Combat Analyst

We had a “duck and cover” today at the embassy. This picture is me during this time; when the sirens go off you have to don full gear and wait for the all clear–no wandering around alone and vulnerable when there might be stuff exploding somewhere nearby . . . Yes, this wasn’t a drill, but I didn’t hear or see anything–no bangs and crashes anywhere near me. So as an intro to the world of being at war, this was a good one. From what we heard later, no one was hurt.Every now and then I am reminded that I’m not just working in an interesting and unusual location, but this is also a for-real war. For the most part we’re pretty protected in here, so it seems like an oddity to be wearing a weapon and all that . . .

Here is my full set-up (sans flak vest and helmet), with holster, ID, new boots and everything-right next to one of the Saddam heads that used to grace the Embassy. (See my Flickr site for pictures of the heads on the Embassy and being taken down.)

Well, I guess I’m a “Combat Analyst” after all. Tony (the guy I’m replacing) and I were laughing over that utter oxymoron during our “duck and cover” today . . . But you know, the information that we’re working with is really part of the front-line battle that’s being done in the war of ideas right now. OK, maybe we’re not front-lines; more like logistics-but still! Anyway, my first little project got forwarded on up the chain and when I was in my “newcomer’s brief” with our general today, he referred to it. I felt quite smug. It’s really cool to work on something that actually makes a difference to people.

I did, however, manage to come down with a cold today. I could feel it in its incipient stages last night but hoped that since I’d just had a cold a month ago (in training), I’d escape this one. No such luck. I think it’s my body’s way of telling me that it’s had enough excitement and I need to calm down now for a while. Hmmm-not sure if that’s in the stars when I’m working at battle rhythm. And yes, that means that even we nerdy math people have to work long hours and put together reports and research fast. It’s probably good for us, even if types like myself (perfectionists) end up being irritated by the fact that we don’t have time to tweak everything to our impossible standards. Perhaps this is why everyone in the office stays there for 15-16 hours a day?

Oh, and one last picture: here is the place of hardship where I have to work . . . the pool’s over by the dining hall and these days is always full of people in it and around it. It’s gorgeous like this, though . . .

Quick update from Baghdad

Well, I’m off and running now . . . we work crazy hours in this office and I’m right in there with them. Note: by “crazy hours” I mean in by 8 a.m., out after 10:30 or 11 p.m. Yeah, we break for lunch and dinner, but it’s a LONG time to be at work. However, as I found yesterday, once I’m involved in putting together a project on the computer, it’s super-easy to lose track of time and you’ll look up at the clock realizing that 4 hours have just slipped past you and you didn’t realize it. At present I have 2 specific projects to be working on, though one of them is just tweaking an email to send up with some slides that I put together. I hate the process of figuring out what exactly they’re looking for with wording on these things–I understand that you need some continuity when you present stuff to the bosses, but still it’s a pain having to revise, revise, revise and have people only give you templates to work from after you’ve done three revisions already. Sigh. Add to that the fact that I’m working on three different computers (classification levels) that don’t talk to each other–so a helpful email that you get on the unclassified network, for example, doesn’t show up when you’re working on the classified side. Though apparently it’s possible to get two monitors so that you can see these things at the same time.

Details . . . But, regardless, I’m pleased. Yesterday (and the night before) I came up with a way to package some data that was new and roused some interest from our colonel here and the general who came in to be briefed. It’s really fun to have work to do that goes immediately up to people who are making important decisions, that actually helps them know what decisions they might need to make! I’m used to working on such obscure projects that even telling people what it is that you’re researching is a time-consuming prospect.

Anyway, I’ve got a few more pictures to post on Flickr but I can only do that from my computer in my trailer, and I’m not spending too much time in there at the moment. I have Fridays off, however, so perhaps I will be able to do that then???

Oh, and I finally have a roommate! She’s a lieutenant commander in the Navy (I mistook her for an Air Force major because Navy and AF desert uniforms look the same) who does IT work. She says she’s thrilled to have a roommate after 3 months all by herself . . . I’m glad she’s happy, because I know I wouldn’t have been (I like my time to myself)! She seems really nice–it’ll be fun to get to know her.

OK, I should get going and work on my current projects so that I don’t get too far behind.