PLEASE NOTE: I have now placed the posts in chronological order from oldest to last. As you follow this blog and reach the bottom of the page, you will have to click "older posts" to keep reading in that chronological order. (I know it sounds weird but chalk it up to tech stuff.)
So here we go:
January 4, 2007
Hey everyone -
As most of you know, I'm heading off to the Middle East to play for the troops with hit songwriters Thom Shepherd and Bob Reagan along with some great musicians - on fiddle, Cort Wegman, on bass, Philip Pence and drums, John Root. I'll be doing the sound and coming up to do a couple/three songs as the set progresses.
Our itinerary has us in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Djibouti (on the African coast), Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. We also will be spending two nights on an aircraft carrier somewhere in the Persian Gulf. We're leaving Nashville January 10 and arriving back sometime January 31.
Since we'll be 9 hrs ahead, I thought it would be fun to create this blog and post our adventures along with pictures of the trip as we go.
Feel free to comment on the posts and send them to your friends as well.
Thanks for dropping in and hope you come back often.
Jerry
Sunday, February 4, 2007
The right way, the wrong way and the Army way..
January 4, 2007
I thought I'd start this thread with my initial trip experience - and I haven't even left Tennessee!
I was scheduled to get my immunization shots at Ft Campbell (whoops - I guess I did leave TN as Ft Campbell is in KY) at 1 pm today. So I drive 60 miles to the base, get a pass to enter (you have to show them id, proof of vehicle registration and insurance first) and head over to the base "Travel Clinic". After chatting with a few soldiers in the clinic I was called back to be interviewed with an officer about my medical history. Once completed, I was told that now the specific immunization shots were ordered and to come back the next day to have them administered.
"Next day?"
"Yes, the clinic is closed today and is only open from 1230 hrs to 1700 hrs and is on a different part of the base."
"We couldn't have done this part by telephone?"
"No, we needed to see your orders first."
So 120 miles later I'm still not immunized. Okay, tomorrow then.
I hope.
I don't think I would have done well in "this man's Army".
I thought I'd start this thread with my initial trip experience - and I haven't even left Tennessee!
I was scheduled to get my immunization shots at Ft Campbell (whoops - I guess I did leave TN as Ft Campbell is in KY) at 1 pm today. So I drive 60 miles to the base, get a pass to enter (you have to show them id, proof of vehicle registration and insurance first) and head over to the base "Travel Clinic". After chatting with a few soldiers in the clinic I was called back to be interviewed with an officer about my medical history. Once completed, I was told that now the specific immunization shots were ordered and to come back the next day to have them administered.
"Next day?"
"Yes, the clinic is closed today and is only open from 1230 hrs to 1700 hrs and is on a different part of the base."
"We couldn't have done this part by telephone?"
"No, we needed to see your orders first."
So 120 miles later I'm still not immunized. Okay, tomorrow then.
I hope.
I don't think I would have done well in "this man's Army".
Hurry Up And Wait...
January 8, 2007
Okay, got my shots. 6 of them - 3 in each arm. And then the needle points were patched over with official Army requisition Snoopy band aids.
Then this morning it turns out that some commander in Dubais, United Arab Emirates doesn't have his stuff together enough to accomodate us for three days. After all, he's only had since last September to take care of the details.
So the commander at the Pentagon Armed Forces Entertainment cancelled the first three days of the trip. He wasn't too pleased. The drama that unfolded sounded like a good script for a M*A*S*H episode.
We now are scheduled to leave Saturday morning instead.
We're all disappointed. I've heard Dubais is nice this time of year.
Thanks for checking in.
Okay, got my shots. 6 of them - 3 in each arm. And then the needle points were patched over with official Army requisition Snoopy band aids.
Then this morning it turns out that some commander in Dubais, United Arab Emirates doesn't have his stuff together enough to accomodate us for three days. After all, he's only had since last September to take care of the details.
So the commander at the Pentagon Armed Forces Entertainment cancelled the first three days of the trip. He wasn't too pleased. The drama that unfolded sounded like a good script for a M*A*S*H episode.
We now are scheduled to leave Saturday morning instead.
We're all disappointed. I've heard Dubais is nice this time of year.
Thanks for checking in.
Finally!!!!
January 14, 2007
We are on the move!
After the Army issued the band its third (and final) itinerary, we're off. As I write this, we have just arrived in Atlanta awaiting a flight to Frankfurt, then to Bahrain.
Naturally, we have an 8 hr wait until the flight leaves at 6pm tonight. Guess that means we'll be checking out the playoffs at the local bar here in the Atlanta International concourse. Of course, some of us are already pickin' away. Here's Bob Regan on Thom Shepherd's mandolin:
We arrive in Frankfurt 9:05am and then leave on Gulf Air to Bahrain, scheduling to arrive there at 7:15 pm their time.
Bahrain is 9 hrs ahead of US Central time. That means when we arrive there, most of Nashville will be gearing up for a 10am writing session!
Meanwhile, let me introduce you to the rest of the band. Here's Thom Shepherd, our fearless leader. He's the writer of "Riding With Private Malone" and "Redneck Yacht Club" and will be performing these songs and most of the others on the tour:
Here is Cort (left) who plays fiddle and mandolin and Philip (right) who plays bass:
and finally John the drummer:
All are a great bunch of guys. There's lots of laughter, great stories and it is definitely a great hang.
So for now, we're just passing time, playing a few songs and waiting for whatever awaits us.
Thanks for checking in. More later.
We are on the move!
After the Army issued the band its third (and final) itinerary, we're off. As I write this, we have just arrived in Atlanta awaiting a flight to Frankfurt, then to Bahrain.
Naturally, we have an 8 hr wait until the flight leaves at 6pm tonight. Guess that means we'll be checking out the playoffs at the local bar here in the Atlanta International concourse. Of course, some of us are already pickin' away. Here's Bob Regan on Thom Shepherd's mandolin:
We arrive in Frankfurt 9:05am and then leave on Gulf Air to Bahrain, scheduling to arrive there at 7:15 pm their time.
Bahrain is 9 hrs ahead of US Central time. That means when we arrive there, most of Nashville will be gearing up for a 10am writing session!
Meanwhile, let me introduce you to the rest of the band. Here's Thom Shepherd, our fearless leader. He's the writer of "Riding With Private Malone" and "Redneck Yacht Club" and will be performing these songs and most of the others on the tour:
Here is Cort (left) who plays fiddle and mandolin and Philip (right) who plays bass:
and finally John the drummer:
All are a great bunch of guys. There's lots of laughter, great stories and it is definitely a great hang.
So for now, we're just passing time, playing a few songs and waiting for whatever awaits us.
Thanks for checking in. More later.
Greetings from the Kingdom of Bahrain!
January 16, 2007
It is after midnite Nashville time but 9:40 am Tuesday in the Persian Gulf. I'm in an internet cafe across the street from our hotel. Here is a view of the city from my room:
After two long, long days of flying cramped quarters we finally arrived last night here. Bahrain is an island country between Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
We were greeted by Hussein and Manjou who got us thru customs and to our hotel. We are staying here 2 nites (off base). Nice hotel. We each have our own rooms. Get this. We pay $120 per room but are reimbursed by the Army. If we had paid less than $100, we would have to pay it ourselves. Your tax dollars ar work.
One disappoinment. As our schedules have been joggled around so much, the base wan't able to get our paper work in order to play on the aircraft carrier, so no paddling in the Persian Gulf this trip. We're all disappointed but are sure many more adventures are nearby.
Because we all arrived pretty exhausted last nite, we all slept great and don't seem to have any jet lag symptoms.
Breakfast was interesting. Some eggs and fruit (loaded with black olives) and curried garbanzo beans. Tasty, actually.
A few other notes of interest. In the city, we cannot wear shorts that are above the knees. I'm not exactly sure what would happen to us if we did, but I'm not going to test the establishment. We've seen a lot of people with various turbins and such, and even a few women completely covered except for the eyes.
The band plays tonight at 8:30 on the base. We're heading over there in a few minutes to set up, get the sound underway and then we have the day to do some exploring. We're all looking very forward to that.
I haven't had a chance to take many pictures yet - they wouldn't let me take any in the airport (security, I guess), but here are a few more.
This is check-in from Frankfurt to Bahrain:
here is a flight attendant from our flight on Gulf Air:
Finally, did anyone get that license plate number?
It is after midnite Nashville time but 9:40 am Tuesday in the Persian Gulf. I'm in an internet cafe across the street from our hotel. Here is a view of the city from my room:
After two long, long days of flying cramped quarters we finally arrived last night here. Bahrain is an island country between Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
We were greeted by Hussein and Manjou who got us thru customs and to our hotel. We are staying here 2 nites (off base). Nice hotel. We each have our own rooms. Get this. We pay $120 per room but are reimbursed by the Army. If we had paid less than $100, we would have to pay it ourselves. Your tax dollars ar work.
One disappoinment. As our schedules have been joggled around so much, the base wan't able to get our paper work in order to play on the aircraft carrier, so no paddling in the Persian Gulf this trip. We're all disappointed but are sure many more adventures are nearby.
Because we all arrived pretty exhausted last nite, we all slept great and don't seem to have any jet lag symptoms.
Breakfast was interesting. Some eggs and fruit (loaded with black olives) and curried garbanzo beans. Tasty, actually.
A few other notes of interest. In the city, we cannot wear shorts that are above the knees. I'm not exactly sure what would happen to us if we did, but I'm not going to test the establishment. We've seen a lot of people with various turbins and such, and even a few women completely covered except for the eyes.
The band plays tonight at 8:30 on the base. We're heading over there in a few minutes to set up, get the sound underway and then we have the day to do some exploring. We're all looking very forward to that.
I haven't had a chance to take many pictures yet - they wouldn't let me take any in the airport (security, I guess), but here are a few more.
This is check-in from Frankfurt to Bahrain:
here is a flight attendant from our flight on Gulf Air:
Finally, did anyone get that license plate number?
1 show down, 11 to go...
January 17, 2007
First of all, it was awesome this morning and checking in on all the comments keeping me connected to home. Thanks, and keep 'em coming. I never knew my knees were so sexy!
After posting yesterday's blog, Hussein took us to the Naval base here to tour the compound and check out the "venue" where we'll play. Security was intense as we approaced the base, from a distance behind the many barricades:
and closer up:
We were thrilled to find a poster of the gig all over the place. Here's the band and Hussein by one of the posters:
Later, Thom and I decided to check out the streets finding some interesting signs:
and by popular demand, here's a pic of me on a bridge we think crosses into Saudi Arabia:
Upon our return, we went back to the base for a short sound check and then the show. I have to say the band was just spectacular. The musicians were "on" from the first downbeat and the soldiers loved it. Thom put together a great set list of originals and covers that was entertaining, fun and very special. There were several moments that were very emotional for all of us when some songs were being played. During Thom's "Thanks To You" several soldiers stood at attention with hands over their hearts during the whole song! Another took us under his wing. His name is Sean, from Valdosta, Ga, is a helicopter search and rescue officer. Here is myself, Sean, Thom and Dustin, an MP from Oklahoma:
Sean was so enamored with the band and our songwriting backgrounds he went to his apartment and came back with some "gifts". I was stunned to learn he wanted to give me a naval helicopter flight suit! It even fits. Well, kind of.
Sidney, a good guy from India, was there to help with the sound. Here is me (in my new flight suit) and Sidney:
When it came my time to come up and play "Athens Grease" and "For A Little While", the band rocked out. It was a blast and a far cry from the "Bluebirdian" rounds back home:
After the show ended, a lot of guys hung around to talk. They love the connection to home, love to talk about their life here in the military and hanging with someone outside of their normal military routine. I was very touched by their dedication, sincerity and passion. I met one guy in a #10 Vince Young jersey (from California) and another, upon seeing my Titans hat, wanted to talk about Eddie George and NFL football.
Finally, we made it back to the hotel and one of the lounges had pool tables. One Arab befriended Thom and offered to let him wear his head wrap. Here is "Sheik Thom":
Meanwhile, Sheiks shoot pool, too!
That's it for now. Today we hope to see some Bahrainian sites. We're near a big mosque and palace (we heard some Arabic singing loud and clear in the streets yesterday) so that might be in our plans. The Bahranians are very helpful and friendly and it's very safe here to be out in the local color.
Tomorrow we leave for Djibouti.
Again, thanks for checking in and keep those comments coming!
First of all, it was awesome this morning and checking in on all the comments keeping me connected to home. Thanks, and keep 'em coming. I never knew my knees were so sexy!
After posting yesterday's blog, Hussein took us to the Naval base here to tour the compound and check out the "venue" where we'll play. Security was intense as we approaced the base, from a distance behind the many barricades:
and closer up:
We were thrilled to find a poster of the gig all over the place. Here's the band and Hussein by one of the posters:
Later, Thom and I decided to check out the streets finding some interesting signs:
and by popular demand, here's a pic of me on a bridge we think crosses into Saudi Arabia:
Upon our return, we went back to the base for a short sound check and then the show. I have to say the band was just spectacular. The musicians were "on" from the first downbeat and the soldiers loved it. Thom put together a great set list of originals and covers that was entertaining, fun and very special. There were several moments that were very emotional for all of us when some songs were being played. During Thom's "Thanks To You" several soldiers stood at attention with hands over their hearts during the whole song! Another took us under his wing. His name is Sean, from Valdosta, Ga, is a helicopter search and rescue officer. Here is myself, Sean, Thom and Dustin, an MP from Oklahoma:
Sean was so enamored with the band and our songwriting backgrounds he went to his apartment and came back with some "gifts". I was stunned to learn he wanted to give me a naval helicopter flight suit! It even fits. Well, kind of.
Sidney, a good guy from India, was there to help with the sound. Here is me (in my new flight suit) and Sidney:
When it came my time to come up and play "Athens Grease" and "For A Little While", the band rocked out. It was a blast and a far cry from the "Bluebirdian" rounds back home:
After the show ended, a lot of guys hung around to talk. They love the connection to home, love to talk about their life here in the military and hanging with someone outside of their normal military routine. I was very touched by their dedication, sincerity and passion. I met one guy in a #10 Vince Young jersey (from California) and another, upon seeing my Titans hat, wanted to talk about Eddie George and NFL football.
Finally, we made it back to the hotel and one of the lounges had pool tables. One Arab befriended Thom and offered to let him wear his head wrap. Here is "Sheik Thom":
Meanwhile, Sheiks shoot pool, too!
That's it for now. Today we hope to see some Bahrainian sites. We're near a big mosque and palace (we heard some Arabic singing loud and clear in the streets yesterday) so that might be in our plans. The Bahranians are very helpful and friendly and it's very safe here to be out in the local color.
Tomorrow we leave for Djibouti.
Again, thanks for checking in and keep those comments coming!
Another great nite..
January 17, 2007
Hi everyone,
It is 1am in Bahrain right now and we're flying Military out to Djibouti in 5 hrs. As the base at Djibouti is primitive - we're staying in tents and probably not going off base - I'm not sure when I'll be able to check in so I thought I'd make a quick post and then download some more pics and info later.
Today we got to see the city. Manama is the capitol of Bahrain. It appears to also be the only city, so that works well!
So for now, here are a few fun (at least I think so) pics of today's excursion:
We went to a mall/market. There sure are a lot of guys named "Al" here:
We see many many people in all kinds of garb, from western jeans and blouses to very traditional. Here are some hooded women coming into Al's mall:
And some men just hanging:
Here is a local tobacco seller, a very friendly guy:
And finally, I got a kick out of some cabbies in traditional Arab clothing:
Before I sign off, I have to mention that first the show tonite was awesome. The band was again on target and the crowd just loved it. You may have heard some news about a submarine colliding with a tanker in the Persian Gulf. That sub crew just returned here and was at the show.
Meanwhile one of the women here (maybe 20 years old) came up to me and told me her husband was on duty in Iraq and she was video taping the show on her cell phone for him. She asked if it would be possible for Thom to dedicate a song to him. I was able to get word to him and when he did, it got VERY emotional there for everyone. Jerked a couple of tears for me, for sure. Later that night she must have tearfully thanked me 10 times for that little favor. I sure hope he makes it home.
That's it for now. Thank you again for being here. It means a lot.
I'll check in from Djibouti as soon as I can.
Jerry
Hi everyone,
It is 1am in Bahrain right now and we're flying Military out to Djibouti in 5 hrs. As the base at Djibouti is primitive - we're staying in tents and probably not going off base - I'm not sure when I'll be able to check in so I thought I'd make a quick post and then download some more pics and info later.
Today we got to see the city. Manama is the capitol of Bahrain. It appears to also be the only city, so that works well!
So for now, here are a few fun (at least I think so) pics of today's excursion:
We went to a mall/market. There sure are a lot of guys named "Al" here:
We see many many people in all kinds of garb, from western jeans and blouses to very traditional. Here are some hooded women coming into Al's mall:
And some men just hanging:
Here is a local tobacco seller, a very friendly guy:
And finally, I got a kick out of some cabbies in traditional Arab clothing:
Before I sign off, I have to mention that first the show tonite was awesome. The band was again on target and the crowd just loved it. You may have heard some news about a submarine colliding with a tanker in the Persian Gulf. That sub crew just returned here and was at the show.
Meanwhile one of the women here (maybe 20 years old) came up to me and told me her husband was on duty in Iraq and she was video taping the show on her cell phone for him. She asked if it would be possible for Thom to dedicate a song to him. I was able to get word to him and when he did, it got VERY emotional there for everyone. Jerked a couple of tears for me, for sure. Later that night she must have tearfully thanked me 10 times for that little favor. I sure hope he makes it home.
That's it for now. Thank you again for being here. It means a lot.
I'll check in from Djibouti as soon as I can.
Jerry
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