Log Base Seitz
And now a few snap shots from life at Log Base Seitz.
At Camp Victory there's a huge PX, a Wal-Mart like store where you can buy anything from TVs to shoes to toothpaste to food and magazines. And these lame shirts. ;)
Though the shot is blurry (and I thought I had trouble focusing), it does give a good sense of the dining facility where we all spend the majority of our time, and the group of New Mexicans with whom I spend much of my time. The guy in the green hat is the Commander of Log Base.
A view of beautiful Log Base Seitz with the town of Abu Ghraib in the distance (being patrolled by Blackhawks). The tiny logistical base at one point supplied 1/3 of Baghdad with anything from food and water to ammunition and fuel. The maintenance shop filled more than 10,000 orders in one year, including the uparmoring of more than 3,000 vehicles (to the tune of $25k a pop).
Just south of Abu Ghraib at sunset. Hopefully an indicator of things to come, the silver lining that is.
People from Abu Ghraib burn their garbage at night. We burn our garbage during the day, which makes the air over the base toxic, oh, pretty much round the clock.
And there are mortar attacks! This dud in the right hand corner flwe directly into the staff HQ cutting the communication wires seen to the left. Luckily it did not explode.
In one day we had four separate mortar attacks. This unexploded ordnance is waiting to be gathered. And how does one pick up UXO? "Very carefully," I was told by a wise man. "Like a little newborn baby."
Given the frequency of mortar attacks at Log Base Seitz, you learn quickly that bunkers like this one, which are sprinkled throughout the base, are your friend.
I started out taking daily walks when I arrived at base but given the air quality (see above) and frequency of mortar attacks (see above), I familiarized myself with the MWR, or recreation center. Given the amazing amount of food on this base, it's a place I should undoubtedly be spending more time. But why would I do that when there's...
Twister!
... or ladies' night at the med center. yes I was humiliated, but every journalist knows that sacrifices must be made in the pursuit of sources, and joining in was a condition for me to take photos.
Preparing for one of my rare and cherished trips off base, this time with the 245th.
At camp Taji, about 20 minutes to the north, there is what they call the bone yard, where Russian tanks from Saddam's army have been left to die.
There a very few Iraqis allowed on Log Base Seitz. The handful who have been hired for such jobs as cleaning, sweeping or filling sand bags are closely monitored.
At Camp Victory there's a huge PX, a Wal-Mart like store where you can buy anything from TVs to shoes to toothpaste to food and magazines. And these lame shirts. ;)
Though the shot is blurry (and I thought I had trouble focusing), it does give a good sense of the dining facility where we all spend the majority of our time, and the group of New Mexicans with whom I spend much of my time. The guy in the green hat is the Commander of Log Base.
A view of beautiful Log Base Seitz with the town of Abu Ghraib in the distance (being patrolled by Blackhawks). The tiny logistical base at one point supplied 1/3 of Baghdad with anything from food and water to ammunition and fuel. The maintenance shop filled more than 10,000 orders in one year, including the uparmoring of more than 3,000 vehicles (to the tune of $25k a pop).
Just south of Abu Ghraib at sunset. Hopefully an indicator of things to come, the silver lining that is.
People from Abu Ghraib burn their garbage at night. We burn our garbage during the day, which makes the air over the base toxic, oh, pretty much round the clock.
And there are mortar attacks! This dud in the right hand corner flwe directly into the staff HQ cutting the communication wires seen to the left. Luckily it did not explode.
In one day we had four separate mortar attacks. This unexploded ordnance is waiting to be gathered. And how does one pick up UXO? "Very carefully," I was told by a wise man. "Like a little newborn baby."
Given the frequency of mortar attacks at Log Base Seitz, you learn quickly that bunkers like this one, which are sprinkled throughout the base, are your friend.
I started out taking daily walks when I arrived at base but given the air quality (see above) and frequency of mortar attacks (see above), I familiarized myself with the MWR, or recreation center. Given the amazing amount of food on this base, it's a place I should undoubtedly be spending more time. But why would I do that when there's...
Twister!
... or ladies' night at the med center. yes I was humiliated, but every journalist knows that sacrifices must be made in the pursuit of sources, and joining in was a condition for me to take photos.
Preparing for one of my rare and cherished trips off base, this time with the 245th.
At camp Taji, about 20 minutes to the north, there is what they call the bone yard, where Russian tanks from Saddam's army have been left to die.
There a very few Iraqis allowed on Log Base Seitz. The handful who have been hired for such jobs as cleaning, sweeping or filling sand bags are closely monitored.
10 Comments:
This site looks great. THe only thing it is missing is a mustard eating contest. What a Christmas.
Coming from a soldier who was there: I can't believe that you guys would put these soldiers in this much danger putting these pictures and such discriptions of all these soldiers that were there, well from a piece of my mind to ya'lls this is crap i can't believe that you WEN"T AGAINST THE ARMY RULES TO PLACE THESE PICTURES ON THIS SITE BUT THATS OK CAUSE I WILL HAVE YOU SHUT DOWN AND ARRESTED HOPE IT WAS FUN PUTTING SOLDIERS WHO FIGHT FOR YOU IN DANGER........
yeah, that place was a shithole.
what a nightmare living there; mortar attacks....living like prisoners with no leadership...i had no idea where to go my first week there when the mortars started falling.....being drafted into a suicide mission to recover halliburton trucks and rewarded with a 12-pack of soda while the command put themselves in for (and received) bronze stars.....nice going.....
I Spent a year a Log Base Seitz and my heart goes out to everyone there now. I was stationed with the 542nd Maint. Co. under the 541st. Trans BN.
It was a long hard year that I will never forget. I wish everyone there the best of luck and safest of jurnies. If anyone is ever a little curious as to what the place looked like before in the begining stages just email me and I will be more than happy to share pictures.
Names Mark Miller
no longer a service member however, but fully in support.
Tattooedup26@aol.com
This post has been removed by the author.
I was in the 5th truck in the first convoy that entered Seitz. There were about 15 of us that began clearing the warehouses of junk amd UXO. 'the dream' said it.. we had NO leadership at all. What an army. 13 years of lessons was all I could take. couldn't do 7 more.
You have no sense of security. For the safety of the soldiers there..Take down the photos and revise!
I to was on sietz as the sgt in charge of the medics from feb 04...As the other people have stated that place was bad...There was no reason for that camp to be where it was...the others failed to say that the city is so close that you can hear when it was their call to prayer..then you knew not long after that here came the mortars...As a medic i was very pround of my crew out there who did a great job for what we had to work with...The pics that were posted were not a very good idea...they can see the base from the city so its just stupid to give them a even closer look "inside the camp"....As for everyone that was or still are there keep your head down say your prayers...and GOD bless!!! There is not a day goes by that I dont think and pray for you guys still there!!! Sgt "bull"
I was a medic there in 04....I find it disturbing that that camp still exists...The is no reason that camp should be there..My crew and i took care for way too many killed and wounded for a camp like that to be located where it is. no one else has stated but you can actually see the city and hear the disturbing nitely call to prayer wich was usually followed by the mortars.For someone to post pics of this camp is just proof of the ignorence of those who dont have to actually live in that hell hole...its a really " smart" idea to show pics of how the bunkers are built, or what kind of roof is on what building....As for the people still there...i pray and think about that place at least a couple times a day..keep your heads down, say your prayers and come home safe....in a side note the only reason i truley belive that that camp is there is who wants to be a small fish ( a camp comander) in a big pond ( camp liberity/victory)when he can be a big bronze star wearing fish in a mud hole of a camp.....but thats just my thought!!!!
Post a Comment
<< Home