We found all thirteen of us and took our chartered bus back to the base. We put our uniforms on and went to lunch and got work assignments. I was back in the warehouses near the dog training area. I had an unusual talk that day. I was opening special medical kits and saving some items and discarding the rest. These medical kits were to help in case someone is exposed to chemical warfare agents. The kit contained special powder to place on affected skin, tablets to take and a unique item to use to check if your gas mask is too tight. The item is a small glass ampule that you break after you tighten your mask. If you can smell bananas from the chemical in the ampule, then your gas mask isn't sealing properly. The following photo of what looks like a pile of helmets with no organization is really a pile of helmets tied together in groups of five as a result of my fine work.
While we were working at this warehouse we noticed a young couple in civilian clothes with a dog. A few of us went over to pet the dog. We learned that the young woman had finished her service in the Air force two years ago. She had been a dog trainer and this was a dog she had trained early in her service time. After she left the Air Force she constantly asked the Air Force officials if they would give her the dog (Julie) when she retires. It seems that her persistence paid off because on the previous day she got a call telling her to come and take Julie home.
The next picture shows the dog handlers waiting for their trainer to give them a lesson.
This week was entirely warehouse work sometimes taking inventory but more often organizing the items in the warehouse and sweeping. We were told that there will be an inspection in a few weeks, hence the need to have things at least looking organized. On Tuesday, near the dog training area I saw a group of soldiers on a bench. One of them waved to me and I recognized him as a soldier who is Mexican-Israeli from conversations with him at mealtime. I had a bag with me containing the last pair of large gloves and the last seven pair of smaller cut proof gloves. I gave him the large gloves and gave the female soldiers the smaller gloves plus three pairs to give to other soldiers who might use them. I also had some cooling towels with me and I gave one to each soldier. The two soldiers on the left are holding their gifts.
I had the afternoon off on Wednesday so I used the time to pack for the weekend and to get caught up on this blog. I should take this opportunity to show you my room and the bathroom. It's all much cleaner than what the Israeli Army has.
In the evenings we meet for a program at 7PM. We've had programs to teach us Hebrew numbers with a game of bingo, Jewish folk dancing, and on Wednesday night we had a young woman from Yad Vashem speak to us. Yad Vashem is Israel's Holocaust Museum. At Yad Vashem they have a large garden to memorialize the incredibly brave actions of non-Jews who risked their lives to protect Jews from being caught by the Nazis. We learned a bit about how these people are chosen for recognition and inclusion in the approximately 27,000 people honored as Righteous Among the Nations.
On Thursday Morning we didn't have work and left the base early for a tour of the Air Force Museum before being dropped in Tel Aviv. I'll continue tomorrow and should then be current. I appreciate your patience and hope that some of you will write comments using the tab at the bottom of this page. Please remember that you're comments will be readable to anyone.
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