Groundhog Day #1

I can see it already, what the last day will look like - a lot like the first. I sure hope to have a few adventures in between, but deployment life will most definitely be monotonous. After clearing customs we were jam packed into bongo buses and caravaned over to the Camp. Djibouti smells. There is trash everywhere and the air is thick with pollution - apparently they burn their refuse. Camp Lemonnier is huge.

A mile from one end to the other. In the photo camp sits to the right (South) of the runway. The distinctive rows of buildings on the far (East) end of camp are the living quarters - CLUs (Containerized [Corroded] Living Units). I'll eventually get into one of those, but for now they have me manned up in a tent with 30 new friends - those are just to the South of the CLUs. If you go to the far West end of camp that is where I'll be working. They have pretty much everything one could want at a campsite, a great chow hall, a mini WalMart, coffee shop, Subway, and a cantina where I can get 2 beers a day. I spent the day wandering and napping - trying not to get too much sleep so I can manage to get a bit tonight. I got my address here if you'd like to send me a care package - not too much though, I'm planning to lose 30 pounds! Maj Kevin MOOSE Dydyk - HOAAC / "YODA"; PSC 831 Box 0008   FPO, AE    09363-0008 Please DO NOT write 'Camp Lemonnier' or 'Djibouti' on the address... it'll get lost.

In Country

Here I am in Djibouti - Camp Lemonnier. I arrived at 0510L – nine hours ahead of Texas time. It’s hot (80°F) in the middle of the night. A complete day has come and gone with little to show for it; 25 hours and 9 minutes from the time we left Norfolk to when we landed in Djibouti (16 ½ hours flying time). We travelled on the same 767 airplane all the way here, but had to deplane in order for it to be refueled and serviced. The stops in Spain, Italy and Bahrain were uneventful, each just over 2 hours. It was good to stretch and breathe in some fresh air. I did manage to get a really good book read, Gift From the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, a quick 66 page read. Kerry picked it up for herself, on the recommendation from a new friend in Hawaii, and had me read it too; pretty good at getting you to think about relationships and frames of mind . I’ll have lots of time to be mindful and think over the next few months, this will certainly help focus those thoughts. Of course there was a meal every few hours (2 breakfasts, a lunch, and 2 dinners) plus all the onboard movies of which I occasionally glanced at. I watched Looper on my new Android tablet – cool movie. Also read some of Protect and Defend, the10th installment in the Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn – a special operative, assassin novel. I’ve been hooked reading all those over the last year or so during my travels teaching the MGRC class, pure fiction – almost as good as James Bond. I have the final three books with me that I’ll be sure to get through quickly; I’ll have to find a new series or perhaps even think about starting a ‘pay your fee’ MBA, something I can bang out in a year. I don’t know I want to do after the Air Force, a management position would be good and an MBA wouldn’t hurt. Working on the Dydyk Family tree will be a good pastime as well. My Great Aunt Marilyn and second cousin Monica provided a lot of good leads – I got to visit both of them for the first time this past year during my travels. I’ll have to find a good way to publish it online if any of ya’ll are interested.

Goodbye 1st World

Couldn't decide what to leave behind

So I've never been to a "3rd World Country" before... I have no idea what to bring so I'm going to bring everything I can think of. They said four sets of uniforms, plus they gave me a flak vest, helmet and a gas mask - what on earth for I have no idea, but it's the incredible wisdom of the military that can't be reckoned with, so I won't. I should have a bit of free time so I packed my SCUBA gear! Djibouti is on the Arabian Sea. The mosquitoes are thick there and they absolutely love my blood so I brought extra bottles of DEET, the 100% kind - Ker says she hopes it doesn't give me brain cancer. If i was to come down with something it would be from all the shots I had to get, 7 in total... Yellow Fever, Hep B, Smallpox, Anthrax to name a few. I'm a walking time bomb. The chances of malaria are not too great, but I'm taking the malaria med anyway, why not? Three 50# bags in total, plus my carry on's - hope I didn't forget anything. If I do I'll let you know, care packages are awesome!

  So, my flight takes off in an hour... looks like we're about to board. I'll drop you a line when I get there, if not along the way. We stop in Rota, Sigonella, Bahrain before finally getting to Djibouti. Each stop is 2 hours and 20 minutes making for a 25 hour journey in total. Not to mention the very wise military machine had me get here 24 hours in advance... just in case (hurry up and wait right!) - whatever.

The (Wretched) Deployment Begins...

    Kicking and screaming the Air Force has managed to send me on one more deployment, my fifth(and final?). Today I departed home, sweet home - my gorgeous wife and two incredibly awesome sons - for the continent of Africa. Djibouti (pronounced "JA BOOTY") to be exact; for those of you who may not know where I've attached a map.

It's right there in the crack of the world, on the East coast of Africa near the Horn. A strategic spot to go chasing pirates and hunting down terrorists, for helping the impoverished throughout the continent, and especially for reaping its resources before Japan, China and the rest get it all. I'm not exactly sure why they need me there, but the position asked for a pilot. I won't be flying, so I don't know why they need a pilot - it's not as if there is a shortage Air Force wide (sarcasm - huge shortage, especially fighter pilots). I'm sure I'll be there to feed the monster that is the AFRICOM Commander's staff. Each and every major command has a ginormous following to run things - highly inefficient and wasteful, but the Generals love it. So when I return I expect to get back to the same as before - traveling to every Active Duty Air Force base with a flying Wing. Myself and a maintainer (Maj Chad Oba) teach the Mission Generation Road Course (MGRC) an operations and maintenance integration class for pilots (operators) and maintainers. I'll also keep flying the T-38 as a Pilot training instructor when I am home at Sheppard. One year from my return I'm eligible for retirement, but I enjoy and am proud of what I do (particularly when I am home) and hope to stay in the AF a few years longer... we'll see.