Brian of Djbouti

Let me start by apologizing for being slow with e-mails as I have been really busy. Life is good here, hottttttttt but good. It is breaking the 120’s daily, and at night when it “cools off” it is still in the high 80’s. The humidity during the day is just under 50% and at night it hits almost 90%. Thank God for friends at the laundry, as cammies and undershirts go really fast.

My company has been doing some really good work; we were appreciated by the Secretary of the Navy during his visit. He was impressed with how well have been performing and thanks to our performance it was decided that we would be replaced by another Marine unit, instead of the Navy. We have stepped up our patrol schedule, and have finished 4 different courses of weapons training, started on our next martial arts belt and much more. We are still working 120 plus hours in our work week, but the time goes by fast. We have also set up a schedule to get some helicopter training with the Helicopter Squadron here on base. We have been told we will get to do lots of missions including into other parts Africa.

Since I have been working in the main entry point on base, I have made several seizures and arrests. The last arrest was pretty significant; it resulted in dismissal of a couple of base employees. It always seems that right at the end of my shift I end up finding something prohibited and by the time I get through with all the incident reports for my Command, ATFP (Anti Terrorism Force Protection), NCI (Navy Criminal Investigation), PMO (Provost Martial Office) I miss evening chow and some sleep. So if you happen to know anyone who works or comes on this base and plans on being foolish please ask them to come at the beginning of my shift so I can still have chow; the heat has taken enough weight off of me.

We are starting to schedule of 96 hour passes. I plan on going to Kenya; the flight is free but only once a week, so it extends my trip from 4 to 7 days…nice! I don’t think I would ever pick Kenya to vacation if I wasn’t in Africa already. I will make sure to take lots of pictures.

Thanks for all of the care packages and letters; my fellow Marines make fun of me because of the way I light up when mail comes, just like a kid at Christmas. I have attached a picture taken about 10 days ago, the scope on the M16 is a Star Light, which amplifies the ambient light to produce night vision, and zoom.

I hope all is well with all of you.

Brian