CASEY'S NEXT STOP - CAMP RUSTAMIYAH, IRAQ

We received a call from Casey late last night. He has been in Kuwait for just over a week and will be setting foot on the ground in Iraq's Camp Rustamiyah on Tuesday of next week. Camp Rustamiyah is a Forward Operating Base approximately 11 kilometers Southeast of Baghdad. It was the former home of Saddam Hussein's top military school, Ar Rasheed. Rustamiyah was known as Camp Muleskinner before being renamed Camp Cuervo in 2004 to honor Pfc. Ray D. Cuervo, Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd ACR, who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving there. In late 2004 it was renamed Camp Rustamiyah as part of an Army-wide effort to rename bases around Baghdad with friendly connotations. Casey says that Kuwait has pretty much been 'boring' while he has been there. I have an idea that his perspective and impressions are about to undergo an incredible change. After he had been talking to Lynne for awhile, he asked her,
"What time is it there?"
"It's a quarter to one in the morning."
"A quarter to one? What are you doing up so late, mom?"
"Uh..hello? I had to answer the phone, duh."
"Oh...yeah...well..sorry about that. I didn't know what time it was there."
"That's okay...whenever you call, we'll answer."

Headshakes all around. Kids. Whatcha gonna do? And by the way, the time in Baghdad is eight hours ahead of Kentucky.

I have included a couple of pictures of Camp Rustamiyah that I found on the internet.