The way to Iraq starts in Kuwait

I can’t say exactly when but I arrived in Iraq a few days ago after extensive additional processing in Kuwait. The two countries border each other and the distance was not that great however, the ordeal of traveling by military aircraft (the cargo bays get transformed into patient areas where you huddle down sitting on beach chair webbing secured with straps, ropes and clips) kept you on your toes. Additionally, we wear all our battle gear including full flak jackets, helmets, weapons and ammunition. It was actually a lot of fun but we were already sleep deprived and this ordeal started at midnight and wasn’t over until noon the next day. It was stressful but it was so much fun and I wouldn’t have missed it for all the sleep in the world. The military doesn’t want you to simply fly...

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CONUS

Welcome to the CONUS replacement center. For those who do not know, CONUS stands for Continental United States. The term CONUS replacement center has a lot of significance in army circle...

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REPLACEMENTS

The last I recall we had 50,000 troops in Iraq and around 100,000 troops in Afghanistan. Most of these troops arrive as entire units such as a company of perhaps 200 soldiers, a battalion containing about 750 soldiers or a division which might contain 15,000 soldiers. However, in addition to these large groups there is always a need for individual replacements for specific purposes. My assignment is for 90 days in Iraq so I’m sent to a replacement center at Fort Benning, Georgia which processes as a group several hundred individuals every week. I believe there are several replacement centers. Just providing replacements for 150,000 overseas troops is a very big job. Most of the replacement soldiers are sergeants or officers since the lower ranking soldiers (privates & corporals)...

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THE REAL SHOW ISN'T ON THE STAGE IT'S OUT THERE IN THE STANDS

When a group of us would go to the WWF/WWE wrestling matches and sometimes the Golden Gloves events in Holyoke we spent as much time looking at the spectators as at the matches. As outlandish as the wrestlers were they were tame compared to the many of the people in the crowd. I had an enormous logistical challenge in arranging medical coverage for a 120 day absence. There's a shortage of Primary Care Physicians in Western Massachusetts and it seemed like mission impossible that I was going to find covering doctors who would see my patients in my office. In the end it wasn't that hard at all because everybody wanted to help. See the article written in The Republican 10/13/2010   Similarly, I had to tell patients, some with multiple medical problems who have seen only me for over...

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WEEK OF DEPLOYMENT

I finished my "Tactical Combat Medical Course" (TCMC) which was the week of 09/27/2010 and returned to my office to work the week of 10/04/2010 which I finished 10/08/2010 and that was my final day in my office. Monday, 10/11/2010 is Columbus Day and the office is closed. Starting on Tuesday, 1012/2010 I will spend the week processing with the National Guard. Officially, on Wednesday 10/13 I go on active duty and early Friday, 10/15 Joan will drive me to the airport for my flight to Fort Benning, Ga. I spend about a week there getting equipment and I presume some more training and from there we are flown to the Middle East. I believe all deployed soldiers fly to the same Middle Eastern country, which I'm going to leave unsaid for now, and from there we are either dispatched to Iraq or...

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