Helicopters, Internet, Kit, and more

SO we have been without Internet for a couple weeks now.
There are three sources available for Internet. The NIPR (Non-Secure Internet Protocol) which is the official government one at work doesn't allow certain pages like ESPN or the site. SPAWAR, which is what we have in the MWR, allows most sites, but is the slowest and there is normally a line for it. Sniper Hill is the commercial provider for this FOB, so I pay for it, but no line and no restrictions on websites.
When we lose a Soldier all Internet is shut offf until the family is notified, this is called "Blackout." We lost one 2 weeks ago, then about 5 minutes after Blackout was lifted we lost another. It took longer to notify the family this time. When Blackout was lifted again the SPAWAR didn't come up, something had broken when they shut it down the second time. Then very shortly after that (a few hours) the sattelite reciever Sniper Hill uses broke. So about 30 minutes ago all of them came up. Happy, Happy. Joy, Joy.

I realized there are a few things I do that most of you have never experienced, so I'll try and tell you a little about them. The first is ride on a helicopter. I do this so often I forget it's not a normal thing to do. The first few seconds of takeoff is unlike anything you could imagine. You just slowly rise up to about 15 feet and then slowly dip forward and WHOOSH! You're away. The helicopters here (Blackhawks) have all had their windows ripped out to avoid overheating. Consequently the wind whips through rather quickly. It's normally a nice breeze, but if you are foolish enough you might be sitting in the "Hell Seat." The "Hell Seat" on a Blackhawk is the rightmost and rearmost seat. It faces forward and due to the rotation direction of the main rotor and the engine exhaust on that side, whoever sits there is blasted with 120mph superheated air. It's like opening an oven door, but having it come out at 120mph constantly for the duration of your flight. It takes exactly one time to learn never to sit there. I have physically grabbed people and threw them into another open seat, lest they experience that. If you don't sit there, flying is cool. Sometimes we'll fly really low and be below the apartment buildings in the Green Zone. The only other thing you learn is about the flares. The Blackhawks have flares that shoot out to trick anti-aircraft missiles. Well at night you can be looking out the window at the lights of the city, especcially the Mosques, and POW! Flare goes right in front of your face and you're blinded for about a minute.
Yesterday out of curiousity I went to the Aid Station directly after mission. I steppen on the scalle with my full "Kit" on and weighed in at 227. I dropped my gear and weighed 166. So 61 lbs of "kit" is what I wear at ALL TIMES when outside the wire in 120 degree temperature. Unless I also throw on our dismounted IED defeating backpacks. They weigh another 40 lbs. So I LOVE dismounted patrols....
When I was back on leave people were always commenting about how cold I must be in only 90 degree weather. True, BUT when I'm here I am also covered head to toe. The only skin that is exposed to the sun are my cheeks. That's it. So while it was cooler, the sun really bothered me, since I hadn't had the sun on my skin for over 6 months.
There's a line in "Pulp Fiction" "My Girlfriend is a vegetarian....which pretty much makes me a vegetarian." I think the only think that I am forced to abandon in my time with Kelli is some of my music. Dylan, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, and The Who. I suppose we don't listen to music much at home anyways, but one silver lining is rediscovering how much I love some of the music I haven't heard in a long time.

OK, I am needed right now, so I'll write more (assuming the internet doesn't crash again) about Dylan and the Who next time.

Adam