we wanted. Two nice Indian restaurants within walking distance and several other restaurants as well.

[Greenguy]

Welcome Home!!