Scott Fontaine covers Fort Lewis, McChord Air Force Base, the Washington National Guard and the veteran community. Fontaine has worked at The News Tribune since 2006. E-mail along story suggestions and tips to scott.fontaine@thenewstribune.com
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Matt Misterek is the communities and military team leader at The News Tribune and has supervised local military coverage since 2003.
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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – The folks from the 81st Brigade Combat Team's 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment aren't leaving this base in southeastern Iraq anytime soon.
A windstorm swept across this area overnight (and is still blowing in mid-afternoon), throwing dust into the air. Visibility is so low, most flights and missions aren't leaving the base.
(The photo above are guys posing for a shot a few hours ago. Visibility has worsened since.)
It's just one of the liabilities of traveling in Iraq: Flights are postponed or canceled often, and everyone is at the mercy of wind patterns.

