[Allegra]

The money's pretty darn good and I haven't paid a dime of taxes yet this year. Legally. :)

We're strictly not allowed off base unless we're in a military convoy or a military helicopter. I've done both. I've also been in a C-130 as it did a combat landing in Baghdad flying in from Kuwait after an R&R trip in May and THAT was fun! (No, the R&R trip wasn't in Kuwait...we just staged in and out of there.) I've flown in a Chinook over downtown Baghdad at night. I'm digging it.

The hours are long, the weather is hot and dusty, but the experience is priceless.

I might even do a second year after this one is up. Yep, call me certifiable. LOL

[Lady Jag]

That sounds pretty awesome. C-130s flaring is one of my favorite pictures to post. You don't seem to feel in much danger and you don't look crazy, so is all our media playing up the danger?

I believe I see a convincing argument to stay there. It looks like Iraqis abandoned robes for western wear after Saddam was captured; do you see that?