The Dan
Since I am über talented, I will now write in the third person...
Dan is a 28-year-old native of San Diego, CA. Aside from being the working type, he also enjoys typical Southern California activities, like going to the beach, skateboarding, snowboarding, and hiking.
Back home, Dan was in a punk/rock band, The Ruminants. They formed in 1999, and released two CDs, an EP, and a 7" vinyl, as well as playing on 2003's Warped Tour.
Dan plays bass guitar, drums, and piano, but still can't play the electric guitar for sh#t. He did not bring a guitar out to Iraq, but does have a miniature piano, and will be working on experimental music in his spare time.
He had a 9-year-old dog named Abby, who recently passed away from cancer. Poor thing. Rest In Peace. She was a great girl.
Growing up, Dan has always been around computers. He originally pursued Graphic Design, and went to the Art Institute of California, but dropped out after realizing he didn't enjoy advertising and marketing strategy.
He then moved to Mammoth Lakes, CA, for a winter stint as a snow bum.
After an amazing 150 days in a row of snowboarding, he returned to San Diego
to try once again and fit into reality.
But the interest in graphic design led to web pages, which somehow led to networks and business systems. Curious about Network Infrastructure and the Internet, Dan decided to take some IT classes at city college.
Ok, I'm going to switch back to first-person. It was getting old...
After running into a high school friend, I was offered a job working for the Navy as a computer tech. At this point in my life, I wasn't exactly thrilled with the military, but I was happy to get a real job and maybe learn a thing or two about the US Government.
So I took the position, open-minded.
Then one day, a coworker handed me his phone. On the other end was an old boss, who gave me an offer to work in Iraq...
The offer was time-sensitive, so I only had a few days to think about it. I mean, what would you do? If you were given the opportunity, would you take it? I knew I had to accept it, regardless of my political feelings. I knew that it would be the experience of a lifetime; and something I would never understand until I saw it with my own eyes.
So I became a Department of Defense (DoD) Contractor,
hopped on an airplane, and flew to Fort Bliss, TX, where I completed
a training program known as CRC (CONUS Replacement Center). The
military gave me a cocktail of medical shots (including Anthrax and Smallpox),
taught me about NBC survival (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare), and
gave me basic first aid training.
I
crammed in a plane filled with 300 other contractors and soldiers and flew to Kuwait, where I worked at various bases for the next
several months.
I then flew to Iraq to take my intended assignment, working for the Multinational Division.
I was randomly chosen to work in Al Kut, an Iraqi city under supervision of
the Ukraine Armed Forces, along with support of Poland, Romania, and Kazakhstan.
I became good friends with soldiers from all these countries, and even had
the opportunity to visit Ukraine.
I have since switched jobs and went to work for a software company, as a Field Engineer/Analyst. This new job sent me all over Southwest Asia, working on custom software designed for logistics and planning. I have worked in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Qatar, and my last assignment was in Baghdad, in the International Zone (formerly called the Green Zone). My job was to assist in the development of software used in the reconstruction of Iraq...a large task. I loved everything about the job, because it allowed me to learn and grow while I worked, and I was able to experience the world in a way most people will never ever get to.
In 2007, I left Iraq and started a private company with some colleagues. I remained in Kuwait, still traveled a bit, and finally returned home to California.
One day, I'll figure out what to do with this website. For now, please browse the archives. -Dan
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