2 Pips

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The weather has cleared. It is not clear and sunny but hazy and hot. The dust is still thick in the air but it does not blow too hard so that you do not need goggles. Another day of aclimization. My buddies and I spent the day getting ready for tomorrow's training. We are exploring the camp and figuring out the best places for Internet and phone use.There was a concert tonight.
The Air Force has a pop/rock band that plays covers all over the theater of operations. My friend Mark and I sat outside and enjoyed some ice cream during the show. The band played some really new tunes that I did not know the names of but played some clasics too. I really enjoyed the country and rock. The band played American Pie and asked for audience participation. They first called for soldiers, then Navy, and then the British Army. Everyone really got into it. We sat at a table with some Brits and Scots. They were very interested in hearing about our uniforms and rank as were we with theirs. The Scots are in a different regiment. They have very distinct look about them - their faces are blocky and they are much larger than the Brits. Mark and I are trying to learn their rank structure now. I learned that a First Lieutenant (my rank) instead of a black bar is 2 black diamonds verticle. Diamonds are called pips so I would be 2 pips.

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