April 15, 2018

Hello everyone! This is a blog to keep everyone informed of how John and I are doing while we are away, and what in the world we are up to way over here. I will not give specific details on this blog, such as dates when we leave, arrive, etc., unless they have already happened, nor will I give exact locations on here for security purposes. For the sake of security, we will call where we are Location X.

Alright, where to begin? Well, we left Fort Wayne, IN on 10 April at about 1:30 AM. It was about a 6-7 hour flight to Germany, our first stop. We spent a few hours there in a secure terminal where there was a cafe, gift shop, and really really bad WiFi. Next, we got back on the plane and landed in Kuwait about 5 hours later. We landed in Kuwait at about 2:00 AM local time, so we really didn't get to see much there since it was the middle of the night. A few hours later, we puddle jumped over to Al Udeid, Qatar, where I have been for the last several days.

Al Udeid is an Air Field in Qatar, mainly used for people traveling to the middle east. Most people at the Deid are just passing through; here for a few days, then off to somewhere else. During my time here, I am referred to as a "transient passenger." I've been living out of a backpack for a few days, but it has been OK. I have walked a TON, it is crazy hot during the day, and cools down nicely at night. There is no WiFi in my dorm room, so I have to walk somewhere if I want to do anything on my phone. This place is not completely desolate though- there is a pool, dairy queen, burger king, pizza hut, BX (military convenience store), movie theater, chow hall, etc.

A few days ago, we traveled from the Deid to Location X. It is nice here. There are several pros and cons, but all in all, it will be a nice place to be deployed to. Wifi in the rooms is decent, gym is nice and right by where we sleep, it's about a 20 minute walk to the BX/chow hall, but the food is pretty good so far. There is a coffee place right outside our gate, which if anyone knows John and I, that is super important. We will be working 12 hour days, and John and I are on opposite shifts, so not sure if we will see much of each other except on days off.

Feel free to ask questions! I look forward to hearing from all of you, and we miss everyone! Thank you for your prayers!



Jared