El Salvador

One last look in the Morning at Honduras

There is no safe place in San Salvador.

Welcome To El Salvador

Sean, Carol and Jonsey

All aboard the P-3

Surveillance. Land Sea and Air

As soon as we landed in San Salvador, we got picked up by an Amazing security team. Chris Jones and Sean Thornton. We took a bulletproof bus to the base and got a briefing.

El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821, like all the countries in the region and elsewhere, and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992. 

This small and volcano covered country is one of the most violent countries in the world. It is the home of the 18th street gang and MS-13, two of the most violent groups in the world. 

There are 5.8 million citizens in the country, 25,000 of them are gang members. In a country a little bigger than Massachusetts, there are 12 homicides a day. Currently, El Salvador has a murder rate of approximately 54 per 100,000 people, while the United States murder rate is around 6 per 100,000.

Don't ever let Carol fly- she starts talking and always misses the final approach.

El Salvador’s high murder rate brings the speculation that most of their murders currently go unsolved and with a little investigation. Coupled with the idea of death squads killing gang members would leave the assumption that El Salvadorian law enforcement officers would focus their resources towards the most serious of crimes—the killing of innocent persons, rather than the murders of gang members. With this in mind, it would be common knowledge that individuals or groups could murder gang members or criminals with little chance of being identified by law enforcement. The gang is growing every day and all over the world. We sat in on a briefing, and the most prevalent thing repeated though out is There is no safe place in San Salvador (El Salvador capital)

   

In the cockpit with the gals

Me making my best impression of my dad's angry Mustache

Private eyes. Clap* they are watching you. They see your every move.

In El Salvador, with the water there, you never want to see this sign.

We got a tour of a P-3 aircraft Originally designed as a land-based, long-range, anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft, and its mission has evolved in the late 1990s (started building them in the '60s) as surveillance at sea or overland.
The P-3 has advanced submarine detection. That helped us during the cold war with the Ruskies!

 We got a tour of the base as well. The guys were so much fun when we got to the hotel we checked in and hung out with Sean and Chris. We had a couple drinks and ate dinner while they set the outside up for us.

Feliz Navidad Merry Christmas Noel and Bah Humbug!

I am the Grinch!

No Place is safe in San Salvador.

I love hanging with the Navy guys. I heard this a few times, Navy guys love tattoos and drinking, I am too hairy for tattoos but love drinking. I had a feeling the show that night was going to be great, and it was.

These tours are very special to me, and every one of them I meet guys, I know I will stay in touch with and make lifelong friends. This trip is no exception. During the show, a bat swooped in, and I said it was a gang spying on our comedy show.

Navy loves Tattoos and Drinking.

Its Showtime, Poolside in December

The Drunk Table!

Our greenroom was poolside.

Next morning we head home, Shawn drives us to the airport.

This is not how you want to leave Central America powder on mustache and shirt.

On the to Central America and back home, every single security guard who checked my passport noticed it is MARK ANTHONY Riccadonna. And all of them wanted to know if I know who he is, if I'm related or like his music just because we have the same first and middle name. Now I know how Kevin Downey Jr feels.

Honduras Camp Soto aka SCAB

Welcome to Honduras in Beautiful Central America

The driving there was lawless people drove wherever they wanted with no regard even when an ambulance tried to pass.

The countryside is amazingly beautiful in Honduras.

The night before I left, Dj came over and stayed with Angie and I. I was so excited I didn't sleep a wink. Angie on one shoulder Gizmo on the other. I laid there staring at the ceiling until 5:20.. alarm went off at 5:30, time to go to the airport. We flew out of LaGuardia, so it was a quick drive.

Little shanty homes cover the mountainside.

The flights where Brutal, I could not sleep, and I was exhausted. In Miami, there was a baby who went running with no supervision, and a flight attendant chased him down by the tarmac walked with him in his arm like a suitcase. He actually had to yell out, "who's baby is this?" and a massive set Latino women came over and grabbed the baby. The rest of the flight, Miami to Honduras, the baby screamed, and the lady didn't even try to hush him, so no sleep for me that flight. I was kind of confused about where I was going on this trip. Its Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean). Between El Salvador and Nicaragua, a perfect place for a beautiful 3 and 1/3 country ( a little better than a third world country). It is about the size of Tennessee.    

Long curvy streets. People pass on a hill during a turn with balled tires.

Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982 (led by Duran Duran.. lol). During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Nicaraguan Government (and feathered mullets). The country was hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage. Since then, the economy has slowly rebounded.

A two-hour drive and we got to the base. It was beautiful, every building was a dark wood. It reminded me of summer camp for grown-ups.
Before we even checked in and dropped out bags off, we got to meet the Colonel. Col. Rielly, he was a very cool guy and assigned us, Sargent Ant. He became our buddy over the next 2 days. Ant was just getting over what sounded like food poisoning and us being tired. We all decided, eat, gym, and bed. When I went to the gym, it was dark, and the giant mountains and the pitch-black they light up and cover the mountainside. You can hear the Canaries singing at all hours lightly in the background, it is so beautiful and peaceful. Our bunks are pitch black, I slept so great I woke up around 5 AM entirely rested and ready to go, I hit the gym and waited to watch everyone come out and head to there posts. It was awesome to watch this military ant hill wake up.

Everywhere you look, the background looks fake.

SOTO CANO

Firemen put on an impressive demonstration.

We went toward the airport after breakfast, and our gang is in high spirits, everyone is rested, and Ant is feeling better, he actually could hold breakfast down! We were there for a great fire dept tradition where the Airforce Fire department is training the Honduran firemen.
The PR director on base is from Newton Falls, Ohio, right by where I grew up, so we started talking and know quite a few of the same people. We were chatting it up, and everything got delayed for the demonstration because they had a real call for a fire. We decided to go over to see the Air-force guys.

Chinook in action.

Flight line 612th and the 228th. Badasses

C-17 is about to give birth to BlackHawk

There is a law if an air-force transporter is flying to a country, we support and take care of the extra space that has to be filled with supplies for the natives.

Whale Tail

It is Crowning!!

These guys are here basically for humanitarian reasons, disaster relief, and if the DEA needs them with help against cartels.

A C-17 showed up to deliver a Black Hawk, it was awesome to see. The black hawk with blades back looked like a woman with her hair pulled back.

Its a boy!! Pass the Cigars!

Medivac

Chinook time named after "Canadian Northwind."

In case of emergency, fly out on a broom.

The cockpit of chinook- I can't believe they let Carol and I fly.

We went back to the fire dept. While they were having a big meal with a celebration and award ceremony. We were getting a bit tired and ready for lunch. We ate Mexican and ate like kings I felt energized and ready to go. To see the Military dog demonstration.

CPO Beeman brought us two dogs and their trainers. These dogs may be the smartest animals I ever saw. Minx and UU.

They were so specific with commands and when its game time and playtime. It made me think-"Gizmo, you don't do anything."

Minx in his DOGGLES

CPO Beeman mentioned what happens when the dogs "retire," and They are amazing dogs.

The Military Working Dog Foundation was established to provide a resource of information to law enforcement agencies who have a requirement to obtain working dogs, as well as for the public who wish to adopt dogs that become available from the military and need a home. The soldier that handle the dog almost ALWAYS adopts the dog

The most loyal dogs on the planet

Periodically, these military working dogs become available for distribution to law enforcement agencies and local police departments. Some working dogs are made available for adoption to the public because they are no longer capable of performing their military duties.

Bomb-sniffing badass

oh, right in the bean bag

Time for a little PR and AFN radio. I love doing radio, Carol and I always have fun making fun of each other. Sgt. Guthrie was fun, we did about 20 to 30 min and went to the soundcheck that turned into Drinking until showtime. We hung out after the show until the bar was shut down. What a great night. We leave for El Salvador.

 I

at The Oasis

Goodnight from the hooch