Chris' Deployment Journal

The coveted AC unit, right near my bunk. It not only keep us cool but drowns out the ambient chit-chat, music, and other squad's racket with white noise.

New AC units sprung up all over suddenly, contrary to what we'd been told about not being able to get any at all (typical). (And thankfully an additional AC unit was installed in the gym too.) But with all this added power drain, the generators started to fail. One of them, after probably two years of continuous use, blew out some of its piston rings. We picked up a replacement from the patrol base that closed down (the base in Chemical Ali's old pad - see photos below) but that one is just as old and nearly as worn out. The power started going off two to four times every HOUR, sometimes for up to an hour and a half. The Iraqi 'generator repair guy' became a regular fixture on our base.

Our leadership talked to the city power guys and found out that for a mere $700, we could have a dedicated power line, much like the hospital here has, for continuous city power (although who knows how reliable that might be, at least it's another option and might give the generators a rest). So they decided to move forward. First they were going to use our unit's pool of money for it. Then they apparently found out they couldn't so the NCO's pitched in to actually raise the money themselves and they came up with more than $700, cash in hand, ready to go. A trench was dug, a line was laid. Then the CO realized that the line could provide enough power to also power the houses in our neighborhood, which is certainly a nice gesture. The project was again delayed to put that part in place. Then the KRAB found out about the power line.

Since we didn't go through 'proper channels', they told us we couldn't get the power line. All this time, our power continued to constantly fluctuate (thank goodness laptops have internal batteries), infuriating all those who were watching movies on DVD players, guys playing on X-Boxes, people trying to read in the john, shave, post photos on blogs, chat with loved ones via Internet instant messenger, etc. The KRAB nixed the project, yet they have generators (some the size of tractor trailer trucks) and power to spare and never, to the best of my knowledge, have an outage.

The XO (Executive Officer, second in charge) went around the entire base and found breakers that weren't being utilized, asked everyone to turn down their AC to low, and cut what power he could. This included our hot water heater. In the middle of the day, this is no big deal as you'd probably want a cold shower anyway. And later in the day, the baking 110+ degree sun heat up the tank on the roof enough that you could have a warm shower. But cold morning showers are certainly no fun, as is trying to shave with cold water. But the outages started to get shorter at least.

Then we heard the power line would go through. Then it was stopped by the XO for some reason. Then it was going through and the NCO's again collected up money to pay for it. Then it was stopped. Then the NCO's were told they won't have to pay for it as the KRAB realized what public relations black eye that would result in. So it's a 'go', yet it's not. No wait, it's being put in tomorrow, no next week now, no wait, it's been cancelled again, no wait... As I type this, power continues to cut on/off, although the outages are usually are no more than ten minutes long now.
As for the dedicated city power, who knows? After all, I am but a mere Specialist 'Gun Monkey.' Now, I better hurry up and get this posted on the blog before the power cuts out again.