Military Challenge Coin

Are you familiar with the tradition of the Military Challenge Coin?
Here is the Wikipedia entry (easy click & read, so I won't recopy it into here).

I'm collecting coins here in Iraq (natch). Some I am purchasing.















AFTH ICU COIN














AFTH ANESTHESIA














4th AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE UNIT (From Hill AFB) when I participated in "Medics to Maintainers".


Sometimes a coin is gifted to you.














777th EAS (gift from 1st Lt Parker, who wants to be a dietitian and spent a few days in Nutritional Medicine shadowing me)



And then there is a Commanders coin which is presented (in a handshake) when you do something above & beyond. These are the best!















330th Transportation Battalion - I gave a Nutrition briefing "For the Love of Chocolate" and the Colonel must have really enjoyed it. He gave me this coin in a handshake at the end. Nice!

Don't Step in the Ruts ("Dried" Mud)

The CASF didn't need anyone until after midnight - that's past my bedtime :( I'll try again Saturday night when I know I can sleep in a little on Sunday.

Yesterday I thought the tire rut in the dirt was fully dried. Apparently that is never the case here in Balad. Trying to get the mud off your tennis shoe is like wiping very thick dog poop (but fortunately not as smelly). It could also be described as the consistency of very thick frosting (but don't lick your fingers). A nail brush when washing up afterwards is a necessity.

Moral: At night stay on the side walk as much as possible, even if it means going a little bit out of your way.

----------------

Founds an Iraq mission coin and a great T-bar display for it at the BX (Base Exchange - our version of Target/Walmart). I'm going to get one this weekend. Squadron coins are pending. But I promise I will have swag for my friends. Many of you should be getting some paper swag in the next few weeks (please let me know if/when they arrive - not sure how long it takes for snail mail to reach back to the states).

----------------

Finally met my roommate. And we talked for a couple of hours. Nice gal. From the D.C. area. We got the a/c deal all worked out. Piece of cake!

----------------

I should have wifi this weekend!