Another classmate swings through Bagram...

Peek-a-boo, where are you? We are exploring my camp, Camp Dragon. Ryan got me to finally walk around and see what is along the perimeter here. Since the rocket strike, I had been a bit weary about exploring to far from home. But in the light of day, we explored the fenceline of where the battle took place.

Then we got to jump up, and I mean you need a step ladder, into these huge MReps (that is what they call them). Classmates, mechanics, at Camp Atterbury were always talking about these rigs that they work on. Look how large the tires are!

Ryan just got his hair cut for the trip to Kabul, we are in the little New Zealanders area of my camp here. The green rig is one of the NZ soldiers trucks, see the fenceline (perimeter) in the background, we are only about 400 ft. from my b-hut.

Thank you Ryan for taking me exploring all over the base, I was more than happy to spend time running from PAX (passenger) fixed wing terminal to PAX helo terminal with you, getting you to where you had to be. So psyched you got to take a helo outta here, what an experience! Be safe in Kabul (pronounced Ka-bull, not Ka-bool) I know your talent won't be wasted!

Finally classmates appear in Bagram...

Michael Powers arrives to Bagram, and he found me! We spent 10 days in a classroom in Camp Atterbury, IN wondering where he would be offered a job. I knew I was coming here, but Mike didn't know where he would be going. How awesome to have him stationed here.

The reason he is in country, bless his heart, is because his son will soon be stationed in another province serving in operation enduring freedom. You've got to love a dad who will make such a scarafice to be near his son. He accepted a position in with the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce in Resource Management. I am looking forward to learning a lot more about what this war is actually costing us. Sounds like lakeside fireside chat for a later date. Welcome aboard Mike, so glad to have a buddy here.

Happy Birthday to me.....

This is a photo of my office, notice the sheet of orange (color) plastic table cloth on the wall being filled with family cards and letters from home. Soon this area will be filled with autographs and entertainment photos too. Notice the Seattle Sounders scarf on my chair and map of Afghanistan on the wall, and US wall map on the ceiling. What we need is a map of the world, in order for me to better plan my R&R. The desk on the right is my co-worker, Dan's, desk. He is on R&R.

Looking from my bed toward the door, blue in the reflection of the mirror is my bed. Black cloth is for draping in front of door to keep the light out. Badge ready to go, hanging on the lightswitch.AFN on TV, lap top on my lap, wall locker and wooden locker, two small plastic drawer chests, more than enough storage which includes tons of space under my bed (where the wheeled trunks are). Notice the Uncle Sam Joker hat! Past entertainers autographed photos come with the room.

Happy Birthday today, me sitting on my new bed, I need to use the trunk to step on to get up here. Pink shirt was a gift from Tracy & Caitlin. Thank you!! Notice a/c above me! That is what brings the smiles in such a dreadful environment.

I thought it would be appropriate today to better explain myself through the most recent reading provided by Birthdayalarm.com ......and if you didn't think you knew me very well, you will now.

This is perfectly stated, I couldn't have said it better myself. I know those who know me will be shaking their heads and laughing about it's truth.

How you approach life and how you appear to others....

You are always questioning and learning, and you seem young and alive no matter what your chronological age, for your mind is always alert, curious, flexible, and open to new experiences. You have a childlike enthusiasm for anything new and you learn easily, but you also get bored rather quickly. You can be something of a scatter brain, for you tend to have so many ideas and irons in the fire that it is hard to keep track of them all. You need and crave variety, change, mental stimulation and an active social life.

The Inner You...Your Real Motivation....

You are, in many ways, an eternal child. Your mind is bright, alert, curious, flexible, playful,, and always eager for new experiences and your attention span is often quite brief. You grasp ideas quickly and once your initial curiousity has been satisfied, you want to go on to something else. You crave frequent change, variety, meeting new situations and people.

What do you think? totally me, huh?

Well, today my boss did throw me a curve, I was evicted. My new cell block (as you saw in photos above) is ready for my habitation. I will now reside between two people, and have a third person at my feet. All separated by one piece of plywood. I am thankful for the privacy of the single room, and the amenities, but most especially for the storage space under my bed.

Although at dinner I was advised to put my mattress on the floor and put my storage above me, along with my kevlar vest. That was a creepy bit of advice, especially since there are bugs on my floor. If the rockets red glare, I might have to be comfortably not on the floor, sorry. But there is plenty of room to get down and under there, if necessary. Not going to happen daily.

Thank you Skip for the gift box full of bug getters for ants and scorpions; bug traps for roaches; and sticky tape for flies; I placed them all over the room. I also sprayed the exterior with RAID.

Most of all thank you for my new camera. I got a new Fujifilm XP camera that will take better photos in dust and even under water, cool! Can't wait to get under water! Thanks to for all of the snacks and goodies to eat and share with staff. Will be tough to share the smoked salmon.

I am just as close to work, and a bit closer to the latrine and showers, so no real complaints.

My birthday was memorable, and you'll all be happy to know I treated myself to ice cream at lunch! :)

Thank you for all of your birthday wishes and cards and packages. Much appreciated!!

Cheers and smiles!

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Observance...

Lei'd as we enter the Clamshell tent, what a welcoming smile! Love it !

Brigadier General Chinn spoke at the ceremony, he also stayed and even danced, all the way to the end of the party.

These two dancers were willing to strike a pose before heading to the dance floor to perform.

Decorating pineapples must have taken all day, the whole place was brought to you by USO and Oriental Trading Co.My plate of food, ribs, chicken, rice (didn't eat the rice), strawberries, and cantalope. Yummy.

Some of the male dancers, most of these photos were blurred, since they were shaking so fast.

Look how crowded the clamshell can get. Hope no fire marshalls are around, the stage show was enjoyed by a crowd with standing room only. Soldiers even climbed containers outside to gain a view from outside.

I liked this guys shirt, See all Evil, Hear all Evil, Kill all Evil ~ well said. I think he has his mission down.

Dancers worked hard perfecting dances, singing songs, playing ukelele, and breaking boards from all parts of the Pacific from Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

The volcano and the fruit and veggie trays were spectacularly displayed.

Notice the array of fresh fruit, you know this makes he happy; especially since I did not know this event included dinner.

Look how much work they put into the decorations...these were carved from foam and painted.

These dancers stopped for a quick photo before running to the stage.

First gift box arrives..

Yeah, the mail came today and finally something for me. One of the boxes that was stuffed with wonderful notes, cards and fantastic gifts was such a joy to unveil at work today. I am so happy to be the proud owner of two new polo shirts, brightly colored ~ thank you Caitlin! I am pleased as punch and was brought to tears with all of the lovely words of encouragement and love from my oh so many friends and relatives. Thank you John F. for the Sounders Scarf, it is awesome, and makes for a great decoration in my bland office. My boss loves all Seattle Sports and he had nothing from the Sounders yet, so we have added that team to the office decor, cool! Keep those cards and letters a coming, you only have to use a first class stamp, no extra postage necessary to mail overseas to an APO address. If you need my address, you will have to contact one of my family or friends, because I can't post it here, sorry! Going to watch "Memoirs or a Geisha" tonight ~ in celebration of Asian American History Month. What I find difficult though is that the voices and the mouths on television are about one minute off, making it difficult to follow. Only one of the other reminders that I am not in Kansas anymore.
Good night..

Cell block 6...not your Grandma's powder room..

(see steps leading to shower door)

bathroom jokes aside...can you imagine how interesting it must be to shower in CELL BLOCK 6. Yes, that is what I do daily, well almost daily. Imagine two containers (yes, the things you see driving down the highway being towed by an eighteen wheeler) stacked two high, the lower being the toilets, and the upper the showers. The toilet container stalls have block lettering on the wall behind the toilet paper that say WC1, WC2, WC3, etc. Water Closet? At least they flush and are clean; thanks to local nationals who clean twice daily these latrines. Sinks have running water, non-potable of course, but at least both hot and cold! I first visit this welcomed luxury before making my way around the corner and up the "scary" stairs (ones that you can see through, like on the outside of the air craft carrier, and you can see the water below you, scary!) to the shower area. Pick a CELL, any CELL. This place had to totally have been moved here from Leavenworth or Purdy? I select the CELL with the fewest woman already drying off, or stepping in. The rooms really have bars on the windows and the doors are solid steel. You kind of feel like you are in a meat locker. You are walking on slotted boards that are perfectly arranged above the concrete (or is it cement, Barb/Ted?) flooring that has a distinct dip in the center to drain the water). This too is a luxury considering that at other FOB's you are walking in 3" of stale gross water. Luckily there is non-potable hot and cold running water; whenever I have been up there, I have found plenty of both. One of my greatest fears coming here was the dreaded 3 min. shower restriction. But no one here seems to follow it. When you come out of the shower, you feel refreshed, and believe it or not the room where you get dressed is big and is air conditioned. This is awesome, because you don't work up a tremendous sweat before you leave the place, like other hot places I have been. There is decent lighting above the mirrors by the sinks. But the sinks are circled with rust, so you can imagine, although cleaned daily, this place is not your grandma's powder room.

Another day in the yard...

Day Three

I go back to the "yard" with Ed, and get to watch Xeni in action working side by side with the Afghan locals.

Ed is pictured here, if you know my friend Michael, you know Ed. They are clones.A big dust storm came up so I opted to go back with Ed to the office when he said he forgot some paperwork, what a wuss I am. But rightfully so. I was so glad I did, the weather really got bad.

Special Forces join for my big send off..

Skip and I just visited Alaska, and who did I run into on my way out of Seattle? None other....

Friends and family saw me off at Sea-Tac, Indianapolis, and DC. - 3 May 2010

Becky, Alaska Airlines Flight Crew Assistant and sister, was with me at Sea Tac and watched me depart for Camp Atterbury, IN.

Medic, escort, driver and number one great person stayed with me throughout my entire check out process in IN., Cory Hasik, and sent me off to Dulles, DC.

OH my Gosh, who said I was picking up one sea bag in Camp Atterbury? I ended up with three!

Neal Zimmerman, my "Stan's man" met me in DC and showed me around Leesburg, his home, and took me on a leisurely drive to Harper's Ferry for ice cream, which is down the street from where I graduated from college.

http://www.mitre.org/employment/employee_spotlight/neal_zimmerman.html




Dave, "Homeland Security" big top dog, collected me from Neal and walked me through security on to my gate. He also scanned my flight team to ensure my safety, onward to Kuwait City.

Nothing but "star" treatment for my long awaited departure.

Hey, when you are in DC, who do you expect to see? None other...

Surprise Aunt Tammie, here's some pink tulips for you, Caitlin joins in the send off to the sand...

What is in store for those troops...nothing but FUN. Surprise party for Tammie at the Swiss.

Sneaky Sharon worked the surprise from Dad's birthday party to my big send off. Thanks for sharing your evening dad!

What a crew: Skip, Tammie, Sharon and Tracy all toasting with iced tea the big trip to Bagram, AFB and what it has in store for Tammie is yet to see.

But the biggest surprise of the night was the fly in of my brother from Hawaii, he brought us lovely smelling leis and a whole lot of joy! Love you Steven.

Game On

Aimee and Suzie both used to work for MWR on base in marketing! Bernie their boss in background.

My employee, Andrew, joined in on the fun! The next day Pacific Edge Outfitters Staff cooked me up a BBQ luncheon, outdoor recreation style! Thanks guys, I'm gonna miss you.

The Personnel team surprised me with Sponge Bob, Square Pants sheets for my new rack.
XO and CMC both attended the luncheon, my camera didn't focus well!
My card was creative and said it all......we are all going to miss each other!
Chris Cation, USS Stennis Fun Boss, took the time to come say good-bye! I am usually sending him off and welcoming him home, it is his turn to worry about me.
Even Rear Admiral Symonds took the time to wish me well.


Alas, it is difficult to throw a party for a party planner, but afterall they are "recreators" so of course they did a fantastic job! Love you all, here are some photos I'd like to share with you and others.....

If I had settled down enough to give my prepared speech, it never would have been as good as the one that came from the remarks made by my buddies....

Mary this ones for you....

"For many years my co-workers have said in jest 'Tammie you should go on SURVIVOR' and I'd say 'No, I couldn't eat bugs'. And then they would remark, 'Tammie you'd be great on the American Race"\' and I'd say, have you seen my navigation skills? (Hee Hee, just ask Skip). One day, I even auditioned for the "Apprentice" (before it became the "Celebrity Apprentice" but alas Donald's Team couldn't see I had it in me; or they did and that is why they wouldn't take me (afterall that was when the contestants were really odd characters!) Hmmm.....so I thought, why go on a silly reality game show when only one person comes home a winner! ??

So, when I applied to go to Afghanistan, no one thought I was serious...

And I said, 'At least this way, if they do send me home, I will still have some money in my pocket, I won't be out the "leave" and I will have the most "reality" I could ever get....in a war zone...that is.'

Who knew no one else would apply? Only kidding, the competition was tough; so I heard later (who really knows?) and I was offered this great opportunity 4 months ago!

At the party, Mary mentions yet another time we were both competing over a year ago in the "Biggest Loser" on base; and we both lost a considerable amount of weight; Mary won, of course.

With that, I challenge you, Mary, and anyone else today to lose 20 lbs before my first R&R homecoming party in August -- let's get to losing that extra weight again-- I have 4 months of party favors to burn, and I need to get back into the gym, so Game On.