lessons learned

Bring an external hard drive, I have a Seagate 160 gig and have backed up most of the music in the unit. Who needs to surf? Even if you don't own a computer, you probably have one at work. I now own more music then I know what to do which, 11 thousand or so songs and music videos. Not to mention some of the other cool stuff that I've copied. It's worth more then it's weight in gold.

Nothing is as important in life as a good pillow.

Write and call home often, you're afraid that people might forget you, well it might happen if you never call.

If you like writing, start a blog, like taking pictures, start a photo page, there are a lot of people that enjoy this stuff, families back home will love you.

If you get packages, share them, don't be a hog.

Be nice to everyone, remember everyone is armed, if someone wigs out and goes postal, the asshole is a better target.

Every vehicle out here has a tape player and not many English radio stations, bring a converter or some blank tapes because no one sells them.

Baby wipes can be used for anything, dusting, wiping down toilet seats, cleaning weapons, throwing at people, etc It's also a common item in care packages so don't bring more then a box or two with you.

LED headlights are the bomb, forget everything else, they last 10 times as long on the same batteries and don't burn out, you'll probably get better deals in the states then you will out here.

Always have a leatherman and a flip knife.

If you hear something go BOOM it's always best to duck and look foolish then have the second mortar take off your head.

You know you're used to the heat when it's 110 outside and you think it's a cool day.

It's always best to have more gear then too little unless you have to hump it, then it's the other way around.

If it's important to you, put it in a ziplock.

If your tents start on fire, no matter what anyone says, unless you're about to be burned to death, grab at least one uniform, your computer and weapon before leaving, most everything in a tent fire is history.

DON'T send all of your uniforms at once to the laundry mat

If you have a something wrong, get seen by medical, it's free.

This trip is as bad as you make it, whatever your situation, someone out here has it worse.

Don't shoot people that piss you off.

Clean your weapon daily.

Check the power requirements before you plug anything in, remember most of the power out here is 220 while in the states it's 110, plug something 110 into a 220 plug and it's toast. Almost all laptops, external hard drives, portable DVD players and chargers for cameras and camcorders can take both but check it first. Power converters don't work that well so it's best to buy something that can take both before coming out here.

Sleep while you can, but don't sleep when you're needed.

If you feel like you're about to wig out or really mad, give your weapon to somebody else to hold, sometimes having a loaded weapon isn't the best thing to have when you think the world is out to get you. Step back and remember the most important thing about being out here, getting home.

Sign up to some of these find support sites on my sidebar, you won't regret it unless you or someone else signs you up to all of them and you have to write back a hundred people and that takes all of your time.

That's all I can think of right now. Take care everybody, soon going back to being a regular blogger instead of a warblogger, thanks for all the support and visits. I've made some great friends doing this and look forward to meeting some of you all when I get back. Peace.