Final blog from Iraq

So I know what you all are thinking… What has been up with Joe, the blog has slowed to stop for the past few months, and we have heard less and less news of what was going on . Well first off, things are good here, in fact I am wrapping up my last few days in theater before beginning the slow trek back home. Abby and I are excited for the big family reunion coming, and thankful for surviving another successful deployment.

So what has been up , you might be asking? I will summarize in a few short sentences that hopefully everyone can understand and relate to. I believe Abby inspired this short thought about what has been going on the last few months, “We have faced some of the most challenging times physically, and emotionally, survived if not triumphed, and in all cases it was possible only because of what God has been doing in our lives. “

Much of what has happened has been a real challenge, and only in the end upon reflection can we begin to glean the lessons, and see the growth in us that has resulted from all of this. I suspect that is why I haven’t had much energy to blog, most of my energy was expent on just enduring the daily trials, and performing my job as a soldier, a husband, and father. I do intend to journal/blog some of the individual experiences over the next few months, because I have enjoyed sharing the experience here in Iraq with all my friends and family, as well hope to have a source to look back on this deployment in future years.

Here are just a few snippets of what occurred since my last journal in March:

Finished a 6 building renovation project in Iraq; the washer broke at home was temporarily repaired, then broke and flooded the garage (poor Abby), and we got a brand new washer; the garage side door fell off, Abby became a regular at Home Depot; I experienced the local food, and then soon after spent days recovering, Pepto Bismal, Immodium, 400 mg Ibuprofen are a soldiers best friend; I took a 4 day pass in Qatar (google it) enjoyed my time, and came back to a behind schedule project; spent the month of April and 18 hr days getting caught up on project; listened and watched as Abby and the girls each got colds and sinus infections galore, many times all three at once, including Abby losing her voice; started and completed a townhome renovation project, with Abby as the foreman, Abby’s dad as the lead construction man, and many family,friends, and contractors pitching in to complete the 1 month renovation of our townhome so we could get new renters in it; participated in a Army Brigade turnover of duties from the New Jersey National Guard to the Wisconsin National Guard for the support the International Zone in Iraq; conducted my own turnover a week later with my relief (and my new best friend!).

Shortly I will be posting a video and a magazine highlighting some of my experiences here in the IZ to help celebrate the end of the deployment, but stayed tuned for future blogs, and feel free to email me any time (joseph.j.keller@gmail.com).

Well that is all I have time for, gotta finishing packing ! :)

Take care everyone and God bless.

Joe

Coming through the valley of the deployment

Well friends it seems like it has been quite a bit of time since my last blog and I thought I would open up with bit of an explanation. This is not meant to be an excuse, only a means to share this deployment experience with you in a manner that you might understand.

A number of things come to mind when I try and figure out why I haven't written more, I was rather enjoying chronicling the experience the first three months of the deployment but then I believe I reached the valley of the deployment at about 4 months in. For those that have never been separated from home for long periods of time this is the point where the newness of the experience, and the excitement of all the new challenges begins to fade and time seems to drag on. Now you are experiencing the same thing day in and day out, and thoughts of being back home or missing the girls seem to cause time only to go slower. As most also know you face the frustrations of being separated from your wife who is dealing with all the normal crisis at home by herself such as two kids and herself sick at the same time, broken washing machines, and normal family emergencies; as well as the frustrating bureaucracies that all big organizations have put in place to prevent anything useful from occurring. So each day for the past few months it seems like there is not much I am interested in "reliving" out on the blog .... and so it goes procrastination sets in and I have waited until now to write you all once again.

The good news:

Abby and I can see the light at the end of this deployment. With about two months remaining we are in the home stretch, and we are happy to say God has seen us through the valley, and despite some low moments we know we have grown stronger as a family because of this experience.

So what questions might you all be wondering? Here are a few questions answered that may shed some more light on what has been going on daily here for me.

1. So what do you do there everyday?

O.K. my job is essentially in construction management. We hire contractors of all sorts to come and renovate, build, repair, buildings and utility infrastructure for the International Zone (IZ) in Baghdad. The transition of handing the IZ back over to the Government of Iraq is in full swing, and as a result we are consolidating many of the commands that reside here into a few locations that will remain for at least the next two years. I have had the pleasure of working with all kinds of contractors from small local women owned and operated contractors that have 12-14 people and larger American/Iraqi owned business that have hundreds of employees. In both cases it is always interesting, as the skill level and methods of construction in Iraq are much different than we are used to back in the states. For example, wood is not readily available in Iraq, however sand, mortar and brick is, so just about everything you build is with brick and mortar. Many of the buildings we are renovating are part of Sadaams palaces and the rooms are over sized with many bathrooms. Our job is to convert these buildings into office spaces and therefore we spend a bit of time, and a lot of brick mortar, plaster and paint converting the spaces. The workers are mostly Iraqi people, though we have mixed in some other foreign nations from the Philippines and India mainly. The day to day work is mostly tracking contractor progress, approving engineering designs, or material specifications, or dealing with the complicated security requirements for getting the workforce into the international zone and onto the bases to do the work. Truth be told, I love the project management stuff, but hate the increased bureaucracy that comes from being in Iraq. It feels few things happen out here very easily or quickly, and with me patience has always been a resource I am short on.

2. What is happening in Iraq?

Boy I am not really sure how to answer this one, because I wonder what everyone's perspective is back home. Since the inauguration, it definitely feels like everyone has moved on from the whole Iraq thing, as if it is a over already. I realize Obama has proclaimed our exit dates and that is a good thing, however it feels like we have the same number of people where I am working and no indication of the draw down. Now I work mostly in the civil relations portion and not the security/military operations part of Iraq which explains most of it. But I honestly feel that we have been here so long, and become so comfortable at being here, that many organizations just are continuing on as if we will be here another 5 years. This is a little jaded opinion I realize, but I more commentary on how it is hard to get a large organization to turn from one direction to another quickly. I have faith that in time (withing the next 6-12 months) things will slowly start to turn about and we will see continued pull back and reductions here.

What I have observed of the turnover though has been good. As we turnover the role of security to the Iraqi's they have done a good job and despite some frustrations with how they do business different than us, the level of violence seems to be about the same (low).

3. What will you do when you get back?

Ahh, something to look forward too. That is a critical peace to a successful deployment, always having something you are looking forward to. Abby and I have experienced post deployment challenges before and something we both know is that it takes time to readjust to the family being back together again. I will likely take about two - three weeks off work when I return and just stay at home getting acquainted with the family, and off course catching up on the all the "Lost" episodes I have missed. Abby and I will likely slip away at least one weekend to get for a belated anniversary weekend and some relaxing hotel. But the big plan is for July when my mom and sister come out with the family for a week and a half of family time. I greatly look forward to that.

Other than that I look forward to starting my new job in November, back at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. (Yeah! another couple years in paradise).


Well friends and family, I hope you found this blog entertaining, I will make some attempts to keep the writing up and perhaps even posting some more pictures.

Take care everyone, and God bless.

Joe

New Home, New boss.

Well everyone, it is been about another month since I have last wrote. Things are good here, just really busy as everyone is dealing with the transition of the International Zone over to the Government of Iraq. We have moved from our old home at the Old Embassy to a new location as part of the transition process. The good news is I still have a bed and shower everyday and relatively good working conditions. We also have new boss. I will refrain from any comment on the oath of office out of respect for the office and the pressure of the moment. Needless to say as me and my office mate Leo stayed to watch the inauguration at the office, we were both proud Americans, and hopeful for the future of the country. More to follow on how that transition changes any of the transition we are doing out here.

I can honestly say it has gotten busier now that the holiday’s have past, and it has helped time pass much quicker out here. We have lots of renovation projects in the works, as we continue to move and consolidate various commands out here, and offers plenty of time to practice all the engineering and project management skills I have learned over the years in the Navy, and in the shipyard.

My office mate Leo and I have had a great time working together, we have a lot in common. He is in the Army … and I where Army clothes now ! Just kidding, he is actually a northern Cal kid, grew up in San Jose, joined the Army, became a Dallas cop, and is now a DEA agent. He is also a class of 1989 high school grad, so we have the same taste in cool 80's music, which by the way can now be classified classic rock! He is a re-activated Army guy who was called up out of the inactive ready reserve to support the mission here. I told him the other day that God really must have a mission for me with the Filipino people because he has placed so many in my life: from my roommate in college and best man at my wedding Noly, to my wife Abby, and now Leo! So we spend our days asking ourselves why his people love to sing Karaoke so much, why my people can’t really dance.

I will try and write more frequently to get you some Baghdad stories and what life is like here. If you have any request on what you would like to know or hear about , please send them , it will give me some good topics to write about (within limits of information security of course).

Well, hope everyone is having a happy new year, looking forward to seeing everyone back home soon enough.

Joe