We were stuck all day Wednesday at Ali Al Salem Air Base because all of the aircraft were grounded due to this huge stand storm. Thursday morning we finally left Kuwait in a C-130 and was invited up to the cockpit for the whole flight which lasted 5 hours. On board were several units of soldiers who were being deployed to several different bases. For some of them this was their first time over here while for some they were here on their third and forth tour of duty. Once on the C-130 it was very somber. I have to tell you that at the first base we approached when it came to landing the pilots engage in wild landings so as to not have any of those RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) get a fix on the aircraft so hence the drastic way of landing.
I didn't throw up but wasn't very hungry when we landed. The base we performed at was Camp Al Taqaddum (TQ) and was our first FOB in Iraq. I can't begin to tell you how very appreciative the audience was. They were primarily made up mostly of Army and Marine personnel. It's weird doing a show when Apache and Cobra helicopters are flying around the base. The show lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes and can't wait to show you the pictures taken but can't download anything here on the military computers. After the show just like the one at the air force facility, the troops waited in line to have their pictures taken with us and we also signed posters for every soldier that wanted one. Tonight's show was different because everyone had M4 guns strapped on them. The base commanders presented the three of us with certificates of appreciation mounted on this wooden block and also gave us their 'coins' that represent their base and air command. I met several soldiers from Carson City (!) and the bay area so had a lot to talk to them about. It is beyond humbling to describe how the three of us feel, but Scott has been over here twenty-two times so he is used to this feeling. This one soldier, Sgt. Ham was so happy to see Graham as they first met when he was performing in Afghanistan back in 2004. Sgt. Ham has since been promoted and stationed out here in Iraq. He's quite a character too. He rides a unicycle and juggles and when I found this out I asked him if he wanted to open for our show and he jumped at the chance. He was great! After ten minutes he then introduced Scott.
He always starts the show (Scott) describing how and why he has been doing this for as long as he has been and then introduced me up to the stage. I was surprised at how many people had heard of Lake Tahoe and after had several come up and ask me about Tahoe. I invited all of them to come up and be a guest at the comedy show and let them know how much our community supports them, but I said I'd hook them up for skiing and snowboarding as well. I have made so many friends here it is an honor to have them as part of the extended family now. Graham said it best when he commented that it is going to be so weird performing back in the States in front of the occasional drunk and heckler after having the best audiences on the planet. Graham and I are inside of this Iraqi Internet place located on the base trying to send emails to loved ones. It's filled with smoke and both military personnel and locals. There's a TV on which has this Iraqi soap opera on and we are cracking up watching it while typing. I think it's called "As the Berka Turns" but not sure. We leave on Black Hawks early this morning so will try and get a few winks before heading out.
I will send this to Nancy to post when I can but know that it is such a different world out here and everything else seems so secondary when it comes to a level of importance as to what really matters..... Peace to all
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