document.write('\x3cmeta http-equiv=\x22x-dns-prefetch-control\x22 content=\x22off\x22/\x3e\x3col class=\x22tumblr_posts\x22\x3e\x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_photo_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cimg src=\x22http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4q6qkAry81qzl5puo1_400.jpg\x22 alt=\x22On a C-130: Mission accomplished. Back to  Kuwait. \x22 class=\x22tumblr_photo\x22/\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3eOn a C-130: Mission accomplished. Back to  Kuwait. \x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_photo_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cimg src=\x22http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4q6oxdIya1qzl5puo1_400.jpg\x22 alt=\x22Baghdad from a Blackhawk helicopter. No door.  That\x26amp;#8217;s my knee. \x22 class=\x22tumblr_photo\x22/\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3eBaghdad from a Blackhawk helicopter. No door.  That\x26#8217;s my knee. \x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_photo_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cimg src=\x22http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4q6kpTQjK1qzl5puo1_400.jpg\x22 alt=\x22Blackhawk and Crew\x22 class=\x22tumblr_photo\x22/\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3eBlackhawk and Crew\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_photo_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cimg src=\x22http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4l0100Gi11qzl5puo1_400.jpg\x22 alt=\x22Diet Coke in Iraq. Note the ring tab. \x22 class=\x22tumblr_photo\x22/\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3eDiet Coke in Iraq. Note the ring tab. \x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_photo_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cimg src=\x22http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4kzy0jvrB1qzl5puo1_400.jpg\x22 alt=\x22Chris and the Time Bandits in a Blackhawk!\x22 class=\x22tumblr_photo\x22/\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3eChris and the Time Bandits in a Blackhawk!\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_text_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_title\x22\x3eBlackhawk Up\x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_body\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cp\x3eJune 25, 2010\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e From my Blackberry\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e Blackhawk Up\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e I\x26#8217;m sitting in a Blackhawk helicopter with the Time Bandits in Baghdad.  The flash of the rotor as it slashes the dusty sheet of sunlight that is  the entire sky makes everything herky jerky like a home movie. I tug on  the tabs of my shoulder straps as I realize the wide open door isn\x26#8217;t a  door at all. There is no door. The whole side is open. The wind from the  propeller is trying to rip the sleeve off my shirt. My toes curl,  trying to grip, my stomach leaps and we\x26#8217;re lifting off. Our dragonfly  shadow flees across the landing pad and we\x26#8217;re in the sky.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_photo_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x3cimg src=\x22http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4jqmlYkxE1qzl5puo1_400.jpg\x22 alt=\x22time bandits on a c130.\x26nbsp; iraq \x26amp;amp; roll indeed!\x22 class=\x22tumblr_photo\x22/\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_caption\x22\x3e\x0a                        \x3cp\x3etime bandits on a c130.\u00a0 iraq \x26amp; roll indeed!\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                    \x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_text_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_title\x22\x3eUnder the Cammo Netting, Somewhere in Kuwait\x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_body\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cp\x3eFrom My Blackberry\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e Under the Cammo Netting, Somewhere in Kuwait\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e Thursday, June 24, 2010, 1:17am\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e Woke up 04:00 hours. \u00a0(4am, my civilian friends) jet lagged and unable  to get back to sleep. Around 6:45 Ben \x26#8220;Stretch\x26#8221; Burger knocked on my  door and we braved the already high 90\x26#8217;s hot breeze and daylight bright  like lightning that forgot to end and went to breakfast. I ate two  omelets. I went back to my room and did some sun salutations and push  ups and stuff till I broke a sweat and then took a shower in the male  latrine, the tiny, circus tent blue and yellow beach towel I bought at  old navy last minute because I forgot to pack one turning out to be  ridiculously small and well, ridiculous.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e At nine-thirty we drove to command headquarters and had a briefing with  Lieutenant Colonel Mark Crumpton. He told us some interesting stuff  about how the camp is a staging area for everything and everyone coming  into and going out of Iraq then he just started joking around and  talking sports. We had some laughs and then he gave us all some very  nice plaques and commemorative coins. Commanders in the US Armed Forces  have these coins that they can just give to a soldier on the spur of the  moment rather than go through the bureaucracy of giving them a medal.  If you pull out a Coin in a bar and another soldier doesn\x26#8217;t have one  they have to buy a round. I have mine in my pocket right now.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e We stopped by the PX (camp store) and picked up some batteries and I got  a real towel.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e About 13:00 we drove up the highway to camp Virginia where mostly  soldiers on there way home stay and get used to not having a rifle and  stuff. (harder than you\x26#8217;d think after being attached to one for a year  or more)\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e We were greeted by Sergeant 1st Class Moreno who gave us cammo hats with  the camp name and our names embroidered on them.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e I went to an embroidery shop and had some patches made up that said  \x26#8220;Morale Bandits\x26#8221; so that I\x26#8217;d have something to give the soldiers that  help us out.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e We sound checked in the heat and it sounded kind of weird because we  don\x26#8217;t have amps and instead of hearing ourselves through speakers we  have ear buds and we don\x26#8217;t have a bass player.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e The USO threw a bbq and we all ate hot dogs and hamburgers and joked  around with the troops. I was like, \x26#8220;What this place needs is some brown  buildings\x26#8221; and a soldier added, \x26#8220;A little sand and this place would be  perfect!\x26#8221;\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e After horsing around for a while I wrote a setlist and we played. It  sounded even weirder during the gig but we knew it would and it\x26#8217;s just  the first night of the tour and besides, the troops really enjoyed it.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e We have a bunch of copies of our new little record, \x26#8220;Songs from the  Summer of Sangria\x26#8221; over here to give out and so after the gig we signed  CD\x26#8217;s and joked around some more. Then SFC Moreno, Captain Warner and  Specialist Fortes presented us with really nice plaques and we presented  them with Morale Bandit patches. (I knew they\x26#8217;d come in handy)\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e We got in the SUV\x26#8217;s to go back th the camp where we\x26#8217;re staying and you\x26#8217;d  think our day was over, right?\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e We asked Brody, our driver what time we had to be ready tomorrow and he  said, \x26#8220;one.\x26#8221; Sweet, right? Sleep in, blah, blah, blah.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e No.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e One in the morning pick up, head to the airport, palettize (put our gear  on a palette) and \x26#8220;wheels up\x26#8221; at four thirty.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e I went to my room and slept for an hour then came down and sat under the  cammo netting and began to write this. The rest of this was written as  it occurred.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e Ben Burger came out to the netting and asked me how I felt and I sang:\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e I feel pretty\x3cbr/\x3e Oh, so pretty\x3cbr/\x3e I feel pretty and witty and bright\x3cbr/\x3e And I pity\x3cbr/\x3e Any girl that isn\x26#8217;t me tonight\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e West Side Story, don\x26#8217;t you know.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e We drove to the airstrip and I pretty much thumbed about half of this  post into my blackberry. We got there and grabbed some pop tarts and  stuff in the VIP lounge. I came out to the area where the security guys  were getting us all checked in for our flight on a C-130 transport plane  and Brody was like \x26#8220;13:35.\x26#8221;\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e \x26#8220;What?\x26#8221;\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e \x26#8220;That\x26#8217;s when our flight is postponed until.\x26#8221;\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e \x26#8220;You mean tomorrow?\x26#8221;\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e \x26#8220;Well, technically today.\x26#8221;\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e Given the humanity staggering nature of that news I remember thinking it  a little rugged of Brody to be bandying about technicalities.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e I asked if we could get our rooms back at the base, Somewhere in Kuwait  and there were a tense few minutes while Brody called and sure enough,  in the hour or to in the middle of the night nobody had taken our rooms.  So we drove through the black night, dust glaring in the glare of the  lights on the highway and ghostly towns, me thumbs a\x26#8217;blazing and we  pulled up to the barrack and I considered finishing this post on the  bench under the cammo netting because that would be nice writing but  it\x26#8217;s three thirty am now and I just got my key and flopped down on my  bed.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e So that\x26#8217;s my post. I haven\x26#8217;t been able to read it over and edit because  it\x26#8217;s late and I\x26#8217;ve been up pretty much twenty four hours (apart from  that hour nap) and it\x26#8217;s in my blackberry and I\x26#8217;ll go cross eyed so bear  with me on any errors.\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e Over and out.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_text_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_title\x22\x3eSomewhere in Kuwait\x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_body\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cp\x3eFrom my blackberry\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x0a\x3cp\x3eSomewhere in Kuwait\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cbr/\x3eJune 22, 2010\x3c/p\x3e\x0a\x3cp\x3e\x3cbr/\x3eI\u2019m wide awake, jet lagged and it\u2019s around 6am. Out of a robin\u2019s  egg, pale sky; through my dusty window, past the dark blue curtain,  comes the tale end of the dawn\u2019s early light and with it, faintly,  bravely, the clear, staccato notes of a gallant bugle\u2019s Reveille.\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a        \x0a            \x3cli class=\x22tumblr_post tumblr_text_post\x22\x3e\x0a                \x0a                    \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_title\x22\x3etwelve minutes\x3c/div\x3e\x0a                \x0a                \x0a                \x3cdiv class=\x22tumblr_body\x22\x3e\x0a                    \x3cp\x3e\x3cspan\x3e\x3cu\x3etwelve minutes\x3c/u\x3e\x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3ejune  21, 2010\x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3e\u00a0\x3c/span\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cspan\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3eit\u2019s about twelve minutes before i have to be down in\x3cspan\x3e\u00a0 \x3c/span\x3ethe lobby  to catch the plane for amsterdam and on to kuwait. \x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3e\u00a0\x3c/span\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cspan\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3ejon and i had a great gig here in atlanta last night. 99X has a concert  series and he and i had a few jack daniels and played until the people were dancing  in the aisles. it felt good. we played about two hours and got a double encore.  matt, from 99X mentioned that we\u2019re leaving for iraq in his intro so after  people were coming up as they were buying cd\u2019s and wishing us luck. it was a  good night.\x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3e\u00a0\x3c/span\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3cspan\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3etoday we went to a mall to get some nine volt batteries but i got some stuff  at old navy and forgot the batteries. they cost eight dollars in the lobby of  the hotel so i passed. that\u2019s almost a dollar a volt!\x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3e\u00a0\x3c/span\x3e\x3cspan\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/span\x3e\x3cspan\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\x3c/span\x3e \x3cspan\x3ewell, that\u2019s about how much i can write in twelve minutes. more soon.\x3c/span\x3e\x3c/p\x3e\x0a                \x3c/div\x3e\x0a            \x3c/li\x3e\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a\x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a        \x0a\x0a                        \x0a    \x0a\x3c/ol\x3e');