Hello from Iraq!

[II_pistolas]

Quick introduction, I've been doing extract brewing for a few years now and am about to step up to all grain once this deployment is over. I'm stationed at Fort Hood, TX. I made a couple batches of meade before I left, my first ones so it'll be interesting. I also have a honey wheat sitting in a corney for me.

 

[Justibone]

Nice! Meads take forever, so that was a good call on setting those up before you left.

Get home safe and soon!

 

[II_pistolas]

Yep. Should be a good present to myself after I get back! Thanks.

 

[70Cuda383]

Welcome. I may have known someone who might have experimented with a home brew using apple juice from the DFAC at the small NATO compound I was deployed to in Afghanistan, which may have been the catalyst to get me started in home brewing once I got back. but I'm not really sure on the details exactly. all I remember for sure, is that someone said 'here, try this live yeast sample, I had the yeast mailed to me a few months back' he was adamant that it wasn't beer, wine, etc. because of GO1.

anyway, welcome to the forum. I've learned a lot here in just the 9 months i've been doing this now. I just spoke with a buddy of mine and he said that we really are doing a full withdraw out of Iraq, his tour is cut short and all USAF folks are supposed to be out of there in the next few weeks, and everyone else will follow on soon. I thought for sure when the CinC made that announcement, that we'd be leaving SOMEONE around as "Advisors" but, I guess not!

 

[II_pistolas]

Which small NATO compound? I was on one in Kabul at the beginning of last year.

Yep, looks like we're really going to leave. I was here for the initial invasion in '03 so it's kinda cool to help shut the lights out. We'll be sure to leave a key under the mat for 'em.

 

[KuntyBrew]

i was on hood back 02-05 and was on the '03 invasion too ets'd in 07recalled in 08 for another tour in 08-09 defiantly not the same iraq i left the first time

 

[malador]

Welcome. I may have known someone who might have experimented with a home brew using apple juice from the DFAC at the small NATO compound I was deployed to in Afghanistan, which may have been the catalyst to get me started in home brewing once I got back. !

The Middle East was the thing that got me into brewing. My roommate in Iraq received a Mr Beer kit in the mail for his birthday. we used a modified coffee pot to do the "boil." We also did some experimenting with juices from the DFAC. Grape juice mixed in with some cranberry juice turned out to be our beverage of choice.

I know, bad soldiers, but we're both out now so who cares.

 

[II_pistolas]

i was on hood back 02-05 and was on the '03 invasion too ets'd in 07recalled in 08 for another tour in 08-09 defiantly not the same iraq i left the first time

You should see it now.. Who were you with in the invasion? 4th ID is the only ones I remember from Hood and they didn't come until June/ July-ish if I remember right. In time to drag ole Saddam out of his hole though.

 

[gafortin]

Quick introduction, I've been doing extract brewing for a few years now and am about to step up to all grain once this deployment is over. I'm stationed at Fort Hood, TX. I made a couple batches of meade before I left, my first ones so it'll be interesting. I also have a honey wheat sitting in a corney for me.

Hey welcome, I am also in Iraq should be going home shortly to put my HERIMS together All the parts are waiting in my garage as we speak, just curious where you are at, as I am currently in Al Asad. Anyways good luck safe travels

Gary

 

[BamaRooster]

You guys come home safe....I was there in 91

 

[BOBrob]

Welcome, ditto to all above. Keep your head down, and dont piss off the sarg he can make you walk point....I got out in 75 . different time and place ,but the same ole ---- hurry home & brew on! Cheers

 

[KuntyBrew]

You should see it now.. Who were you with in the invasion? 4th ID is the only ones I remember from Hood and they didn't come until June/ July-ish if I remember right. In time to drag ole Saddam out of his hole though.

2nd CM BN 13COSCOM provided heavy Decon support for the invasion the when the 4th showed we got attached to 4ID DIVARTY most of the time on Taji putting out fires, convoy security, ACP security, fueler escort, sh*t burning and picking up rockets and other assorted ordinance

 

[II_pistolas]

2nd CM BN 13COSCOM provided heavy Decon support for the invasion the when the 4th showed we got attached to 4ID DIVARTY most of the time on Taji putting out fires, convoy security, ACP security, fueler escort, sh*t burning and picking up rockets and other assorted ordinance

Ahh the joys of burning s**t. Much like homebrewing, it's all about the proper mixture or the "JP8 / s**t ratio". Too much fuel and it'll burn all day, too little and you risk not burning all the s**t. It's a delicate process.
I was with 101st up in Mosul most of the time. :rockin:

Thanks for the well wishes guys!

 

[70Cuda383]

Which small NATO compound? I was on one in Kabul at the beginning of last year.

Yep, looks like we're really going to leave. I was here for the initial invasion in '03 so it's kinda cool to help shut the lights out. We'll be sure to leave a key under the mat for 'em.

KAIA. at the airport. I was one of the advisors training the Afghans. left in January of '11. but, we drove all over the city, went to the embassy and that whole downtown complex a bunch, several trips out to phoenix, KMC, etc. plus we got to fly around and go out and about with the Afghans as they were learning to operate their own AF.

crazy stuff to see for this aircraft maintenance officer. normally my job is "boring" sitting in meetings, directing priorities and setting schedules, etc. even a deployment for me is pretty boring, since a maintenance officer never has a reason to leave the base.

but when I was an Advisor, I was anything BUT a maintenance officer, and got to get out and see a lot of amazing things.


heard about the convoy yesterday, they hit the rhino and took out 13 Americans. I knew that would happen sooner or later. I hated that bus, and never rode on it. the rhino operators treat you like a child, make you sit in the back and basically tell you to do nothing, and just sit there, "let us do our jobs" I was much more comfortable going on our own convoys where I could be an "active participant" in what was going on....if you know what I mean.

 

[r8rphan]

Quick introduction, I've been doing extract brewing for a few years now and am about to step up to all grain once this deployment is over. I'm stationed at Fort Hood, TX. I made a couple batches of meade before I left, my first ones so it'll be interesting. I also have a honey wheat sitting in a corney for me.

God Bless you and your family bro!

 

[II_pistolas]

KAIA. at the airport. I was one of the advisors training the Afghans. left in January of '11. but, we drove all over the city, went to the embassy and that whole downtown complex a bunch, several trips out to phoenix, KMC, etc. plus we got to fly around and go out and about with the Afghans as they were learning to operate their own AF.

crazy stuff to see for this aircraft maintenance officer. normally my job is "boring" sitting in meetings, directing priorities and setting schedules, etc. even a deployment for me is pretty boring, since a maintenance officer never has a reason to leave the base.

but when I was an Advisor, I was anything BUT a maintenance officer, and got to get out and see a lot of amazing things.


heard about the convoy yesterday, they hit the rhino and took out 13 Americans. I knew that would happen sooner or later. I hated that bus, and never rode on it. the rhino operators treat you like a child, make you sit in the back and basically tell you to do nothing, and just sit there, "let us do our jobs" I was much more comfortable going on our own convoys where I could be an "active participant" in what was going on....if you know what I mean.

KMC? I left in March 10 and it was NKC (New Kabul Compound). Are we talking about the same place? I only went to Phoenix once and Eggars a bunch. I heard about that too.. sad day. I agree with you on the Rhino, I never rode that thing.

 

[BrewMU]

Quick introduction, I've been doing extract brewing for a few years now and am about to step up to all grain once this deployment is over. I'm stationed at Fort Hood, TX. I made a couple batches of meade before I left, my first ones so it'll be interesting. I also have a honey wheat sitting in a corney for me.

I was at Hood sometime in the last millenium (2nd Armored) - I got all my beer at the bar when I was there.
The worst desert I saw was McGregor Range at Ft. Bliss (I was in air defense) - always remember and never forget the #1: CYA, brother. Get home and brew.

 

[70Cuda383]

KMC? I left in March 10 and it was NKC (New Kabul Compound). Are we talking about the same place? I only went to Phoenix once and Eggars a bunch. I heard about that too.. sad day. I agree with you on the Rhino, I never rode that thing.

Yea, probably the same place. I think it was Kabul Military complex or something to that effect. who knows, they kept changing the names of crap to "show progress towards independant operations" like, while I was there, they went from Afghan National Army Air Corp (ANAAC) to Afghan National Air Force (ANAF) briefly before settling on AAF...Afghan Air Force.

Half the time I thought the official name changes were so that we could use shorter acronyms on our promotion reports! gotta fill all the white space, and it's gotta be all subsistence, no fluff!!

anyway, "KMC" was a major Afghan training compound, lots of open range space. we'd take the Afghans out there and teach them the "art" of calling in close air support. definitely some scary times there! between their lack of piloting skills on the Mi-35s, the inaccuracy of the unguided rockets they were using, and the inability for the afghan army troop on the ground to figure out HIS OWN coordinates before calling in the target coordinates... we had to be sure to give a good 1/2 mile standoff or more between our ground guys, and the actual concrete target we were trying to hit!!

ah, the memories!! (here's a couple "hero shots" of our times out at the range, and a pic from a flood rescue mission we got to go on out in J-bad when Pakistan was having all that heavy flooding)