Shooting in the sand storm

Camp Buehring, Kuwait- The sand swept in low over the barren desert, a hazy brown cloud that swirled and soon covered the Indiana soldiers on the firing range, and whipped at the faces of those waiting their turn to aim at the paper targets.

The wind blew grit around the sides of eye protection, into mouths, up nasal passages, down Kevlar vests.


Backs turned to the sand. It was hard to see straight and demoralizing for those waiting what seemed like an eternity for their turn to fire at targets they could barely see. Many had their rifles jammed after one or two shots.

Kind of reminds one of this Presidential race from the point of view of the soldiers over here.

The majority of soldiers are Republicans, or so I thought based on conversations I've had or overheard in the mess hall.

But when I asked several soldiers today who they would vote for, their opinions seemed as varied and nuanced as those back home.

Sergeant David Blomeyer, 30, of Indianapolis said that he can't keep up with the election race. "While I'm here I have so much to do. When you think about the outside world it takes so much energy, energy away from what you're doing here."

Blomeyer seems very well-read, but also disillusioned with U.S. politics. "Last election you had the choice of two Ivy-League candidates who went to the same school at the same time. They don't represent me. Back in Indy, I swing a hammer. I build stuff. I haven't seen any candidates that come from my world.

Sgt. Blomeyer's good buddy, Jose Sandoval, 31, also from Indy agrees that he has little time to keep up. "My wife had to send me an email about who won on Super Tuesday."

"If I wasn't deployed, I'd spend a lot of time following it," Sandoval said, "but here, I can only watch TV during meals. I haven't heard who won the Democratic primary (nomination)."

Sandoval then realized the nomination process wasn't over yet. His case in point.

But Sgt. Sandoval believes that he will be able to get more information once he settles into his combat medic job in Iraq. "I will get as much information between Obama and McCain as I can, and make a decision from there."

Specialist Stephanie Friel, 20, of Galveston, IN is in Blomeyer and Sandoval's company Charlie 163. Friel said that when you pick up an article about the Presidential race all you read is "dirty laundry"- candidates attacking one another.

"The last election I followed was Bush being elected the first time. I was in eighth grade and routing for Bush."

When asked who she would vote for in this election, Friel said, "Probably Obama. From what I've read he's for what Americans need. If Hilary's elected, I think Bill will run things. I don't know much about McCain, he's pretty much skated through without having to say a lot."

All these soldiers expressed frustration at a lack of real policy discussion.

Sergeant Jose Sandoval, combat medic who was previously deployed to Afghanistan

Self-potrait during the sand storm.

By the way, I was told this was just a light dusting compared to a real sand storm, which looks like a brown tidal wave in the distance.