Every Day is Tuesday (A typical day at Camp Eggers)

11/19/2011

So, I’ve been here for 2 months now, but it actually feels like four months. Why? It is because we put in over 80 hours a week. Here is how a typical day looks:

Me at my desk

0715 – Wake up and get ready
0745 – Leave room
0750 – Breakfast
0800 – Arrive at office
1300 – Lunch
1340 – Back to office
1600 – Go to gym
1730 – Back to office
1900 – Dinner
1940 – Back to office
2000 – Return to room for the night

The work day is from 8AM through 8PM, but there are breaks for meals and the gym. However, just the thought that we are supposed to be working for 12 hours a day can really bring you down. Oh, did I mention that this schedule is the same everyday except on Friday when we go in at 900 and on Sunday we go in at 1000. All total, the official workweek is 81 hours, so my one-year tour is really two years in total work hours!

So, since pretty much every day is the same there is a saying that every day is Tuesday…why? Here is the explanation:

Wednesday is hump day
Thursday is the new Friday
Friday is well…Friday
Saturday & Sunday is the weekend
Monday is the start of the workweek
Tuesday is JUST Tuesday

Another popular saying is everyday is Groundhog Day, from the Bill Murray movie. Being here is like living the same day over and over again.

So you guys can picture where I am everyday, here are some pictures of my office.

Minuteman House where I work.

View from 2nd floor balcony standing in front of my office door looking out.

View of the office when you walk in the door.

My desk location...nice window office!

My desk.

7 Comments

Pam Hampton

11/18/2011 07:01:14 pm

Good to see your post!! Sad to hear you have to work so many hours:(
How cool to receive letters from kids back home........hope this post finds you safe:)...........2 down ........10 to go!! <3 Pam

Timmy

11/19/2011 01:07:15 am

It's really not all that bad, you get to work in a hunting lodge all day.

Minch

11/19/2011 02:30:16 am

So glad to see they are treating you so well, can't believe they give you guys hard wood floors and exposed wood beams in your ceiling! That's sweet. It's great that you get 12 or more hours off every day, don't get in trouble by using them to go out looking for beer. Two big generators, surely that doesn't mean you have air conditioning does it? Are there camel spiders in the mess tent or do get to eat your MRE's without having to fight for them? Maintain your situational awareness and keep a low profile. Send me an email if you get the chance. I'll send you some pics from home. ;-)
Luv Ya,
Minch

Bob

11/19/2011 12:47:38 pm

I'm digging the blog...glad to see you posted....sent you e-mail a few days ago......Tim doesn't visit me....lonely cubicle.:(

Gary

11/19/2011 08:57:28 pm

Thanks for the update Gerri. I empathize, having spent two years in South Korea (actually a one year deployment that felt like two). Granted, I could travel the country and even went to North Korea once and not worry about things like IEDs. But, every other week I had to work a night shift from 5 pm to 5 am so you don't have to do that. And, I could only call home once a week because Al Gore hadn't invented the Internet yet...:-)

Holler

11/21/2011 07:43:46 am

Hi! Hoot sent me this link. Glad to hear you're making the most of it. Miss you, I have no one to ride on the back of the bike with! Be safe and I'll talk to you later

Pam Vineyard Boucher

11/23/2011 10:44:48 am

Hi Gerri,

Just looked at the photos of your office. Not quite like back home, but it's actually a lot comfier than I imagined. I don't think I'd like the 12 hour days either... I got tired just reading your "typical" day schedule. Good thing you have a gym; do you have a spin bike? Camel Spiders? Josh said they kept one as a pet when he was in the desert. I hope you have a nice Thanksgiving with lots of vegetarian goodies and pie! Remember Clara and the pie in her bike pack on RAGBRAI? Those were the days! Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for your service! Love ya! Pam VB

Every Day is Tuesday (A typical day at Camp Eggers)

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Gerri

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