Random Nuclear Strikes

You probably haven’t heard this come across the news wire,

The 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st brigade has been told to leave the 3rd battalion behind when it deploys to Afghanistan. They won’t be needed.

Good news is no news to the MSM.

And here is something we can do for our service men and women

Bill HR 887

This bill will give the immediate family members of military troops engaged in combat, free mailing while that military member is in the combat zone. This privilege would be limited to wives, children, mother, father and siblings.

Go Here and enter your Zip Code to be connected to your congresscritter so you can tap them on the shoulder and remind them your watching this.

For our last day of Iraq in pictures, here are a couple pics of aircraft in the new Iraq Air Force.

While their democracy is still on new legs, so is their corp of fliers.

This UH-1 has taken part in what is being called ‘The Huey Exchange Program’.

It isn’t specified what exactly the Hueys are being exchanged for, but I suspect that items like the Mi-24/Mi-25 Hinds that we saw on Tuesday would be a decent guess.

After all, our guys need something live to shoot down. I can think of a couple different countries in the region that have similar equipment we might need to practice for.

We have also given the Flying Iraqis some fixed wing aircraft

C-130’s folks. They’ll be needing to ship men and equipment around their country and the C-130 does a damn fine job of that.

Of course, small parts that are in immediate need are still express shipped by our men and women.

Here’s one of the 1/189 birds taking needed parts to a water treatment plant outside of Mosul.

Well folks, that’s all of the photos I have for now. I’ll post more when I get more. Until then, I hope you enjoyed the week long spread.

I’ll see you all tomorrow with news and views once again. Man, do I have a links collection now.

I told Everett to stay safe and sound and his feet on the ground, but you just can’t keep a guy pinned down like that when the opportunity to hit the sky arises. I don’t know that he took any or all of these, but I do know he has been out and about with the fellas.

Heading home from Mosul

Baghdad at 500ft

Baghdad a little closer

They’re rebuilding the big mosque in Baghdad as of late.

And you can’t call a trip to Baghdad complete until you see some of Saddam’s Crossed Swords

Last but not least, here’s a pic of Abu Ghraib from 150ft

Tomorrow we’ll close out this series with pics of a couple of aircraft in use by the new Iraqi Air Force.

See you then.

As it is widely understood, aircraft in general are very maintenance heavy. Helicopters in particular need a minimum of one hour of maintenance of every flight hour. And we’re not talking man hours here, we’re talking on average 3 to 5 guys wrenching for an hour for every hour of flight time. As you’ll see today, the maintenance crews work 24 hours a day to keep these birds in the air.

Replacing a sandblasted windscreen

Fluid change

Tail rotor gear lubrication

New rotor heads

And last but not least, some new rotors getting craned in from Shim and Sham’s.

And for those who liked yesterday’s scenic pics, a rotor installation at sunrise.

For those who can stop by tomorrow, it’ll be “Arial Photograph Day�.

See you then.

Here we go with some pics of daily life around Camp Anaconda, Balad Air Base.

Night time is the right time on the flight line

For the folks who want something more scenic; a sunrise over Anaconda.

Here’s the 1/189 staying busy outside. Taken from atop the HAS.

A lonely UH-60 waiting for parts

And the 1/189’s LMVT, their mobile repair truck

As you probably knew, the desert environs put a big hurt on the aircraft, especially the rotor blades. At Camp Anaconda, the 1/189 supplies the facility to meet the demand for repairs.

Here is Shim and Sham’s Blade Shop, under construction.

I’m not sure if this is Shim or Sham, but the guy is putting some serious elbow grease into that blade

And to close out today’s set; sunset/moonrise over Anaconda.

Does that look like Tatooine or is it just me?

Anyway, tomorrow we’ll be featuring pics of the actual maintenance work done by the men and women of the 1/189.

See you then.

When it does actually rain at Camp Anaconda, they get it pretty bad.

Here is a link to the video that goes with that last pic: Gator Fishing

In their chowhall, the various units based out of Anaconda have put up their unit artwork.

L Co 1/151 AVIM

A Co 1/244 AVN

I Co 1/158 AVN

I hope the Doc stops through today. I have a feeling he’ll really like this one.

C Co 1/244 AVN

Everett’s unit, D Co 1/189 doesn’t have theirs up yet that I’ve seen, but they were able to get it painted on the their hardened aircraft shelter (HAS) where they do their repairs.

They were made to edit it shortly thereafter. I think you can guess which part.

Tomorrow we’ll be featuring some scenic pics from around Camp Anaconda, so make sure to stop on by.

We’ll see you then.