[Posted by Louisa as Kyle still doesn't have access restored.]
I had an interesting week. All the Command Sergeant Majors were on Salerno for a conference, including the Division CSM. I had to drive down to the flightline to pick some of them up, and also the day before. I got to sit in on some of the briefings and it was good to hear what they had to say. You get a bigger picture view of things. I got to hear the Army Material Command CSM talk about some of the new equipment that we are going to be getting, especially the new body armor and combat shirt. The combat shirt is really nice. It is like an Under Armour shirt, but just a little bit looser. This way, we don't have to wear our blouses when we go out on missions. Plus, it's more breathable. The body armor is nicer because it covers more and is a tad bit lighter. It also goes on easier.
I drove the Division CSM down to the flightline so he could leave and I received a Division Coin, as well as a Coin from the AMC CSM. I went back to work and got tasked to drive the BDE CSM down to the flightline so he could catch a flight out. Turns out, though, the flight that was taking him to Bagram was also accompanying the remains of a 173rd soldier who was killed earlier that day. I stood outside for the ceremony to put him on the helo. It was a pretty sobering reminder that I am still in a warzone, however different my experience is right now. If something ever were to happen to me, I know that the highest respects would be paid to my remains. People in the military certainly do not treat the death of their own lightly. It's something I will never forget, and it certainly won't be the last time I see something like that.
It wasn't a profound moment in my life, but like I said, I won't forget it anytime soon. You try not to dwell on stuff like that. I've had my fair shares of deaths in my family and seeing this just makes me appreciate what I have even more. I think holidays will be a little bit more different from here on out. I'll try not to get too caught up about this but it certainly struck a chord.
Other than that, things are pretty stable. I am starting to get my stuff together to go before the board. Basically, I am just making sure my records are straight and I am studying up for potential questions that I'm going to be asked. I may not come home on leave as an E-5, but I should be pinning it on sometime after that. I've transitioned to days for the time being, so my schedule is a little funky but it's nice because I am able to work with some of my closer friends. We started to talk the other day about life in general (girlfriends, getting drunk, how many speeding tickets we have gotten and how fast we were going, the last weekend at Ft. Bragg) and one of the things that came up is how different our section is. The three of us that are working days are 21, 23, and 28. All of us have lived on our own, paid our own rent, etc. The other guys in our section are either 19 or 20 (needless to say, they are the designated drivers :) None have lived on their own outside of being in the Army. We were just discussing how there is so much growing up to do between those ages. If we are asked to do something, we just suck it up and do it. We'll take the initiative on stuff if it needs to get done. Sometimes, it is like pulling teeth with the younger guys to get them do something or be responsible for stuff. Like getting up on time. CPL Dykstra's #1 pet peeve. Be at work on time. Don't let me come in and find you asleep.
We're on the back half of our deployment now and I start to see my leave dates. I can't wait. I just need a few weeks away from the TOC and I'll be happy. Plus, once I get back from leave, I'll only have about 11-12 weeks left in country and then I get to go back to Bragg, jump out of an airplane again, and then begin a new aspect of my Army career (hopefully). Oh yeah. And the Cubs are leading the NL Central. Best season they've had in 5 years and I am missing it.
All the Way.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
The Peak
I apologize for not posting anything for awhile. Its due to a combination of nothing going on and limited internet access. Our tech people, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put a block on certain sites, my blog page included, so I'm having to backdoor this and write an e-mail to Dad and Louisa and have them post it.
I've heard that a lot of people have seen my pictures and if you haven't, here you go.
That's about the extent of excitement that has occured in the last month.
Right now, I think I am about at the halfway point of my deployment. Now, it kind of depends because I really have no idea when my tour will be done, but with 8 months in on a supposedly 15 month rotation, you kind of have to figure that I have reached the pinnacle and I am now looking down. A lot of the time right now is spent talking about your plans for when you get back. What you are gonna do? What car are you gonna buy? What's the first shot you are gonna take at the bar? In some ways, its detrimental because you start to become slightly homesick and you are counting the days. You can lose focus on the mission at hand. On the other side, it just makes the prospect of going home that much more inviting. Right now, I am more focused on getting home for leave. And while it is still 4 months away, I know that it will come sooner than I realize.
It's not so much that you are so desperate to go home, but it's that a lot of times things are so slow that your mind inevitably wanders to the prospect of a normal Army schedule. Doing PT, training for the day, jumping out of an airplane once a week, and having the weekends off for the most part. It just a part of life. If you don't think about your life after deployment, then it's hard to look forward to going home. I'll admit that it will take some getting used to. Readjusting to life in the states always does, but I know for sure that I will have a greater appreciation for things.
Besides the thoughts of going home, not too much has changed. My work schedule got flipped so I am working during the days here while some people are on leave. It's a change of pace, but I'll be back on nights sometime next month. I'm also on a list to go up to Bagram for two weeks to knock out the Warriors Leader Course, a prerequisite before getting promoted to E-6. Its a two week course on basic Army leadership that if I can knock it out over here, that much better. It won't really do that much for me now, but if I get it done before I go to the board, it will bode well for a promotion to E-5. Thats all I got for now. I'll try to write more.
All the Way.
I've heard that a lot of people have seen my pictures and if you haven't, here you go.
That's about the extent of excitement that has occured in the last month.
Right now, I think I am about at the halfway point of my deployment. Now, it kind of depends because I really have no idea when my tour will be done, but with 8 months in on a supposedly 15 month rotation, you kind of have to figure that I have reached the pinnacle and I am now looking down. A lot of the time right now is spent talking about your plans for when you get back. What you are gonna do? What car are you gonna buy? What's the first shot you are gonna take at the bar? In some ways, its detrimental because you start to become slightly homesick and you are counting the days. You can lose focus on the mission at hand. On the other side, it just makes the prospect of going home that much more inviting. Right now, I am more focused on getting home for leave. And while it is still 4 months away, I know that it will come sooner than I realize.
It's not so much that you are so desperate to go home, but it's that a lot of times things are so slow that your mind inevitably wanders to the prospect of a normal Army schedule. Doing PT, training for the day, jumping out of an airplane once a week, and having the weekends off for the most part. It just a part of life. If you don't think about your life after deployment, then it's hard to look forward to going home. I'll admit that it will take some getting used to. Readjusting to life in the states always does, but I know for sure that I will have a greater appreciation for things.
Besides the thoughts of going home, not too much has changed. My work schedule got flipped so I am working during the days here while some people are on leave. It's a change of pace, but I'll be back on nights sometime next month. I'm also on a list to go up to Bagram for two weeks to knock out the Warriors Leader Course, a prerequisite before getting promoted to E-6. Its a two week course on basic Army leadership that if I can knock it out over here, that much better. It won't really do that much for me now, but if I get it done before I go to the board, it will bode well for a promotion to E-5. Thats all I got for now. I'll try to write more.
All the Way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)