The Journey Begins - Ft Benning & Ali Al Salem

First, let me dispel any myth about my writing skills; everything sounds good in my head as I write but the end product usually reads like a third grader composed it. So, my humble apologies right up front to those that read this blog.

I decided in early February 2008 to accept a position with L3 Communications - the job location in Iraq (specific location TBD). The reason was simple; I wanted to fulfill a need to participate in the war effort before the opportunity passed me by. This decision was made with the self awareness of not looking back 10 to 20 years down the road and saying, "what if". Yes, I served in the Army but I never felt proud of the accomplishments I made or the tours of duty or missions I participated in. So, in short I already felt a void that needed to be filled.

I completed the necessary paperwork and other prerequisites that L3 required. Certainly there were some hoops to jump through. Also, there were the usual family considerations that were dealt with. However, those issues are not the focus of this blog; rather I want to comment on my experiences here documenting the details that usually escape one's memory over time.
One of the main hoops to jump through as a contractor to get into Iraq is to pass through the Conus Replacement Center (CRC) at Fort Benning, Georgia. A fun few days of paperwork, briefings and other items all leads to getting on a contracted plane (awarded to the lowest bidder mind you) and flying to Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait. The CRC may be a shock for those who do not have military service - in short the old adage of "hurry up and wait" is the norm for this process. Waiting in line with around 400 people or so becomes a necessity to eat, obtain gear, move to a location, etc, etc.

The CRC process usually goes as such: fly in on a Friday, start processing on Saturday and fly out on Thursday. Of course my stay lasted longer - we flew out on Tuesday having spent the extra weekend there. The declaration of bankruptcy by several airlines delayed our departure. We were housed over the weekend in an the Freedom Hall airport terminal - sleeping on cots, watching large screen TVs and eating meals that were brought in.

The flight to Kuwait was a pleasant one for the most part. We flew for around 7 to 8 hours into Shannon, Ireland. We had a small layover and then headed on into Kuwait - a flight that lasted around 6 hours. From the Kuwait we were bused into Ali Al Salem - which is about an hour bus ride from the airport. Ali Al Salem is a transition point for people moving in and out of theatre - it is also a shit hole that the Army is famous for putting together. Coming back from Germany in 1997 I stayed at a placed called Babenhausen (sic) and I thought the conditions there were deplorable. Ali Al Salem makes Babenhausen look like a resort.

First, the process once getting off the bus was a chaotic unorganized nightmare. Mind you I shouldn't complain but arriving into the base around 2300 and stumbling around after a 16 hours plus flight wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Basically, we were provided a small briefing that was heard by only a few people. We unloaded our bags from the back of a truck and then herded through 3 tents filling out paperwork and getting items stamped, etc. The "line" way of life continued. Eventually we were able to obtain our quarters for the duration of our stay - a bunk (with no linen or pillow) inside of a tent which houses 16 people.


Ali Al Salem is a 24 hour operation, so the lights never go out in your room. People are shuffling in and out at all hours of the day. There is no way to lock up your items and there are no creature comforts provided. Latrines are located away from your tent - in my case about 100 yards down a path past rows of tents. The latrines are filthy, smell horrible and are always busy. Granted, there is plenty of graffiti left on the bathroom stalls to occupy your time while using the toilet.

The shower facilities are next to the latrines in the same type of trailer. Their conditions are equally nasty - it strikes you early on that you must use the bathroom in one trailer and then move to another to shower. Again, I must point out that in the Army there are times that a shower (any shower) is a luxury in itself! 

Of course Ali Al Salem has a small area that has AAFES facilities - there is a Subway, McDonald's and other food places.  There are an assortment of other shops to buy phones, surf the net or buy a rug.  The dining facility (DFAC) serves up good food (I had steak and lobster once during my stay at Ali Al Salem).  There is an MWR tent, fitness workout area, USO stage and building.  In short you can find things to do while you are staying in Ali Al Salem but you still want to make your stay here as short as possible.  Get in, get out and get on with your life!

All branches pass through Ali Al Salem - it is reserved for the smaller units, or individual troops passing through. Of course all civilians and contractors go through here. The process is straightforward enough: arrive, book flight to Baghdad, get on plane and leave! And like thousands before me I made it through the process flying into Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) on 8 April 2008 aboard an Air Force C-17. My attire consisted of a flak vest and Kevlar (helmet) but I'm really not sure why - the Air Force even activates the "red" lights to indicate the war zone air space.

So, that is a short but somewhat complete overview of the beginning of this journey. As time permits I'll add in more details but this at least provides me a starting point.