Today, one of our interpreters came into my office and asked how I was.  I gave the stock answer: “I can’t complain.” 

The truth is that I am often seen mumbling under my breath about something that irks me. 

After he left, however, I thought about my statement, and some of the things that have happened here in Baghdad over the past few months, and how insignificant my troubles seem in comparison to the events that are affecting people like these:

-  One of custodial staff is a local Iraqi (there are about 10 total).  He’s a wonderful man…a father of four children who drags himself out of bed at 4 a.m. every morning (and I mean EVERY morning — he has no weekends off).  He traverses the red zone (where all the bombs explode) and makes his way to the Combined Press Information Center to spend his 10-hour work day providing grounds maintenance (in extreme heat) and cleaning up after we fortunate American Soldiers leave here in a few weeks.  Unfortunately, he will stay.   Thanks to a bomb that exploded in August, the car that brings him here to work is even less dependable than it was before.  And, how much do you think he makes for all his troubles?  Less for a full day’s work than most of our Soldiers make in one hour working entry-level jobs.

-  Another man I know asked the Americans if he could build a restaurant on one of our forward operating bases about a year ago.  We told him yes, so he spent, by his estimate, about $200,000 creating a very nice building.  Then, we changed the rules and told him he could not open the building.  We told him the food from the local economy is not safe to feed American Soldiers, even though this man has catered all the special events at the CPIC for Soldiers and our guests, and no one has ever become ill.   He is a gracious man who always smiles….maybe because he knows that a frown may ruin any chance he has of someone, anyone, changing the rules again and letting him open his restaurant.

-  A local Iraqi woman who has visited the CPIC wants nothing else but to be a journalist.  She wants to make this country live up to promises of freedom.  She wants to be able to tell the stories that need to be told, but she cannot.  She fears for her life if some of her stories are printed.  Whether or not the fear is real or imagined is not important.  The truth is that Iraq has been the most dangerous place for journalists for the past six years.  When we dedicated the Combined Press Information Center to all those who had died to guarantee the freedoms of the people of Iraq, the number included more than the 4,300 American sons and daughters…it also included the more than 250 media staff that have died here since 2003.

With all this conflict and pain, and the hundreds of other similiar stories I’ve encountered over the past 10 months, you would think that I would become jaded and disillusioned, but just the opposite is true.  I realize that there is pain and suffering everywhere….Iraq is no different than any other place…but there is something special here that keeps me from mumbling too loud when I get upset. 

But, more than the acts of our own Soldiers, I am humbled by the generosity and resiliency of those with even less to give.  Today, our custodial staff — including the man I mentioned at the beginning of this blog — dug into their pockets and, with cooking assistance from their wives, brought our staff a delicious meal of barbequed fish, freshvegetables, stuffed grape leaves, baked bread, and a local dish with rice, dates, and nuts.  As we lined up to take part in this feast, they stood on the side refusing to eat until all of us had our fill. 

As LTC Perez has stated to me on several occasions, our CPIC is an oasis in many ways.  It seems to me that all those who come here have found a way to peacefully coexist and support each other.  So, I really have no right or need to complain.  We might not be able to change the overall course of the nation of Iraq, but together we have all changed the course for many of those who have passed through our doors.  Although we are all ready to leave Iraq, I hope each of us can bring some of that back with us.  Now I ask you, how could I complain about that?

Donzens of individuals and groups -- most strangers -- have sent us boxes of treats to make our time pass by quickly.

SPC Gardner and SGT Lee put smiles on the faces of children at the refugee center.

1LT Larrew poses with some of the friends he has helped during his year in Iraq.

SGT Leech's special friend visits her for a midnight snack (she wants to tell everyone she NEVER touched the cat since that is against the rules and could transmit disease).

As the 314th PAOC prepares for its departure from Iraq, we felt we could not return home without leaving something behind.  Thankfully, we traveled here with a unit filled with gifted artists, and they collectively took up that challenge.

With several cans of paint, some new paint brushes, and a projector, the team of SSG Jeremy Fowler, SSG Paul Roberts, SPC Brittany Gardner and PFC Christine Bernat created a mural that adorns the entrance to the Combined Press Information Center.  Senior U.S. and Iraqi military and government officials pass by their work as they prepare to speak to a world audience.

The mural includes many pertinent elements, such as the skyline of Baghdad, an expansive desert, the crossed swords located near the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier here, and the frequently stunning sunsets.  Of course, we also had to add the symbols of Army journalists — the lightning bolt, quill and sword.  Finally, we added our unit’s motto — Maximum Effort, Minimum Delay.  Collectively, it is quite stunning.

SPC Brittany Gardner (left), lead painter for the t-wall project, poses with fellow 314th PAOC Soldier SGT Mary Lee, in front of the Combined Press Information Center. (Photo by LTC Ignacio Perez)

The mural was painted on one of the t-walls found all over Iraq.  These walls of varying heights are symbolic of the war and the omnipresent threats that we faced each day.  So, it was gratifying to know that our team of artists was able to add a new purpose — a canvas of sorts to show the world the beauty and promise of Iraq, thanks to the sacrifice of millions of Americans and others who traveled here, lived behind these walls, and worked outside them to secure a future for this nation’s peoples.

Fresh from her R&R leave, SPC(P) Roshonda Thurston walked into the press conference room at the Combined Press Information Center thinking it was a supply issue that needed her expertise.  Instead, she found a room full of her fellow 314th PAOC Soldiers ready to celebrate her promotion to SGT.

MAJ James Lincoln, Acting Commander (and CPIC Director), officiated the ceremony and reminded the group about the role she played, from being a last minute addition to the team to the supply sergeant responsbile for bringing all our Soldiers and equipment home to the United States (no pressure, huh?).

Congratulations SGT Thurston….job well done!

SGT Thurston is standing tall and ready to official become and NCO and MAJ Lincoln prepares to promote her.

After her new rank has been affixed, MAJ Lincoln congratulates SGT Thurston while her fellow Soldiers look on.

Finally it is time for the 314th Soldiers to share in the excitement -- and SSG Tull almost tackles SGT Thurston to show his joy. (All photos by SPC Brittany Gardner)

If Uncle Sam were a Vegas lounge singer...

What do you get here in the 314th Public Affairs Operations Center when you ask a group of Public Affairs Soldiers to decorate the office for the Fourth of July?  See above.

After 5 (or is it 8?) days of non-stop dust storms, the lack of supervision by 1SG Glassford (stuck in Kuwait because of aforementioned dust), a lot of creativity, a good sense of humor, and a little irreverance……here is SGT Jeremy Fowler wishing all of you a Happy Fourth of July!

Photo by SPC Brittany Gardner.

SGTs Tull and Fowler prepare to enter the firing line.

Here is the latest art from SPC Brittany Gardner.  This time her subjects are SGTs Bryan Fowler and Jeremy Fowler.  These two amigos from the 314th PAOC were first captured in a photograph, but I hope you agree that SPC Gardner’s line drawing adds something that a digital camera can’t express.

One added note — SPC Gardner was also named the topic graphic artist for the month of March, and received a $25 gift card to the local post exchange.  Congratulations to her and the other monthly winners:  SGT Bryan Tull, SPC Justin Wright, and SGT Emily Anderson.

SFC Benari Poulten aims and fires during recent marksmanship training at Camp Prosperity in Baghdad, Iraq. (Photo by SPC Brittany Gardner)

Thanks to the support of SSG Timothy Devoy and CPT David Hampton, soldiers from a fellow Army unit here in the IZ, the 314th PAOC was able to secure enough ammunition to do weapons qualification this past week.  Always on the lookout for a good picture, SPC Brittany Gardner snapped this picture of SFC Benari Poulten at EXACTLY the right time — capturing the bullet as it left the barrel of the weapon.

A handful of soldiers were able to increase their scores, but all were glad for the familiarization firing — especially PFC Christine Bernat, our resident weapons expert.

Here is another piece of art from SPC Brittany Gardner.  This time the subject was the recent promotion of SPC Justin Wright, one of her fellow 314th PAOC Soldiers.  The promotion took place at the Ocean Cliffs compound in downtown Baghdad.

SPC Justin Wright is promoted by LTC Ignacio Perez, Commander of the 314th PAOC.

………

~January 15, 2009 : my boots hit the concrete in the sandy suburbs of Baghdad, Iraq…..This is what I saw:
 

Checkpoints…t-walls… palm trees…speed bumps made from tank tracks… ID checks… search points, the sound of helicopters hovering overhead, billowing smoke in the distance, bright blue skies, concrete, dust… … ..sand… …sand… ……and more sand. Iraqi’s walking the streets, driving their mopeds, trying to make it to wherever they’re going on time. Inshallah. (God willing) These are the things I am surrounded by daily. It’s become my life. Imagine the things you’re so used to that you may not even notice anymore. Maybe such things as the sound of a plane passing, stopping at a red light, or even only having to walk a few feet away from your bed at night to use the restroom when “nature calls“. These things, my American ways of life, have now been replaced by the new mundane reality here in Baghdad.

When I imagined this deployment to Iraq, a “war zone”, I never sat down to think about all of the little life adjustments I would have to be willing to make. I never thought about things like having no more privacy, walking a tenth of a mile or no less than three minutes to use the restroom, or going through three checkpoints before making it “home” safely at night after work.

I guess I did what every soldier does when they hear they’re getting deployed. I became mentally prepared for this “war zone”  on a larger level and neglected the thought of such little changes. I put all of my effort into training on my soldier skills, preparing to face death and destruction. Now that I’m here I realized that these little things are what is making such an impact on me.

I’ve yet to hear any fire fights, come across improvised explosive devices, or see this “death and destruction” I had prepared for.  So when I look down onto the right shoulder sleeve of my Army combat uniform I almost feel a little guilty for wearing this combat patch. But then “nature calls” in the middle of the dusty Iraqi night, and I walk those three minutes to go to the restroom. I then remember that everyone here in Iraq or Afghanistan have all made sacrifices, small or large. Regardless of what our mission is on this deployment, I know that once I get home I will appreciate the little things that most people don’t even give a second thought……

traffic laws…brushing my teeth with water out of the sink,… civilian clothes…choices….moderately clear skies…HOME.

PFC Christine Bernat reports to the front of the formation with a salute and a smile.

SPC Brittany Gardner took the following three photos today during a special moment for PFC Christine Bernat. 

Over the past few weeks, PFC Bernat has risen to the challenge every time she was asked to do so.  First, the commander placed her in a challenging position — serving as the first person that Western and Pan-Arab media representatives meet when they arrive at the Combined Press Information Center.  As the commander says, she is polite but firm in that role. 

Finally, she has put together a rigorous physical fitness plan to prepare for an upcoming fitness test.  She can often be seen working out at the Camp Prosperity fitness facility.

A minute later, PFC Bernat received her Army Achievement Medal.

For all those reasons and more, PFC Bernat was today awarded the Army Achievement Medal! 

Congratulations — and keep up the 314th standard of maximum effort, minimum delay.

After the award is pinned on, PFC Bernat shakes hand with the commander, and then reports back to help more international media.

While SPC Brittany Gardner has been laid up with a sore toe, she has used her time to bring a little bit of art into the world. 

Her first subject was PFC James Clifton, the unit guidon bearer, in his most frequent position…getting to the front of the formation before LTC Perez can yell, “Clifton, where’s my guidon?!?”.

She never told me she had talent in drawing caricatures, but you can see below the first of what I hope will be many contributions to the blog.

An update:

In the short couple of weeks since I’ve been here, I’ve:

1. learned a few phrases in Arabic and Spanish
2. learned how to play Dominoes
3. completed my taxes
4. completed about four Army Correspondence Courses
5. set up a savings plan for myself
6. tried new things: Hookah and Iraqi tea
7.  had a ‘hard mass’ removed from my foot
8. developed confidence in my public affairs skills
9. got promoted to Specialist

And last but not least:

   10.    made life-long good friends

So, for a few weeks now I’ve had a little dilemma……”Betty”.  Let me explain.

I’ve had a hard, mobile piece of something (we’re still unsure of its composition) floating in my big toe joint in my left foot. People in my unit joked and said it could be my unborn twin or something insane like that, so they named it “Betty”. Whatever it was, it constantly rubbed against the tendon that ran all the way through the top of my foot causing serious pain and irritation after running or walking long distances. “Betty” had to be dealt with.

Well yesterday, February 3, 2009, I went to the 10th Combat Support Hospital here in Baghdad to see if the good Army doctors there could figure out what “Betty” really was and what they could do about “her”.  After going to the outpatient clinic and mesmerizing the doctors there, I was sent to the orthopedics specialists to see if they could uncover this medical mystery. There I met LTC Sands and her team of soldiers. Surely they could help.

After examining the x-rays and finding no fractures or obvious answers, LTC Sands suggested it could be a simple cyst. She said if it was there was nothing that could be done about it. She explained to me that the only way she would know for sure is to numb my foot and stick a large needle into “Betty” and see if clear gel/liquid would drain from “her”.

“Have at it ma’am,” I said. So…she stuck about three needles into my foot and numbed it. Then, she stuck a larger needle directly into the mass in my joint and tried to extract the clear fluid, she  explained ; it would drain out if it was in fact a cyst. Nothing happened….nothing drained….nothing.

She was puzzled. She said that usually here in Baghdad they don’t remove “foreign objects” from the body because of the heightened risk of infection (te water here isn’t exactly the cleanest in the world). But, after having already numbed my foot she decided to remove “Betty” after all.

I laid there and watched some of the movie “Spanglish” while LTC Sands cut my foot opened and removed “Betty” for good. It was, to say the least, a strange experience. After being at the hospital for a total of around an hour and a half, I was ready to go back to work……without “Betty”. Once again, another surreal experience to add to the list.

Now I sit here in my office at the Combined Press Information Center restricted to desk duty for about seven days. Not bad. So now I am going to go take my moment of silence for the long lost “Betty”. “She” is on her way to a lab to be tested so we can all  find out what it really is. Until then………farewell Betty.

We’ve are now technically about two months into our deployment, but we’ve only been in Baghdad since Jan 15.  The time has been flying by. It’s still hard for me to believe I’m in Baghdad. I use to hear about this place on the news constantly, but it never even crossed my mind that one day I’d be here in an Army Combat Uniform. And I really never imagined that I’d be driving around the streets of the International Zone after only being out of AIT, advanced individual training, for seven months. It’s all very surreal.

When we arrived here in Baghdad on the 15th after our short flight from Kuwait, we basically hit the groud running. We dropped off our bags into our transitional sleeping tents, slept for about 2 and a half hours and then headed to work. Since then we’ve been going full speed ahead. Recently, we all moved into our CHUs, containerized housing units. Sounds inviting huh? They’re actually not that bad. It’s a two-man (or woman) trailer with twin beds, wall lockers and little metal night stands. It felt good to unpack our many duffel bags we’d been living out of for what felt like forever.

Not far from our CHUs there are many local shops to browse around in. Most of them sell rugs, jewelry, hookahs, journals, cheap bootleg DVDs and about a million other things. We’ve discovered a cafe that sells Iraqi tea for a dollar and will let you smoke hookah for only three bucks. Lee, Thurston, SGT Leech, SGT Miller and I usually go and play dominoes or Uno. It’s a nice place to unwind after a long day at work.

So far my feelings about this deployment are nothing but positive. My job has been going great. I’ve met media from all over the world. My living arrangements aren’t bad at all. I bought a tv to watch movies and play my Wii on. So things are good.

Hopefully, this time continues to fly by. I do miss my family and friends but I know that this too shall pass. Please continue to keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers, and before you know it we’ll all be back home safely.

(MODERATOR’S NOTE:  You can read more about hookah at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hookah.  Although the site says you can smoke different things, the soldiers of the 314th are smoking only herbal fruits or tobacco.)

This same time last year I was preparing to return home from basic combat training for Christmas just as I am anxiously awaiting my return home this year.

Interesting:

 I was on an Army base with no cell phone and no contact with home except through the old technique commonly referred to as “snail mail”. This time is somewhat similiar….hardly any cell phone service. I feel a little frustrated with how slow time is passing and my internet connection is so slow that I’ve started referring to it as “snail mail”.

There are a few differences though between this time last year and right now. Doughnuts……doughnuts and coffee.  Of course in basic training there is no caffiene, sweets, cigarettes, soda, chewing gum, phones, or even tweezers allowed. This time I sit here at my desk with a cup of joe, I’ve eaten my doughnut, plucked my eyebrows, I have fresh breath, and between bad cell service I’ve kept in touch with my friends.

This is by no means a blog about my complaints. It’s just a comparison of 2007 and this year. I never could’ve imagined that I would be in this position so soon after my enlistment into the army.  In a way I’m greatful. I have the opportunity to not only advance in my military career but also start building an amazing resume for my civilian career.

So I’m ready for my Christmas leave. Then, give me some caffiene, a doughnut, pencil, paper, camera, and media credentialing equipment and send me on my way. I’ll be home again for Christmas next year!

Credentialing media, making press badges, taking pictures, and filling out paperwork…..answering phones, listening to briefings, yes sir, no sir, yes sergeant, no sergeant. This has been my day. All in a day of the life of PFC Gardner.

We started our Public Affairs three-day training today at noon. This morning I set up our biometrics equipment: laptop, digital camera, fingerprint scanner, and iris scanner. My job? I’m the first soldier the media sees when they walk into our facility. I basically make sure they are who they say they are. I enroll them into a system that will help keep track of their information. Imagine what the lab looks like on an eposide of Crime Scene Investigation. The equipment on my desk reminds me of something like that.

Anyway, this very first day of training was definitly used for trial and error. There were obviously hiccups but as the Army has taught me: I faked it til I made it, remained calm, and found that I really did know exactly what I was doing. I pushed through, developed confidence, and I actually found myself enjoying it all.  I realize that this training is suppose to prepare us for the year ahead. Well, I’ve also realized how stressful this could be if I hadn’t already mentally prepared myself.

I guess what I’m saying is this is good army training. Now, is it time to go home for Christmas???

   Hygiene, breakfast, formation, a long day, dinner, physical training, and repeat. Can’t complain about having nothing to do I guess…. Our days here at Fort Dix are all pretty much alike at this point. My mood: ready to take on whatever is next. My motto? Go with the flow. I think that has to be my motto right now. I have never deployed before, so I really don’t know exactly what to expect. All I know is I’m ready to do whatever needs to be done.

   Today was just another step in becoming ready for this deployment.  As a result, tonight my arms feel as if they’ve been through battle. Okay…maybe that’s a little extreme. But they are sore. In my left arm I have my smallpox vaccination site, the bandage from where I had blood drawn, and the TB test site. My right arm bears the spot where they stuck me with the second Anthrax vaccine. That one hurt…I felt like my arm was on fire. Okay, that too is a little extreme. Anyway, today was a long day.

   And so begins the process of preparing. Now it’s on ourselves to mentally prepare. I’m doing that by laughing like I always do, joking like I always do, and keeping in touch with my family…as always. I’m ready for whatever’s next.