She Thinks my Tractor's CEXE

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I had training all day today. It is mostly classified so I cannot share what I learned about. I did learn that the Army has created a task force called Combined Explosive Exploitation Cell (CEXE). The acronym is pronounced SEXY. I don't know who they put in charge naming that - probably a bunch of undersexed soldiers. CEXE is the CSI of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices or Roadside Bombs). They will go to a bomb scene after soldiers have been attacked and do forensic research to look for clues as to the bombs origination. They are collecting great evidence and are able to find the bomb maker occasionally. The bomb makers are revered in Iraq. If we get to the maker instead of the emplacer we really help the troops on the ground. Get em' boys.
I had my first Arabic food tonight in the chow hall. I had beef and chicken kabobs. They were laden with curry, peppers, and onions. They also offered a safron rice with bits of chicken in it. The vegetable was called Salona - it looked like brunswick stew or thick vegetable soup. Salona is full of green vegetables and tomatoes. The desert was the most unusual of all. There were two offerings for desert, Umali and Al-Sham. Umali looked like bread pudding but was wetter and flaky - it was full of nuts (peanuts and cashews). Al-Sham is like a mini churro but cold. It is a fried pastry that is long and looks extruded like star shaped pasta. It was very sweet and cold.

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