On the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, the Iraqis live in what the Americans call "The White House."

CE2 Carl Harms helps pull in a load of food from a supply ship at the Al Basrah Oil Terminal off the coast of Iraq on Wednesday, August 12, 2009.

Flight deck crew does a FOD walk in 120+ degree heat (and high humidity) on board the USS Reagan (CVN 76), underway in the Arabian Gulf. I will do my best to never complain about the heat again after watching these kids drag chains, move aircraft, do maintenance and refuel planes with tutrtlenecks, long sleeves and float coats on, the sun beating down and the heat of jet engines to top it all off.

Just to give an idea of scale...the smallest is an Iraqi defender (right), a dhow, and a VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier.)

The crew of a RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) get a treat - a case of root beer - from the Al Basrah Oil Terminal off the coast of Iraq on Tuesday, August 11, 2009. The RHIB was from one of the many small boys surrounding the terminal.

Release the RHIB from the ramp on the back of the Coastal Patrol Typhoon in the North Arabian Gulf.

The Al Basrah Oil Terminal is covered in scars from shrapnel, mortars, bullets...the salty sea air turns the jagged edges to rusty, brittle acne that catches your soles and sleeves and pant legs and slowly weakens the structure.

I like making photos of the bows/foc'sles of ships, and I loved the whole visual-ness of the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, so here is a combination of the two.

On board the Thach, one of the most fit ships we visited, Sailors work out anywhere, any time. The ship's gym is called "Jimmy's House of Pain."