JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq –
Staff Sgt. Kevin Lindroth
Home Unit: 10th Intelligence Squadron
What do you do? Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
What's a day in the life like ... while in Balad? Busy. Home or away, air conditioners need cleaning and maintenance. It can also be a pretty dirty job.
What will you remember about your deployment 20 years from now? That it was dusty and bright. Either it's a dusty orange day, or it's so bright your sunglasses don't even feel like they're on. Not to mention, when it rains, it pours. The humidity and smell afterward is pretty bad too.
What's the most useful item you packed? Picture of my wife to remember why I do what I do.
When did you realize you "weren't in Kansas anymore;" aka your "Dorothy" moment? This is my fifth deployment so I really don't get those moments anymore, but my third deployment was when I went on my first convoy. That moment made me feel very out of place and uncomfortable.
What has been the highlight of your tour? Receiving the challenge to lead again. I don't feel my leadership skills are great yet, so I'm happy to have another chance to work on it.
What's the best part of the deployment? I know it will be the sense of accomplishment from a job well done, not to mention going home to see my wife and loved ones again. Knowing I had a part to help the people here gives me a warm feeling as well.
The worst part? Being away, knowing that I'm missing out on friend's wedding, and just missing everyone. I don't think breathing in the dust is that great either.
What new survival skill have you learned? To keep busy and learn different jobs. If you get too complacent you might drive yourself crazy from boredom.
What do you do during down time? Movies, video games and an occasional run. I'm somewhat of an easygoing person off-duty, so I like to take it easy and let the day's stress float away.
What is the first thing you will do when you return? Take care of business. I have a lot of stuff back home that needs to be taken care of. That's part of the job and I'm pretty used to it now.
What is the first thing you will eat when you return? Hopefully anything my mom cooks. She is Korean and I love pretty much everything she makes.
What insight experience will you take away from your time over there? That the world is VERY different. If you grow up and and live in just one place, you're missing out. The world is huge and everyone should really try to get out there and see as much as possible.
What do you miss the most? My wife. We got married a month before I left, so it will be nice to get home and start our life together.
How is your job that you are doing now different from the job back stateside?
A little slower. Back home there is always training, maintenance, etc. to do. Out here there is a lot to do, but it's done in a slower pace.
Have you tried the local cuisine? Not yet. Haven't been able to go anywhere to try anything new, but hopefully I will.
What do you think about what you hear on the news from what is going on stateside? I'm not much of a television person, but I hope everything is getting better if not the same. Lower gas prices when I get back would help.
Do you have plans for any extra money that you might be making from this deployment? Pay off any debt, pay off some of my new home and put a good chunk into savings. I'm sure my wife and I will splurge and spend about it on ourselves.
About when are you to return? August