Ramadi/TQ/Chrome 30

SSG Kolar myself and SPC Dougherty set out to meet with our Infantry
escort back from Ramadi to TQ on Friday. SSG Kolar and I had finished
our command visit and we were escorting SPC Dougherty as she was going
on her mid-tour leave. We got all our gear on and were walking the
mile or so to the 125 (one, two, Five) Infantry. As were were almost
to our destination, I turned my ankle and went down, IBA, Backpack,
M-16 and all. After a quick assessment I realized that nothing was
really hurt but my pride. After this, we met our convoy escort, were
briefed on the route we would be taking and then loaded up in the MRAP
and hit the road back to TQ. Once at TQ we tried to sign up for space
A flights back to Balad and we were told that one would be flying
there Friday night at about 2330. We sat around TQ all that day and
were waiting with all our gear at the airstrip at around mid-night.
Two Marine Osprey's came in shortly after midnight and they were
really cool to watch. Then came the Marine Chinooks that were
supposed to be our ride back to Balad but for some reason none of us
made the cut as they cancelled the Balad mission. We were told to
check back in at 0700 the next morning. After another night in TQ we
checked the Marine flight desk the next morning and were told that we
were confirmed on a C-130 flight that night at 2330. Finally at
around midnight on Sunday morning we boarded Chrome 30, our C-130
flight back to Balad. No sooner had we boarded the flight than the
load master asked for two volunteers to sit in the cockpit. No one
was jumping up very fast so I stepped up and volunteered and it was
quite possible the coolest experience in my military career. I was
seated directly behind the pilot and co-pilot and right next to the
navigator and was hooked in to the audio system. Listening to the
pilots talk to the other aircraft, each other, and the towers in the
combat zone was very cool. First we landed at another Marine base
called Al Asad and after almost being taken out by a couple of
Osprey's we took off for the 20 minute flight to Balad. As we swooped
in on our final approach, called a combat landing there were all these
alarms going off in the cock pit and the two pilots had a quick debate
over which runway we were to land on. As I was getting off the plan I
thanked the two pilots, who graciously said "no problem and be careful
down there sir." All in all it was a good trip, five hour convoy
through Fallujah and 50 hour wait in TQ included. We arrived home to
our little CHU at 0300 on Sunday Morning. After three hours of sleep
I was back to work on Sunday and then later that night I did my
overnight clinic coverage at the Patriot Mental Health Clinic.