Brent Pepper, Member & Soldier

[Tractors4u]

Hello everybody.

I can't go into details right now. Rest assured that I am not one of these secret squirrel type, it is just protocol. I am somewhere in Kuwait right now. I will be relocating to my assignment station later on. This place is a culture shock. After staying in a tent so much down in Mississippi, there are times when I am in the tent here and forget where I am at, that is until I walk outside. It hit 122 degrees yesterday. They really have the imenities here, computers, phones, etc. Our schedule has not been too busy so far. That has given us time to get aclimated and get on somewhat of a normal sleep schedule. Anyway, thanks for all the kind words and I will be in touch. So far I have not seen the first tractor but I am looking.

CPT Brent Pepper

 

[LMTC]

Hello everybody.

I can't go into details right now. Rest assured that I am not one of these secret squirrel type, it is just protocol. I am somewhere in Kuwait right now.
CPT Brent Pepper

I can vouch for this. If Brents were the secret type it would be more like the secret "bull in the china shop" type rather than the squirrel type. Brents is plenty bright enough, and actually quite quick on his "mental feet"....we had a pleasant evening together with friends with much verbal sparring back before Christmas. It's just that when you look in the dictionary under "subtle", at the end of the definition it says "antithesis, opposite:" and then there's a list of names including "Brents Pepper". In some versions my name is in that list too......

You know what I've told you...stay low, GOD bless you, and we'll raise bottles again when you come home.

 

[Tractors4u]

Thanks for those kind words Wayne. I can't for you to buy me a Yeungling when I get back. It is hot here, 125 degrees today. The generator went down and we lost AC in the tent. I am soaking up the cool air here in the computer building. Saw some camels today. Chat with ya'll later.

 

[dmccarty]

Brent,

I think you need to start complaining to whoever sold you this vacation tour package!

They sent you to the middle of nowhere to live in a TENT!

In the middle of the hot season and its 125 degrees!

You are not even connected to the grid and have to use a generator!

Which goes down so you have no AC!

You can't even SEE any tractors!

And if that is not enough the only thing you CAN look at is sand, rocks, and some camels! You can go to a zoo to see what you are seeing so far and have better lodging to boot!

Next you are going to tell us that they are making you eat out of plastic pouches or something. Jeeese!

I would complain to the Better Business Bureau at a minimum. Is there a tour leader to whom you can air your complaints?

Let us TBNers know. Maybe we can help with some ideas.

Later,
Dan

 

[Doc_Bob]

Hello everybody.

I can't go into details right now. Rest assured that I am not one of these secret squirrel type, it is just protocol. I am somewhere in Kuwait right now. I will be relocating to my assignment station later on. This place is a culture shock. After staying in a tent so much down in Mississippi, there are times when I am in the tent here and forget where I am at, that is until I walk outside. It hit 122 degrees yesterday. They really have the imenities here, computers, phones, etc. Our schedule has not been too busy so far. That has given us time to get aclimated and get on somewhat of a normal sleep schedule. Anyway, thanks for all the kind words and I will be in touch. So far I have not seen the first tractor but I am looking.

CPT Brent Pepper

CPT Pepper, COL Montgomery here. I mobilized out of El Paso, (Ft. Bliss) in October 2003 when I went. All the FA guys I work with go to Camp Shelby to get trained and mobilized. I prefer Bliss

I was in Kuwait at Camp Wolf/Wolverine (do they exist anymore??). Enjoy it while it lasts.

I went into Iraq on a C-130 flown by the 440th out of Milwaukee, WI (my home town). No need to convoy. I kept my 9MM wrapped in a plastic bag except when I was outside of the fence. The dust gets old real fast.

I understand what you are doing and what you will do. Been there, done that. If you get us an APO, we can send you some goodies.
Bob

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Here is the latest news. Nothing in here that was overtly personal so I feel safe in posting his email for all those who are concerned about him.

And just a personal note from me: THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO!

Below are his words, along with 3 photos.

I am officially in Iraq now. I came in with the advanced group from my
unit to start learning our roles and responsibilities from the outgoing
unit. We flew in on an Air Force C130 transport plane. I had never
ridden in one before, other than being loud, it was uneventful until we
were coming in for a landing. SOP is a combat approach. That means the
pilots make some evasive manuevers just in case someone decides they
want to take a few shots at us. It would not have been so bad if
everyone had been seated. We saw the loadmaster putting his body armor on and
they had told us we would need to do the same before landing. About
half of us were standing up putting the IBA on when the pilot banked hard
one direction. Fortunately that direction was towards my seat, in
which I stayed until we landed. It is amazing how manueverable the C130
is! Our new location is probably 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Camp
Buerhing in Kuwait was. At Buerhing even the wind was hot. When th
e wind blows here it cools you off some. The heat here doesn't take
your breath away like it did down south. The sand here is different
also. In Kuwait it was granular, like you would see at the beach, but with
a few small pebbles in it. Here it has the consistancy of talcum
powder. I believe if you pressed your hand into you could see your
fingerprints. The one thing that stands out is there is actually some
greenary. Lots of date palms, junipers and pine trees. In Kuwait you would
see a few birds but they looked like they were starving. There are a lot
of doves and pigeons here. The accomodations are much nicer also. I
am in my temporary home until the 67th moves out, however I have seen my
new room and it is much better than I had anticipated. The 67th will
be holding a yard sale to get rid of their 220v appliances, bicycles,
and other things that they don't want to take home with them. I am
hoping to get an X-Box or Playstation but I will have to wait and see
. I still do not have a full address yet. I was told we will have to
receive a unit number along with our address, but we probably will not
get that until our unit postal clerk gets here.

Until next time,

Brents Pepper
CPT EN
226th Area Support Group​

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Looks to me like he is having some fun in his spare time.

Here is the latest round of photos from the past couple of days! Some of these are clearly tractor related. He managed to trade for a John Deere 6 wheel Gator and is using it to tow a Russian anti-aircraft gun. He's also got a photo of a US Military version JD Excavator. In addition to some other stuff.

 

[Tractors4u]

Hey guys, how goes it? As you can tell I have been able to get out and explore this very large base I am assigned to. My job has me assigning plots of land to contractors doing work on the base. I get out and ride around on the Gator doing site visits to make sure that are not encroaching on land that they aren't supposed to be on. Nothing exciting in my job, but it is safer than kicking doors in. There are abandoned MIGs everywhere and I have pull a few gauges as keepsakes. My mom asked why, I told her, "How many people do you know that have MIG parts?". She still didn't quite understand it. I will send pictures to Bob_Skurka and he can post them here and I will post some when I can.

Thanks again for all the kind replies.

Take care,

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I will send pictures to Bob_Skurka and he can post them here

Oh great. You get to drive around the desert all day having fun, collecting souveniers, and chasing camels and I am stuck back here posting pictures of your travels.

BTW, the first care package from my office will ship early next week. You think chocolate candy bars will melt in transit?

 

[Doc_Bob]

There are abandoned MIGs everywhere and I have pull a few gauges as keepsakes. My mom asked why, I told her, "How many people do you know that have MIG parts?". She still didn't quite understand it. I will send pictures to Bob_Skurka and he can post them here and I will post some when I can.

Take care,

When I left Iraq, they made us empty all of our stuff at customs in Kuwait. Took all souvenirs. You have been warned!

Stay safe.
Bob