After clearing thru the inbound terminal at the Baghdad airport and getting our bags and passports registered (all run by contractors) we took a bus to a place called the Camp Striker Stables. It’s pretty neat there. They have a big tent with wood floors and tables and chairs all set up to lounge around waiting for the Rhino. They assign you a tent that has cots in it and they’ll loan you blankets so you can catch some shut eye before or after your flight. It’s really really helpful and the employees are super accomodating and nice. You can take a shower, go to the chow hall or PX or nosh on an MRE if you want. Nice, relaxing place before hitting the Rhino x-hours later.
More about the Rhino ride…
You have to wear full flak jacket and helmet during the trip. The road is single lane, dark and bumpy. Like I said earlier, it’s only 16 miles from the airport to the IZ, so it’s hard to believe this was once the most dangerous road in Iraq. Lots of checkpoints and darkened Humvees on the side of the road securing the route. Rob was sitting in the front passanger’s seat and said he saw two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters flying alongside to blast anyone trying to pop at us. That much effort for 16 miles…huh…
8 hours ago
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