I saw a forty something year old woman walking her chihuahua through the bra last month and wondered WTF was going on. With all the new dorms and facility construction going on, that place is looking way too permanent. I took a few pics of the BX and food court and friends who had never been to the Deid thought they were taken at some stateside base. The last time I saw that level of permanency happening at one of our Middle East locations was at PSAB about a year before we left it.

So the part of GO-1B that prohibits pets has been rescinded, then?

The prohibition is against "adopting" local animals as pets.

I saw a forty something year old woman walking her chihuahua through the bra last month and wondered WTF was going on. With all the new dorms and facility construction going on, that place is looking way too permanent. I took a few pics of the BX and food court and friends who had never been to the Deid thought they were taken at some stateside base. The last time I saw that level of permanency happening at one of our Middle East locations was at PSAB about a year before we left it.

I have heard it from MANY senior-type people (multi star general officers) that the intention is to make Al Udeid "the Ramstein of the Middle East" and those were their words verbatim. I'm wondering if the US has a bit better contract with the Qataris so that they can't just pull the plug on us like the Saudis did, but I doubt it.

Probably not. I bet as soon as the BPC gets completed, Qatar will say, "Thanks for the sweet base!"

Take a look at the foreign clearance guide... The qataris are being dicks to us.

It's a 99 year "lease", IIRC.

There were news stories published in Dec 2012 where the Qataris had offered to pay for a all US military expenses related to stationing troops in Qatar for the long haul.

Edited June 30, 201312 yr by Herk Driver

IIRC we also had a 99 year lease at balad which didn't end favorably. But maybe my memory is going out from breathing the burn pits; it certainly can't be the bourbon.

Take a look at the foreign clearance guide... The qataris are being dicks to us.

You don't need to read the foreign clearance guide to see that....just go through customs anywhere in the country (but especially at the Deid) and you'll experience it firsthand.

Edited June 30, 201312 yr by Flare

We ARE Qatar's military, and the Middle East isn't getting any more stable. We're not leaving the 'Deid for a while.

Take a look at the foreign clearance guide... The qataris are being dicks to us.

Exactly why I have no use for any of those ungrateful bastards in that part of the world. If it weren't for us they would ALL be Iraqis now. I remember how every Fvck in Kuwait was waving the American flag for about two weeks in April 1991. In the few short months after that they were cutting off the water to the bases because we were "using too much water". I hope I live long enough to see their oil (aka the "porkchop around their neck") dry up.

We ARE Qatar's military, and the Middle East isn't getting any more stable. We're not leaving the 'Deid for a while.

Go to Doha and see how friggin' fat the average Qatari is...they have no intention of defending themselves, espcially if we are willing to pay for it. I also have a feeling they wouldnt mind sticking a knife in our back if the Islamic brothers across the gulf REALLY threatened to start lobbing SS missiles.

Wait. Qatar does have a military. Two C-17s. I'm guessing the seating capacity of two 17s is just about enough to fit the entire royal family of Qatar in the event of a massive "Let's get the fvck outta here" exercise.

Wait. Qatar does have a military. Two C-17s. I'm guessing the seating capacity of two 17s is just about enough to fit the entire royal family of Qatar in the event of a massive "Let's get the fvck outta here" exercise.

Correction...four C-17s. For a country about 100 miles end to end with no need for strategic power projection...I think you might be on to something.

Correction...four C-17s. For a country about 100 miles end to end with no need for strategic power projection...I think you might be on to something.

Needed one for the Emir's prize race horses.

Correction...four C-17s. For a country about 100 miles end to end with no need for strategic power projection...I think you might be on to something.

Strategic power projection is not important when you have prize-winning Clydesdales with tight itineraries. Those show horses aren't going to fly themselves around the world.

Their ORI probably consists of being able to launch with 24 hrs notice and fly to Cairo or Amman.

ETA: .....likely with mercenary pilots...Anyone know if that's the case?

Edited July 1, 201312 yr by HerkFE

They used to be Qatari pilots with AF Advusors. Bud did first wave, awesome deal. Villa downtown. Full per diem. Made a fortune.

IIRC we also had a 99 year lease at balad which didn't end favorably. But maybe my memory is going out from breathing the burn pits; it certainly can't be the bourbon.

Don't know that we ever signed an agreement with a non-existent government, but big difference between being invited in and knocking down the door on the way in.

Edited July 1, 201312 yr by Herk Driver

Don't know that we ever signed an agreement with a non-existent government, but big difference between being invited in and knocking down the door on the way in.

I'm pretty sure a 99-year lease at ORBD was an urban myth since we couldn't even get them to agree to a SOFA.

They used to be Qatari pilots with AF Advusors. Bud did first wave, awesome deal. Villa downtown. Full per diem. Made a fortune.

*Salivates* you mean I could get out of this third world country we live in and move downtown? BPC is for chumps...

Edited July 6, 201312 yr by Snooter

*Salivates* you mean I could get out of this third world country we live in and move downtown? BPC is for chumps...

I was talking to an Aussie at the Green Been a couple days ago who was doing that for their helos. He really seemed to be enjoying his life.

Edited July 7, 201312 yr by StoleIt

With a war, civ casualties making the news, a security agreement we want signed, rocket attacks, etc - it's good to see the idiotic leadership out here is spending brain bytes in the right place. He was fine til the last line. This chief actually had some street cred, but in one line exposes himself as an insecure pilot-hating shoe clerk. You're right light switch dick, Robin Olds is rolling over in his grave looking at what the AF has become.

To: XXX EOG/ALL

Subject: Mustaches

For the men.... I typically do not use the "EOG all" distro as a means to

communicate, but feel compelled to on this one.

I am confident most (if not all) of you know what 36-2903 has to say about

mustaches, but in case you didn't...the attached should provide clarity. We

(the EOG) have received some negative attention on this one as of late, thus

my engagement.

If you're staying at BASE X please comply w/ the standards; if you're going to

BASE Y...best to start off on the right foot.

It's not BGen Olds' AF anymore....

V/r,

Chief

XXXXXXX, CMSgt, USAF

Superintendent, XXX Expeditionary Operations Group

Most Chiefs that are the Superintendents in the Ops Group are flyers themselves.

And he's right, it isn't Robins Olds Air Force anymore. In fact, it's not Jumper's Air Force anymore.

Dude, I can see what line you are pissed about. How dare he single out men? I've seen some women at the Deid with some pretty gnarly staches.

I agree with you though. To feel "compelled" to use the EOG All distro on something like mustaches seems plain silly for the reasons you said.

The kick in the balls to Robin Olds does put the icing on the cake. Well said...

Hey Chief, thanks for the advice. Now go back to media web and fulfill your true calling.