Iraq 2009
From December 2008 to June 2009, I was on deployment in Iraq to provide strategic support to our military headquarters there. I was stationed at Camp Victory, a huge base next to Baghdad International Airport, and worked with a great team of people in a task force operating out of Saddam's old palace. The hours were long, but we managed to have a lot of fun* nevertheless :-) And of course I took a lot of pictures! Below is a selection. A lot more pictures are in my photo album.
Please contact me if you want full-resolution versions or if you plan to use any of these pictures.
Al-Faw Palace was my home-away-from-home for six months.
The palace's entrance hall, a marble-clad rotunda with a 30m tall domed ceiling, is dominated by this huge chandelier.
Every inch of the palace's ceiling is decorated with the most intricate relief murals.
The lake surrounding the palace is home to several families of geese.
A special breed of large and aggressive carp also lives in the palace lake.
Across the palace lake, this compound was home to our Australian coalition partners.
South of the palace, the sand-covered hulks of Iraqi tanks are constant reminders of the battles fought here during the invasion in 2003.
General Odierno, commander of MNF-I during my deployment
Camp Victory was a photographer's paradise, if you only knew where to look.
Alaina relaxing inside the former Baath Party Headquarters
A tree adds a touch of color to the monotony of sandy hues in front of the former Baath Party Headquarters.
Anna exploring the Great Hall of the "Victory over America [sic] Palace"