Darn It Was Hot and Humid (Bahrain 1997)

August 11, 2011 | Filed under: Travel,Writing | Posted by: Michael Cannon

In mid-July 1997, the 366th Air Expeditionary Wing was notified that it will perform provide Operation Southern Watch coverage from Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain in mid-September for approximately six weeks. This is my story of the trip. Pictures below.

After several weeks of reconfiguring equipment and manning packages for Bahrain, we settled upon one base support and one lead EOD team package. The first team out consisted of TSgt Estrada, SSgt Kwilinski and SSgt Bernard, and myself, SrA Cannon. Our original departure time was September 1st, my 25th birthday by chance; one problem, the C-141 that was supposed to fly us out of Mountain Home AFB broke on its trip in. Something to do with engines, struts and pressurization. With a fresh C-141, we departed from Mountain Home on the 2nd at 18:30. After eleven hours of sore butt time in jump seats we landed in Moron Air Base, Spain at 14:00 the next day.

We, the EOD team, were a little cranky after this flight, since the loadmasters insisted upon us not lying underneath our humor’s to get some sleep during the flight. Moron, is a US standby airbase with the Spain Air Force and some seriously old England-competitive buildings. When we landed it was HOT, but thankfully no humidity yet. After the Moron inbrief, we went off to find our deluxe accommodations. We found them, on the third floor, back corner, past the construction, past the air conditioned rooms, in the room with 2 bunk beds and only 2 sets of linen, and across from the gang latrine. A little soap and water later, we smelt good enough to head out for the evening. Around 11:30 we came back to the bunk beds and at 03:30 we started to board up for the flight to Bahrain.

Shaikh Isa AB, is a big pile of white beach rocks and tan colored sand. It’s flat out hot during the day and warm and muggy at all other times. The in country vehicles have no heater, the rooms have no heater. Do you get what I’m trying to say here? It’s HOT! I saw a guy wearing a dress here and thought, I’d rather be wearing that and be comfortable than keep standing here sweating a pound a minute.

We were very busy in our first 24 hours: high risk explosives storage, classified storage, setting up of vehicles for IED and vehicle search responses, temporary beddown in gang billeting and carefully eating the food. I melted a little while pulling guard duty in the morning. The next day I remembered to take a case of water, not just six bottles and a Camelbak.

The second team of SSgt Hill, SSgt Prater, SSgt Sprosty and A1C White arrived here in the afternoon and settled into temporary billeting with us on the 6th. Over the next couple of days, guard duty was pulled for our high-risk munitions around the clock. Communications, mobility bin storage, explosives storage and force protection concerns were dealt with also during this time.

On the Ninth, I helped build EXPandable Shelters like crazy with several other teammates. A box lunch, AKA boxed nasty, was provided to us that afternoon. Within two hours, the boxed nasty idea was nixed and the tent building crews was allowed to eat at the chow hall for lunch. On the Tenth, we moved the explosives into the Bahrain Bomb Dump.

Over the next two weeks, many more hot and humid days past before us. The food worsened, morale dropped and the Inspector General decided we needed to play some war games for a week. Our highlights during those weeks were the setup of email to contact our friends and family back home, suspect package responses and the receipt of care packages. Nearly a month into our deployment many of us are ready to return to hot baths, cold beer and hot pizza while wearing our thermals in the November chill of Idaho.

Come the fifth of October, life in Bahrain had become more of the same. Wake up, eat gruel, study, train, and hit the sack is our routine. Today was a little different as I escorted the cleaning contractors throughout their duties. It’s quite enjoyable watching five nationals clean porta potties and restrooms. Soon redeployment planning to Mountain Home AFB began.

On the eleventh and fifteenth of October I went and visited Manama, the big city in Bahrain. I’m not sure what to say about it. We parked our car at the Navy’s Administrative Supply Unit and hailed a cab to take us to the Souq, downtown’s market. On the first trip, I received my first taste of bartering with the cab fare. The cabby asked for a Dinar per person to town, we said two Dinar for the four of us; some bantering and walking away latter, we were in the cab for seven dollars. A Dinar equivalent is $2.85.

The market spans all that I saw of downtown, almost anything is attainable their; apples to guava’s, pearls to diamonds to the finest gold you will ever see, Timex’s and Rolex’s, scarves and skirts. Wow! Our first stop at the market was the Gold Souq. Never before had I ever seen so many gold, silver and jewelry shops. Prices were even more unbelievable. Friends and I bargained upon gold, diamonds and stones. I purchased a gold 18K bracelet and ring for $133. The two in the states would’ve cost me $450 easily. After the Gold Souq, walking through the market became the next order of business and so the shopping continued until the one o’clock prayer time closing. We returned back to base with spirits high and our wallets lighter.

On the Saturday before I left, I visited the Bahrain EOD shop to share some stories and pictures with them. We trained, played and talked over the past weeks and I wanted to say goodbye properly. Some of the things done together were Mk-24 EXROD operations, M82 .50 caliber target practice, commercial bomb squad equipment demonstrations and sharing of our culture and family life. I will miss their companionship and I do look forward to the opportunity to visiting them here again.

On the Sunday before I left, I performed contractor escort duties again. My bags were also packed to be picked up the next day. Tuesday the 21st, Chalk Two, 11:45 I boarded the C-5 aircraft with a co-worker and the X3 bin to depart Shaikh Isa. One eight hour, nine hour, and five hour flight later I walked onto Mountain Home AFB tarmac and froze.

It’s so good to be home.

I almost forgot to mention that I received orders for a short tour assignment to Osan Air Base, Korea. I’m to be enplane by the 28th of February 1998. Cultural education here I come.

SIDE NOTES:

If you want something different for your in-flight meal, trade. People traded me extra cheese and puddings for the meat on my sandwiches.
When flying Air Mobility Command, pack an overnight bag. Because, you never know where your going to land and for how long.
When visiting another country be sure to try the tea, it’s druggie experience.