Many months ago I was standing in a formation in front of my family, I hoped they got goosebumps  as I did when the commander rolled up the unit flag "it will stay that way until they start their mission" noted the narrator.

Yesterday, I saw this action come full circle as I stood, in the middle of a formation, in a gym with not even ten spectators. Even with the minimal on-lookers, we still went through the Pomp and Circumstance that you would expect a military ceremony to have. The one difference was that the unit we replaced rolled up their flag, and we unrolled our flag.

It literally happened over night, as if the night gnomes navigated their way into our operating area and changed all of the signage and flair. The TOC went from a room of Mcdonalds scheme of red orange and yellow, to a subtle Blue and white, the color of our Double Diamonds we wear on our shoulder. Now I am not longer a foreigner tip-toeing around someone else's house. It is my house, it is my mission. I own it. And own it I will, untill the send another group of soldiers here to unfurl their flag and post their colors where we stand.

Sandstorm

When I think Sandstorm, I think of that old Techno song that came out 10 years ago.  What I have found out, however, is that A) no one cares about that song outside of the U.S. and B) there are real sandstorms. Barring all the technical data that I'd grab from Wikipedia, I'll simply say that its now the time of season where the winds and heat blows enough sand up to cause a problem. (Think WATER CYCLE, but with Sand).  Today was my first sand stormy experience, so I was eager to run and grab my Shemagh that Ashelyn let me buy a couple of months ago in Utah. Donning the high speed head dress, I ran outside to realize I suck at tying it. I can breath just fine, but the seal between my glasses and the cloth allow little sand bits to attack my eyes. Mission: FAILED

So what does any self respecting soldier do during lunch when it blows? Why, he goes to the MWR Rec Room!! I was not the only one who had this brilliant idea, there were many people there, I was about to say 'Soldiers' but there were Marines, Sailors, Airmen (Grrr) AND Contractors... Norman and I resolved to playing some pool (rematch from when we went bowling and beat him 2 games to 1) What we didn't know is that some Seamen were on the table before us, and we were to mind read the fact the were coming back. The ensuing conversation escalated until the little Asian on the ping pong table told us to play doubles best 2 out of 3 for the table. Fair enough, at least I won't be playing against Norman.

We didn't plan it, we didn't even know it was going to happen. We kept missing easy shots one after another, and the first game went to the NAVY. Second game was going about the same as the first. when they removed their balls off the table, it was easy for us to scoop ours up and won just by the skin of our teeth. Last game, Norman and I hustled them out with one run each. The games were good, but we had to go back to work, so we let the others play ( if there is no water near by, what is the navy doing here besides playing pool anyways?) Norman and I have a respect for the Boat boys, at least they are as bad as their Flyboy brothers at the Air Force.

FLYBOYS

As you can Imagine, there are many a different types of Units act differently. Like the group that we flew over the pond with was a combat engineer unit. To me, the looked like the Army's version of Pikeys. Even in my mind heard Jason Statham saying "freaking Pikeys." in his wonderful British accent like he does in Snatch.

When you move into different branches, the stereotypes and the general way people conduct themselves greatly differ. I can never understand why the Navy is always in there exercise gear, yet never really exercise.

And then you have them FlyBoys. The look like ken dolls. All of them have the neat comb over blonde hair and their bleach white teeth. (Zaren would look at all of them and state that they would survive WWII Germany.) The are always wanting to argue, but never want to fight. We found this out when Norman and I started cracking on them without knowing they were in ear shot. Needless to say, I won't be going back to that laundry facility for a while now. Just so that I don't give Norman any excuse to go 'roid rage.

TIMING?

So in all of sci-fi geekdom, we know that time and space are just relative terms. That means that they are not constant and consistant as we think, its all about where you are and how you look at things. Real world disagrees with this only because we cannot space travel yet (that is the pinnacle of applications for the space/time continum) Well, I have found a place where time has been altered, right here on Earth.

As you may guess by my previous blogs, I am outside the United States. Don't be alarmed, I'm still alive. In this place that I am in, you have to be really careful about the time, because it is different then it would be in America. I don't just mean and 9 hours and tada! you have the time, remember Time is relative. Out here its a little different. Firstly, our housing doesn't have windows, that way if you are night shift, you aren't bombarded by the sun as you sleep. Which brings me a to my next strange dealings. When I wake up before the sun rises in Utah, that typically means I wake up at 5 AM in the summer (9 AM in winter?) I walk out of my housing today at 0500  and the sun was already beating down on us like "Hello! Are you finally awake and ready to go?" Out here in the vortex of time, It seems as the the daylight hours are longer, which provides more time for you to enjoy the heat (might I add, it feels like I'm standing in front of an oven when I'm outside). Soon enough I'll be done with this place and back to where Time marches to a steady beat. Until then, I will enjoy contemplating this Time/Space shift.

The Travelling

There are many a things that happened today (or rather last couple of days?) I cant divulge to much information, but I am now in the middle east. It started on ummm Tuesday? possibly? ALL I know is that we started screening our bags on Morning 1, loaded bags by Afternoon 1, and was in Maine late Night 1. Next is where time sorta slips away from me.. I ended up eating breakfast in Ireland (or was it brunch? maybe a midnight snack? We just managed to eat every 6 hours) I called a very Special Woman early in the morning her time (CLICK ME) and was off again. My last leg was 6.5 hours long, and it was dark when we hit the ground (i.e midnight local time) 2 bathroom breaks and a drive down the capital, and bam! I'm here, when we got her with all our bags, the sun was rising already. (Travel day 3?) After a quick orientation, its off to breakfast, and breifings all day, I hope I won't sleep until later, so I can reset my clock to my new local time.

Oh, and when I click on websites now they have this type of font (گیگگله نوو یف یو فیگورد وت هوو تو راد تهیس)

Challenge....Accepted?

For those less in tuned with Military tradition I have a story I copied from a website (I'm tottaly original right??) 

During World War 1, American volunteers from all parts of the country filled the newly formed flying squadrons. Some were wealthy scions attending colleges such as Yale and Harvard who quit in mid-term to join the war. In one squadron, a wealthy lieutenant ordered medallions struck in solid bronze and presented them to his unit. One young pilot placed the medallion in a small leather pouch that he wore about his neck.

Shortly after acquiring the medallions, the pilots’ aircraft was severely damaged by ground fire. He was forced to land behind enemy lines and was immediately captured by a German patrol. In order to discourage his escape, the Germans took all of his personal identification except for the small leather pouch around his neck. In the meantime, he was taken to a small French town near the front. Taking advantage of a bombardment that night, he escaped. However, he was without personal identification.

He succeeded in avoiding German patrols by donning civilian attire and reached the front lines. With great difficulty, he crossed no-man's land. Eventually, he stumbled onto a French outpost. Unfortunately, saboteurs had plagued the French in the sector. They sometimes masqueraded as civilians and wore civilian clothes. Not recognizing the young pilot's American accent, the French thought him to be a saboteur and made ready to execute him. He had no identification to prove his allegiance, but he did have his leather pouch containing the medallion. He showed the medallion to his would-be executioners and one of his French captors recognized the squadron insignia on the medallion. They delayed his execution long enough for him to confirm his identity. Instead of shooting him they gave him a bottle of wine.

I received one challenge coin from a manager at Albertson's before my mission, Alan told me to ask him to be my "battle" (lingo for battle buddy, or VERY close brother) He was excited and handed me a coin from the 503rd MP which showed there airborne wings and the campaigns they've been through. I didn't earn it, but I have kept it for when someone challenges me (READ RULES DOWN BELOW)


I was presented a coin from COL Jolley, soon to be Brigadier General Jolley.  He had asked everyone for names of people that have done outstanding in this deployment. My name was given, with a reasoning of "he works above his rank" I'm assuming its because I act and i am treated like an Officier. Its a great honor for me to have a beautiful coin that I have worked for, and it will definately give me more motivation to go above and beyond, so i can honor the old 96th Infantry Division to its fullest


RULES

A. The challenge is initiated by drawing your coin, holding it in the air by whatever means possible and state, scream, shout or otherwise verbally acknowledge that you are initiating a coin check. Another, but less vocal method is to firmly place it on the bar, table, or floor (this should produce an audible noise which can be easily heard by those being challenged, but try not to leave a permanent imprint). If you accidentally drop your coin and it makes an audible sound upon impact, then you have just "accidentally" initiated a coin check. (This is called paying the price for improper care of your coin.)


B. The response consists of all those persons being challenged drawing their coin in a like manner.
C. If you are challenged and are unable to properly respond, you must buy a round of drinks for the challenger and the group being challenged.
D. If everyone being challenged responds in the correct manner, the challenger must buy a round of drinks for all those people they challenged.

E. Failure to buy a round is a despicable crime and will require that you turn-in your Coin to the issuing agency.

2. WHEN - WHERE:
A. Coin checks are permitted, ANY TIME, ANY PLACE.

3. EXCEPTIONS:
A. There are no exceptions to the rules. They apply to those clothed or unclothed. At the time of the challenge you are permitted one step and an arms reach to locate your coin. If you still cannot reach it -- SORRY ABOUT THAT

4. Alternate
Highest Rank on coin wins.

5. A COIN IS A COIN

3 Phones and a Shadow

I should be careful what I write, because of how sensitive the subject is. Suffice to say, Security is Security.

I came to Texas with my favorite phone, the aluminum casing and Corning Gorilla Glass was surely going to make it all the way through my deployment. The fatal flaw of my perfect phone was that I didn't have the correct settings to receive cutesy pictures of the clothes Ashelyn was buying for Addy. Being the perfect mother of my child, she sent me my less cooler, slightly slimmer phone that was pre-dated the smartphone era. I used each one with the same number for weeks on end, one was to bring internet to my computer, the second, pictures of..... baby clothes.

One day my smarter phone met its demise in the form of a USB charger breaking off of the main body, with no way to re-charge it, I used my other phone as my main one. (besides, Ashelyn is in Paris, why do i need text messaging in the form instant messaging quotes.)

I am now using multiple systems with different classification settings. It sound spiffy, but you get used to it. I can't tell what exactly happened, but I can say I put information "A" into network "B" without clearing it with "C." I was promptly escorted out of the TOC. If I had been anywhere but a controlled training area, I would be arrested for XYZ. I was let off with a wrist slapping, but the security did confiscate my phone. (The second one mind you)

I now have a Shadow, he follows me to learn what I do in the case in suddenly go down with food poisoning during our training. (You chuckle now, but they really pull people out claiming 'food poisoning' to see how the system can handle under stress) Rolstad is a champ so far, I know him from the barracks and have gotten to know him pretty well. The one thing Rolstad hasn't really adjusted to is what I call "Downs Speed." I go fast and get stuff done so, nice and tidy like. "you need to tattoo freaking wings on your ankles like that one Viking God!" he'll say, I'm pretty sure he means Hermes, the Greek messenger god.

Oh and the third phone? I have it in my hand, its a cheap little android that I'll abuse for the next year, and trash it when I get back. Sorry ol' Optimus Q, that is your fate.

Much Love..