Missed the President this time

This time, I missed seeing the President. We found out too late to make it over to the Palace without a weapon and before lockdown. You know you're out of time when CNN is broadcasting the visit right after you find out. I did, however, get to enjoy the intense security around the base since it was dinner time and finding an open road to get anywhere was difficult. We prevailed though and made it to dinner and back, just no Presidential sight-seeing tonight. Sounds like it was a good experience for those who made it though.

I can't tell you who's coming...

After a day of obviously increased security measures and everyone playing "I have a secret", I was in the crowd at Al Faw Palace for the Presidential Visit. We had to wait for several hours, but he arrived a little after 10pm, gave a 15 minute speech and then spent at least the next 20 minutes shaking hands in the crowd. Definitely, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

There was one humorous note from tonight. If you have seen pictures of me, you know that we in the Navy are now wearing the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) in theater instead of the old, very pale Desert Camouflage Uniforms (DCU) that the Navy traditionally wore. So, in a big crowd, we look just like the Army soldiers. When they were selecting 40 military personnel to sit on the bleachers behind the President, they wanted to present a multi-service "joint" image. They then scoured the crowd for some of the few remaining Sailors in DCUs so they would stand out on camera as Navy. So which is more joint service - everyone in a different uniform or everyone in the same uniform? Of course, you still have the Marines in their desert MARPAT and the Air Force in their tiger-striped Airman Battle Uniform (ABU), so it is a lost cause anyway...