Heat Delirium

So, for starters, whatever temperature this blog says it currently feels like in Kirkuk....go ahead and add about 15 degrees to get the ACTUAL temp. I don't usually look at it while I'm writing, but right now it says 97 and it's really 113 outside (as read from our EMEDS double-secret, classified, NASA-prototype thermometer). Not that it matters too much, because every day is either REALLY hot or REALLY, REALLY hot. We did see clouds for the first time about two weeks ago, and they looked so beautiful for the 45 minutes that they lasted (once the sun came up, they burned off almost instantly).

You might wonder why I'm so fixated on the weather today. It's because last week was one of our hottest yet. The Air Force, in its infinite wisdom, uses a measurement system called Heat Stress Condition to determine the safety of being outside each day. The conditions are Green, Yellow, Red and Black, in ascending order of pain. Green is usually only possible at night here, and Black is like living a few miles from the surface of the sun. Last week, we had four straight days of Condition Black with each day being over 120 on our thermometer! I never really thought I'd care about the difference between 115 and 125, but I have a renewed appreciation for these upper-limit temps. So, here's a word-picture that I hope will portray the feeling of outdoor movement (while wearing thick, polyester uniforms, naturally) here at the KRAB.

Imagine the hottest day wherever you might live. If it's not at least 105, then imagine Arizona in the summertime. As you walk outside of your heavily air-conditioned home, the dry heat is choking at first. Then, as you become accustomed and venture further out, a "friend" has kindly set up an industrial-sized fan in your yard, aimed right at you. Only, this isn't a typical fan...it's a massive hairdryer blowing air that feels like it has come straight out of your oven when set to "broil." And, to heighten their enjoyment at your expense, your "friend" throws up several hands full of dusty sand into the back of the fan (because they wouldn't be caught dead in FRONT of the thing) which coat you in a fine mist of silica that sticks to the beads of sweat that NEVER, EVER leave your skin. It kinda makes you wonder what the purpose was of that shower you recently finished? And that would be about how it feels to us each day here at our KRAB paradise.

OK, on the bright side, at least it isn't humid! We have officially passed the halfway point (thank God) and are on the downhill stretch now. And don't read too much into my sarcasm, it's just some minor electrolyte disturbances from profound sweat loss during our run yesterday! We have also enjoyed some more intimate time with automatic weapons (at 1PM, just to see how hot we could make it) and had a great weekend with some good pics coming soon.

Cita and the B-ster....I'm always lovin' you guys!