What do you know about Djibouti?
 

Because I just found out I've been selected as an alternate to go there. Dang it. The alternate role means I'm most likely going.

397 days left and I might be going there for 207 of them. Did I mention my wife moved up here 3 WEEKS AGO?

:(

Have you considered falling down the stairs?

Actually, a lot. Everyone in my 5th grade class was handed an encyclopedia and told to find a country in it and write a report. I got "D." Denmark seemed too easy.

Oops, there goes my bad ankle.

They speak French, they are poor and they like to fight each other.

LOL. So wrong (the poor part)...yet the sum total is so funny I can't help but laugh.

I've heard that Djibouti is very wet and smelly, but always open to newcomers.

Djibouti is in Louisiana somewhere?

I could only wish.

He said "Djibouti" not "Schmidty's Booty."

ZING

Think a much nicer Somalia.

But I'm guessing you're less interested in actually learning anything about the place and more interested in just not going.

Bingo. :)

I'm so smrt. :)

The only thing I know, and you need to know is..

You need to..

SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE

SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE

SHAKE DJIBOUTI... :D

(ducks)

I think it is the perfect place for you.

My best friend is acctully set to go there in about a month, he is in the marines, i still don't know very much about the place.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...k/geos/dj.html

Damn, seems like a really charming place.

Think you could work out a trade for somewhere more appealing? Like Iraq or Afghanistan maybe?

I think this part scares me

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2005)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,300 (2002 est.)

Four figures, not bad

damn Ardent, im sorry to hear it. Stay safe.

Hey, it could be worse. I saw an article earlier this week where the Navy is re-training sailors for infantry duty in Iraq!

afaik, sailors have always been trained for infantry duty

That was my ex-wife's booty.

I dunno, this seemed somewhat different, but I'll let you judge: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/..._Training.html

Doesn't sound like anything new, except in so far as it's specifically designed for Iraq, as opposed to being generic.

I had a friend that was sent there on a deployment right after I got out of the Air Force. He said it wasn't too terrible, though there was NOTHING there at all when he was there.

2 questions...

1. there is a hepatitis E?

2. what exactly are we sending troops to Djibouti for?


this blows AE...real sorry to hear that this may happen and fuck up everything you have been fighting to hold onto.

My understand is we have troops in the Horn of Africa just. in. case.

That was my first thought. I didn't know there was a hepatitis D, much less E.

SI

On a serious note, I hope that somehow, something happens and you don't have to go. I know you have worked hard to get things right with your wife...if you have to go, I hope it all works out and that she can understand and you guys can get through it together.

On a more serious note, I have been stuck in the house WAY too long, I just had a major laughing fit that included tears running down my face and stomach cramps from reading the bad and horrible jokes in this thread. It started with:


Continued with:


and finally ended with:


I thank all of you for the laughs, life has been way to dull and boring lately :)

Lay off the pain pills, oliegirl. they're impairing your judgement, BIGTIME! ;)

So, what you're saying is that it's kind of new. ;)

Seriously, though, the article goes on to say that the sailors are being taught about IEDs and counter-insurgency tactics (not how to take out insurgents, but how to stay alive). Furthermore, it explains that the impetus for this is that these sailors will be deployed in Iraq in support/supply/maintenance roles.

Which is fine, but it begs the question: Why isn't the Army doing this? They've got more people for this, they've got more specific training for this, they have more units in Iraq already doing this. What am I missing here?

I do know I'll be going there because of my knowledge of shore communications. I doubt I'll be there for anyt IED or counter-insurgency...though I am a qualified expert rifleman and have gone through security engagement tactics training.

I just wanted to post in a Djibouti thread.

Are you going to be on a ship or shore?

It sounds like I'll be on shore.

A few possibilities off the top of my head:
1) Historically, branches of service hate to be left out of just about any high-profile operation, as profile tends to impact funding. I'd say it's a safe bet that there's been steady lobbying for a Navy role in the current operations.

2) With the largest operations being land-based, there might be some thoughts from both other branches and civilians about having a lot of trained personnel - support/supply/maintenance /communcations/etc- that are just "sitting around". NOTE: I put "sitting around" in quotes because I know that isn't all they're doing, just saying that I suspect that attitude does exist in certain quarters.

3) Using other branches for support roles could free up Army personnel for other duties in other operations.

Could be any of these or none of these, I'm just throwing out some possible answers to your question.

Sorry to hear about this. Now you'll know what it's like to be in the other armed forces! ;)

Dola,

The Army is sending people to Djibouti as well.

Unless I've missed it, I'm VERY disappointed that there hasn't been a "Djibouti is full of seamen?!?" joke yet...

Bad news: The "primary" just disqualified. :(

OH man. That sucks. A lot. We have to get together before you ship out.

Man, I hope they don't get you over there and then "stop loss" you into another year or two.

Man, figure out what the primary did to "disqualify" and act accordingly.

There's a very strong chance that Petty Officer Ardent would have an unauthorized absence in excess of 30 days if that happens.

:(



Dude, "accidentally" take some drugs. That should keep you from having to go... ;)

Injured ankle.

Failing the physical readiness test.

I'm brainstorming. :)

Hit on your commanding officer.

:eek:

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.17 years
male: 41.86 years
female: 44.52 years (2006 est.)

hit your commanding officer.