"Hey Goose, you big stud!"

 "Take me to bed or loose me forever!"

Some more pictures from an amazing trip all around... black and white and men uniform never hurt a shot.

I got creative with my new camera, bought on base.  Luckily I had willing subjects.

Here I am in a bomb suit.  This space type thing is what they wear to dimantle bombs.  It weighs 90 lbs., which lets just say is a good portion of my weight.  I felt like I was in one of those sumo suits and I fell down Id never be able to get up.  Imagine wearing that thing in 130 degree weather.  Cuz they do.. the helmets have air conditioning built in!
WOAH Rach!  Who let her have a canon...!!??
Calm down there Private Benjamin....  great pic. :)
While at the palace, enjoy such activities as golf!  There was a driving range devised by the gentlemen who worked there and we did pretty well!  If you need to know what to send the troops stationed at Camp Victory, send range balls.  That's all I'm saying.
So, for this shoot I'm thinking us, the desert, and a military man with a plaque.  Genius!  It's genius!  right there!  That's it... I'm not even shooting you darlings!  Yes!  That's it!  Smile with your eyes... yes! 
Loving on America.
Ok.. So here we are shooting some rifles.  well... some M240 Bravos and such, but potato/potato.  Now, Ive really only shot blanks before, having been in the movie biz most of my life (and having, strangely enough played characters who shoot their fathers and whatnot on the Hallmark channel) but when in Rome as the saying goes... This was very cool.  We are not shooting at people but targets- to be clear.  We were given specific safety instructions and gear.  As you can see my trusty teacher is actually holding my helmet up for me because it was too big and when I laid down I couldn't see a damn thing.  I felt very manly afterwards.  Didn't do too bad either.
After a long day of shooting machine guns and singing pictures you just want to cut loose.  Tie one on with some non-alcoholic beer and really get in with the locals, right?  So we went to Tuesday night line dancing.  Electric slide and all.  But of course, DeAnna had to step it up a notch.  Blindfolded line dancing after being spun around 10 times.  The girl is a masochist for fun.  And I looked redonkulous par usual.  And sort of like the chick from Watcher in the Woods, that scary Disney movie from the 80's... uh..  anyone?  Bueller?
Rachel, DeAnna, Brian (our tour manager, guide, mentor, and personal Creeper) and me on the Iran border.  Ahh.. the sights!  The smells!  Were no different than everywhere else we've been!  But it makes for a nice picture anyway.
I mentioned in an earlier post about the cards and letters sent by kids... most of which make you want to tear your heart out and have an emotional breakdown... occasionally there are funny ones too like this one below.  Genius.
The three of us came to meet the General but to our dismay he was out.  So we decided to take some pics in his office to leave for him.  Seriously, I think DeAnna accidently called Japan.  Shh.  That phone bill is gonna be high.  Someone should have gotten a 5 for 5 plan Sir.
Dad, seriously.  Smile!
Deanna and I on the Blackhawk creeping it out and posing.  oh , by the way... another term- Creeper.  Its a noun, verb, adjective or adverb.  Thats the beauty of it.  It can mean moving in close... feeling out a situation... getting involved or psyched up.. or it can mean general creepy-ness.  Feel free to try it out in your own personal situations.  I'll go first.  "Man, I love these Blackhawk rides!  I could creep up in these all day!"  or... "DeAnna, why are you being such a creeper this morning? You're creepin out!"  also a personal fave, adding the word into popular lexicon such as,  "Hey! Creep it real!", "Creep it down" and my personal fave, "If you like then you shoulda put a creep on it!"  Just because.  Try it.  You'll like it.
Speaking of creepy... we stayed in Saddam's hunting lodge for 4 nights and this was the living room right outside of our door.. if you look at it you might remember this is where he did his final television interview.  Thats the creepy part.  Not the dudes in the chairs.  They were just there and very accommodating to my documentary picture taking.  And not creepy for the record.
We got to take a tour of the palace, which was really cool.  This was on the same property where we stayed and was a large mansion build by Saddam after the Iran/Iraq war.  the money the US government gave him as food money for his people was used instead to build this opulent palace. Nice right?  Anyway, he was so impatient that he killed many architects who wouldn't get the job done fast enough so they started building it with shoddy craftsmanship to literally keep their heads.  Going through it now, there are many panels falling off.. the heavy chandeliers are sometimes hanging by chicken wire (like the large one behind us)... its insane.  Now the US government uses it for a headquarters.
This is very famous chair given to Saddam by Yasir Arafat.  The black and white checks in the small area under the arabic lettering are to represent his headdress.  Many soldiers have sat on this chair and taken pictures, just like me.  It's truly a historical symbol.
I had an amazing time and I thank everyone that made it possible from Pro Sports MVP, Brian Lee, and my comrades, Rachel and DeAnna.  The best part was saying hello to all our servicemen and women and thanking them for all they do.  They bust their butts everyday in harsh environments around the world to look out for our best interests.  Whatever your beliefs about war or our political climate, the reality is we live in an imperfect and chaotic world, and the lives our men and women live over there away from their own families indirectly and directly benefit us and our quality of life here in America.  It's very difficult to judge or form a belief about a situation you haven't seen with your own eyes, and certainly about the people who give their lives to be there.  So I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.  It was incredible, rewarding and enlightening.  I can't wait to go back.

Movin' on up... to the Iraq side

This is the plane we took to Iraq.  Its a C-17 and it's huge.  Inside all the seats are bolted down in rows and there is NO leg room.  It makes coach look like a private plane.  Also, no snacks.  But you probably guessed that.

Once we were in Iraq we were off and running... or flying I should say... to several bases.  Here DeAnna and I flex for the guys in a base that used to be a shopping mall.  There were even old escalators there!
Sadur City- one of the best known bases in Iraq.  This base saw a record number of days in action.  Thank god for these signs.  I thought Id never find the market.
Our mode of travel.  Puffy, eat your heart out.
This is an arial view of one of Sadaam's palaces.  Now it's known as Camp Liberty.  There are several buildings the troops have taken over.  We actually got to stay there in the hunting lodge, which they've converted to accommodate diplomats, heads of state.. and uh, me.  
Munhommed and I.  It was a love affair that would never really begin... what with he being all of 12.  Our religious differences would tear at our heart strings like romeo and juliet.  But for that fleeting moment... on the back of his harley- er, uh- moped... I closed my eyes and we rode over the gravel... and it was just like Italy.  Just like it.  Ciao Munhommed.  We'll always have Sadur...
Chatting and gabbing with the guys
The fallen soldiers are memorialized
Cards and letters from around the world.  Most from children.  The notes make you want to cry.
Ok... This gentleman is Matrix.  That's his name.  I feel I must take a moment and explain the genius of Matrix.  He is an Iraqi Interpreter.  He also loves his camera.  so much so that he will sit and take picture after picture from about 3 feet away until that memory card is full.  And he did.  This is not a practice reserved solely for him.  Oh no.  We discovered in our travels that there were many "Matrix's" on bases.  Many of them Iraqi interpreters, some chefs, security detail and the like.  We fondly named them all Matrix... and its a perfect name really.  Because you can't escape it.
Us with our boyfriends at Sadur.  Munhommed, (my romeo) and his rival.  See there were not one but TWO Tiger Marts on this base.  These are markets that sell all kinds of stuff (see my previous post) and they are usually run by Iraqis.  In this case, two rival families vied for the best market on base.  They look friendly in this picture but rest assured, the competition for Tiger Mart of the year is stiff.  Also note Munhommed's belly.  Sweet thing.  Riding around all day can get sweaty.  He is working off that d-fac cake we saw him eating!
Our third base of the evening... note the xmas trees in the background.
Me in a tank.  Watch out!!  These guys were awesome.  They let us do all kinds of stuff- get in a tank, drive a Humvee... uh...  I mean, play uno, watch sports center...
Us with our certificates of appreciation
Vroooooom!  Hey, donuts in the parking lot anyone?
Getting to Iraq wasn't always the easy part... the planes may be large- but on time, they ain't.

Camp Bucca... and beyond

Today we flew a Black Hawk helicopter over the Iraq border to a base called Camp Bucca. 

 As you can imagine, the ride was pretty incredible.  I totally want one of these things!  They are a total rush to ride in and I'm pretty sure I could get used to this being that this was just one of several trips we will be making in them.  Surprising how steady they are.
 We signed autographs and this lovely guy bought us all Bucca Bears!We even got to go over to the px- which is like a mini mall on base- they have a drugstore and then a small bazaar that Iraqi merchants sell customary good in such as bootleg dvd's (which is a huge problem as there is no regulation on piracy) and of course, hookahs!  I Price as Right model a few...
There is also a detainee center there where violator and criminals are being held.  They have taken in roughly 13,000 detainees who are there for anything from extremist action to subtle violence.  Under the acts of the Geneva Convention however, one of the rights of these detainees is visitation by their families.  There is a visitation center there where families are bussed in up to twice a month and allowed to visit with wives and children.  Here we pose with some of the wives waiting.
They've also built a small playground outside for the kids.
The visitation center.  Its pretty interesting actually... the reason they are called detainees and not prisoners is because once the Iraqi government takes over, these people will be tried fairly and either released or sentenced under Iraqi law.  As of now, the US Government is providing a blueprint for this kind of humane treatment of criminals awaiting trial.  They are given classes in civics and in the history of Iraq, as many of them are illiterate.  They are also allowed to conduct their daily prayers and have a separate food facility to accommodate their religious eating patterns.
From what we learned, the return rate for these folks after being released is apx. 1%, which is an astonishingly low number considering how much higher it is for convicted criminals in America.  Anyway, its a hopeful proof that the system of rehabilitation and humane care is working there.  This is all an attempt to restore extremist balance into the culture of Iraq as our troops begin to pull out over the next 3 years.  The parole system they are implementing is also interesting in that the families are involved.  Should a released offender continue to commit acts of violence, etc. and be caught again, it is a large shame on the family... which in this Iraqi culture carries a very large burden of embarrassment, hence helping families keep their own "in line" so to speak.
When we got to Bucca we all wrote on the wall they have out front...
My signature
Its amazing how many people you meet from all over the US.  This guy was from Lubbock, TX!!  Go Red Raiders!!

The Sargent Major gave a great power point presentation before lunch all about Bucca, what they are doing there, and the work the US Military has done thus far.  I liked this slide because it showed a "You Are Here" arrow, which I thought was funny.  Just like the Fashion Square Mall!
Us and our lovely group of girls who showed us around all day and made us laugh!!  They were so so sweet and cool.
Finally after a long day we headed home.  But not before another helicopter ride and a cool look through some night vision binoculars.
Oh and last but not least- what base is complete without Rock Band???  That's right... its a staple.  And these guys are good.  Rock on with your badselves.
Rachel demonstrates how not to wear her helmet.. backwards.  Sure is cute though Private Benjamin!