CAMP VICTORY, Iraq –
Senior Airman Jarrod Chavana
Home Unit: 633d Air Base Wing Public Affairs
What do you do? I'm a journalist for the Baghdad News Media Team, in which I travel Iraq writing stories about Airmen, joint operations and the progressive actions occurring in Iraq.
What's a day in the life like? When I'm not writing a story, we are looking for stories. Our mission is to find obscure forward operating bases and detail what the Air Force is accomplishing.
What will you remember about your deployment 20 years from now? During one of our missions, I was able to go outside the wire with Air Force security forces and Iraqi police to look for enemy vantage points for the national election March 7. The building was not the one originally discussed. It was funneled within an array of buildings, so security forces created a defensive perimeter - emotions ran high. Children were playing; adults were snooping from roof tops, looking out of windows and ducking when we looked up. The situation was kind of harry but everything went smoothly.
What's the most useful item you packed? The most useful items I packed other than cold weather gear (who knew a desert could be wet and cold) is protein bars. The military motto of hurry up and wait was something I had to get used to while traveling. Because weather was a factor and Mother Nature always wins.
When did you realize you "weren't in Kansas anymore;" aka your "Dorothy" moment? The first moment was when I was flying from one location in Southeast Asia in a C-130, and we landed in Kuwait. We are already wearing full battle rattle, my back pack, which weighed more than 40 pounds, is sitting between my legs. I'm shoulder-to-shoulder with civilians and other military personnel and the crew chief screams, "We are adding another crate of gear and 35 people are coming aboard! Pack it in."
The second moment was New Year's Eve, and I'm at Slayer Air Base for a volunteer function called "Monte Carlo Night," in which we set up Roulette, 21, and Texas Hold'em tables; we had a basketball clock that would sound every 15 minutes, so that people would change tables. Everyone was laughing and having a good time when an alarm goes off. For a second, we thought it was the timer, until the tent turned red and we heard "incoming, incoming" over the loud speaker. I'm in a TENT, so I jump behind a 1 inch plywood counter (as if that was going to matter), hear a boom and then another boom. We could feel the shock waves go though the tent, past the plywood and through us after two of the 11 rockets landed off in the distance. That's when I knew Kansas was no more....
What has been the highlight of your tour? The ability to travel to forward operating bases via HH-60 helicopters to accomplish my mission; listening to peoples stories, accomplishments, and seeing what most news networks are not showing or even talking about; and getting to meet the Iraqi military and seeing their determination to free their country, it's been incredible.
What's the best part of the deployment? I collect war memorabilia, and I was given an AK-47 bayonet that was confiscated from a weapons cache. I will have to say that's been the best part of this deployment.
The worst part? The worst part for me is listening to people complain, who have no idea what's really going on. If someone agrees with what their country is doing or not, the majority of the people here don't want us to leave. They have never felt the freedom they now have. There were more than 20 attacks during the elections, and the people kept coming. They risked their lives to create a new Iraq. If that doesn't tell the world that our presence here was validated, nothing will.
What new survival skill have you learned? During my combat skills training course, they taught me how to clear buildings and fight in urban terrain. Thankfully, I haven't had to put this skill to use, but it's good to know it's there.
What do you do during down time? I've been able to go to multiple Morale Wellness and Recreation events and all I can say is GOD BLESS THE DALLAS COWBOY CHEERLEADERS! We have also had comedians and musicians entertain us; its nice to escape and just enjoy the entertainment. Another tool we have is Skype and talking to my wife, children, parents, and so on and so forth helps me feel like I'm only at the office.
What is the first thing you will do when you return? I'm going to eat the biggest fattest Texas Road House rib eye and then I'm going to Virginia Beach to eat sushi.
What is the first thing you will eat when you return? Read the above line
What insight experience will you take away from your time over there? No matter what I see on TV or read, there is no experience like living it. For me, seeing the Airmen, Marines, Soldiers and Sailors on the ground, enlisted and officers, making real world decisions that will be written down in history books leaves me in awe. This country has potential, and some day, we will all see it come to fruition.
What do you miss the most? I miss hanging out with my family. It's not the same seeing e-mailed copies of my wife's ultra sound and watching her belly grow from thousands of miles away. Life is about a series of little events that create a picture, and you never realize what you've missed until you're not there.
How is your job that you are doing now different from the job back stateside? I'm stationed at Langley - you throw a rock, and you'll hit a two star - Iraq is no different. My job is to report what's going on and relay it to the masses.
Have you tried the local cuisine? Yes the food here is amazing ... Granted there have been a few times where I have gone hungry because communal plates and double dipping is not my thing.
What do you think about what you hear on the news from what is going on stateside? I've been in Iraq for more than three months, and I read and watch the news daily. Until the elections and the drawdown, I've heard nothing about Iraq. We are fighting two wars, and the media outlets are bored. I'm a journalist, so I understand that bad news sells, but there are some amazing things happening, and the American people should know about it.
Do you have plans for any extra money that you might be making from this deployment? I doubled my car payment, and was able to purchase some Civil War artifacts. I think the rest of my deployment money will go into my savings account.
About when are you to return? June