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Okay, so I’ve had enough vacation time over the past month to successfully reflect upon my six months in Iraq as a broadcaster/reporter/photojournalist/editor/technician/State Department whipping boy for the American Forces Network.
Thoughts and observations, in no particular order:
The heat became deathly intense right after I flew out. My last day in Baghdad (April 29), the mercury touched 85. Now it’s regularly 110-120 degrees there.
There was a marked improvement in the stories I shot in Iraq as opposed to stuff I shot before I deployed. Just look at the videos.
There was no such thing as leadership in the 206th BOD. It’s the place to go if you wanna chat on a webcam all day and try to deny an airman his end of tour award.
I met some high-ranking American politicians (senators, congressmen, top military brass), some neat Iraqi journalists (I talked to one guy about my faith and I was surprised I didn’t get beheaded in public), world-class athletes (Iraqi national soccer team), and other really neat people that I can’t remember, but they were awesome anyway.
Though the 206th had no leadership, there were a couple of people there who I learned a lot from that were true leaders of AFN Iraq. Thanks, SFC Collins and SSG Ritterby.
I don’t remember one thing about the weekly meetings MG Lynch held in the chapel.
It sucked to hear helicopters constantly, mortar fire every now and then…..noise was constant, and on another note, privacy was at a premium and was VERY hard to get.
That’s it for now, I’m sure there’s more, but suffice it to say I’m glad to be home and God bless America.
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