Palace and Baghdad

More pictures.  These are of Al Faw Palace, where I work and my walk to work.  The hallway is where the Operational Law Office is located, but I don't work there.  I work in the JOC in a different location.  The wall with the chicken wire behind it is just an example of the shoddy work done by the people who built the place.  The large chandelier is the main entrance of the palace.  I never walk under it or any other chandeliers in this place.  They all look like they are about to fall.

And this is the front of the palace at night.  Looks nice, but remember it is still 95 degrees outside.

These are pictures of the lake that the palace is on.  The tower in the distance is a Mosque.  And past that is the Abu Gharib district of Baghdad.

The rest is of Baghdad in the distance.

Random Pics

Random sandstorm above and below.

Getting off the plane at Baghdad International.

         The Judge Advocate General, LTG Scott Black came to Iraq to do his final tour before retiring.  LTG Black has been the TJAG for the past two years.  He stayed in Baghdad at Camp Victory for a few days before touring around the other JAG offices in Iraq and Afghanistan.  While here he had a lunch with all of the Company Grade officers in the JAG Corps on Camp Victory (i.e. Captains). The picture is of all of us and LTG Black is standing in the middle.  

         While here he provided us with some interesting information and changes going on in the JAG Corps.  Due to the increase in people graduating from law school and the decrease in jobs available upon graduation, many students are looking at the JAG Corps.  LTG Black told us that in the past there were about 500-600 applicants each year and they normally accepted about 100.  This year there were 1300 applicants, and only 56 were selected to join.  (Translation: I got in just in time).  But that also means that more CPTs aren't getting out after their initial 4 year obligation is up.  Which also means they can't accept as many people as usual.  LTG Black said each year between 80-100 CPTs get out.  This year only about 25 did.  Which tells me the JAG Corps is going to get very competitive for upward movement.  The positive sides though are 1) the JAG Corps will develop a better reputation for being selective, 2) he said they aren't cutting incentive bonuses to stay in despite the improved retention rates, 3) because there are more CPT's, more of us will be sent to the Grad Course at the JAG School in Charlottesville to get our LLM's earlier, since there are now enough CPT's to fill the required jobs.  Usually JAG's have been going to the Grad course shortly after being selected for MAJ.  

       Sorry, this post might be a little boring, but that was about the most exciting thing to happen here since I first got here.  I will take more pictures once I see something other than my office, the DFAC, Gym or my trailer.  We go to the M4/M16 range in two weeks to zero and qualify on our weapons, so I will take some pictures there.