This month I was inspired by the David Letterman’s Top Ten Lists book my assistant has been reading.

The Top 10 Things Deployment Has Taught Me To Appreciate:

10.  Air Conditioning. Imagine if you will, 137 degrees. Kind of like turning a hair dryer on high and pointing it directly at your face. Never thought wind blowing could actually make a place hotter!
 
9.  Consistent access to running water. Well, we don’t have a water problem as much as we have a wastewater problem. It seems every time they lift the water restrictions and folks can shower any time and use the flushing toilets that are here, we break the Baghdad sewer system. I keep telling folks that maybe our brigade is just too full of crap, but they don’t listen. J
 
8.  Flushing Toilets. Speaking of flushing toilets… this is twofold. First, imagine using a porta potty when it is 130 degrees. It takes strategy and planning in an effort to not dehydrate while you are in there or suffocate from what is left behind that has baked at that 130 degrees.
 
7.  Uninterrupted Sleep. Sometimes the days never end…
 
6.  Indoor Plumbing. Ever have to get up and pee at 0200? Ever had to get dressed and walk 50 yards to do it? Let’s just say, it is important to not wait until the last minute.
 
5.  The sun rising later than 0400. No wonder these people are angry and can’t get along. I would be too if I lived in a country where the sun was up every morning by 0400. There is just something inherently wrong with that.
 
4.  My house. Now I will admit that there are benefits to being here together and living together with Mike. However, my married friends, imagine living with your spouse in a 10x12 room… 2 single beds pushed together to make a double bed, 2 wall lockers, a mini fridge, a small wire shelf for our laptops, and all of our gear. It’s great…. as long as you’re getting along.
 
3. Grass and the color green. When I get home I am going to lay in my front yard in the grass and just stare at all the trees. I don’t care if it is going to be winter, there will be something green somewhere if it is the pine trees. EVERYTHING here is brown. It only varies in shades of brown. So if it looks like I am lying in my front yard attempting to make snow angels … no, I am not crazy and do not have PTSD … I am just welcoming the color green back into my color spectrum.
 
2.  Worship with sound effects. Imagine sitting in your local worship service. The minister is leading communion and says, “Let us pray.” Silence falls over the congregation … and .50 caliber machine gun fire starts going off in the background. Such a peaceful and prayerful moment. Don’t worry. It is just our convoy’s test firing before going outside the gate. But nonetheless, a reminder of where we are. It happened again this past Sunday. The chaplain preaching is the replacement who got here about a month and a half ago. It was his 2nd time to preach. While he was preaching the test firing started. It really threw him off. Poor guy.
 
1. Support from people who care. I continue to be humbled by the prayers, emails, cards, letters, and care packages I receive. The mail clerks love delivering my mail because they know once I open it, I share. You may think that a simple e-mail isn’t much, but it means the world when you are this far from home. I often get asked, “So who takes care of the chaplain. You listen and take care of everyone else.” It is support from all of you that keeps me and Mike going. Thank you.
 
Well, I hope this list made you laugh. Mike, Johnny (my assistant), and I giggled while making it.

The days do seem to all run together. Hot, dry, and brown. I have had the opportunity this month to go to some of the other bases to lead worship services while some of my fellow chaplains are on leave. Stay tuned for pictures to be posted on Facebook. Our internet connection is sketchy at times and e-mailing pics out is hit and miss. If you don't have access to Facebook and want to see the pictures, let me know and I will send you a link. I think there is a way I can share the pictures with folks who are not on Facebook.
 
We love and miss you all.
 
Peace,
Melissa

CH (CPT) Melissa Hale
30 HBCT
HHC, 230 BSB
FOB Falcon, Iraq
APO AE 09361

If you would like to support this our ministry in Iraq, please consider sending some of the items listed below:
Mike and Melissa
·  Rice Krispies Treats (you can get packaged ones on the snack aisle)
·  Freezer pops
·  Darts (Mike bought a dart board, but the darts are bad)
·  NC Flag
·  Strawberry Newtons
·  Cup Noodle soups, microwavable mac & cheese, and other microwavable lunch stuff
·  Twizzlers (berry flavored, rainbow, or other variety packs)
·  Packs of drink mix that you put in 20-oz. water bottles (Welch’s, Hawaiian Punch, green tea, berry flavors)
·  Tea bags (green tea, flavored teas, etc.)
·  Cappuccino Coolers — French Vanilla (instant coffee mix that you put in milk)
·  Town House Crackers
·  M&Ms & Reese’s Pieces
·  Candy (I have a “Bowl of Morale” in my office. It sits on my desk and I take it to meetings. Blow Pops, Tootsie Roll Pops, Bit o’ Honey, Now or Laters, Starburst, Bubble Gum, Smarties and other “kid” candy. You would be amazed at how simple candy brightens the day of even the grumpiest soldier!)
·  Pringles
·  Small Nerf guns / water guns
·  Yo-yos
 
For Soldiers
·  Cup Noodles soups
·  Vienna sausages, lunch/snack items
·  Packs of drink mix that you put in 20-oz. water bottles
·  Freezer pops
·  Sunscreen (spray on)
·  Carmex / Chapstick
·  Toothbrushes
·  DVDs (My battalion is setting up a DVD library for our soldiers to check out movies. So, if you have movies you have watched and don’t want any longer, send them.)
·  Audio Books on CD (Same thing as above)
·  Air Fresheners (These are old and dusty buildings)
·  Candy (no chocolate, it melts — except for M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces.)
·  Hand sanitizer (pocket size bottles)
·  Baby wipes
·  Kleenex (pocket size packs)
·  Lotion (Again, really dry)
·  Snack size packs of crackers, cookies, chips, cheetos, etc.
·  Coffee / Tea
·  Small Nerf guns / water guns
·  Tennis balls / Bouncy balls / Hacky sacks
·  Yo-yos
·  Toys
·  Nerf Balls
·  Birthday decorations (I now organize the monthly birthday party for our headquarters company)
·  Balloons
·  Bubbles