JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq –
Michael D. Ritz
Home Unit: Headquarters Air Combat Command A4/XV
Rank: Senior Master Sgt.
Location: Joint Base Balad, Iraq
What do you do? I am the Vehicle Management Superintendent with oversight of 1,500 vehicles and equipment. I have the honor and privilege to supervise and lead 72 of the finest vehicle maintainers in the Air Force.
What's a day in the life like while in Iraq? Battling the heat and sand storms.
What will you remember about your deployment 20 years from now? The camaraderie of my fellow Airmen.
What's the most useful item you packed? There wasn't one; everything was useful.
When did you realize you "weren't in Kansas anymore;" aka your "Dorothy" moment? When I was at Al Udeid getting body armor and chemical gear.
What has been the highlight of your tour? Submitting my Airmen for weekly and monthly awards and seeing them win. There have been ten squadron winners and four group-level winners. It's a great feeling to see Airmen get rewarded for their hard work.
What's the best part of the deployment? Meeting new people.
The worst part? The long days and dust storms.
What new survival skills have you learned? This is my fifth deployment, so nothing was really new. If there was one thing, it is taking cover during an attack.
What do you do during down time? I am taking an on-line class; Human Anatomy and Physiology, so it keeps me busy during times when I am not working.
What is the first thing you will do when you return? Not sure; probably just relax.
What is the first thing you will eat when you return? It doesn't matter, as long as it's a home cooked meal.
What insight/experience will you take away from your time over there? Appreciating the freedom we enjoy as United States citizens and taking too many of our freedoms for granted.
How is your job that you are doing now different from the job back stateside? I lead 72 Airmen in my deployed job. At Langley, I am on the HQACC/A4 staff where I manage vehicles and equipment between ACC and U.S. Air Forces Central.
Have you tried the local cuisine? No.
What do you think about what you hear on the news from what is going on stateside? Sometimes what is reported in the news can be trivial. To be honest, there are days that I don't even get to hear what is in the news.
Do you have plans for any extra money that you might be making from this deployment? If so, what will you buy? Yes. I am thinking about a new set of golf clubs.
About when are you to return? Dec. 20, 2009.