What we love about this deployment

During our time here, we have noticed that there are some perks on this deployment. Here are some take-aways of what we will miss the most:

1) The all-you-can-eat buffet:
Yes, although the food is not like a home-cooked meal, everyone has a favorite meal. Steak and lobster day, jambalaya, turkey wings, and Cornish hen are some of the favorites. You get to try different things that are unique to this area as well. For example, the Arabic food at the main dining facility is amazing. The Arabic-style chicken and the Thai-style rice are excellent. Not to mention all of the drink mixes, MRE pieces, and rip-its you can drink!

2) The Gym:
Everyone needs a little pt and with the gyms being so close, it's easy to stay in shape. Most of the gyms have an adequate selection of equipment. You just have to be smart enough to avoid the peak hours.

3) The Ur Market/PX Shops:
We all seemed to have a good share of down time out here. What better way to fill that time than with your favorite TV shows and Movies, especially ones that get leaked here before they ever see a U.S. theater. The shopping here offers discounted rugs, hookah, hard to find cigars, and every once in a while; camel rides.

4) The Ziggurat:
On the way to the HAS, it is a site to behold. It was built around 2100 BC as a temple for the Sumerian moon god and stands approximately 100 feet high, which is about 100 feet taller than anything else out here. Also, the area around the Ziggurat is believed to have been the house of Abraham. You can still see a dwelling with more than 25 rooms. Having the Ziggurat nearby gave us all a little more appreciation of this area's history.

5) The Sigonella Det:
Bonjourno! Whether we spent two weeks or two months out here, Sig was a great deal. We had the good fortune to be surrounded by a lot of spectacular wineries (Gambino, for example) and having authentic Italian restaurants nearby. There were many opportunities to go site seeing to Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo, and Catania. A lot of us were also able to visit Rome, including the Vatican. Sig also offered mini dets to Greece and Scotland. We all at least got a taste of what a P-3 deployment should be.

But most of all, we love the fact that it's almost over.