Long Days

Well, we are the duty platoon this week and we are working some long hours.  We have to make sure that everything is good for the day so that we can move a long faster.  This morning we loaded all the magazines for out shoot.  Our class is about 130 people and we each had to shoot 80 rounds.  That is a lot of ammo to load.  Once we are all done we are responsible for cleaning up.  That means that we have to retrieve all the expended rounds and dispose of them.  We are also responsible for cleaning up any classrooms that we use during this week.  Tomorrow we have to be up by 0400 so that we can get something to eat and get to the shooting range so that we can get everything ready.  We were up and at it early this morning and  we got back to the barracks about 2000.  It has been a long day.  Bare with me,  as soon as I get a chance I will put more pictures up.

Me in my battle gear

Well, this is the gear that we have to wear every day.  I guess it is good to get used to it now.  We will have to wear it when we get into theatre.  Over all the gear ways about 60 - 70 pounds. It isn't all that comfortable, but the longer you wear it the less you notice it.  The Army guys really believe in it.  We saw a video, that was recovered from some insurgents, where a corpsman got shot.  He fell down and then he got right back up and ran around his humvee for cover.  I will gladly wear it.

Training

We are getting some good training in and there are some long days, other than that things are going pretty good.  I still have some more pictures to upload, but I will get them as soon as I can.  I will get them posted on the appropriate entry when the internet is running smoothly enough to get the pictures up.  I recently took a picture in my full battle gear to put on here and I will get it up soon.  We have some full weeks here.  Saturday is a partial training day.  We have to be up and at it by 0400 in the morning.  We will train for the majority of the day and then we will be on liberty until Monday morning.  So, things are going pretty good and we are near a week down.  Two more weeks and we will be moving on to our next location.  Well, I had better get back to it.  I love you girls, Erin, Aynslee, and Avery.  I am thinking about you always and miss you very much.

Go NARMY!!!

Well, I have been in South Carolina for three days now and it has been pretty rough.  Not so much due to the training as to the amount of sleep that I have gotten lately.  Our flight out of Atlanta got canceled at the last minute and ended up driving into South Carolina after staying the night in Atlanta.  It was pretty late when we finally got into our hotel and we got up early to drive on in.  Needless to say, "Murphy's Law" was in control.  Our luggage did not make it into South Carolina until late the day that we got here.  Our bags finally made it here ay 0130 and we had to get up at 0415 the same morning.  Little sleep and classroom training do not go well together.  So that is where we are at right now. 

We got weapons issued to day and if you are really curious you can look at Flat Stanely's blog.  I got a picture of him with it.  I just wanted to post because I don't know when I will get to blog again.  It is really busy and there aren't a whole lot of outlets.  So, stay tuned and I will post more later.

Uniform Issue

Here is the uniform that I will be wearing.

Today,  we finally got our uniforms.  We had about 30 minutes to look over our gear and make sure that we got everything and it was in order.  I got everything except socks.  I am hoping that they will issues me some when I get to Ft. Jackson.  If they don't I am going to have to buy me some.  

Tomorrow I am catching a flight to Ft. Jackson.  I will be there for approximately three weeks. Once done there I will continue on toward Norfolk.  Things are going pretty good.  Missing home, Erin, and the girls.  Got to get to bed so I can get up early to get over to the airport.

Medical, OH JOY!

Well, today was all about medical.  We had to go through and see the Doc's to make sure that we are physically fit for the duty that we are about to take.  We then went through Immunization to get a years worth of shots at once.  I got everything for Hep B to Yellow Fever today.  FUN! FUN! FUN!  The worst part was the wait.  You ended up setting for hours on end for 5 minutes of service.  I am all but done and am checking into the ECRC (Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center).  The next couple of days should be light.  I hope so anyways.

Room with not so much of a view.

View from my room at Donnelly Hall in San Diego, California.

Picture of room.  Desk for our pleasure.

Broad view of room.  Two beds with a shared bathroom.  I am not going to put a picture of it on here.  (Some one may be using the toilet.)

A little late on this post.  When I got here it was late and the light wasn't really good for taking pictures.  This is where I am living for the 6 days of processing that we have to go through.

Another Long Day

Well, we had to report to the Navy Mobilization Processing Site (NMPS) at 0530.  I got there a little earlier than that.  I was there at 0500.  We had to get there early so that we could get fitted for our Uniforms.  We don't get everything that we are going to be issued at once. We will be receiving more gear when we get to our next training command.  All-in-all, we are looking at 3 seabags worth of gear.  I don't know how I am going to get everything to Norfolk.  

Today was mostly "DEATH by POWERPOINT". We had to sit through almost 5 hours of powerpoint presentations on everything from Tri-Care to Operational Stress.  It was a joy, let me tell you.  I have some things to look over tonight and I have to report back in tomorrow morning at 0700.  That is a lot better than today.  I think that I will try to get over to the galley and get breakfast before I muster.  Well, I think that about covers today.    

In San Diego.

Well, I have made it to San Diego.  I don't have any pictures as of yet, but they will be coming soon.  It is really late and I have to report at 0530.  So, this post will be short.  But, I am here and missing Erin and the girls already.  

On My Way

Here I sit in the Jacksonville International Airport awaiting for my departure to San Diego via Atlanta.  It is hard to say how I feel right now.  I just kissed my wife and my girls good bye.  I think that it was one of the hardest things that I have ever done.  I have only been separated from them for a short while, but I miss them already.

Those left behind.

Erin, Avery, Aynslee, and Me

The hardest thing about deploying is leaving the ones that you love so dearly behind.  This will be the first time that I have deployed since the birth of my first daughter, Aynslee.  She was born in June of 2005, and since then we have had an addition to our small family in the form of a beautiful, extremely energetic, little girl, Avery, born in February of 2007.  So, this deployment is uniques in the since that I will not only be leaving my wife, but I will be leaving my little girls for the first time for a very long time.  I want them to know that I love them so very much and I will miss them so. May the good Lord above take them under his watchful eye and keep them safe so that I am return to them quickly.  I love you. 

Packing Up.

Well, I am getting close to departure.  I have my bags packed with the exception of a few things that I still need.  The time is almost upon us in which I will be leaving.  Excitement mixed with dread is pretty much how I feel at the time.  I am excited about the new type of duty that I will be taking; dreading the extended separation from my wife and kids.  I know that I will miss them tremendously and will be in my every waking thoughts.  I only hope and pray that the time will pass quickly so that I will be home to them soon.  I love you, Erin, Aynslee, and Avery.