MeyerMED

Veteran’s Day Message

// November 12th, 2010 // No Comments » // Life, Military / Deployment

During my normal shift this morning, I read a Veteran’s Day message in the “Sergeant of the Guard” (SOG) log book. The message, writing by another SOG gave me the “warm and fuzzy” so I decided to post it here:

Nov 11, 2010 – On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month; the world assembled together in Versailles Paris to sign a treaty to end all wars. Ninety one years later today, those of you reading this and I writing this, are still locked in the struggle to end war. We have fought then and still today over boundaries, politics, religion, and oppression. Our weapons and tactics have changed, but our quest to live peacefully remains. Remember that love promotes life. Love your family, friends, battle buddies, and most of all, love life. Know that victory for us is simple. There is no mastermind strategy for us. To win a war is done by living through war. That is our victory. This is for us veterans and a safe and speedy trip home.

Happy Veteran’s Day
–SSG Corey Baldwin

Thanks for all you have done, and all you have given!

Doha’s Villagio Mall and a friend’s departure

// July 17th, 2010 // 4 Comments » // Military / Deployment

The Villago Mall is Doha’s hub for overpriced luxury clothes. The mall was supposedly build by a Las Vegas architect, and it sports a sky-painted ceiling with a river of chlorinated water separating the businesses lining both sides of the main hallway.

If you think you might enjoy the ride, are too lazy to walk, or bored with everything the mall has to offer, you can opt for a gondola ride from one end of the mall to the other. Many of the stores are similar to those in the US: there are telephone accessory booths, various shoe stores (Footlocker), Ed Hardy, Lacoste, Lucky Jean Co., etc. In addition, there is a luxury wing with Louis Vatton, Ralph Lauren, Christian Hererra, Coach, Dior, and other you-break-it-you-cant-afford-to-buy-it stores.  The food court is surrounding a large ice skating rink — and I’m not talking about those polymer plastic synthetic rinks they build in the South Florida malls around Christmas time.  I’m talking about a genuine Zamboni-maintained frozen water skating rink. For a little bit, I daydreamed about scraping ice as a Right Wing, while my buddy Kershner is picking another fight with the opposing team from the golly box behind me. Then it dawned on me: I was currently deployed to a middle eastern country where the men dressed like Aladdin, women wore black burkas that covered their faces like ninjas, and the outside temperature is somewhere around 120 degrees Fahrenheit — a humbling reality check.

We went to the mall to eat a final dinner with a friend and fellow non-commissioned officer.  A truly genuine person, he served as our units equal opportunity adviser: ensuring equality regardless of race, religion, or gender. He was leaving theater because of a non-combat related injury.   Although it was under good conditions, we still regret seeing him go.

We wish him luck and safe travel!

See more pictures here