Anyhow, I was joined by about a dozen other guys getting topside to see the action. I'll try to not overdo the photos of planes, but, it's the best way to see our surrounding elements, and what Indy's all about.

This next photo (above) was a follow-up on a request from his friends back at home in Illinois, his pen pals at Robinson Headstart Preschool. IC2 Andrew Barnes from Greenup, IL was easy enough to find, I work with him here in Public Affairs and see him everyday. I didn't have to ask him to put his job into laymen' terms for me, I already knew he just watched TV all day, everyday. OK, actually he works on the TV reception of more than 3,500 sets aboard Indy doing everything from installing cable, to troubleshooting television reception.

Making another stop in the hangar bay I met the only guy I have ever met who has boxed with a kangaroo. AMS3 Jon Welford (above) from Waynesboro, Miss. showed me his scar as he told me he was kicked by a kangaroo in the chest in Perth, Australia while on a horseback riding tour. "It was like the cartoon. It just lifted its legs up and, bam!" Welford's been aboard Indy for two years and said what he misses most when he's underway is a Big Mac Value Meal.

Another pretty easy day here. The temps have cooled some and the airwing was clock'n some airtime today. Man, seeing those birds rocket off the front of the ship... well, it sure ain't like watching bowling on TV.

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So, after getting a plateful of flight 'ops with the constant 24-knot wind whipping at my face, I headed down to take care of a few photo request and others I happened by. This guy (below) was hiding below the belly of a VS-21 doing what he called, "a 56 day inspection." AO3 Thomas Nichols from Modesto, Calif. has been on Indy for five years and said he's having a lot of fun working on not only the "oldest active ship, but the oldest active aircraft in the fleet." The hardest part of being here is being away from his wife, he said. "Hello Kristen, hope to see you soon."

Next, I was on my way to AIMD when I stopped to catch these guys (below) tossing Chemical, Biological, and Radioactive (CBR) protective gear to each other for distribution. DC3 Charles Cox (left) from Chicago, IL has been aboard Indy three years and DC3 Kenneth Patton from Boston, MA looked at his watch and said, "Three years, six months, two days, and twelve hours." They are part of the Damage Control team responsible for ensuring every Sailor and Marine here has a full CBR suit.

Finally getting to the AIMD shop I was looking for, Shop 3 (left), the World Famous Generator shop, I met with (L to R) AE2 (AW) Steven Phillips, AE3 (SW) Mike Williams, QM3 Chris Swann, AE3 Jebediah Hibbs, and AT1 (AW) Allen Sallier who were all looking over an F/A-18 generator controller. Unless the generator is burnt completely, they said they could fix it. After a few explanations about the process, this wire does this, this capacitor does that, I was pretty lost.

Well, hopefully this will upload sometime tonight. We're pretty close to the Gulf now, we officially left the Indian Ocean the other day and entered the Arabian Sea. Not much further to go...