Deployment Update

Baghdad Bulletin
20 August 2009
Issue 10 - Special Edition
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/world/middleeast/20iraq.html?_r=1&ref=world

Yesterday day was a dark day for the Iraqis and the Iraqi government. I was sitting at my desk and suddenly the chair shook and the sound was quite powerful. I was typing an email to someone to give them a heads up regarding a forthcoming communication from a customer. (I had already put "Incoming" as the subject!) When I finished sending the email, I went to see what had happened. By the time I got to the door, another explosion occurred. I looked at the Ugandan guard standing outside and he pointed in the direction outside our concrete blast walls towards the city.

I said a prayer that people weren't injured but there was nothing more I could do. I went back to work. Someone knocked on my door and told me to go to the "duck and cover" (an upside down cement block shaped like a "U"). I joined the others in there. Should have done that initially, but there are loud noises around us from time to time, the "BIG VOICE" alerts us, followed by "all clear." This time there was nothing.

One of the guards received a message over his radio that everyone should put on their vest and helmets. I went back to my office and came back with mine. Standing in the duck/cover with my protective gear, I smiled at the Iraqi Local Nationals who were here for language testing. (They have no protective gear.) They told me this was normal in their lives. They said they weren't concerned.

It's amazing how strong the first truck bomb explosion was and it was quite a distance from us. I only heard two but one report today said there were 6 coordinated attacks. How sad. I hope that when Ramadan begins this weekend, the violence will subside.

I emailed a couple of linguist managers whose linguists work in the direction of the blasts to see how they were. Two wrote back that some windows were blown out, dust from the ceiling came down, but the linguists were not physically injured. A third wrote back that the event occurred several kms away from him. I asked the contractor if counseling is available for the linguists if they choose not to visit a Chaplain. Need to follow up with that today. This morning, I heard a linguist say to the guards, "Yesterday was a bad day for Iraqis, but so far today, it is a good one."

Cheryl - Jan. 2009

Several of us drove to a meeting and back (in another vehicle) this morning. There were no issues. I have another this afternoon and will leave a cross in the Blue Beetle for the rest of the time I have to drive in it. Just another reminder of what Hazardous Duty pay is for… PLEASE don't worry. People have survived far worse. All will be well.
 
Fond regards,
Cheryl