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`The Deid`

Old 23rd Jan 2007, 21:56
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`The Deid`

Ok, not wishing to look like a total spaz, I`ve just been told i`ll be joining our fun loving U,S, of A chappies in a sandy sh*t tip ( aka` the Deid`) for a few months. Having only ever seemed to have spent most of my dets in locations where the average temp struggles to get above 3 or 4 degress, what exactly am I in for? (facilities etc)
yes, yes, feel free to take the p*ss!!
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Old 23rd Jan 2007, 22:56
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Well it's more like a Middle Eastern Butlins than a detachment. Wonder if the pool is still called 'The Gene Pool' ?

Went there for a few days of meetings back in 2003 when I was based up in Baghdad. Was quite happy to get back to my scratcher in the middle of nowhere, mortars, RPGs and IEDs. Haven't been back since, but deal with them on a regular basis. Still seems to be your typical HQ, "we know best, knowledge is power, rules & regs and make life as difficult for the front line as possible."

However, you won't be needing your arctic sleeping bag! You will however need NATO's biggest sense of humour ever!
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Old 23rd Jan 2007, 23:14
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Smile The Deid

LMS, it's not a dumb question and, having been there a couple of times now there are a few peculiarities to the place. Melchett got the attitude about right though for a sizable (though not all) portion of people there.

The facilities are good, air-conditioned accommodation, reasonable food, usual collection of spam concessionaries - BX, Pizza, 'local' shop, tailors etc and the BFOT beer venue. The gene pool is the only place to get a tan (local sensitivities to be observed) and ablution blocks someway from accommodation requires appropriate footware!

The real art to survival there is to resist the undying urge to throttle some of the jobsworths that inhabit the place

You didn't say when you were going. Assuming the usual PMA notice period you'll be there Feb-May and the temperature will be starting to rise to mid 30s by the time you leave. One of the biggest problems is the predilection of the colonials to turn every office into a standby meat locker with the air-con. Walking in and out of it all day causes more problems than it solves.

Get past the bullsh!t and enjoy it - there's a lot to learn outside of whatever spec you're in and, not being a home base, most people are keen to show/explain/discuss what they do.
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Old 24th Jan 2007, 07:47
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However a sleeping bag can be handy; if you're out there in the summer it doesn't get below 30C at night, with stupidly high humidity, and if the air-con in your block fails for whatever reason (eg power cut to the quarter of the accommodation site containing the Brit blocks) the only way of getting to sleep is to grab the sleeping bag and find a floor where it's still working.

Point to note; while it's all US provided, all UK working buildings have UK plugs and all UK blocks have adapters for UK plugs, so no need to bring your own; knowing that would have saved me some baggage space.
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Old 24th Jan 2007, 07:47
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Spey.
There is a long thread running on the USAF board about "Dumbness at The 'Died", go to http://www.dynamictruth.com/ubb/ulti.../t/003412.html

It would appear that it is the epicentre of bluntnesss.
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Old 24th Jan 2007, 07:48
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Agree with ITW. As with all dets, there are +ves & -ves. If you go with the right attitude you can always get something out it. As far as working with the US is concerned, we all know that it can get frustrating at times, but there are some really good guys out there, just trying to make a bit of a difference (if that's possible at the moment).
Spent 4 months working with the US last year. PM if there's any specific advise you need.
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Old 24th Jan 2007, 10:46
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if you drive there (last time I went was in dec 04 so may be out of date gen) - the speed limit everywhere is 40kph (ie dead slow). And the US base security are hot on speeding - perpetrators tend to get the full spread eagle on the bonnet with an M16 in your face treatment.

So drive carefully.

And the footware tip is good gen - it's sharp gravel everywhere around the accom site so you need some sturdy shoes and ones that you don't mind getting trashed.
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Old 24th Jan 2007, 11:49
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My top tip? Don't forget a pair of sunnies, and wear them if you ever have to nip outside during the day. Because of the white-ish sand and concrete paths, the reflection of the sun is blinding, especially if you've only just woken up

During Jul/aug, the top temps are (given by the metman, truthfully or not) around 48 degrees. it's probably more, but jets tend to hit their operational limit at 50 degrees!

And get down to Doha - cut price gym facilities in the hotels, Friday brunches, the souq, nice restaurants, a bit of shopping....... it's not really Basra, so I don't think you need to worry. Except about the spams. And Chuck Norris...........
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Old 24th Jan 2007, 11:55
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Get an artistic friend to give you an all-over full body paint job, of you wearing at least a Tshirt and shorts.
It'll save you waking up your roomy when needing to get fully dressed before hopping out to the toilets in the middle of the night.
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Old 24th Jan 2007, 14:15
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Originally Posted by cp63
As far as working with the US is concerned, we all know that it can get frustrating at times, but there are some really good guys out there, just trying to make a bit of a difference (if that's possible at the moment).
They're dead helpful at the SNCO level, try to be helpful at the JO level but too often seem to get wrapped up in red tape; it sometimes seems to take a colonel or general to make a decision I'd expect a Flt Lt or sometimes even a Flt Sgt to deal with and people are often unwilling to bother such high paid help. That said, wherever they are unfettered by such restrictions they are keen as anything to get things done and good for the loan of kit we just don't have out there (big forklifts stick in my memory). <obDisclaimer>All in my experience and opinion, of course.</obDisclaimer>
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Old 25th Jan 2007, 03:41
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Don't wear the tee shirt that shows your nipple (guys - not birds) - Nipple violations on the way to the shower block are a serious offence. BTW, if your whole squadron gets pulled over at 5am for being overloaded in a van on the way home from the Muff - resist the temptation to patting the USAF security police dogs while the Sqn Cdr tries to explain that he is in charge! The US security types don't have the sense of humour that you do, nor the flexibility to deal with it.



.....Don't forget to insist on the US rate for the day off at the Doha Sheraton.
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Old 25th Jan 2007, 07:48
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So NO wet Tshirt on the way TO the shower block?
What if I get caught out in the rain? - there's my excuse.
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Old 25th Jan 2007, 12:13
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Flav

You'll spend weeks trying to find out why Flav is Fat....
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Old 25th Jan 2007, 19:16
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It is the best det of a bad lot - grumbles really are niff-naff compared to Bas or Kand. The hassles outlined about US jobsworths will either be your main gripe or main source of entertainment. You, at least to a certain extent, can put up two fingers to it and 'rule' baiting can be fun if you are prepared for the UK OC admin to tell you to calm it as it makes his life unpleasant to continually tell his US opposite number that UK service personell are not subject to his weird admin ways - and they are Triv Meisters extroidinare! Just read the link given by gainsey to see how dis-chuffed the USA people are. The padre at the time I was there convinced a lot of yanks that our reflective belts were issued colour coded according to rank - Yellow = junior enlisted, Blue = senior enlisted, Silver = junior commissioned, red = senior commissioned. Caused wonderful confusion with SACs being saluted by US Majors just because the SAC was wearing a red reflective belt, which were issued in a random manner - colours being those belts available at the time. On the food front, I found a jar of marmite livened up breakfast as all food there, while of good quality and certainly of majestic portions, had been through the 'blander' before being put out and becomes excessivly repetitive afterthe first two weeks. As always, it is the attitude you take with you that is the most important; you will have fun if you look for all the humour that lurks within the b*llsh*t that surrounds you - the Americans will try to tell you that they are our hosts and we are their guests - forgeting that the UK pays its own way for everything and we are all guests of the Qataris!!! Facilities are excellent: good gyms; large library - both books and DVDs; good cinema, always putting on the latest films around the clock (but be prepared to stand for the 'Stars and Stripes' at the start of every film! - unless of course you want to banter and start a diplomatic incident!??); Laundry, take extra 'T'-shirts and smalls as the laundry usually takes 3 to 4 days to return; a Burger king; a subway; a pizza shop; dunkin doughnus; a limited BX; Baskin Robins Ice cream shop; barbers who will give you a proper haircut - an amusing experience when you ask a competent hairdresser to cut your hair exactly as you want it in the latest style while being watched by several 'High and tight' Americans who did not realise an alternative was available!; a swimming pool which, better then nothing, often resembles a pot of 'man-soup'; small shops which will negotiate better deals when they realise you are not American (You have to tell them though), though you still get better value down in Doha. Look out for the Doha rugby club - an excellent night out with a good chance of playing an odd game. And of course the Aussies who are sanity savers and always oppose the same things the UK does; they have a similar sense of humour to us and while every American that you have dealings with is exceptionally friendly and usually more than willing to assist you, their system often lets them down. Sympathise with them and you have a friend for life - they have no option but to take the inane and barking mad directives from their bosses. All in all, with a positive attitude it could be the best and easiest det to that part of the world, but happiness remains the call of 'V1 - Rotate' on the way out.
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Old 25th Jan 2007, 21:03
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Got clamped at 'The Deid'.

US Security chap, handing me a ticket: ' SIR! You must report to your commanding officer within 24hrs with this ticket SIR!'

Me: 'Yes that's all very well old boy .... but he'll laugh!'

US Security chap, looks bemused, and repeats his previous.

Told the Wg Cdr .. he laughed! ... then I told him it was his car!!!!!

Job well done!
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Old 26th Jan 2007, 11:44
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Originally Posted by cynicalint
The padre at the time I was there convinced a lot of yanks that our reflective belts were issued colour coded according to rank - Yellow = junior enlisted, Blue = senior enlisted, Silver = junior commissioned, red = senior commissioned. Caused wonderful confusion with SACs being saluted by US Majors just because the SAC was wearing a red reflective belt, which were issued in a random manner - colours being those belts available at the time.
When I was out there my sgt armourer kept on getting saluted as his initials are MAJ and guards looking at his 1250 either thought he was a major and threw one up or a sgt-major and, not knowing how to deal with such a beast, threw one up any way.

On the food front, I found a jar of marmite livened up breakfast as all food there, while of good quality and certainly of majestic portions, had been through the 'blander' before being put out and becomes excessivly repetitive afterthe first two weeks.
Mmmm, chicken salad...

Look out for the Doha rugby club - an excellent night out with a good chance of playing an odd game.
I saw in a recent RAF News the guys out there now got to play in the Dubai 7s - all we managed was a touch 7s tornament against the Aussies, the yanks, a Doha side and some guys from MND(SE). Good crack, but make sure the lads don't get too out-of-hand in the reamrkably home-like bar afterwards. The reason we couldn't get much by way of playing organised was just before I got out there some lads came back to the base pissed and OC Admin put a stop to anything being organised down at the rugby club for a while.

And of course the Aussies who are sanity savers and always oppose the same things the UK does; they have a similar sense of humour to us and while every American that you have dealings with is exceptionally friendly and usually more than willing to assist you, their system often lets them down. Sympathise with them and you have a friend for life - they have no option but to take the inane and barking mad directives from their bosses. All in all, with a positive attitude it could be the best and easiest det to that part of the world, but happiness remains the call of 'V1 - Rotate' on the way out.

Seconded.

Last edited by TMJ; 26th Jan 2007 at 11:46. Reason: typo
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Old 29th Jan 2007, 19:03
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TMJ, you must have been there the same time as me. As I remember it was the TCW lads throwing up in the US security guards bin at the snake pit that nearly caused an International Incident.

Re the place itself Doha is a great place for shopping (cheap pearls, silk suits made up etc). I prefered the Intercontinental for a 'down day' due to the swim up bar. Ritz does a cracking all you can buffet and the rugby club were doing some decent grub, you could even get a round of golf out there. Don't know if the TDO is still running tourist information out there (a point of much contention at the time) but sand jeep trips were being organised.

So as you can see all really horrible. On the work front though it is a bit like ground hog day and if you don't like chicken salad you're stuffed!
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Old 29th Jan 2007, 21:57
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I prefered the Intercontinental for a 'down day'
I rest my case - Desert Butlins!
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Old 30th Jan 2007, 08:15
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So it is Incirlik with sand and no Effis? Do you still have to 'Dur' at a 'Dur sign'?
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Old 30th Jan 2007, 09:03
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Of course. With the added excitement of the 4-way dur too.

Can't knock the place really. Good facilities, food's ok and 24hr too. Yanks are just funny. Do enjoy having to reschedule my crew rest though so the local blunt knob ends can have their "room inspections". All the head honchos are bit too close at hand though so anything vaguely "interesting" aviation-wise has to be pondered on and mulled over by about 37 layers of "management". Yawn.

All in all though it beats the crap out of the desert with it's attendant army nonsense and things-that-go-bump-in-the-night.
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