Movable

Just finished the exhausting process of moving the company headquarters to a new base. Our move is part of the larger ongoing repositioning of forces within Iraq and the transition of control to the new Iraqi Army. We're calling it 'BRAC for Iraq', after the DoD review that has consolidated many of the numerous and irrelevant (read: pork barrel) military bases in the US into larger super-bases. A week ago, our facility was being toured by some officers from the Iraqi military and some American engineers. They were discussing how the place would be turned over to them when we left. Work was getting started on repairing and improving much of the facility- which caused more than a number of grumbles from soldiers wondering why the US Army was fixing up their base after they were leaving. But the work is justifiable- we are working hard to get the new generation of Iraqi military leadership started off on the right track. Or at least abiding by the grade-school rule of leaving a place 'better than when you found it.' Or took it over by force. Same sort of rule. Regardless, we're at our new base now with some other units who've been repositioned. I think this suggests the likelihood that a considerable withdrawal is not really all that far away for our forces; or at least I should say that if that is the plan, things are in motion to execute it. But frankly, the upside to me is really the fact that I don't have to live in my little plastic trailer anymore.