Holy Week in Iraq

After talking with Linda over the phone last night (yesterday morning your time), things got crazy. Remember how I said we haven't been rocketed in a while? Not anymore. Not once, but twice last night. Trigger and I shared our bunker with 3 enlisted soldiers. I even gave them some of the peanut butter and jam stuff from one of my care packages. Someone had secured some "real bread"! Fantastic.


I've been flying every other day for a while, but now it's up to 6 days a week. I'm not complaining. But I'm starting the day with (1) blood pressure medicine, (2) baby aspirin (the Flight Surgeon recommends for my old guy heart!), (3) Claritin (because this place is a dustbowl and it's killing my allergies), (4) a mega-pill of Ibuprofen ("Pilot Candy" as they call it), and then...ta da... (5) any cookies I can find. I eat lunch later after prepping the helicopter and completing any paperwork before we take offf. Missions are usually 4 to 6 hours, which means time in the cockpit is usually 5 to 7. My legs have a hard time moving after we finally get out. We refuel usually 2-3 times during a flight and pickup and dropoff passengers all over southern Iraq. Tell Pat I got to visit his old base, Taji, and eat at the same dining facility he did. The Easter decorations looked like an elementary school cafeteria! Fantastic!

Speaking of Easter, I'll be flying everyday during Holy Week, except Monday. That, of course, includes Pascha (Easter Sunday). (Note from Linda: one of the pilots offered to take Chris' flight on Sunday so he could have Pascha off. Nice!) I'm still trying to figure out where the Eastern Orthodox Priest is stationed. Maybe I can get a blessing. I sure could use one. The time is very busy, which is good. Because it's going by fast.

Sorry, gotta run. I have another briefing. We take off in 2 1/2 hours. I've already finished prepping our helicopter and printing and loading all the electronics and radios, so my next important project is Lunch!

As the Orthodox say during Pascha, "Christ is risen!" "Truly He is risen!"

Miss you all very much and love you all even more,

Christopher-Michael