This week and next week the last of the 90-day doctors go back home (2 to WV, 1 to CA, 1 to FL), & the Romanian doctors and nurses leave, so we will continue our mission while VERY short staffed. And our commander aka "the good idea fairy" is thinking up other missions to add. But hey, I've worked harder, and when you're working with people you enjoy, it's all good. Like in the "Golden Age of PGP" at WVU in the mid-90s. These past 2 weeks I didn't have day off, so my mood was getting dark and surly. Sometimes I think of Viktor Frankl and his concentration camp memoir "Man's Search for Meaning", and the darkness lifts, and I put my rosy glasses back on.
The Wisconsin Guard has arrived, and I'm getting my old accent back. Many of the guys that are in my work area are from the Kenosha and Stevens Point units. I've met one guy from Oshkosh- Steve Fritz, West High class of '74, but he works in Lomira. Never heard of the Weisses. He's a machinist in a shop back home, but is the Sergeant Major of the entire FOB here. I hear there's an Oshkosh cop here, but I haven't met him yet.
Predictably, the detainees have been acting up, testing the new guard. There have been "riots" in 2 of the compounds in the last 10 days. In the first one there was 1 detainee injured and 1 had chest pain, the other riot had no injuries. So happily, "riot" here is not what usually comes to mind. There was one really funny story from the first riot about one of the Guard officers acting like an idiot, accusing the medics of cowardice "is there no medic that wears the flag of the USA on his shoulder? Do we have no combat medics that are man enough to do his job?” As if this were the Battle of the Bulge or something. One of our docs (a rugby-playin’, West Virginia mountain man) jumped in his face told him they WERE doing their job, there were no injuries yet- it looked like a fistfight was going to start between the 2 officers, etc. Reminded me of the bad officer on "Band of Brothers". The Guard officer (not from Wisconsin) got a General Officer letter of reprimand, and our doctor became a folk hero.
I heard a briefing a couple of weeks ago about the calming influence of medical clinics within the TIFs. In the aftermath of Abu Ghuraib, there were frequents riots in the prisons at Bucca and here at Cropper, with injuries, etc. When the medical clinics were moved within the TIF walls, it was almost insta-calming. The catch-phrases used every day here are "hearts & minds", and "dignity & respect". It's a little difficult at times to live out these phrases, but I'd say we achieve it 95% of the time. While many of the detainees are respectful and grateful, a small percentage of them are surly, hateful and difficult. It's hard to practice H&M, D&R when faced with the latter. The first month or 2 that I was here I witnessed what I believed was "compassion fatigue" among the medics. A mantra that my predecessor Eddie Atwood repeated to the medics was "do the right thing for the right reason". A lot of them have to grit their teeth when they say it, but they try to live it.
On Tuesday, I and a few other docs and nurses are going to be at the "Colbert Report"! The one we will attend will be broadcast either Weds or Thurs, probably Weds. So Natalie and Mary, remember to wear your WristStrong bracelets those days! A week from today there is a powderpuff (women’s) football game- flag football- between the officers and enlisted. I am one of the 3 coaches for the officers. I am mostly helping out- Murph, one of our ICU nurses, played defense at Alabama, and Jim, our optometrist is the offensive guru. I just give tips on technique and get beat up by women. Hey, with a wife and 5 daughters I'm used to it. I'll let you know how the game turns out. I've been accused of coaching just so I won't have to be a cheerleader, but that's not true.
As you can see from the pictures, my wall is bursting with color from all the postcards and cards you all have sent. I received postcard #92 this week. I have received postcards from Ireland, England, Italy, Philippines, 20 states, and 23 from Mr. Steel's 3rd grade class at North Elementary in Morgantown. So thank you thank you thank you.
Postcards now extending out to another wall!As I mentioned above, today is my first day off in 2 weeks, so I'm enjoying chilling in my trailer, writing to you all, gonna go to Mass, then have a steak BBQ with near-beer in honor of the departing WV docs. Good times.
The pictures were taken outside our TIF-clinic. One photo is of the providers (Doctors, PAs) and the other is the whole DMC staff. We are giving our "gang sign" for the 1-1-5. There’s a photo of the luau for Asian-Pacific heritage month.
The Wire Providers for that week- Tom Burklow, Jess Edison, Kendall Clark, Jerry Starr, Rob Snuffer, Cindy Lauer (making a guest appearance from surgery), Marty Weisse, Christine Sharkey
SGT Collins and SSG Baer preparing the luau pig
The DMC cast of characters- medics, nurses, doctors, ICOs (Iraqi Correctional Officers), translators. You can see why we say we're "at the wire" - barbed & concertina. 
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