Can we stop the convoy? I have a slight electrical fire...

So today we went out and did our normal patrols and whatnot. I again was a TC, but nothing really special or noteworthy. Just the typical driving around and checking stuff out. Pretty uneventful until the drive back home...

We were about 2-3 miles away from our base when all of a sudden I smell burning plastic. I didnt think much of it, because well Iraq just smells likes all sorts of nasty stuff, but then all of a sudden I looked down and saw that there was a crap ton of smoke around me! Oh shit, I thought and began to try to figure out what it was. Thats when it dawned on me that it was this piece of equipment we have on our truck

Little backbrief. This same piece of equipment we've had some trouble with and on another previous patrol when my squad leader was TC the thing started smoking. He turned it off and it was fine. We had it check out, supposedly "fixed" and then back on our way.

Anyways, once I figured it was probably that, I turned off the equipment, had everyone open the windows, and we proceeded to laugh about the incident. It was quite funny I thought as I was fanning the smoke out of my truck. Well anyways a few minutes go by and I happen to look down at this piece of equipment and I notice a light coming from down there. Theres only a few places that have lights in the truck and this definatly was NOT one of them. I look a little closer and notice that the light is flickering like a flame. OH MY GOD! You have GOT to be kidding me. I attempt to blow the flame out without any luck, since it was somewhere behind this panel in my truck. Wow, you have got to be kidding me.

At this point, I radio the convoy leader and say "Can we stop the convoy? I have a slight electrical fire that I need to put out!" In my head I totally thought I said something else along the lines of, I need to pull over, but apparently I asked, as people later pointed out to me. Anyways everyone pulls over and stops and as soon as my truck stops everyone jumps out and immediatly take action. My driver runs over with the fire extinguisher and hands it off to another team leader who was in the back seat and he gives the area of the fire a few good spurts, shooting this chalk powder in and smothering the fire. Great fire out, but now in my truck, and especially the seat and area I sit, is literally covered in this purplish chalk crap. Great. We all load back up and continue on back to base.

Once I got back I couldn't wait to hear what people had to say about it. Most people thought it was hilarious, as did I. What an exciting day ya know. How many people can say their truck caught on fire! haha But I think the greatest thing was hearing how everyone said that was one of the calmest radio transmissions they've ever heard, especially considering it was to say that I was on fire! LMAO! Good times good time! :)