Thursday, September 2, 2010

You hear the sound of Alarms...Air Attack alarms, then INCOMING, INCOMING, INCOMING

So, I was thinking I wouldn't have much to write till I started traveling, but the Insurgetns proved me wrong and brought a little excitement our way last night...not in a good way...
so...imagine this...
you..sound asleep...ever so slightly you hear a humming of some sort..and slowly wake to it..it gets louder...
You speak out to your roommate, who has now heard it..you realize youre not dreaming..and ask "what the he'll is that" as you start to climb out of your bed..knowing the answer...
Then you hear.."it's the air attack alarm" oh shit..
You suddenly are wide awake..a mixture of emotions..no time to feel...
You are still trying to digest it..knowing time is critical.. You are in a tinfoil house..and you know it's not safe...you need to get to a hard stand..
Priorities... Shit..mind racing..
Pants.. You need pants on.throw on your sweatpants ..quickly.. Cant walk out in tshirt, underwear and gun, yes even in an emergency you do think of that..
You grab your case(enclosed is your laptop, iPad and black book of your lifes accounts, names, numbers, etc.. Yes..smart..keep it all in one case..priorities...
So..there you are 5 seconds after waking, you have sweats on, grabbed your belt, your gun and your case, slip on your flip flops and head out your door..
There is no time for primping, and worrying about anything else..
Now..you have to run the approximate distance of about a block..maybe 2to your hardstand...the office...
You step out the door..people are whizzing by...running for their life..really..
As you step out e door you hear INCOMING INCOMING INCOMING again...imagine in that few seconds the vision of. Issiles hitting your ass if you don't hurry... That's the thoughts running thru your mind..is it me that will get hit with it... Will it be me..
He'll no..you run as if your life depends on it..BECAUSE here...IT DOES

I made it to my work within about 60 seconds tootle from the time I wearily heard the alarm..to the time of arrival to safety...
Yes..that fast...
In retrospect..that was some of the longest seconds ever.. People were running in all different directions, depending on their job, their assignment for such an event..

We were stuck in our positions/locations until all was clear and all activity ceased.
This took about 2 to 2 1/2 hrs... So finally about 330/4am we were released back to our rooms (for those of us that lives in RLBs..which really are like they are made of tinfoil.. )
I am not sleepy yet...are you kidding... My adrenaline,,my fear...you name it... It took about an hour at least to fall back asleep...so maybe 5ish?
0630 the sound of Air attack alarm wakes me again...
This time..I'm a little piste... "shit..not again"
Yes..the alarm..again.. Within seconds of the alarm a voice comes over to tell us what is going on.."a controlled detonation" seek safety of hardshell...
Atleast at this point I knew my life wasn't in jeopardy..but I went thru the process again...and bustled to my office..where again we were secured in our locations for another couple hours...
When finally released I went back to bed.. It was about 815, should've technically been at work already..lol t not in my pt gear and flip flops..lol
I slept a couple hours ..this time..going back to sleep was easy...

2 comments:

  1. Tanya please be safe...your blog is never boring so keep writing, your postings are never a repeat of thoughts or words. Your writings/thoughts provide some of us needed "grounding" when we think we have so much "in coming stuff" in our lifes....I am so happy that I have the privilege to follow your honest words....plus I love the flip flop parts!!
    kind regards,
    laura

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