Geocaching in Iraq

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

I was messing around with Google Earth and I decided to take a look at Baghdad. I guess our soldiers are enjoying the hobby like the rest of us. Take a look at some of the names they are being given. Some are quite interesting.

[+CrkrJim]

We worry over here about some of the caches looking like bombs........it's a different world over there.

[+SAPD]

I found 6 caches while deployed to Iraq. The only reason found out there were caches on the installation was because one got called into my office as a possible bomb. All the more reason to take a GPS when you deploy.

[vtmtnman]

The only reason found out there were caches on the installation was because one got called into my office as a possible bomb.

Heh...that's why most of the ones I've found here have 'Not an IED' wrote on them.

 

Lots of folks get the idea that caches in Iraq are off base.NOT THE CASE!They are ALL on base.Our troops have bigger things to worry about than caching while out.

 

I'm glad I had some caches to find while I was here in Iraq.They're also in Afghanistan as well.

[+Team GeoBlast]

The only reason found out there were caches on the installation was because one got called into my office as a possible bomb.

Heh...that's why most of the ones I've found here have 'Not an IED' wrote on them.

 

Lots of folks get the idea that caches in Iraq are off base.NOT THE CASE!They are ALL on base.Our troops have bigger things to worry about than caching while out.

 

I'm glad I had some caches to find while I was here in Iraq.They're also in Afghanistan as well.

 

I just went hiking with another cacher that just got back from Iraq. Their unit confiscated 3 GPS units from the insurgents and he was called upon to assist because of his intricate knowledge of how they work, UTM conversions and so on. One of the unit had waypoints in Tennessee in it. Yikes.

[+team lagonda]

i have a tb in turky right now whos mission is to find bin,ladin..sorry to say its been stuck in the cache for months now....H E L P....ole bins gonna die of old age if somebody dont get me outta here befor i have a chance to find him....i,ll bet this tb finds him befor G,W ever does....lol....

Edited July 13, 2007 by team lagonda

[+Jeep_Dog]

Which ones do you find interesting? That could be an interesting discussion.

 

I assume you do not refer to the "Not Another Altoid Tin! in Iraq" series.

[uperdooper]

The only reason found out there were caches on the installation was because one got called into my office as a possible bomb.

Heh...that's why most of the ones I've found here have 'Not an IED' wrote on them.

 

Lots of folks get the idea that caches in Iraq are off base.NOT THE CASE!They are ALL on base.Our troops have bigger things to worry about than caching while out.

 

I'm glad I had some caches to find while I was here in Iraq.They're also in Afghanistan as well.

 

I just went hiking with another cacher that just got back from Iraq. Their unit confiscated 3 GPS units from the insurgents and he was called upon to assist because of his intricate knowledge of how they work, UTM conversions and so on. One of the unit had waypoints in Tennessee in it. Yikes.

dadgum insurgents!! probably gonna blow up the jack daniels distillery!

[mavislb]

I have a TB named Grandbaby Bear. I placed it before my grandaughter was born. Its mission was to see how many miles it could get before she was born. It didn't move for a couple of months and I emailed the person who had it. The first placement was on the day she was born into a cache in Kuwait. It made ovre 1700 miles on its first leg. Then it came back stateside and is now traveling the midwest. I thought that was cool. Don't know if it was a military person that placed it or not, but it made it over there. And my granddaughter was born on a military base. Her mother is in the army.

[ElementalJay]

Which ones do you find interesting? That could be an interesting discussion.

 

I assume you do not refer to the "Not Another Altoid Tin! in Iraq" series.

Actually, #1 of that was a pretty decent hide. It would fool the N00bs for a while. It was my first find in Iraq - just a short distance from my new office. Guess I should get around to logging that one eventually, huh?

 

edit: oh, wait. You meant interesting NAMES. Yeah, there are definitely more creative ones out there. And for the record, it WASN'T an Altoids Tin!

Edited July 15, 2007 by ElementalJay

[crtrue]

Hey.

 

No vacation caching.

[+Torry]

The only reason found out there were caches on the installation was because one got called into my office as a possible bomb.

Heh...that's why most of the ones I've found here have 'Not an IED' wrote on them.

 

Lots of folks get the idea that caches in Iraq are off base.NOT THE CASE!They are ALL on base.Our troops have bigger things to worry about than caching while out.

 

I'm glad I had some caches to find while I was here in Iraq.They're also in Afghanistan as well.

 

I just went hiking with another cacher that just got back from Iraq. Their unit confiscated 3 GPS units from the insurgents and he was called upon to assist because of his intricate knowledge of how they work, UTM conversions and so on. One of the unit had waypoints in Tennessee in it. Yikes.

dadgum insurgents!! probably gonna blow up the jack daniels distillery!

They're planning on blowing up light poles in WalMarts now?

Edited July 15, 2007 by Torry

[+Jeep_Dog]

Hey.

 

No vacation caching.

 

1) Even before the cache placement guidelines were revised in February and clearly stipulated no vacation caches, I can say for certain that cachers in Iraq are not on "vacation" status...

 

2) Now the guidelines state "The territory in which a geocacher is able to maintain caches responsibly will vary from one person to the next. An active geocacher who regularly visits areas hundreds of miles apart can demonstrate their ability to maintain a cache 100 miles from home. A geocacher whose previous finds and hides are all within 25 miles of their home would likely not see their cache published if placed 250 miles away from their home. "

 

Uh... wow, "home" certainly could be contentious. Although I've lived in Iraq for a glorious 2 years, two months of my life, I never considered it "home." I think the guidelines need revision (again)...