In Iraq
Well, I'm in Iraq, most of you who read this also received the email I sent out, so I'm just going to post it here because I don't feel like retyping all that stuff:
Hello Everyone,
As the saying goes, my boots just hit the ground, around 4 am Iraq time, which is 8pm (the previous day) your time. Iraq is 8 hours ahead of the Eastern US, and as I write this it is 11 pm my time, so I haven’t been here for a whole day yet.
To give you a brief rundown of my trip, I left Cherry Point around 9 am, stopped in Newfoundland (why I don’t know), left there, stopped in Ireland, then Budapest, Hungary and then Kuwaiti City, Kuwait. The temperature in Kuwait hit me like a ton of bricks, it was 125 when we got off the plane, and then we bused to Camp Victory, Kuwait to wait out a flight to Al-Asad, Iraq, which is the closest thing I’ll have to a home base for the next 6-7 months. Camp Victory was super hot but it was a good rest period. All’s I did was call home as much as I could, sleep, read and basically just chill out. We left for Iraq Friday morning, (approximately 1am our time) out of Sali-al-Salem air base in Kuwait and got into Iraq, as I already said, around 4. It is hot out here, but nothing like Kuwait, it’s at least 15 degrees cooler and after acclimatizing to Kuwait the heat doesn’t bother me at all.
Today I took a nap, and after that just got used to the base. It’s really weird, this used to be an Iraqi Air Force base so a bunch of old MiGs (a fighter jet Saddam bought from the Russians in the 1980s) are lying around, some of them completely destroyed. Today I saw a concrete bunker with a crashed MiG in it, and I have to admit it was pretty cool. I’ve only been here a few hours, but I can already tell this place is gigantic. It’s without a doubt the largest military installation I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen a reasonable amount. Tomorrow I get an official tour from the outgoing public affairs people, and I’m hoping to hit a movie stand we affectionately refer to as the “Hajji DVDs”. Basically, these Iraqi dudes pirate movies and sell them here the same day they come out in theaters in the US, at a cost of $2.50 apiece, other than that I’m going to continue adjusting and hopefully I’ll get to work Monday.
Communications out here are better than I expected, and anonymous patriotic Americans send us enough phone cards that we can make a phone call per day without having to pay anything. It’s a nice thing to have, though when I go to FOBs (forward operating bases) I doubt things will be as nice and I might not even have email, so I’m trying to take advantage of being able to talk to people while I’m here, so hopefully I can coordinate a time through email to talk to each of you, even if for just a few minutes, and then call you.
My mailing address is:
Cpl. James D. Hamel
MWHS-2 DET A PAO
Unit 78092
FPO AE 09502-8092
I don’t really have any requests about what to send, so don’t feel obligated to send anything. I will however, tell you what not to send, because they are in such abundance: phone cards, bug spray and sun tan lotion. What I’d really like to see most is simple letters, something tangible to remind me of home. I’m also looking forward to all the children’s art work I’ll be receiving, because if my time in boot camp and other places has taught me anything, it’s that Bonnie Rose, Hannah, Kameron and now maybe Meghan and Emma love to send me drawings, and I love to receive them.
I would appreciate if you all would respond to the email as quickly as possible, as I’m sure I made mistakes in typing at least one person’s email address and I kind of want to gauge who exactly received this, so I can fix the problem.
That’s all for now, I’m a little homesick, but mostly happy to be here and finally contribute, even if only a small part, to our country’s mission. I’m excited about getting out of here and interacting with the Iraqis, and seeing what life is like from their eyes. Don’t worry about me, I’m fine and am not worried about myself, so you shouldn’t be either (this means you, Aunt Wee and Lindsay). I hope to hear from you all soon and will continue praying that all is well at home and thinking about you all often.
God Bless and Semper Fidelis
From Iraq,
JD
That was it, if I don't have your email address, then post a comment on here and give it to me, otherwise, email me at hameljd@acemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil
Take care everyone.
Hello Everyone,
As the saying goes, my boots just hit the ground, around 4 am Iraq time, which is 8pm (the previous day) your time. Iraq is 8 hours ahead of the Eastern US, and as I write this it is 11 pm my time, so I haven’t been here for a whole day yet.
To give you a brief rundown of my trip, I left Cherry Point around 9 am, stopped in Newfoundland (why I don’t know), left there, stopped in Ireland, then Budapest, Hungary and then Kuwaiti City, Kuwait. The temperature in Kuwait hit me like a ton of bricks, it was 125 when we got off the plane, and then we bused to Camp Victory, Kuwait to wait out a flight to Al-Asad, Iraq, which is the closest thing I’ll have to a home base for the next 6-7 months. Camp Victory was super hot but it was a good rest period. All’s I did was call home as much as I could, sleep, read and basically just chill out. We left for Iraq Friday morning, (approximately 1am our time) out of Sali-al-Salem air base in Kuwait and got into Iraq, as I already said, around 4. It is hot out here, but nothing like Kuwait, it’s at least 15 degrees cooler and after acclimatizing to Kuwait the heat doesn’t bother me at all.
Today I took a nap, and after that just got used to the base. It’s really weird, this used to be an Iraqi Air Force base so a bunch of old MiGs (a fighter jet Saddam bought from the Russians in the 1980s) are lying around, some of them completely destroyed. Today I saw a concrete bunker with a crashed MiG in it, and I have to admit it was pretty cool. I’ve only been here a few hours, but I can already tell this place is gigantic. It’s without a doubt the largest military installation I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen a reasonable amount. Tomorrow I get an official tour from the outgoing public affairs people, and I’m hoping to hit a movie stand we affectionately refer to as the “Hajji DVDs”. Basically, these Iraqi dudes pirate movies and sell them here the same day they come out in theaters in the US, at a cost of $2.50 apiece, other than that I’m going to continue adjusting and hopefully I’ll get to work Monday.
Communications out here are better than I expected, and anonymous patriotic Americans send us enough phone cards that we can make a phone call per day without having to pay anything. It’s a nice thing to have, though when I go to FOBs (forward operating bases) I doubt things will be as nice and I might not even have email, so I’m trying to take advantage of being able to talk to people while I’m here, so hopefully I can coordinate a time through email to talk to each of you, even if for just a few minutes, and then call you.
My mailing address is:
Cpl. James D. Hamel
MWHS-2 DET A PAO
Unit 78092
FPO AE 09502-8092
I don’t really have any requests about what to send, so don’t feel obligated to send anything. I will however, tell you what not to send, because they are in such abundance: phone cards, bug spray and sun tan lotion. What I’d really like to see most is simple letters, something tangible to remind me of home. I’m also looking forward to all the children’s art work I’ll be receiving, because if my time in boot camp and other places has taught me anything, it’s that Bonnie Rose, Hannah, Kameron and now maybe Meghan and Emma love to send me drawings, and I love to receive them.
I would appreciate if you all would respond to the email as quickly as possible, as I’m sure I made mistakes in typing at least one person’s email address and I kind of want to gauge who exactly received this, so I can fix the problem.
That’s all for now, I’m a little homesick, but mostly happy to be here and finally contribute, even if only a small part, to our country’s mission. I’m excited about getting out of here and interacting with the Iraqis, and seeing what life is like from their eyes. Don’t worry about me, I’m fine and am not worried about myself, so you shouldn’t be either (this means you, Aunt Wee and Lindsay). I hope to hear from you all soon and will continue praying that all is well at home and thinking about you all often.
God Bless and Semper Fidelis
From Iraq,
JD
That was it, if I don't have your email address, then post a comment on here and give it to me, otherwise, email me at hameljd@acemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil
Take care everyone.
posted by JD at 4:32 AM
17 Comments:
Semper Fidelis
Were you drinking Mountain Dew while writing this?
Can't believe you pirated movies, smh
What a sad loser. Buying pirated movies? Piracy is not a victimless crime.
So, you basically went to Iraq on our dime so you could buy pirated movies and write articles?
So, thanks for your service. But you're still a boot-licking a'hole.
What TF dude, American is American with or without kids. Another what TF dude, support your wife
This is Matrixlord212 and you want to tell me that my PlayStation 5... doesn't get sick? Check this out.
So the PlayStation 5 doesn't get sick? Alright. Like you know what the fuck you're talking about. Stupid fuck. Oh look at this! It can't sync! Oh, you mean I can't do shit until this is done? Wow! Wow, so you're saying that PlayStation 5 doesn't get sick? Look at this shit! Know what you're talking about before you open your fuckin' mouth, obviously, because PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 both get sick.
Look at this shit, look at it struggling. Strungling to try to find answers why it can't sync with that fuckin' game that doesn't have the trophy list up. Look at it struggling, look at- you can't do literally *shit* until this is done. Look at it. Look at it go crazy. Crazy like a motherfucker.
So yeah, I don't need to read fuckin' articles to know how my PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 work, 'cause look at this shit. Look at this shit. Unbelievable. Take carebye for now.
This the couch guy?
Everyone is saying this weird guy should not be allowed anywhere near the office of vice president. He thinks a 10 year old child who gets pregnant by sexual assault is inconvenienced and should have a rapists baby. WTF is wrong with you? Seriously? If you have a uterus or love anyone who has one, don’t vote for him.
no, that would be racist
What’s up guys it’s me JD Vance, my favorite part of the election so far was when I said “it’s Vancing time!” And then Vanced all over the place.
JD Vance, JD Hamel...doesn't matter what you call him. A piece of shit will always stink.
JD Vance is a fat-faced man baby with titties. he should've died in Iraq with the rest of the republicans
So JD went to Iraq to watch pirated movies, play games and write a few PR Articles. Doesn't sound like he did much in the Marines to Vietnam combat vet. Tim Walz did a hell of a lot more for his country.
He was desperate to have an excuse not to blow Peter Thiel IG
How many couches did you fuck over there?
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