Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things I WON’T Miss About Balad

As a supplement to last week’s Thursday Thirteen, here are the thirteen things I will NOT miss about being deployed to Balad:

1. No beer!
2. Humming “Wasting Away in Mortaritaville” after I hear about the latest mortar attack.
3. Considering 35 MPH “High speed” driving.
4. Dust.
5. 12-hour days, six days a week, with the “day off” meaning I get to wear PT gear to work.
6. Military Airlift.
7. Wearing 50 pounds of “battle rattle” every time I fly.
8. Dealing with people who just don’t understand boundaries for people’s bodies.
9. $60 per month Internet access that barely works.
10. Living in one room with paper-thin walls.
11. Dealing with people who are getting bored and looking for something to do…and usually finding the wrong thing.
12. AFN commercials
13. Uniforms, everywhere, all the time.