Hello again from the wonderful (cough, cough, sorry another sand storm) State of Kuwait. I am a little late getting this update out to you all. It has been a busy week and looking back I can not think of anything special that happed. We are all just trudging forward toward the date we all come home. At times it seems so far away and then as the days tick by, the time only gets nearer. Everyday we put in the history books is one day closer to our goal.
CONTINUED IN THE COMMENTS LINK JUST UNDER THIS POST. PHOTOS at FLICKR.com ...
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MATT's Letter CONTINUES: (A SAILOR IN THE SAND) We did have another event up at the port with the local refinery. A couple of us were up there wiring up a transfer switch for one of our larger generators when we heard a loud hissing sound. I have attached a few pictures of the stacks that have a constant flame but this day it was larger than usual.
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The odd thing is that we were up working on installing a manual transfer switch so we could transfer the power from “shore” power supplied from the local power gird to a 60 KW generator without having to rewire the system each time. As we were finishing up the project, the local power went out which I can only assumed cause the refineries to vent the excess material up the flame tower. It made for a noisy and nervous time for some for the people on watch. All of us still remember when one of the refineries had an accident and cause an explosion that rumbled the neighborhood. This one didn’t seem to be that serious.
Anyway, we fired up the generator and switched the load to keep everything running. As I told our unit’s Commanding Officer, we anticipated the power outage was going happen that day so that is why we were working on the transfer switch. I do not think he bought it for a minute but the ET’s (Electronics Technicians) in my shop looked great for having an answer for the power outage. I guess that is what most of us do around here is just our jobs, day in and day out. Just do our jobs with the knowledge that we will be going home soon.
Today marks the anniversary of the liberation of Kuwait by collation forces back in 1991. The Kuwaitis have a two day celebration to mark the occasion. It has been crazy to drive on the roads because of all the people. It has caused some serious automobile accidents lately. Just yesterday, I saw one where three bodies were laid out on the side of the road. Not a good site to see. I am just glad that none of our guys and gals has been involved in any of the accidents. Keep you fingers crossed.
Well, that is about all the news I have from Kuwait. As always, keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Take care and I will be back next week.
11 weeks, 10 hours, 49 minutes and 20 seconds.
VR,
ETC Matthew Settle
NCWRON 34
MIUWU-114
APO AE 09337
And the week before that.. See Fire Fighting training photos i flickr::
Here is to another week in Kuwait recorded in the history books. Things here are moving along so most of us are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The weather here is getting to the comfortable stage, clear skies and 82 degrees today. I am sitting here in my office with the door open so I can enjoy the nice warm weather. I would be doing so but as I type this there is a large semi-trailer parked outside with its engine running. There goes the peace and quite. J Well at least it is not the truck that cleans out the little brown houses. Well, that would be the port-a-johns.
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This week was more of what happened last week but I did get a chance to arrange some fire fighting training for two of the unit’s watch sections. The Fire Department personnel at Camp Spearhead (Sea Port) were kind enough to allow us to use some fire extinguishers to put out some small pan fires of a mixture of MOGAS and diesel. It was a great experience for everyone that had not used a fire extinguisher before. Most but not all Sailors in the Navy have had some kind of fire fighting training. But there were a few people that had never used a dry chemical fire extinguisher. Anyway, if nothing else it was a day that was different than the one before.
I will have to tell you that it has taken me two days to type out this weekly update. For some reason, there isn’t much information to pass along this week. Mostly, everyone here is doing well. Looking towards the future and knowing that the day we pack up and go home is nearing. So, I will say good bye for now. Take care and remember all of us in your thoughts and prayer.
13 weeks, 1 day, 15 hours, 7 minutes and 10 seconds
VR,
ETC Matthew Settle
NCWRON 34
MIUWU-114
APO AE 09337
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