1327hrs, 20 Sept 2011:
I've finished the requisite paperwork, packed all of my belongings, signed out with the AMEDD Center & School, enjoyed a final breakfast with some close friends and a final lunch with mom & dad, and am now seated at a computer in the USO at SATX Airport. In roughly 2 hours, I will be airborne headed towards...home. That place where you, "hang your hat," where, "your heart is," where, "you long to be." Nothing could be more true in my case. Home...I love the sound of that. To my beautiful ladies who have soldiered through 70 days of making it without me, I'm coming home to you. See you soon, my angels...I love you dearly and can't wait to hold you in my arms when I arrive!
To mom and dad, my life-long support system: you've never failed to completely support my family and me in any endeavor, through thin or flush. I, we, all love and appreciate you dearly. You have made my time here completely more tolerable and enjoyable. Can't wait to see you at birthday/Halloween time. Thank you, God bless, and I love you.
To the extended family and friends at home, I am eternally grateful for you helping out with the lovely ladies I had to leave behind. I know you did more than I ever heard about, so thank you. In the future, there will certainly be longer periods of time when I will be away. I trust you and rely on you to watch over my family in my absence. Thank you for all you've done and will do...I am eternally grateful.
And, one final time, to my dear new colleagues and friends from BOLC 11-115, especially those from my beloved 6th Platoon/"6-Pack + 1," you are all more dear to me than you will ever know. When so many of you prior service folks told us newbies that you have never gotten so close to a group of fellow soldiers in such as short amount of time, I am convinced that what we shared these past few months was truly unique and special. Ups and downs aside, you all made me feel welcome, successful, proud, and comfortable through every aspect of our training. And in our down time, I can't recall a time in recent memory when I had so much fun! Whether it was a Friday movie, a Tuesday "Wii Glee" episode, a game of hearts or spades at Bullis, or a random Toga party, it was all exceptionally fun and filled with memories. You will all remain in my heart eternally, and I'll see you down-range.
To a few specific people:
Sussman: I will forever be able to "RTFU" because of you; thank you, it means a lot! Peace.
Tomlinson: God be with you in your upcoming journey; I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Peace.
Perkins: Take care of that beautiful little girl; you are a genuinely good man and I am better for having lived with you these many weeks. Peace.
And to my beloved "6 Pack + 1":
Turner: I know how hard it has been and is about to be so soon in your Army career, but if anyone can whether the storm with grace and success, it is you. Be safe down-range; I'll miss you. Peace.
Welch: Keep that magnificent sense of humor and innocence. You are an exceptional person and will make a superb nurse. I miss you already; have fun in Germany ("Ya, mon!"). Peace.
Shep: Holy S#!t! You sir, are the craziest sonnamagun I have ever met, but I love you for your humor, sincerity, guidance, and friendship. These past days have been empty without you. Take care of that beautiful boy when he arrives, and remember that "Matthew Lawrence" is a great name for him! Peace.
Smith: Innocence, chivalry, humor and flatulence: the four great qualities of my dear friend Matticus! Any time I run over an Afghan, I will think of you, my friend. Peace.
Valdivieso: My sweet friend, you have been my guiding hand throughout our time together. Our friendship will remain special to me for years to come. Nothing more can be said that hasn't been said already. Peace.
Simpkins: The founder of the feast, the leader of the clan, the teacher, the instigator, "the man." I am grateful for your friendship and leadership. You will remain the inspiration of my Army efforts for years to come. Be safe down-range; I pray our paths cross again soon. Noah is a lucky boy to have you in his life. Peace.
So, for one final time to 6th Platoon/"6 Pack + 1," I say I love you, I miss you, "I got you (a la Quinn)," and a big ol' Tee Hee HEE!!
Girlies...I'm coming home with open arms. See you soon.
With eternal love, gratitude, and a touch of sadness, I sign off one last time from San Antonio. Take care, God bless, and as always...
Peace.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Choppers and casualties...
At the end of my last post, I made a promise to you to write again "tomorrow" to fill in the rest of the information about our final week in the field. Well, tomorrow turned in to the next day, then the next, etc., so my apologies again for the delay. But hey...here I am now. Let’s get started.
The final week at Camp Bullis was, in fact, my favorite of the three. It lasted only three days, but each day was unique and thrilling. Our task was to put into practice all we had thus learned regarding the first 3 levels of combat casualty care. On Monday, my group was tasked to provide Role 3 care; in essence, to man a combat support hospital. The CSH consists of a village-sized tent system that houses everything from operating rooms and trauma centers to mess halls and barracks. My responsibility this day was to act as RTO (radio officer...never heard what the "T" stands for!). I coordinated the flow of the incoming ambulances and CasEvac trucks...cool stuff. The only problem was that my call sign was "Band Aid 1," not butch enough for my taste!
Tuesday was, far and away, my favorite day! I actually got to do something that, A) I never thought I would be required to do, and B) I never thought I would have the opportunity to do. Tuesday was our turn to man a Role 1 facility, the most forward and austere of organized casualty care. The main purpose of Role 1 is to assess, stabilize, and MedEvac casualties to the appropriate ascending level of care. While this was, in and of itself, exciting enough, we were treated to additional training by having an actual Dustoff Blackhawk on-hand...we just happened to luck out and be the group that got to work with/on it! After setting up our Role 1 location (in a grove of trees in a remote part of Bullis), and treating our "casualties" wounds, the Dustoff made its approach and landed in our LZ. It was my honor to lead one of the litter teams across the open ground and load our stretcher-borne patient onto the idling chopper. Yes it was a simulated situation, but when you have rotor blades blasting past your head, exhaust smell in your nose, an aircrew giving you directions, and an actual human being on your litter, it was as close to real as possible. Truly visceral and totally thrilling, it was the fulfillment of a dream born of watching waaay too many episodes of M*A*S*H! (And on the convoy back, my truck crew experienced what I consider to be the funniest episode of the FTX, but it’s not fit to print here in the blog. If you want to know, speak to me privately! Let’s just say it involves M-16s, smoke grenades, and some of our superiors hiding in the woods!)
The final day was a true challenge. I came into it looking forward to our tasks, but was sorely disappointed one the ball was rolling. Today was Role 2 day; if I am deployed with my unit, the 848th Forward Surgical Team, this is where we will be put to work. When assigning tasks for the day, I promptly volunteered to work with the mock-FST to get some hands-on experience. I was granted to opportunity to do so, and gratefully began the tasks at hand. About 10 minutes into the 3-hour exercise, however, the lead instructor decided to throw a massive monkey wrench into the works and reassign each person to a new position. For me: I went from lowly a FST 70B to the XO (executive officer) of the entire facility. HOLY CRAP! I should be flattered at the massive promotion (still waiting to see the pay increase, though), but the XO, in essence, is in direct control of every operational aspect of the facility. I found myself ass-deep in patient tracking efforts, MedEvac requests, mass cal treatments (apparently the facility got hit by some mysterious artillery fire...never heard it coming, myself!), and resupply needs just to name a few. In three hours, we treated over 60 patients...not too shabby if I may say so myself! The most difficult ones were our psych patients: if not watched by hospital personnel at all times, they were instructed to run amok around the hospital, try to steal our weapons, and cause mayhem whenever possible. One of them tried to attack our command post and erase our patient tracking board, but our security force got him under control...thank goodness!
Later that evening, we gladly boarded the buses and returned to Ft. Sam for the final time. We decompressed for the night, turned in our field equipment on Thursday morning, then in the afternoon rehearsed for our graduation the following week. Friday morning I had the pleasure of flying home to Cincy for a much-needed Labor Day visit home! I loved spending some time with my ladies back home, but the time passed much too quickly. I flew back to Ft. Sam on Monday, participated in our Phase III graduation on Tuesday, and began my job-specific track training on Wednesday. I'll report on those activities next time we speak.
I'm thrilled to report that my class is down to only 5 days left on post. I'll be returning home on the evening of 20 Sept., and I look forward to seeing everyone when I get back. I'll keep working through the remaining challenges, and will have a couple more posts for you before I head out of here. For now, be good to yourselves and each other, check in on the ladies, and I wish all of you...
Peace.
The final week at Camp Bullis was, in fact, my favorite of the three. It lasted only three days, but each day was unique and thrilling. Our task was to put into practice all we had thus learned regarding the first 3 levels of combat casualty care. On Monday, my group was tasked to provide Role 3 care; in essence, to man a combat support hospital. The CSH consists of a village-sized tent system that houses everything from operating rooms and trauma centers to mess halls and barracks. My responsibility this day was to act as RTO (radio officer...never heard what the "T" stands for!). I coordinated the flow of the incoming ambulances and CasEvac trucks...cool stuff. The only problem was that my call sign was "Band Aid 1," not butch enough for my taste!
Tuesday was, far and away, my favorite day! I actually got to do something that, A) I never thought I would be required to do, and B) I never thought I would have the opportunity to do. Tuesday was our turn to man a Role 1 facility, the most forward and austere of organized casualty care. The main purpose of Role 1 is to assess, stabilize, and MedEvac casualties to the appropriate ascending level of care. While this was, in and of itself, exciting enough, we were treated to additional training by having an actual Dustoff Blackhawk on-hand...we just happened to luck out and be the group that got to work with/on it! After setting up our Role 1 location (in a grove of trees in a remote part of Bullis), and treating our "casualties" wounds, the Dustoff made its approach and landed in our LZ. It was my honor to lead one of the litter teams across the open ground and load our stretcher-borne patient onto the idling chopper. Yes it was a simulated situation, but when you have rotor blades blasting past your head, exhaust smell in your nose, an aircrew giving you directions, and an actual human being on your litter, it was as close to real as possible. Truly visceral and totally thrilling, it was the fulfillment of a dream born of watching waaay too many episodes of M*A*S*H! (And on the convoy back, my truck crew experienced what I consider to be the funniest episode of the FTX, but it’s not fit to print here in the blog. If you want to know, speak to me privately! Let’s just say it involves M-16s, smoke grenades, and some of our superiors hiding in the woods!)
The final day was a true challenge. I came into it looking forward to our tasks, but was sorely disappointed one the ball was rolling. Today was Role 2 day; if I am deployed with my unit, the 848th Forward Surgical Team, this is where we will be put to work. When assigning tasks for the day, I promptly volunteered to work with the mock-FST to get some hands-on experience. I was granted to opportunity to do so, and gratefully began the tasks at hand. About 10 minutes into the 3-hour exercise, however, the lead instructor decided to throw a massive monkey wrench into the works and reassign each person to a new position. For me: I went from lowly a FST 70B to the XO (executive officer) of the entire facility. HOLY CRAP! I should be flattered at the massive promotion (still waiting to see the pay increase, though), but the XO, in essence, is in direct control of every operational aspect of the facility. I found myself ass-deep in patient tracking efforts, MedEvac requests, mass cal treatments (apparently the facility got hit by some mysterious artillery fire...never heard it coming, myself!), and resupply needs just to name a few. In three hours, we treated over 60 patients...not too shabby if I may say so myself! The most difficult ones were our psych patients: if not watched by hospital personnel at all times, they were instructed to run amok around the hospital, try to steal our weapons, and cause mayhem whenever possible. One of them tried to attack our command post and erase our patient tracking board, but our security force got him under control...thank goodness!
Later that evening, we gladly boarded the buses and returned to Ft. Sam for the final time. We decompressed for the night, turned in our field equipment on Thursday morning, then in the afternoon rehearsed for our graduation the following week. Friday morning I had the pleasure of flying home to Cincy for a much-needed Labor Day visit home! I loved spending some time with my ladies back home, but the time passed much too quickly. I flew back to Ft. Sam on Monday, participated in our Phase III graduation on Tuesday, and began my job-specific track training on Wednesday. I'll report on those activities next time we speak.
I'm thrilled to report that my class is down to only 5 days left on post. I'll be returning home on the evening of 20 Sept., and I look forward to seeing everyone when I get back. I'll keep working through the remaining challenges, and will have a couple more posts for you before I head out of here. For now, be good to yourselves and each other, check in on the ladies, and I wish all of you...
Peace.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
A sweeping summary...
Due to one set of circumstances or another, it has been nearly two weeks since my previous post. We have been extremely busy with our FTX tasks and, as of today, outprocessing and Phase 3 graduation, so forgive my tardiness! I'll do my best to summarize the past weeks as vividly and succinctly as possible.
Week 2 of our FTX promised to be, for me at least, the busiest and most stressful week. You see, as part of our training we had to participate in a simulated combat convoy...and I was given the job of convoy commander. So, while also completing the other tasks required of us this week (land navigation, warrior leader tasks, 9mm pistol qualification, etc.), I spent countless hours picking the brains of my dear friends and comrades as to what to expect on the convoy, how to organize our available personnel, and what nuggets of wisdom were necessary to a successful convoy operation. When the day of the convoy rolled around, we were informed that our team would roll out of the FOB at 1230hrs. In the morning, we would participate in HEAT and VCCT training. HEAT is, without embellishment, a mock-up of a HMMWV (that's a Hummer in regular-speak) placed on a large rotisserie. Four students strap into the seats, and are rolled over 4-6 times (depending upon how demonic the instructor is feeling at that particular time). The body ends up either upside down or on its side, and it is now your responsibility to escape from the "wreckage" as quickly and safely as possible. For me, being 75" tall and about as limber as an oak tree, this was a challenge. I somehow managed to get out of my seat belt and flip myself upright, but unfortunately got my helmet stuck between my seat and the radio stack!! With a few good pushes from my battle buddies, I dislodged myself and opened the door to emerge shortly thereafter. The moral of the story is this: for a man that no longer likes to go on upside-down roller coasters, this was not the best way to start such a stressful day...a mammoth headache ensued for the remainder of the week!
VCCT is the Virtual Combat Convoy Trainer, and it is exactly as it sounds: a computer-based convoy simulator complete with vehicles, weapons, and computerized enemies. Most of this training went very well, except for when I told my turret gunner to fire on four vehicles that came driving straight for our truck. He "lit up" all four, but we were promptly informed by the controller that these were harmless civilian vehicles and we could now expect fierce resistance for the remainder of the exercise. Oops...my bad. Lesson learned. However, I must give big props to our truck driver, whom we call "Matticus": when confronted by an insurgent on our 12 o'clock and no more ammo in the turret, Matticus took matters into his own hands and simply ran over our attacker (this action was confirmed to us when the truck simulator made a satisfying "bump-bump" as we drove over him!! Priceless!).
After our ride back to the FOB and a very hasty lunch, our team armed up and mounted the vehicles for our live-fire convoy. We experienced IEDs, mortar fire, ambushes, casualties, disabled vehicles, broken communications, and MEDEVAC and LZ tasks...all "simulated," of course. But the tangible and tactile nature of the exercise made it quite real to me in the commander's seat. I learned a big lesson in managing personnel, trusting your teammates, and following your gut instinct. While we did not emerge from the exercise unscathed (we had one disabled truck and 7 casualties), we were greatly complimented by the instructors on our communication and teamwork...the essence of the lesson to be learned. And, to my great satisfaction, I was considered to be an, "excellent convoy commander," by our lead instructor. What a terrifying, edifying, and electrifying experience...it will not be soon forgotten!
This particular edition of the Bugle has gone on long enough. I will take my leave for now, as there are a few homework assignments that need my attention. I will be back with you tomorrow to wrap up the story of FTX with a Week 3 edition. For now, I ask for your continued vigilance over my lovely ladies back at home. I truly miss them, and am counting the remaining 14 days before my return home. I love them dearly, as I do all of you. Take care, God bless, and, as always...
Peace.
Week 2 of our FTX promised to be, for me at least, the busiest and most stressful week. You see, as part of our training we had to participate in a simulated combat convoy...and I was given the job of convoy commander. So, while also completing the other tasks required of us this week (land navigation, warrior leader tasks, 9mm pistol qualification, etc.), I spent countless hours picking the brains of my dear friends and comrades as to what to expect on the convoy, how to organize our available personnel, and what nuggets of wisdom were necessary to a successful convoy operation. When the day of the convoy rolled around, we were informed that our team would roll out of the FOB at 1230hrs. In the morning, we would participate in HEAT and VCCT training. HEAT is, without embellishment, a mock-up of a HMMWV (that's a Hummer in regular-speak) placed on a large rotisserie. Four students strap into the seats, and are rolled over 4-6 times (depending upon how demonic the instructor is feeling at that particular time). The body ends up either upside down or on its side, and it is now your responsibility to escape from the "wreckage" as quickly and safely as possible. For me, being 75" tall and about as limber as an oak tree, this was a challenge. I somehow managed to get out of my seat belt and flip myself upright, but unfortunately got my helmet stuck between my seat and the radio stack!! With a few good pushes from my battle buddies, I dislodged myself and opened the door to emerge shortly thereafter. The moral of the story is this: for a man that no longer likes to go on upside-down roller coasters, this was not the best way to start such a stressful day...a mammoth headache ensued for the remainder of the week!
VCCT is the Virtual Combat Convoy Trainer, and it is exactly as it sounds: a computer-based convoy simulator complete with vehicles, weapons, and computerized enemies. Most of this training went very well, except for when I told my turret gunner to fire on four vehicles that came driving straight for our truck. He "lit up" all four, but we were promptly informed by the controller that these were harmless civilian vehicles and we could now expect fierce resistance for the remainder of the exercise. Oops...my bad. Lesson learned. However, I must give big props to our truck driver, whom we call "Matticus": when confronted by an insurgent on our 12 o'clock and no more ammo in the turret, Matticus took matters into his own hands and simply ran over our attacker (this action was confirmed to us when the truck simulator made a satisfying "bump-bump" as we drove over him!! Priceless!).
After our ride back to the FOB and a very hasty lunch, our team armed up and mounted the vehicles for our live-fire convoy. We experienced IEDs, mortar fire, ambushes, casualties, disabled vehicles, broken communications, and MEDEVAC and LZ tasks...all "simulated," of course. But the tangible and tactile nature of the exercise made it quite real to me in the commander's seat. I learned a big lesson in managing personnel, trusting your teammates, and following your gut instinct. While we did not emerge from the exercise unscathed (we had one disabled truck and 7 casualties), we were greatly complimented by the instructors on our communication and teamwork...the essence of the lesson to be learned. And, to my great satisfaction, I was considered to be an, "excellent convoy commander," by our lead instructor. What a terrifying, edifying, and electrifying experience...it will not be soon forgotten!
This particular edition of the Bugle has gone on long enough. I will take my leave for now, as there are a few homework assignments that need my attention. I will be back with you tomorrow to wrap up the story of FTX with a Week 3 edition. For now, I ask for your continued vigilance over my lovely ladies back at home. I truly miss them, and am counting the remaining 14 days before my return home. I love them dearly, as I do all of you. Take care, God bless, and, as always...
Peace.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Guns in the Potty...
If I recollect correctly, there is a certain type of middle-aged man that pays a company an exceptional amount of money for a one-week "vacation" during which he is immersed in quasi-realistic military scenarios, complete with live ammunition, vast desert landscapes, indigenous wildlife, exotic insect encounters, and spartan accommodations. What a fool...he needn't pay anybody a single cent. In fact, if he would only join the US Army, he could actually get PAID to participate in such experiences! This is exactly what my dear colleagues and I were able to experience this past week...this and so much more!
I have no intention of complaining about any of the above-mentioned activities or conditions, especially considering each one was designed to teach us some facet of Army doctrine. Each one was developed because of past experiences or current conditions faced by our comrades. Many, many soldiers, airmen, Marines, and sailors are dealing with the real-life repercussions of these lessons learned. So please do not think this post is a rant on the "sacrifices" we have to make during our field training. Rather, this is just a tongue-in-cheek retrospective of a rather adventurous week.
On Monday evening at 5:30pm, the entire company (including 110 additional short-course reservists, for a total of 501 personnel) boarded "air conditioned" buses (ha!) and rode out to the site of our field training exercises (FTXs), Camp Bullis. For the duration of our three week-long FTXs, we would be housed on the FOB (Forward Operating Base). We were very fortunate to be housed in "hooches" with air conditioning (with the caveat that it could not be turned on until the training day was over at 5:00pm). MREs were usually the order of the day for our lunches, with a hot breakfast and dinner shipped in from the dining facility 5 miles away. Admittedly, I was more excited about the MREs than te hot meals for two reasons: one, they tasted better, and two, they all were made by the Wornick Co. in Cincinnati. I made sure everyone on the FOB knew that these were not true representations of Cincinnati cuisine, but I'm not sure they really cared at that point!
The main activities for the week consisted of learning several of the skills which will be tested in the FTX beginning tomorrow morning. These included land navigation, medevac requests, movement training, and weapons familiarization and qualification. I am happy to report that I was able to successfully zero my M-16 and qualifiy as a Marksman with a score of 23 out of 40 targets hit (this doesn't sound terribly impressive, but I assure you it was not as easy as it sounds! We can discuss at another time...)
A word on the M-16: you never, ever, ever go anywhere without it! On the grounds of a major safety violation, your M-16 goes with you everywhere: to the rifle range, to the chow line, to class, to bed, even to the latrine (which, in the case of the FOB consists of 40 Port-o-Potties for 501 people for 1 week...smells great in the Texas sun!!). When we finally locked up our weapons for the weekend and returned to Ft. Sam, I had a moment of panic when I used the toilet in my room and didn't have my M-16 next to me! Even worse, I forgot to flush the can...at least for a moment! Taking an armed dump in a honeypot for a week really messes up your sense of personal decency!!
The week went pretty well, and except for an almost exclusive sense of isolation (due to very poor cell phone reception), was pretty enjoyable. I consumed, on average, 1.5 to 2 gallons of water and Gatorade per day, and usually only peed twice. I was able to text the ladies for a few minutes in the evening, and even got in a few workouts in the extemporary gym on the FOB. I haven't weighed myself yet, but I'm certain there was some serious weight loss that took place last week...more on the when I'm able to post again next weekend.
Well my dear friends, I bid you all adieu for now. I have to repack my duffle and ruck sack for our 0500 departure back to the FOB tomorrow morning. I look forward to posting again next weekend. In the meantime, keep my girlies in your thoughts, plans, and prayers, and know that I'm doing the same for all of you. Take care, God Bless, and as always...
Peace.
I have no intention of complaining about any of the above-mentioned activities or conditions, especially considering each one was designed to teach us some facet of Army doctrine. Each one was developed because of past experiences or current conditions faced by our comrades. Many, many soldiers, airmen, Marines, and sailors are dealing with the real-life repercussions of these lessons learned. So please do not think this post is a rant on the "sacrifices" we have to make during our field training. Rather, this is just a tongue-in-cheek retrospective of a rather adventurous week.
On Monday evening at 5:30pm, the entire company (including 110 additional short-course reservists, for a total of 501 personnel) boarded "air conditioned" buses (ha!) and rode out to the site of our field training exercises (FTXs), Camp Bullis. For the duration of our three week-long FTXs, we would be housed on the FOB (Forward Operating Base). We were very fortunate to be housed in "hooches" with air conditioning (with the caveat that it could not be turned on until the training day was over at 5:00pm). MREs were usually the order of the day for our lunches, with a hot breakfast and dinner shipped in from the dining facility 5 miles away. Admittedly, I was more excited about the MREs than te hot meals for two reasons: one, they tasted better, and two, they all were made by the Wornick Co. in Cincinnati. I made sure everyone on the FOB knew that these were not true representations of Cincinnati cuisine, but I'm not sure they really cared at that point!
The main activities for the week consisted of learning several of the skills which will be tested in the FTX beginning tomorrow morning. These included land navigation, medevac requests, movement training, and weapons familiarization and qualification. I am happy to report that I was able to successfully zero my M-16 and qualifiy as a Marksman with a score of 23 out of 40 targets hit (this doesn't sound terribly impressive, but I assure you it was not as easy as it sounds! We can discuss at another time...)
A word on the M-16: you never, ever, ever go anywhere without it! On the grounds of a major safety violation, your M-16 goes with you everywhere: to the rifle range, to the chow line, to class, to bed, even to the latrine (which, in the case of the FOB consists of 40 Port-o-Potties for 501 people for 1 week...smells great in the Texas sun!!). When we finally locked up our weapons for the weekend and returned to Ft. Sam, I had a moment of panic when I used the toilet in my room and didn't have my M-16 next to me! Even worse, I forgot to flush the can...at least for a moment! Taking an armed dump in a honeypot for a week really messes up your sense of personal decency!!
The week went pretty well, and except for an almost exclusive sense of isolation (due to very poor cell phone reception), was pretty enjoyable. I consumed, on average, 1.5 to 2 gallons of water and Gatorade per day, and usually only peed twice. I was able to text the ladies for a few minutes in the evening, and even got in a few workouts in the extemporary gym on the FOB. I haven't weighed myself yet, but I'm certain there was some serious weight loss that took place last week...more on the when I'm able to post again next weekend.
Well my dear friends, I bid you all adieu for now. I have to repack my duffle and ruck sack for our 0500 departure back to the FOB tomorrow morning. I look forward to posting again next weekend. In the meantime, keep my girlies in your thoughts, plans, and prayers, and know that I'm doing the same for all of you. Take care, God Bless, and as always...
Peace.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
The highs and the Lows...
Man, oh man, oh man...what a spectacular several days it's been!
As many of you know, my beloved Kate, Meredith, and Lauren braved the wilds of the TSA and several airports to make the arduous journey down to San Antonio to visit me! What an absolute joy to have them in my world for a few precious days. More than even I realized at the time, I needed a shot of family to pick me back up for the second half of this course. The simple pleasure of having them within arm's length has been a blessing, and I am truly grateful for having had this time with them. But, as the days pass, it comes time for me to send them back home to Cincinnati. It was a tearful goodbye this evening (even though we were all enjoying our favorite dinner of Rudy's BBQ), knowing that it would be another extended period of time before we would be together again. But, this isn't anything out of the ordinary for the Army; no choice but to suck it up and get down to business.
One note on the Army Wife: she is an exceptional woman. She takes up the slack of the father when he's gone, does double duty as a single parent, maintains a household with as much grace and continuity as possible, and still finds time to make her husband feel like he is doing the right thing...and that he is truly loved, no exceptions. I am grateful for my Army Wife (...and my Army Girls, who make me feel just as on-top-of-the-world!), and I wish her and my whole family safe travels back home. I'll see you all again very soon; know that you're always in my heart.
I wish happiness to all who have taken the time to read this. I'll be off-the-grid until next Friday, as we will begin the field exercise portion of our course tomorrow evening. Be good, look in on the ladies, take good care of yourselves, and, as always...
Peace.
As many of you know, my beloved Kate, Meredith, and Lauren braved the wilds of the TSA and several airports to make the arduous journey down to San Antonio to visit me! What an absolute joy to have them in my world for a few precious days. More than even I realized at the time, I needed a shot of family to pick me back up for the second half of this course. The simple pleasure of having them within arm's length has been a blessing, and I am truly grateful for having had this time with them. But, as the days pass, it comes time for me to send them back home to Cincinnati. It was a tearful goodbye this evening (even though we were all enjoying our favorite dinner of Rudy's BBQ), knowing that it would be another extended period of time before we would be together again. But, this isn't anything out of the ordinary for the Army; no choice but to suck it up and get down to business.
One note on the Army Wife: she is an exceptional woman. She takes up the slack of the father when he's gone, does double duty as a single parent, maintains a household with as much grace and continuity as possible, and still finds time to make her husband feel like he is doing the right thing...and that he is truly loved, no exceptions. I am grateful for my Army Wife (...and my Army Girls, who make me feel just as on-top-of-the-world!), and I wish her and my whole family safe travels back home. I'll see you all again very soon; know that you're always in my heart.
I wish happiness to all who have taken the time to read this. I'll be off-the-grid until next Friday, as we will begin the field exercise portion of our course tomorrow evening. Be good, look in on the ladies, take good care of yourselves, and, as always...
Peace.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Defecation occurs...
My oh my, what a week it' s been!
Sinatra said it best in, "That's Life,": You're riding high in April, shot down in May.
The week started off on a pretty high note. My muscle strain was relatively pain-free, classes were running smoothly, and I earned a 94% on my midterm exam (not bad for a musician taking a test on medical issues, if I do say so myself!). The friendships we've been forming down here get stronger with each passing day, primarily fueled by our collective griping and complaining and utter confusion regarding some of the ins and outs of Army life...more on that shortly. Of particular note this past week was that the countdown to my girlies' visit to San Antonio reached single-digit status! This has been a great motivator for me to keep on track, stay ahead of the learning curve, and do my job as well as possible. I simply can't wait to greet them when they arrive on Wednesday.
But, oh how things do change rapidly. Friday dawned (very early at 0345) bright and beautiful; even the expected temperature of 110 degrees wasn't dampening my spirits. I should have known something was up when the usually fluid schedule began to jump off-track. We took another exam (this one covered our CBRNE training) Friday morning; not only was it open-note, it was also open-computer. Too easy, to be sure. Unfortunately, this bogged down some peoples' test-taking pace to a crawl. This started a chain reaction of lateness that essentially dorked-up the remainder of the day. We thought there would get some reprieve when, after our 1:00pm class, we were officially dismissed for the weekend! We headed back to the hotel, some people making it as far as their shower, when our cell phones started to go ballistic with messages. We were to return to the auditorium for two more 1-hour class sessions! ARGH!
The real issue, however, came a few hours later. As I was having dinner with some colleagues, I noticed a missed call from Kate. When I finally made contact with her, she calmly informed me that she was on the way to the hospital with my Aunt Kay; she fell from our front porch and sprained, potentially broke, her ankle. Four weeks in an air cast and on crutches...all while playing single mom while daddy plays soldier-boy. Dear, sweet heaven, can't anything ever come easily? She will be going to the doctor's office Monday morning for a more in-depth exam, and hopefully the recovery will move along more quickly than my CBRNE test. Please keep the family in your throughts and prayers, and please drop by the house (if you are willing and able) to spend some time with the ladies. Meredith is already getting pretty bored, since mommy can't drive the family anywhere! Play dates are always encouraged!
To all of my dear friends and family, I thank you for all you've done for us. I wish you all happiness, safety, and, most importantly...
Peace.
Sinatra said it best in, "That's Life,": You're riding high in April, shot down in May.
The week started off on a pretty high note. My muscle strain was relatively pain-free, classes were running smoothly, and I earned a 94% on my midterm exam (not bad for a musician taking a test on medical issues, if I do say so myself!). The friendships we've been forming down here get stronger with each passing day, primarily fueled by our collective griping and complaining and utter confusion regarding some of the ins and outs of Army life...more on that shortly. Of particular note this past week was that the countdown to my girlies' visit to San Antonio reached single-digit status! This has been a great motivator for me to keep on track, stay ahead of the learning curve, and do my job as well as possible. I simply can't wait to greet them when they arrive on Wednesday.
But, oh how things do change rapidly. Friday dawned (very early at 0345) bright and beautiful; even the expected temperature of 110 degrees wasn't dampening my spirits. I should have known something was up when the usually fluid schedule began to jump off-track. We took another exam (this one covered our CBRNE training) Friday morning; not only was it open-note, it was also open-computer. Too easy, to be sure. Unfortunately, this bogged down some peoples' test-taking pace to a crawl. This started a chain reaction of lateness that essentially dorked-up the remainder of the day. We thought there would get some reprieve when, after our 1:00pm class, we were officially dismissed for the weekend! We headed back to the hotel, some people making it as far as their shower, when our cell phones started to go ballistic with messages. We were to return to the auditorium for two more 1-hour class sessions! ARGH!
The real issue, however, came a few hours later. As I was having dinner with some colleagues, I noticed a missed call from Kate. When I finally made contact with her, she calmly informed me that she was on the way to the hospital with my Aunt Kay; she fell from our front porch and sprained, potentially broke, her ankle. Four weeks in an air cast and on crutches...all while playing single mom while daddy plays soldier-boy. Dear, sweet heaven, can't anything ever come easily? She will be going to the doctor's office Monday morning for a more in-depth exam, and hopefully the recovery will move along more quickly than my CBRNE test. Please keep the family in your throughts and prayers, and please drop by the house (if you are willing and able) to spend some time with the ladies. Meredith is already getting pretty bored, since mommy can't drive the family anywhere! Play dates are always encouraged!
To all of my dear friends and family, I thank you for all you've done for us. I wish you all happiness, safety, and, most importantly...
Peace.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
So, we actually do get PAID for this!
Hola everyone (that's how you say "hi," in Sapnglish).
It is an oddly and uniquely quiet day here at Ft. Sam. Over the next two days, the entire company must go through the SRP (Soldier Readiness Program). This is the Army's equivalent of a periodic health exam. The best part for all of us: only half the company is assigned to each day, so the other half gets the day off! Woo Hoo! Nothing like an unexpected free day. My only complaint: free days on a Tuesday are a quasi-letdown. You are already one day removed from the weekend, so you couldn't stay up late on Sunday night. And you haven't made it to the meat of the week, because there are 3 work days until next weeend. Regardless, it's great to have a day to yourself. I still woke up at 0345 this morning to do voluntary PT...the only problem was that our instructor wasn't there! Another let-down, but a minor one at that. So I took advantage of the early start, worked out a bit (nothing as intense as other mornings), took a shower, changed clothes...and promptly fell back asleep for three more hours! Have I mentioned that I love having Tuesdays off? No? Well, I do!
The next best thing to happen to me was that my first chunk of pay finally came through yesterday. So, on behalf of every officer and soldier on this post, I thank you, the American taxpayer, for suppling me/us with employment and income! Although, ironically, Uncle Sam took a big chunk out of my own paycheck, too, so I guess I'm paying myself as well...that's just bass-ackwards. But I guess someone has to feed the Congress during their exhausting debt debates...they're hard-working Government employees too, you know. It feels great to be earning a good paycheck again; most of my off-duty time during the week is spent trying to find a permanent full-time place in the Army to make sure the opportunity to serve and work and earn continues. Thanks for the chance to be here and serve you; it's an honor to do so.
As always, my thoughts and prayers are with you all, especially my beautiful ladies on the homefront. One week from tomorrow...can't hardly wait to hold you in my arms! I wish everyone happy days, quiet nights, and, as always...
Peace.
It is an oddly and uniquely quiet day here at Ft. Sam. Over the next two days, the entire company must go through the SRP (Soldier Readiness Program). This is the Army's equivalent of a periodic health exam. The best part for all of us: only half the company is assigned to each day, so the other half gets the day off! Woo Hoo! Nothing like an unexpected free day. My only complaint: free days on a Tuesday are a quasi-letdown. You are already one day removed from the weekend, so you couldn't stay up late on Sunday night. And you haven't made it to the meat of the week, because there are 3 work days until next weeend. Regardless, it's great to have a day to yourself. I still woke up at 0345 this morning to do voluntary PT...the only problem was that our instructor wasn't there! Another let-down, but a minor one at that. So I took advantage of the early start, worked out a bit (nothing as intense as other mornings), took a shower, changed clothes...and promptly fell back asleep for three more hours! Have I mentioned that I love having Tuesdays off? No? Well, I do!
The next best thing to happen to me was that my first chunk of pay finally came through yesterday. So, on behalf of every officer and soldier on this post, I thank you, the American taxpayer, for suppling me/us with employment and income! Although, ironically, Uncle Sam took a big chunk out of my own paycheck, too, so I guess I'm paying myself as well...that's just bass-ackwards. But I guess someone has to feed the Congress during their exhausting debt debates...they're hard-working Government employees too, you know. It feels great to be earning a good paycheck again; most of my off-duty time during the week is spent trying to find a permanent full-time place in the Army to make sure the opportunity to serve and work and earn continues. Thanks for the chance to be here and serve you; it's an honor to do so.
As always, my thoughts and prayers are with you all, especially my beautiful ladies on the homefront. One week from tomorrow...can't hardly wait to hold you in my arms! I wish everyone happy days, quiet nights, and, as always...
Peace.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Chugging along...
Howdy, y'all (that's how you say, "Hi," in Texas-speak).
Very, very fortunately, time has begun to move along at its normal pace for all of us here at BOLC. After several days of making sure all 300 students had their respective "housekeeping" issues in order, we have finally gotten into some sort of discernable routine. This helps the days move along more smoothly, although waking up at 0345 each morning tends to draw down the energy level throughout our daily classes! No matter...the extra PT is beginning to pay off, but not always in a good way. Allow me to explain myself. The good news: since arriving here on 13 July, I have lost 14lbs and dropped my blood pressure to 121/77 (although this has a tendency to fluctuate depending upon the amount of paperwork I have to complete...more on that shortly). The bad news: I have been put on a 10-day profile (which limits physical activity) because I tore one of my lower abdominal muscles. Let me tell you, friends: trying to do sit-ups and push-ups with a torn abdomen is, in a word, ouchy. And, unfortunately, this puts me 10 more days behind the 8-ball for passing my record PT test. It's a set-back, to be sure, but we will keep moving forward as much as possible. Keep your fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.
With regard to the paperwork, on Thursday this past week, I was volun-told to become the S1 of 6th platoon. In regular jargon, that means I am the head of all personne issues for the 50 people in my platoon. It's a relatively monumental task, but one I expect to do throughout my career; it's best to get the learning curve portion of the job out of the way while I'm in school, right?
It's about time for me to wrap up this particular edition of the Daily Bugle. I have several S1 issues to resolve, have to study for tomorrow morning's midterm exam, exercise, talk to my pretty ladies, and try to find full-time employment for after I graduate...anyone heard of any job opportunities for a well-dressed bald man?
Keep in touch, my dear friends. Call Kate and the girls from time to time, and let me know how your world is going...I love to hear from you. Talk at you again soon.
Peace.
Very, very fortunately, time has begun to move along at its normal pace for all of us here at BOLC. After several days of making sure all 300 students had their respective "housekeeping" issues in order, we have finally gotten into some sort of discernable routine. This helps the days move along more smoothly, although waking up at 0345 each morning tends to draw down the energy level throughout our daily classes! No matter...the extra PT is beginning to pay off, but not always in a good way. Allow me to explain myself. The good news: since arriving here on 13 July, I have lost 14lbs and dropped my blood pressure to 121/77 (although this has a tendency to fluctuate depending upon the amount of paperwork I have to complete...more on that shortly). The bad news: I have been put on a 10-day profile (which limits physical activity) because I tore one of my lower abdominal muscles. Let me tell you, friends: trying to do sit-ups and push-ups with a torn abdomen is, in a word, ouchy. And, unfortunately, this puts me 10 more days behind the 8-ball for passing my record PT test. It's a set-back, to be sure, but we will keep moving forward as much as possible. Keep your fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.
With regard to the paperwork, on Thursday this past week, I was volun-told to become the S1 of 6th platoon. In regular jargon, that means I am the head of all personne issues for the 50 people in my platoon. It's a relatively monumental task, but one I expect to do throughout my career; it's best to get the learning curve portion of the job out of the way while I'm in school, right?
It's about time for me to wrap up this particular edition of the Daily Bugle. I have several S1 issues to resolve, have to study for tomorrow morning's midterm exam, exercise, talk to my pretty ladies, and try to find full-time employment for after I graduate...anyone heard of any job opportunities for a well-dressed bald man?
Keep in touch, my dear friends. Call Kate and the girls from time to time, and let me know how your world is going...I love to hear from you. Talk at you again soon.
Peace.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tha grind...
Hello everyone.
The ups and downs of Army training have a way of keeping one away from his blog for extended periods of time...it's simply the nature of the beast. It has been a rather busy few days since we last blogged together, so allow me to recap.
1) The aforementioned PT test has come and gone, but there is still work for ol' Suds to do. I'm not completely off the radar screen, but training for something like this is in and of itself a full-time task. Don't worry; I have several "battle buddies" who are watching out for me and helping my along the path of de-gut-ification.
2) On Saturday, I met up with a fellow officer from my unit, the 848th Forward Surgical Team (imagine...out of a 20-person unit, two of us are here at the same time). We spent the evening on the Riverwalk enjoying some seafood at Joe's and some exceptional jazz at Cullum's Landing. The, do you know what happened? Well...do youu?!?! The fiend goes and gradduates from his class and flys home to Ohio...what a selfish booger! (Not really...I'm just envious he's enjoying hot and humid Ohio and I'm stuck in hot and hot Texas!)
3) On Monday, our platoon ("6th Platoon: Six-Pack!") was assigned our Platoon Advisor, CPT Quinn. At first glance, he is a man to be feared, not to be challenged, and to obey at first command. On second glance, he is a man we will all be thenkful to have on our side, instructing us how to be the best possible AMEDD officers. Good man; great officer.
4) Not only did I book travel for my pretty ladies to join mom, dad, and me here in SATX, but I am working on securing a pass to come home for a short visit over Labor Day! It'll be nice to have something to look forward to other than PT at 0430...ugh.
Speaking of which, considering the time (and the fact that my laundry is almost dry), I bid you all a fond adieu and I look forward to hearing back from my beloved blog-followers when you have the chance.
Peace.
The ups and downs of Army training have a way of keeping one away from his blog for extended periods of time...it's simply the nature of the beast. It has been a rather busy few days since we last blogged together, so allow me to recap.
1) The aforementioned PT test has come and gone, but there is still work for ol' Suds to do. I'm not completely off the radar screen, but training for something like this is in and of itself a full-time task. Don't worry; I have several "battle buddies" who are watching out for me and helping my along the path of de-gut-ification.
2) On Saturday, I met up with a fellow officer from my unit, the 848th Forward Surgical Team (imagine...out of a 20-person unit, two of us are here at the same time). We spent the evening on the Riverwalk enjoying some seafood at Joe's and some exceptional jazz at Cullum's Landing. The, do you know what happened? Well...do youu?!?! The fiend goes and gradduates from his class and flys home to Ohio...what a selfish booger! (Not really...I'm just envious he's enjoying hot and humid Ohio and I'm stuck in hot and hot Texas!)
3) On Monday, our platoon ("6th Platoon: Six-Pack!") was assigned our Platoon Advisor, CPT Quinn. At first glance, he is a man to be feared, not to be challenged, and to obey at first command. On second glance, he is a man we will all be thenkful to have on our side, instructing us how to be the best possible AMEDD officers. Good man; great officer.
4) Not only did I book travel for my pretty ladies to join mom, dad, and me here in SATX, but I am working on securing a pass to come home for a short visit over Labor Day! It'll be nice to have something to look forward to other than PT at 0430...ugh.
Speaking of which, considering the time (and the fact that my laundry is almost dry), I bid you all a fond adieu and I look forward to hearing back from my beloved blog-followers when you have the chance.
Peace.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Continuity
Howdy gang...my apologies for the delay in posting a new message. It's been a fast-moving week (in retrospect), and time has just now allowed me to write. I must say, however, that I will be going to bed shortly because I'm waking up (as it were) at 3:00am for a PT Test...please wish me luck.
The majority of this week has been spent sitting through innumerable in-processing briefs. Some of them have been useful and informative, and some of them have been rather forgetable. Yesterday (Wednesday), the entire class was issued its TA-50 field gear: duffle bag, helmet and cover, pads, molle vest, etc. The prime downside to this particular event was, again, being at the end of the alphabet and having to wait for 250 other people to get their gear first!
Today, we had several class sessions on military writing, presentations, and...TA-DAH!...Power Point design! There is nothing quite like watching a powerpoint on how to make a powerpoint; what a beautiful thing! My favorite part of the day is that which applies to the title above, "Continuity." After our lunch break, we reassembled in an entirely different auditorium in an entirely different building (the reasons are still unknown to us) and were delivered the following lectures, in this order: Military Briefing Writing, Entemology and the Military Dangers of Pathological Vectors (i.e.: "bad insects to avoid"), Modern Army Combative Techniques, and a Field Training Exercise briefing. To this relatively random collection of presentations, all I can say is, "Wow." We are certainly receiving a diverse education!
The weekend is fast-approaching, and with it some much-needed sleep and exercise. I'm counting the days to when Kate and the girls can visit, and I wish the best for all of you always. See you again soon on the Daily Bugle!
Peach.
The majority of this week has been spent sitting through innumerable in-processing briefs. Some of them have been useful and informative, and some of them have been rather forgetable. Yesterday (Wednesday), the entire class was issued its TA-50 field gear: duffle bag, helmet and cover, pads, molle vest, etc. The prime downside to this particular event was, again, being at the end of the alphabet and having to wait for 250 other people to get their gear first!
Today, we had several class sessions on military writing, presentations, and...TA-DAH!...Power Point design! There is nothing quite like watching a powerpoint on how to make a powerpoint; what a beautiful thing! My favorite part of the day is that which applies to the title above, "Continuity." After our lunch break, we reassembled in an entirely different auditorium in an entirely different building (the reasons are still unknown to us) and were delivered the following lectures, in this order: Military Briefing Writing, Entemology and the Military Dangers of Pathological Vectors (i.e.: "bad insects to avoid"), Modern Army Combative Techniques, and a Field Training Exercise briefing. To this relatively random collection of presentations, all I can say is, "Wow." We are certainly receiving a diverse education!
The weekend is fast-approaching, and with it some much-needed sleep and exercise. I'm counting the days to when Kate and the girls can visit, and I wish the best for all of you always. See you again soon on the Daily Bugle!
Peach.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
PT in the Moonlight
Have any of you ever gotten the urge to wake up at 3:30am, put on some ill-fitting gym clothes, stand in the middle of a rocky field with 350 of your closest friends, and perform oddly-gymnastic-like exercises for 90 minutes? Me neither...but the Army seems to think this is a GREAT idea! In all honesty, it wasn't that bad. In fact, the morning session was somewhat enjoyable (except for the fact that I rolled my right ankle over a Texas-sized rock while hustling into formation...that felt AWESOME!). The rest of the day was filled with additional briefings and final administrative tasks; nothing exciting but nothing strenuous.
I'm making some exceptional friends down here, one of whom I feel I will owe my graduation to. He and I began additional physical training together, and spent another hour in the gym in the evening after class. Plus, every time we have a break inbetween classes, we challenge eachother to do pushups and situps on the classroom floor...quite a sight, I must say. Speaking of which, I'm off to meet him right now for our morning session. I hope everyone back home is doing well, and I look forward to writing more later. Keep those messages coming, as well...love to hear from you.
Peace.
I'm making some exceptional friends down here, one of whom I feel I will owe my graduation to. He and I began additional physical training together, and spent another hour in the gym in the evening after class. Plus, every time we have a break inbetween classes, we challenge eachother to do pushups and situps on the classroom floor...quite a sight, I must say. Speaking of which, I'm off to meet him right now for our morning session. I hope everyone back home is doing well, and I look forward to writing more later. Keep those messages coming, as well...love to hear from you.
Peace.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Day 0 and Day 1
Yes, that's right my friends, Day 0. Only in the Army could you be present somewhere, doing copious amounts of work, and it is not ever recognized as an actual day! Oh well...it is what it is.
Day 0, as it were, was filled with lines...loooooong lines, many if which were outside in the Texas sun. We waited in line to get our room assignment (which is actually currently in the Hilton Hotel because there are over 1,100 officers enrolled in various courses here at Ft. Sam...not complaining!); we waited in line to get our personnel paperwork; we waited in line to get height/weight measurements, we waited in line to get sized for our helmets; and we waited in line to confirm that everything was Kosher. Ironically, there was no line at the dining facility...
Day 1 was a real "HOOAH" kind of day. A few more lines were encountered, but nothing quite so drastic as before. We worked on our DnC (Drill and Ceremony...marching), made sure our finance and HR paperwork was good to go, and met our leadership team. While that was all well and good, there was a singular event that, for me, encapsulated why we are all here doing this:
As we were in formation ourside on the track/parade ground, we were standing at parade rest facing the outdoor running track. As we stood there, along came a wounded warrior (as injured combat veterans are heretofore referred), running on one good leg and one "running prosthesis." It was a moving moment, and an epic reminder of the privilege and responsibility that come along with this profession.
I hope all is well with everyone reading this, and please keep my beloved ladies in your prayers...don't forget to check up on them, too!
I'll write again soon.
Peace.
Day 0, as it were, was filled with lines...loooooong lines, many if which were outside in the Texas sun. We waited in line to get our room assignment (which is actually currently in the Hilton Hotel because there are over 1,100 officers enrolled in various courses here at Ft. Sam...not complaining!); we waited in line to get our personnel paperwork; we waited in line to get height/weight measurements, we waited in line to get sized for our helmets; and we waited in line to confirm that everything was Kosher. Ironically, there was no line at the dining facility...
Day 1 was a real "HOOAH" kind of day. A few more lines were encountered, but nothing quite so drastic as before. We worked on our DnC (Drill and Ceremony...marching), made sure our finance and HR paperwork was good to go, and met our leadership team. While that was all well and good, there was a singular event that, for me, encapsulated why we are all here doing this:
As we were in formation ourside on the track/parade ground, we were standing at parade rest facing the outdoor running track. As we stood there, along came a wounded warrior (as injured combat veterans are heretofore referred), running on one good leg and one "running prosthesis." It was a moving moment, and an epic reminder of the privilege and responsibility that come along with this profession.
I hope all is well with everyone reading this, and please keep my beloved ladies in your prayers...don't forget to check up on them, too!
I'll write again soon.
Peace.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
T-minus 24 Hours and Counting
When you have one of those mornings when you wke up at 4:30am and realize that, for the next 3 months, this is the time you will be required to wake up and begin functioning, it has a relatively sobering effect. I know I have yet to deal with many of the hardships faced by most members of the military, but a simple event like that makes one realize what is on the horizon.
I look forward to making the trip down south and beginning the training. I spoke yesterday with a fellow officer in the 848th Forward Surgical Team (the unit to which I am assigned here in Ohio) who happens to be at Ft. Sam right now completing similar training. He gave me a few good packing tips, but also gave me hope that whatever "beer belly" (which I prefer to call my leftover baby fat) I may have left will certainly be gone by the completion of my training. He has already lost nearly 4" around his midsection...and that is just in the three weeks he's been there! Hope springs eternal...
I plan on enjoying my last day here in Cincy for a while. I'm spending as much time as possible with my prettly ladies, finishing up some packing and paperwork, and having a big Cincinnati send-off dinner (probably a Big Boy covered in Skyline chili and Montgomery Inn sauce over Larosasa's spaghetti and meatballs...yum!). My next post will probably be made from Ft. Sam, so see you again when the madness begins.
Peace.
I look forward to making the trip down south and beginning the training. I spoke yesterday with a fellow officer in the 848th Forward Surgical Team (the unit to which I am assigned here in Ohio) who happens to be at Ft. Sam right now completing similar training. He gave me a few good packing tips, but also gave me hope that whatever "beer belly" (which I prefer to call my leftover baby fat) I may have left will certainly be gone by the completion of my training. He has already lost nearly 4" around his midsection...and that is just in the three weeks he's been there! Hope springs eternal...
I plan on enjoying my last day here in Cincy for a while. I'm spending as much time as possible with my prettly ladies, finishing up some packing and paperwork, and having a big Cincinnati send-off dinner (probably a Big Boy covered in Skyline chili and Montgomery Inn sauce over Larosasa's spaghetti and meatballs...yum!). My next post will probably be made from Ft. Sam, so see you again when the madness begins.
Peace.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
You're in the Army now...
In four short days, I will be heading to Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, for a rather lengthy stint in OBLC. In an effort to keep in touch with my family and friends, and bolstered by the fact that I can keep up with modern technology (as shown by my recent purchase of an Android phone), I've created The Daily Bugle Blog. When time permits, I'll give you updates on how things are progressing in the dusty San Antonio heat. For those of you who have not served in the military, this will be a chance for you to "get your feet wet" along with me. For those of you who are veterans, perhaps this will remind you of some memories from your recent (or, for some of you, veeeeerrrrrry distant!) past.
While you read, please keep in mind my beautiful ladies at home. For those of you near the homefront, please drop a line to Kate, Mer, and Lauren to see how they're doing in the face of some new challenges as "Army Girls."
Thanks for following the blog, and I look forward to keeping in touch with everyone. I wish you all the best, and my immeasurable thanks to all who have supported me.
Peace.
While you read, please keep in mind my beautiful ladies at home. For those of you near the homefront, please drop a line to Kate, Mer, and Lauren to see how they're doing in the face of some new challenges as "Army Girls."
Thanks for following the blog, and I look forward to keeping in touch with everyone. I wish you all the best, and my immeasurable thanks to all who have supported me.
Peace.
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