Electronic Gremlin

Since i have been back from leave everything that i have touched or been around that is electronic has died or come to life. Once i got back from leave i started to have problems with my laptop. At first it was the USB devices were not working and then the started to work again. Soon after that the my computer would only come on when it wanted to. I though that the computer was on its last leg, so i decided to backup all the data. I was right no less then two days later my laptop died. I had to call Toshiba and send it back to the states (which took 45 minutes on the phone and a 18 day travel time to get back).

That was only the start in less then 4 days everything started dying. Both of my external hard drives died and when i say died i mean worked one minute then starting ticking the next (not a good sound). We have computers in our vehicles which are one of the many forms of communication. The FBCB2 in my Vehicle was fried by the Como SGT while performing an upgrade. The Siren box that i used to help move traffic out of the way started to work when it wanted to. Sometimes it worked and other times it sounded like a screaming sheep (not a pleasant sound). Two weeks later i found out the problem was from a bad ground. On our way back from a mission my Go-Lights which i use to search the area around us started to become posted and started to turn on and off and move on there own also. Two days later my radios died and i was not able to transmit. ( Not a good thing in a combat zone). In all the gremlins lasted about three weeks, most of the problems were due to grounds or electronic devices failing. But it was still a long three weeks.

Muddy Mess Part 2

So its been raining on and off here again for the last few day and this shit sucks ass. I mean i it sucks. We had a mission to another FOB the other night and it started raining on the way there. It wasn't that bad at first then the rain started to come down like crazy. When we were tracking through the check points the truck was starting to slide sideways a little. The only good thing is that I'm in one of the better if not best off road vehicle that we have. So after playing the slip and slide a few times we made it to the FOB. Once in the gate they asked us to part the vehicles on the side of the road. The mine roller that was in front of me turned off of the road and started to slide off into a ditch. Soon after it did. Once in the ditch the truck moved back and forth like a fish out of water trying to get out of its trap. Finally after a few minutes of moving back and forth the truck managed to break free of its muddy trap. The rain continued most of the next day which made the ride back just as fun as the ride there.

Home

So they put out the information the other day that we should be back in the states and in our homes by mid May. That was the best news that i have been given since we got here. Ever though we are stating to gear down and get ready to go home the next 10 weeks here will be the hardest and most dangerous. Te first two months and the last two are normally the hardest.

We still have a few months to go and since i am one of the lead instructor. My crew and i will be on the road until the last mission. Which sucks, but what ever it takes to get out of here. Soon i will start trying to make the plans for when i get home and back to work (something i'm looking forward to). I'm sure Sarah Adam or Rick will plan a party somewhere for the big homecoming. Please guys limit the amount of drinks its been a long time.

Muddy Mess

So we all though that the rainy season had missed us. Well that was a stupid thought. Today it rained i mean rained for the first time since i have been here and it sucks. Its been raining for almost two days and the ground is like a swamp. There is mud everywhere and it just sucks. Its like walking in mud, but not the normal mud. This stuff is slippery and it sticks to everything and everything sticks to it. I mean you walk through the mud then step on some rocks and now you have a ton of rocks stuck to the bottom of your feet. It just sucks so bad. The mud also gets on and all over everything. Ok enough of that. I do have to say it would be a red necks dream to be here during the rainy season.

Back in the suck

So life is starting to get back to normal. have been back a little more then a week now and there are no real changes to whats been going on. The only big difference is that we are working more at night then during the day right now. My soldiers were glade to see me back which was a good thing, but being back does suck. We will be spending the next few weeks getting my truck back in order. Since i was not here for three weeks its been pretty much a loner vehicle and other people have been using it. There are only a few things that need to be fixed here and there, then back to normal.
Things are starting to get hotter to the north of us. I am pretty sure most people have been following the craziness in the city of Mosul which is a few miles north of here. It seems like the enemy took a few months of during the winter months but things are starting to pick up a little again. Anyway all is good here its just strange being back, kinda like i was never home in the first place.

Leave

It was good to go home for a few days to see everyone. Sorry i didn't get to see you all, but time was limited. The adventure to get back here was just that. It started with me getting on a plane at Q-West and setting in the PAX terminal for about 4 hours waiting on the plane to land. We got into Kuwait at about 9pm local time, which was not too bad. Then we had to have all of these briefings on drinking and driving, domestic violence and bull like that. After the move I turned in my combat equipment to the warehouse and we went to find our room. The tent that was assigned to us in the tent city was full. So me and my fellow members of Delta company banded together to get in the same tent. So finally we get a place to sleep and then I thought it was a good idea to go to the only McDonald's in the Middle East. (Which was good at the time but I paid dearly for it later). So finally I went to bed with a few bathroom runs during the night. We got back to the terminal at about 730 watched another video and received our itineraries for our flights back to the states. They gave us about four our off until we had to be on lock down.
The lock down process was another joke. They had us all line up outside of the out processing building, and then we moved inside for about 4 hours. There was some delay with naval customs. After we were corralled out of the PAX center. They moved us to naval customs. Naval customs was no joke. Everything that we had was searched. They made everyone pull all of the contents of each bag out and separate it. While this is going on there is an inspector watching you? Everything is X-rayed twice just to insure that you are not trying to hide anything. After they destroyed my bags and everything in it we went to the holding area. The holding area was a place that had razor wire around the fence that out lined the area. This was so that there were no people trying to go AWOL and leave the country. We sat in the holding area for about an hour then were lined up outside to get on the bus. The bus ride was about two hours to Kuwait City were we boarded a plane to come back.

The plane ride sucked. Imagine being in one of those TV commercials and you’re the little guy stuck between two big guys, well that was me. I am not a little guy either. So the first leg of our plane ride was from Kuwait to Germany which was ok besides the fact I couldn't’t move at all. It took us about five hours to get there from Kuwait. After we landed there was a crew change and we were all reminded that we are not allowed to drink or purchase alcohol during the trip back. So we sat in a closed off terminal for about 30 minutes, then back on the plane. We left German and headed back to the states. The flight from German to the U.S. was just as bad as the flight there. Anyway we landed in the states about 13 hours later.
Once we were off the plane. We were directed through costumes again and then to the ticket counter. My bags were x-rayed for the third time and I headed to my planes gate. Well the rest is pretty easy to figure out.

Once i got home i had to do a little shopping. I went to the store and got a few new pair of shoes and some cloths. It was kind strange being around all these people and not having to worry about anything. The days went by fast. I spent most of the first week hanging out with friends and driving my car. New Years was very low key. We just hung out at momma cook's house and had some wine. Most of week one was spent in DEL. We headed to Sayre Pa to do a little car shopping. Which was fun (Sarah wants to get a hybrid). Spent that weekend in Sayre and then headed back to Albany on Sunday. The rest of the week was low key went to a few movies and then on Thursday i flew back to say my last good byes. I stopped by 14 to see everyone, but of course most people were on runs. Beth i tried to see you guys and i waited around the station for a few but you got sucked into the black hole of New Castle County. I had dinner with Megan and JC then headed back to Chestertown to say bye to my family. I flew back into Albany on Friday and the next two days flew by. Sunday morning i returned to Atlanta and flew back to the suck. We got back to Q-West until three day later.

The New Ride

SO i found this car on the Internet while i was in Iraq. If any of you know me then you might think its trouble. Sarah's first impression in the car was "I like the Lancer better" . The car is fast and three times as fast as the lancer. At first I wanted to buy an EVO or WRX STI when i got back, then I thought everyone and thier mother has those cars. So i started searching for other AWD cars and I found this one on Auto trader. I sent my brother and dad 5 hours away to Virgina to pickup this car. That's a story on its self. When I got home on leave I had the car registered and tagged. Needless to say my first drive in the car was very slow!! Yeah I know you people are like sure Marcus slow, but I have to say the car throw me off for a second. Anyway while I was home I got to drive my new toy for a few days which was great. So to give you an idea of what it can do i will list whats been done to it.

1990 Eagle Talon TSI AWD turbo. AC, PM, PS, AM/FM Sat capable CD player.

ENGINE: Mitsubishi 4G63 turbo 4-cyl. Rebuilt only 6,000 miles ago after spun balance shaft bearing. Stock crank, 0.020 over block, no balance shafts, Ross 8.5:1 forged pistons, forged Eagle rods, Mitsu metal HG, ARP rods and head hardware, SS exhaust valves, 5-angle valve job, new stems and seals porting, lots of epoxy, stock cams, Fidanza gears, Moroso oil pan, coated main and rod bearings, new front case.

MORE MODS: EIII16G (22 psi on street, 12 psi on track), ported 2G manny Jethot coated, SST O2 housing with 38mm Tial into exhaust, 3" turbo back, K&N, S-AFC on MAP, 2G MAS, FIC 650's, Supra pump, Aeromotive FPR, Greddy EGT, Autometer boost, Spa design digital oil temp, oil pressure, fuel pressure and H20 temp gauges, blitz turbo timer, oil catch can, Wideband O2, tiny battery, 2-stage H20 inject, big cooler, aluminum radiator water/ methonal injection system.

SUSPENSION: F Strut brace, KONI yellows, DSS coilovers, 400F/350R with GCC CC plates, rear toe eliminator, custom rear camber adjusters, RMDSM rear bar, ES bushings throughout, 4-bolt rear, 13" Baer brakes in front with PFC 01 pads, all SST lines (incl clutch), Konig Tantrum 17 X 8, Kumho Ecsta MX 245/45ZR17

Now I know most people are like what in the world is that but for my tuner and car fans you know what all of that means.