Periodically there would be a bazaar at Eskan Village in Saudi Arabia where some local vendors would be able to come onto the military installation and sell their products. Here are some photos from one of those events.
Eskan Village Bazaar
Thanksgiving at Eskan Village
Have you ever contemplated the experience of U.S. service members deployed abroad during the holiday season? Such contemplation brings to light the Thanksgiving observance at Eskan Village, situated 22 miles outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Ironically, the sole genuine turkey present was a mere display piece, with the remaining fare being the standard processed turkey provided to the military. Against the backdrop of the events that transpired just two months prior, the atmosphere understandably bore a weighty and somber tone.
Sights Around Eskan Village
Here are some different things that can be seen around Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia.
Welcome to Eskan Village Saudi Arabia
I was sent on temporary duty to Eskan Village in Saudi Arabia. Eskan is located 22 miles southeast of Riyadh and it was originally built for the bedouin in 1983, however when the Saudi government built the village they did not accommodate the livestock so the bedouin’s turned down the use of the buildings. In 1990 where Iraq invaded Kuwait General Norman Schwarzkopf commanded Operation Desert Storm from Eskan Village. Here are some photos of the accommodations and where I lived during my stay here. You will notice that to stay busy and make the accommodations a little nicer people built a fishpond at the entrance to the building. Quite the nice touch.
Hale’iwa Beach North Shore Hawaii
Hanging out on the north shore of Oahu at the Hale’iwa beach park. This photo is taken looking back at the harbor.
Waimea Bay Beach Park
Driving around the north shore of Oahu in Hawaii I drove past the Waimea Bay beach park. This is where they have the Eddie Aikao surfing competition when the waves are consistently over 50 feet tall.
Ten Rules for Dating My Daughter: A Guide to Surviving Her Dad’s Standards
Some thoughtful information for those who are daughters, were daughters, have daughters, intend to have daughters, or intend to date a daughter.
Rule One: If you pull into my driveway and honk you’d better be delivering a package, because you’re sure not picking anything up.
Rule Two: You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter’s body, I will remove them.
Rule Three: I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling off their hips. Please don’t take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open minded about this issue, so I propose this compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, and I will not object. However, In order to ensure that your clothes do not, in fact, come off during the course of your date with my daughter, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten your trousers securely in place to your waist.
Rule Four: I’m sure you’ve been told that in today’s world, sex without utilizing a “barrier method” of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate: when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.
Rule Five: In order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is “early.”
Rule Six: I have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.
Rule Seven: As you stand in my front hallway, waiting for my daughter to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process that can take longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don’t you do something useful, like change the oil in my car?
Rule Eight: The following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter: Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool. Places where there are no parents, policemen, or nuns within eyesight. Places where there is darkness. Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness. Places where the ambient temperature is warm enough to induce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka zipped up to her throat. Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme are to be avoided; movies which feature chainsaws are okay. Hockey games are okay. Old folks homes are better.
Rule Nine: Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a pot-bellied, balding, middle-aged, dim-witted has-been. But on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and five acres behind the house. Do not trifle with me.
Rule Ten: Be afraid. Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a chopper coming in over a sand dune outside of Iraq. When my Anthrax starts acting up, the voices in my head frequently tell me to clean the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull into the driveway you should exit your car with both hands in plain sight. speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home safely and early, then return to your car. There is no need for you to come inside. The camouflaged face at the window is mine.
Good to be a Man
– Your last name stays put.
– The garage is all yours.
– Wedding plans take care of themselves.
– Chocolate is just another snack.
– You can be president.
– You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
– Car mechanics tell you the truth.
– You don’t give a rat’s ass if someone notices your new haircut.
– The world is your urinal.
– You never have to drive to another gas station because this one’s just too icky.
– Same work… more pay.
– Wrinkles add character.
– Wedding Dress $5000; Tux rental $100.
– People never stare at your chest when you’re talking to them.
– The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
– New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
– Your pals can be trusted never to trap you with: “So, notice anything different?”
– One mood, ALL the damn time.
– Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
– You know stuff about tanks.
– A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
– You can open all your own jars
– Dry cleaners and hair stylists don’t rob you blind.
– You can leave the motel bed unmade.
– You can kill your own food.
– You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
– If someone forgets to invite you to something, he or she can still be your friend.
– Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
– If you are 34 and single, nobody notices.
– Everything on your face stays its original color.
– You can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passenger’s seat.
– Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
– You don’t have to clean your apartment if the maid is coming.
– You can quietly watch a game with a buddy for hours without thinking: “He must be mad at me.”
– You don’t mooch off other’s desserts.
– You can drop by to see a friend without having to bring a little gift.
– You are not expected to know the names of more than five colors.
– You don’t have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
– You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
– The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
– You don’t have to shave below your neck.
– Your belly usually hides your big hips.
– One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.
– You can “do” your nails with a pocketknife.
– You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustac-he.
– You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives, on December 24th, in 45 minutes.
Typhoon Saomoi
While stationed in Okinawa I had the privilege to sit through a many of typhoons. Here was one of the typhoons that I got to endure. These images were downloaded from the Japanese national weather service.
Sunset View From Kadena-cho Seawall
Walked down to the seawall in Kadena-cho to watch the sunset. It was quite a beautiful evening.
Waiting Out a Typhoon in Okinawa
Typhoons are a rather common occurrence in Okinawa, Japan during the months of April through November. Usually when there are typhoons you just wait it out by staying indoors as most businesses will be closed. This can be a very long and boring time. Sometimes the typhoons can even last up to a week or more. This is where people start to feel like they get cabin fever. Here are a couple of photos to show what it looks like when it is very windy and sheets of rain come through.
After this typhoon I happened to catch a couple of photos of the sunset.
Cook Your Own Food Restaurant
I went to a “Yakiniku” restaurant in Yomitan city in Okinawa, Japan where you literally grill your own food. “Yaki” means to grill and “niku” means meat. So you go to this restaurant and choose which kinds of meat and vegetables you want and then they put some coals in the grill and bring you what you’ve ordered. Typically they will bring a bowl of rice too. Then you cook your food and enjoy your dinner. These are great restaurants to have a beer while you cook. What man doesn’t like to grill and drink a beer?
Okinawa Route 58
Driving up route 58 in Okinawa near the East China Sea and Kadena marina.
Kadena Circuit Actions
Kadena circuit actions airman hard at work.
Pallet Building
During Joint military exercise Cobra Gold here are some United States Airmen building a pallet at the Wing 1 exercise complex in Korat, Thailand.
First Thai Kickboxing Experience
While in Thailand for joint military exercise Cobra Gold I took the opportunity to see a live Muay Thai kickboxing event. During the event they started out with the lower weight classes and worked their way up to the main event fight. From my observations the lower age and weight class fighters were primarily just trying to get points, but as the skill level got higher you could clearly see the fighters were trying to knock each other out. It was a really neat experience to take in the Thai culture through this sporting event. Unfortunately at the time I did not have a high quality digital camera, so these are the best photos I was able to take.
Deutsches Haus
After a 12 hour shift and then a 1 hour bus ride back to the hotel, during Cobra Gold 2000 in Nakhon Ratashima, Thailand I enjoyed going out to a local restaurant called the Deutsches Haus. It was owned by the nicest German man named George. George would cook up some good food, sing karaoke, and he always kept the beer cold.
One night George even closed down his shop to go out to a popular local establishment called “Unique” and have some fun and watch the entertainment.
Navy F-18’s at Cobra Gold 2000
During Joint Military exercise Cobra Gold 2000 the U.S. Navy had some F-18 hornet’s on the flight line at Wing 1 of Korat air base in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Cobra Gold 2000 Technical Control
After a 12 hour shift this Technical Control airman is waiting to go back to the hotel during Cobra Gold 2000 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Welcome to Thailand
This is my first time ever to Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand I took a couple photos looking out of my hotel room window to see what Korat had to offer. Then I decided to go for a walk to see for myself. While walking down the street there was a guy riding an elephant, so I asked him if I could take photo.
Joint Military Exercise Cobra Gold
Here is a group photo of the communications team that was taken during the joint military exercise Cobra Gold that was held in the kingdom of Thailand.
DISN Data Services Course
While in the Air Force I was sent to the DISN Data Services Course. Here is the manual from that Air Force training.
Power Machines
Drove over to the flight line with a friend on Kadena Air Base and snapped some photos of his Nissan Skyline and my Nissan Cima with some Air Force muscle in the background…and a tank.
F-15 Versus Air Force Security Forces
While serving in the Air Force I received an e-mail with this safety briefing about an accident that happened at Eglin Air Force base in Florida. Even though they say it was an accident, every part of this looks like people were screwing around.
White’s Bridge
Went over to White’s Bridge near Lowell, Michigan to see the historic covered bridge.
Ali Al Salem Air Base Facilities
Here are some of the facilities at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait. You can see the base exchange, the recreation center, and the gym in the photos above.
Explosive Ordinance Disposal
While at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait my commander was an ex-Explosive Ordinance Disposal (E.O.D.) person so he asked me if I wanted to go out and watch EOD blow some things up. That’s how I was afforded the opportunity to go out with EOD and watch them blow up 24 sticks of C4. They also used a thermite grenade on some classified computer systems and disposed of some British flares. It was a pretty cool experience.
Digging Cable Trenches
Ali Al Salem air base was a tactical base that was quickly setup and it has a mess of cables all over the place. To try to clean the cables up and run them neatly through trenches. The biggest problem though was that it was all rock and digging through that was not easy.