Prison is awesome! I mean deployment.

So here we are. Northern Iraq, the last hot bed of tension in Iraq. We have over 3 major ethnic groups, 12 different versions of similar religious beliefs sitting on a fault line of, probably the richest oil reserves in the world. So, I mean, hey what could go wrong. Here we are in the fight. Living everyday like its our last. Taking care of each other, watching our brothers back. Keeps my medics busy. Here is a little picture to give you an idea of some of the cool stuff we have gotten ourselves into.

Just kidding!!! Its more like being in prison let me help explain it through pictures!

Some of my medics getting there crunch on! Its kinda like being in prison. Thats what we need, a bunch of ripped men carried weapons with testosterone overload!

Playing basketball is always a good stress relief. As long as a fight doesn't break out (we fight more on the court than out in the field, Haley likes that part).

This is our little work mule, literally. Between SSG Evans here and the gator they do alot of the day to day stuff that keeps this place running. Kinda like a grounds keeper.

Playing volleyball with a guard with a machine gun standing watch. Again like prison.

I just wanted to take a picture of my ambulance. I think people would actually get out of the way if you saw this barreling down the road at you.

Doc Manson being busy as ever in the prison infirmary, I mean Battalion Aid Station

Here is the finished product of the rec room. If we are good we get an extra hour of TV time. No really this is my MWR (mental wellness recreation) center I built right before leave. We got a phone booth, bean bag pillows, elevated couches and.....



.....and of course the free internet (this is a minimal security prison), and ping pong. Why is it there is always ping pong???


But really, we are enjoying a some what of a peaceful time here thanks to all our brothers and sisters who have sacrificed time, family and blood to give us this gift. As we start to close down facilities and retrograde equipment back to the states we are reminded of those things. But no really it really is kind of like prison. But at least I'm getting paid right?!