Flight To Iraq

Flight to Iraq will happen once you are through with immigration processing (getting your passport stamped). But it will not be on a jet fighter.

The people on base will have you proceed to the Theatre Gateway Passenger Terminal to check in with Space R Travel. The Immigration building and the Theatre Gateway building are located to the left and right of Building 5817, which is for military troops going on R&R.

Once there, you will sign up for a flight to Iraq. When you have checked in for your flight, you will be told several things. Pay attention. They will tell you that you can catch a flight if and when they have one to the place where you will be going. They are not going to book a private flight for you to travel on so be patient.

Also, you will be told to attend two meetings, one at 6:30am and another at 6:30pm. These meetings are mandatory. They are not optional. If you miss them, your name gets removed from the flight list and you get to start all over again. So set your alarm clock and plan to get up very early.

Once these meetings have been attended, you can check back in with the flight people at 2am to find out when the next available flight departs.

Civilians have the same preference now as the troops so if you are a civilian you will no longer be bumped from your flight to make room for troops.

Most likely, you are in for another long wait. Choose to have a good attitude during this time as it will make it more pleasant for you and for the others around you.

While you wait, there are two things to keep in mind. First, be patient. I cannot stress this enough. Everyone has a difficult time getting where they want to go, so keep your complaints to yourself. No one wants to hear them.

If you are going to Iraq in the winter, you will be a little cold. If you travel in the summer, you will almost melt. There is air conditioning, but most of the time, it is not enough--the heat is just too much.

The second thing to keep in mind is to have something to entertain yourself for hours so you will not get bored.

There is food and water in the passenger terminal. There is a TV going for entertainment, but, hopefully, you were smart and brought reading materials. A couple of good novels or biographies on interesting people may not be enough if you are a fast reader. A notebook and some pens for writing letters and for recording your experiences will also help pass the time.

If you need cash while you are waiting, there is an ATM located in Liberty Hall which is in the same row as Independence Hall and the Theatre Gateway building.

About three hours before your flight to Iraq departs, there will be another check-in. This is when you find out for sure (but not really for sure) if you have a flight going to Iraq. You could still lose your seat. Nothing is for sure until you are on the plane and it is in the air.

After check-in, they will tell you to come back in an hour. This is so you can get your bags ready. They will call for your flight and tell you to palatalize your bags if there are a lot of travelers on your flight.

Palatalizing means putting them on an 8x8 foot aluminum pallet that is then secured with a cargo strap. If there are seven or less passengers on your flight, this will not apply to you. You will just hand-carry your baggage on your flight to Iraq.

I have been on a C-130 where there were only three of us and also when there were 60 of us. On the C-130, you will want to make sure you have earplugs.

You will be taken to the flight line by bus where a new set of earplugs will be given to you, free of charge. Make sure you take them. Also, to get on the plane, you will need a helmet and a flak jacket. Your company should provide them for you. Make sure you have picked them up prior to trying to fly. I have not seen this enforced for civilians, but you never know when someone may be having a bad day and decide to enforce the policy.

Once you get seated on your flight to Iraq, buckle up. No one is going to come around and tell you to do so, like on a commercial flight or on a ride at Disneyland. Trust me, you will want to buckle up.

Taking off and landing are the most dangerous times on the flight. In Iraq, when a flight takes off, it takes off steeply. When landing, the plane will just drop like lead out of the sky. If you enjoy roller coasters, this is the ride for you. If not, just suck it up.

I recommend that for 12 to 24 hours prior to your flight to Iraq you do not eat or drink much. There is a toilet on the plane, but, my friend, everyone gets to watch you use it!

Have a great flight! Return from Flight To Iraq to Home Page.