RIP 1LT Scott Milley

I lost my first classmate. It happened a few weeks ago, but I heard about it today. He wasn't an ROTC battle buddy, but he was in my platoon at BOLC II. He was always in a positive mood and would sing random Miley Cyrus songs to make us all laugh. He was a wonderful person and friend. I had lost contact with him after BOLC II, but as he went on to Ranger school I wasn't too surprised. I wish I had been able to tell him one last time how often he truly made my day. Please remember him and his family in your prayers

http://www.necn.com/12/11/10/Loved-ones-gather-to-remember-Lt-Scott-M/landing.html?blockID=371222&feedID=4206

Merry Christmas!

I have been looking forward and dreading today... Christmas in Iraq. Turns out, it's really not so bad. Didn't have to do much work (went in for only 2 hours this afternoon), slept in til noon-ish, got to talk with Mama and Ward last night and will be watching Christmas movies and napping all day... not too bad. Yes, I wish I was home and would be there in a heartbeat if I could, but if I have to be here, it's not a bad day.

Christmas is a time of year when we take a moment to count our blessings and remember everyone we are blessed to have in our lives. Thank you all for the love and support you have sent my way over the past year. From cards to care packages to facebook messages and prayers, you have all been there to support and love me from afar. Thank you. You are all the reason I'm here; we don't serve for ourselves or for the glory, but for all our loved ones back home. I love you all and am counting the days until I'm back home. Merry Christmas!

First Lieutenant

That's right, it's promotion time!! I officially made rank while I was home on leave, but they officially pinned me today. Woohoo! No more butter bar! Here are some pictures from the ceremony:

My company commander, CPT Essenberg, pinning on my new rank

When you get promoted, you swear the oath of office again. Here I am!

So that was awesome. And I got to do all of the paperwork so I can come home in March! Yes, it's a few months early, but it's the first step to going home! Step one to coming home: check

Insanity

That word describes my schedule, my soldiers, and my new work out plan. Things have been hopping and popping over here. Apparently everything I had planned prior to going home on leave went up in smoke and I have to replan everything... with changes pretty much daily... sometime hourly... it's definitely keeping me on my toes and making the time go by faster. Like today, for example. Went into work this morning tracking my platoon had 2 big things to do today and that both were planned out and going well. I got informed at 0930 that one of them was to be put on hold and changed to something else that "holy crap it has to get done now; why is it not done yet!?". So I spent the whole morning figuring out exactly what needed to get done and making sure there was a competent NCO to make it happen because I had to be involved in the other big thing the platoon was doing. Then, the CO stops me and informs me that the plans to close the bases have changed, so I have to change both of those plans. Oh, and the monthly public affairs article needs to be written. Yeah, it should have been done while I was on leave, but they forgot, so now that I'm back they want me to pull a story out of my fourth point of contact. I did myself a disservice in terms of getting more work because my last 2 articles were lauded by the brigade PAO... so good it terms of recognition, bad because now I do EVERY public affairs thing. C'est la vie. To make a long story short: a very long day.

My Soldiers have continued to keep things interesting with their personal issues. It continues to amaze me what situations they get themselves into... the best part is that they're almost always shocked at how bad things are, but the signs have been there for a while. It's my daily soap opera.

I have started working out again (I took time out of my work out plan for leave and then didn't go to the gym when I got back...). Ward got me the Insanity videos so I can work out in my room. I would go to the gym, but I can't go anywhere when it's dark and the sun doesn't rise until 645ish now and the sun sets before 1700... so I can't go to the gym before work (I have to be there at 9 and the bus takes 30 min, and I have to leave no later than 8 to get the DFAC for breakfast, which closes at 830) and I can't go after work, because I'm never done before 1800. So, I work out in my room. This new work out is killing me though. Guess I was out of shape... the whole thing is designed to be an intense workout for anyone because it's based on how hard you push yourself, but I have had difficulty moving around the past few days thanks to sore muscles. It has been interesting. It will be good in the long run, but my calves (and thighs, and shoulders...) hate me right now.

My Grandma and her friends surprised me with a bunch of packages filled with Christmas decorations. My room is much more festive now. Here are a few pictures of the decor:

My wreath and candy canes hanging on all the wires.

The ridiculously girly Christmas tree! Complete with a present from my Grandparents

As you can see, the festive decor has added some life to my room, but it's still hard to believe it's less than 2 weeks until Christmas. This place combined with the work tempo just isn't very festive. I'll go watch some Christmas movies as I fall asleep to make things better.

Getting back in the swing...

They really made me hit the ground running when I got back off of leave. The past few days have been crazy. I learned I'm closing more bases and then picking up a new mission... woohoo! I'm not worried, but that is a whole lot of planning that needs to be done. And oh yeah, keeping doing your normal stuff. K, thanks. I have definitely been sleeping well at night.

It's hard for me to realize it's almost Christmas. I thought about it today and it just doesn't feel like December. Yes, it got colder, but the Christmas spirit just isn't there. Not that I'm incredibly surprised that Iraq isn't a festive place, but I didn't think I wouldn't feel anything. I mean, I miss home and everyone there, but it just doesn't feel like Christmas, so I'm not missing Christmas... does that make sense? I'm sure on the 25th it will hit me, but right now it just seems like another day in the sandbox. The fact that I'm extremely busy and that it's a holy month for Muslims (martyrdom of Muhammad's grandson, Hussein, at Karbala) so they're in a month of penitence and pilgrimage, so that doesn't exactly liven up the spirits either. The mail I've gotten has helped a bit. Mom, thank you for sending me a stocking. I love the cowboy boot stocking!! I hung it up behind my desk; maybe someone will leave me candy or treats... And Claire, the Christmas card is fantastic. I've already added it to my wall of pictures. :-) I will probably get myself into the festive mood with some Christmas movies or something, whenever I have the time.

My new room is working out pretty well. I truly enjoy being 10 meters from the bathroom instead 100. It makes a huge difference, especially at 2 in the morning. I have officially set everything up, except all of my pictures. I have that about half done but otherwise it's a cozy little anti-army haven. Lots of color, happiness, memories, and life; my room is awesome.

I hope everything is going well on the home front. Please don't hesitate to contact me; I love hearing from all of you even if it's only a "Hey, miss you". Love you all!

Back in the Sandbox

So I’m back to the sandbox after 2 fantastic weeks at home. I honestly and truly did not want to go back. My 2 weeks of civilian life and being with family and friends has spoiled me. It won’t be long now, though. I have December (and since we’re already in it, it doesn’t really count, right?) and January. Then we start prepping to come home in February and sometime in March I’ll be back in the states. With my own place. Where I can unpack everything that has been sitting in boxes at Mom’s and Dad’s places since I graduated. I’m so excited. Still have a few months until I get there, so it’s not a celebration party yet, but you should all be thinking about vacations to Colorado… I’ll be there in a few months!!! It was so wonderful being home. I was able to see so many people (although there are a few of you I missed sadly… 2 weeks is not enough!!!), relax, sleep in, spend lots of time with family, go to Eric’s first art show, go to the theater, be girly daily, eat TexMex, and I got to do almost all of it with Ward; I was in heaven. I am so incredibly blessed to have such a fantastic family and group of friends. Below are a few pictures of my non-Army shenanigans.

My boys and me (including Eric's new dog, Syd)

Mama and me

Liann and me at a pirate exhibit after seeing Deathly Hallows

At Eric's first real art show!!!!

Me and my Ward

And now I’m back in a giant sandbox once again. The flight here was bizarre: they had 2 movies and then random TV episodes… like one of the first season of Cheers… very odd for an airline. I slept through quite a bit though and then listened to music for the rest. It’s so convenient to be small; while sitting for so long is uncomfortable, it’s nowhere near as bad for me as it is for the 6 foot plus soldiers I saw around me. Where are the short jokes now, huh? ;-) The time in Kuwait was more arduous than anything. Then, when I finally got back, I got informed I had to change rooms... so that took forever. The new room was FILTHY. I don't know how people live in a room like that. So I cleaned everything, rearranged the furniture, then moved all of my stuff 100+ meters to my new room, then unpack. I'm at the 89% solution; I'll finish the rest tomorrow. Sleep is definitely on the horizon...

Woohoo, Germany!!!

I am officially in Germany and headed home to Austin! By this time tomorrow, I shall be showered, wearing civilian clothes, and not thinking about the Army. I'm psyched. The past few days have been interesting and I definitely got an hour of sleep in a 48 hour period, but it's worth it. I can't wait to be home!! We got off the plane here in Germany and it was cold and raining... I haven't seen rain in almost 6 months! If it hadn't been so cold and I hadn't been in uniform, I would have danced in the rain just to celebrate it. And, if I forgot to mention it, I'M COMING HOME!!!

Freudian Slip?

My call sign is "Ghostrider 26". Now, my guys have found ways to alter my call sign as a joke. Like "Smurfette 26" after the blue gatorade incident. "Princess 26" because they say I'm a dictator but I'm too small to be a queen. So I'm not unused to the altered call sign. I was, however, incredibly surprised to hear "Ghostrider 2-sexy". Now, immediately after that his peers got on the net and started making fun of him and he swears he didn't actually say it, but it was definitely amusing. The other NCOs have made fun of him mercilessly so I haven't had to do anything about it; peer pressure and harassment have done a better job than anything I could have done to remedy the situation.

I've been busy getting things set up for my time at home (it's coming up soon!!) and dealing with soldier issues. Like I've said in the past, things are dull interspersed with times of insanity and craziness. They're making us move rooms around, so I have to pack everything up and move a few days before flying home. I'm actually kind of excited about the move: I'll be 10 ft from the bathroom and all of my friends (fellow officers) will be living near me! That means I'll have dinner buddies and gym partners and friends to watch movies with... it shall be wonderful.

I need to be heading to bed; another busy day tomorrow. Thank you all for the Koo-isms; I knew I could count on you! Love you all!!

I Need Your Wit...

Alright, so there's a guy here by the name of CPT Koo that I supposedly work with to coordinate for missions. Unfortunately, he doesn't really do a whole lot of... well anything. So, in my update to the battalion XO I have an update that I include Koo on the CC and then I have an update where I don't include him. For the second email, I have begun a running gag of including "Koo" in the title, but I need your wit to help me continue this joke. Here are some of the titles I have used thus far to give you some ideas:

• The Anti-Koo Update
• Koo Confidential
• Crash Bandi-"Koo"t
• All up in the "Koo"l Aid
• Just a little "Koo" "Koo"
• Ridi"koo"lous
• "Koo"l Whip
• I am the Walrus, "Koo" "Koo" k'joob (my personal favorite)

So, any thoughts? I have quite the witty bunch of family and friends, so I know you will all think of some humorous titles. I'm trying to see how long I can continue this joke without repeating titles; an epic task, I know.

I am so excited for leave. Words truly cannot describe how happy I am to be coming home. Liann, I am totally coming to Houston to see both of your plays and have some Harry Potter watching. Sandra, I'm coming to Madrigal for the Saturday show; please arrange for Ward to be put in the stocks. ;-) Also, we shall have a Trudy's night at some point; please come join us if you can. Maman, Birthanksmas: it's happening. I was pondering how to decorate for our created holiday and I was thinking possibly a cornucopia with confetti and a mistletoe. Just a thought. Dear friends whom I haven't listed: harass Ward. He will know when I'm in town and when I'm free. We'll do coffee or something at some point. There's a lot I want to do in my 2 weeks, but I will definitely be setting aside days for relaxing, resting, sleeping in... you know, the things I don't do over here. I'm just ridiculously excited about the whole thing! I didn't let myself think about it until I got my official dates, but now I can't stop thinking about it...

Well, I must run. I shall be home in a few weeks and will see and hug as many of you as is humanly possible. Please don't forget to send me a few "Koo" titles. Love you all!!

Happy Halloween?

It doesn't feel like Halloween at all. I worked all day and there wasn't candy anywhere... Only one person had a costume, but it was a fantastic costume! He came to work in his uniform, but then changed into his costume for the staff meeting. He wore ray-ban sunglasses, a long, collared, white shirt, white boxers and tall socks to be Tom Cruise. He then waited until everyone was at the meeting to slide in on his socks and make a grand entrance. He then decided to stay in his costume for the rest of the day. It was hilarious.

The other day I had a Major go out on a mission with us. After my OPORD (operation order aka mission briefing) he asked me what my branch was. When I told him I was a Quartermaster he looked shocked, "That briefing was so high speed and infantry though!" It made my day. Take that stupid law that won't let women go infantry! :-P

I can't wait to go home!!! I officially have my leave dates!! Can't post them online, but I can say that I will be home for Thanksgiving! I am counting down the days until I will be back in Austin; I need/want a break so badly. Good food is definitely a must. So is Harry Potter, a night of dancing with a fun twirly skirt, lounging around, wearing my hair down, sleeping in without an alarm, time with family and friends, Birthanksmas... it will be wonderful.

Lately I've either been ridiculously busy, or had nothing to do; it's weird. Not arguing for the semblance of down time, but I still have to go to work... I just don't have much to do when I'm there... Tomorrow looks like it'll be a busy day though... not sure if that's necessarily a good or bad thing. We shall see.

I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween! Please enjoy a piece of chocolate candy in my honor!!! Love you!

I'm Not Prior Service, Just Prior Awesome

My friend used that phrase the other day and I thought it was fantastic. If you're a squared away lieutenant people always assume you're prior service; you couldn't simply be a squared away new LT! I shall steal her wit and reuse it because I think it's fantastic.

The past week has been a whirlwind. In many ways a good whirlwind, but quite busy nonetheless. I apologize for not putting a post up earlier. My CO went on leave so there were all of the last minute "oh, before I leave"s, and the "well so you know while I'm away"s... definitely busy. And I'm trying to prep my platoon for when I'm on leave. My buddy (who's the XO) is definitely not happy the CO's leave and mine will overlap. He doesn't like the idea that he has to cover down for the CO, do his job, and check in on my platoon. C'est la vie because I'm definitely taking my leave! You can't stop me!!

As to leave, I don't have my dates yet. My leave dates have turned into a fiasco. They were supposed to be announced yesterday, but division is taking their sweet time... which means I don't know my dates yet. I want to plan my leave!!! And Ward's work is being butt-headed about his time off... I'm getting more frustrated with them than he is though. I don't see how they don't understand the whole "deployed for a year and home for only two weeks, can I have those two weeks off" concept. They're really frustrating me. I know it's because they don't quite understand/empathize with the whole deployment concept as only a small portion of Americans are touched personally by these wars, but I truly cannot understand why you wouldn't at least sympathize with the situation. Ugh. Lame.

So I have gotten the full deployment experience: I got to meet with a local Sheikh! Now, I've met sheikhs the whole time I've been here, but it's been in passing like "How are you? So glad to see you. Have a nice day" and that was pretty much it. Or we were both working on independent projects in the same area so we saw them consistently. This, however, was a deliberate luncheon between me and the sheikh to discuss water support for COB Adder. I'm not going to lie, I felt like a badass. Here's a pic of me and the Sheikh:

As you can see, my CO was there too. He wanted to go because he didn't know how the sheikh would react to a female and he wanted to be there to provide backup if the sheikh was shocked by me. Fortunately, this guy is awesome. He understood my rank and addressed me as a lieutenant, not a "mere woman". I was psyched. He and I sat there like two educated adults and discussed the issues concerning water supply and worked through the problems in ways to make both parties happy. I don't brag about myself very often, but this is definitely bragging time: I did an awesome job! The sheep kabobs we had were interesting. Pretty good, but there's a distinct smell of sheep kabob and you then smell like a sheep kabob for at least 24 hours. And it does sneak attacks on your digestive system. My whole platoon had random bathroom visits for the entire afternoon following. My stomach did surprisingly well I was psyched. Here's a random, but good photo of me at the meeting. I liked it: feminine, but a badass.

For all of you who had her in your thoughts and prayers, my mama is doing ridiculously well. She got her stitches out today and she looks great. I am so excited and grateful. I worry a lot when I'm not able to be there and "do something" whenever there's some sort of crisis or issue, so I unnecessarily stress. I'm doing great now though.

I must get myself to bed as the schedule over here has not gotten any less hectic. I love and miss you all!!!!

Love you Mama!

For those of you who don't know, my mom's going into surgery today. I'm not going to put all the details on the interwebs because that's silly, but it shouldn't be a difficult surgery, just an important one. Alas, I'm sitting here in Iraq wanting to do something to make it better. I know that if I was home there would be that one little thing I could do that would make everything perfect... I know she'll be perfectly fine and she will be pampered, but I want to be the one home taking care of her. Grrrr. I know she'll be fine and all will be well, but I do the worry thing too well.

On a happier note, I have a picture for you all! I was talking with my mom the other day and explained that I have my own MRAP and my own crew. She got excited and asked for a picture. It dawned on me that I had not actually taken a picture of my crew, so I have remedied that issue. Behold, my gun truck crew:

The one on the left making the face is my driver and the one on the right is my gunner. Those are the nifty ACS shirts I was telling you guys about that are designed to go under our body armor so it fits better and you're wearing fewer layers. That's my MRAP behind us... although you can only see a small portion of it.

Things are busy over here, but I've got a lot of things set and organized such that it's getting simpler/less time consuming. Definitely a plus. And I'll know my leave dates next week! Woohoo! Much as I enjoy my job, I can't wait to get home and see everyone for a bit. I feel like I've earned some R&R time.

I have to run. Please keep my mama in your thoughts and prayers. Love you all!!!

It's Still My Birthday Somewhere!

While it was in some ways anticlimactic and in some way exactly as expected, my birthday has passed uneventfully. I was expecting that, but for someone who loves birthdays, it was somewhat anticlimactic... and it made me homesick. At the same time though, it didn't feel like my birthday; it was just another day in Iraq. It was a long day too, which is why I'm writing this so late. It was just a day full of mixed emotions that somehow mixed into an odd combination of lethargy and pent up energy. I know, bizarre. The thing that truly made my day, though, was getting on my computer after such an odd day and seeing all of the messages on facebook, in my google voice account, and in my email reminding me of all the wonderful people who love me and remembered my birthday. I'm not going to lie: there were happy tears. You are all so wonderful. I am so amazingly blessed to have so many friends and family who care about me as much as you guys do. There are no words to describe or explain how grateful I am to have all of you, so I won't even try. I will simply say thank you. I love you all.

P.S. Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Early Birthday to Me! :-)

I definitely just did an online shopping spree for new clothes for me as a birthday present to myself. Despite hiding my birthday from my Soldiers, I'm still having my own personal, secret celebration. So, I went shopping for myself! Probably spent more than I should have, but I never truly splurge on myself. So, especially since I've done so well on the savings since I've been in Iraq, I did a girly shopping spree. I miss looking like a girl and being girly, so I now have the parts of a new wardrobe headed to Texas to help welcome me home! Kind of excited.

Things have been going pretty well over here. Mini roller coasters with Soldier issues, but it keeps things interesting. Busy days and still have missions more often than not, but I've gotten better at organizing the schedule so the down time fits in better. I'm proud of myself and for my platoon for getting more and more efficient. It makes me feel good to know we're working as a team and they think of me as "their LT".

I spent more time shopping online than I intended though, so now it's later than I had expected it to be... I need to get some sleep. Love you all and miss you!

Music Keeps Me Sane

Well, not necessarily sane, as I'm doing a pretty good job of that, but it's amazing how much music speaks to me and I find myself just singing to myself. When I'm walking to work, when I'm taking the trek to the bathroom, when I'm sitting on the bus, when my platoon's out on the road... music just tends to brighten my day. I've found myself doing it more and more lately, almost as if subconsciously I know that music makes everything better. It's an odd assortment of songs, but hey, it keeps me smiling. I find that when I start feeling overwhelmed or homesick, I can close my eyes and at least think of the music and it makes everything so much better. It makes me miss being in a choir or a theater though. Not like I have time to start up a chorale ensemble over here, but I shall definitely have to keep my eyes open in Colorado Springs for something. I need to do music again.

Things continue to be interesting. My Soldiers are a never ending wealth of personal issues. And as soon as I'm sure we've got a mission perfected, we get a curve ball. Like spending 30 minutes explaining to an Iraqi local why the hour usage on the generator tells how many hours it has been running and that he's obviously lying to us because we can read the generator. If you tell me you run the generator 20 hours a day and we haven't seen you in 4 days, it should show 80 hours, not 2o. Simple math. But of course, I must not know what I'm talking about, why on earth would I think you're not telling me the whole truth? Silly me...

My birthday's in a week and unlike my usual birthday antics, I'm trying to keep it on the down-low. My Soldiers are notorious for birthday pranks and I don't want to find myself doused in water or rolled in mud for my birthday. Not particularly ideal. Thank you for all the birthday thoughts and love though!!! It's so wonderful to know I'm thought of and loved. And we shall celebrate when I'm home!! The first ever Birthanksmas!! It shall be awesome.

I must head off to sleep. I love you all and can't wait to be home for leave!

Bibliophile...

I absolutely love reading and have had little to no time to read over the past few months due to the ridiculous schedule, but today, I just sad "Screw it! I'm going to read! And not some work related text, something for fun!" So, I did. I was waiting for my PSG to get back up to the company and I got my hands on a copy of the original Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. Despite being a ridiculous Phantom fan, I have sadly never read the book before today. Needless to say, it's awesome and I kinda sorta didn't do anymore work and finished it... :-) You should all go read it if you never have. It was so good to be reading again and it's so well written... I just didn't do anymore work. I blame Leroux; if his work wasn't so awesome, I would have been able to put it down to do work. Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Speaking of work, things are going well. I've had some ridiculous days, but it looks like things are calming down a bit. Doesn't mean there won't be any more Soldier crises (as there are consistently) but the pattern for the company is slowing down. Especially since we got all the end of tour awards turned in this past week. Yes, we turn them in now even though we don't get back to the states 'til March because it takes a while for everyone to edit them (yay bureaucracy!) and there's one for everyone in the Brigade... that's a lot of awards to sort through and approve. Turns out I'm really good at writing awards and spent the majority of time helping others with their's because mine were done. Quite the ego boost.

I have a PT test in the morning, so I should probably head to bed. It's really hard to eat well the day before a PT test at the DFAC... I usually stick to lots of veggies and pasta. Got the pasta, but veggies were... ok. I'm interested to see how I'll do. It's an adventure!

They're Testing Me... Right?

So this past week has dealt me every possible crisis a PL can get. Ok, that's an incredible exaggeration, but it sure feels like it. It's like some greater power said "Look, an LT doing well. Let's see how she deals with this!" and threw disaster my way. In the past week:

• I've gotten my ass chewed more than I have since I got the platoon
• I've fought with immigration on behalf of a Soldier's mother
• I've researched California paternity laws
• I've researched the legal requirements for eviction in Colorado
• I've written and rewritten the end of tour awards for my soldiers (we're getting there...)
• I did an accident report for one of my MRAPs hitting a parked Iraqi car (yes, it was parked)
• I pissed off the battalion TOC... repeatedly... but not on purpose!!
• I had my vehicle stop randomly and the mechanics couldn't tell me what was wrong with it. Luckily, this happened on the FOB, so no worries, but they still haven't fixed my truck...
• The truck I had to substitute for my truck doesn't have all the required communication equipment, so I've been having to relay through my PSG... not making either of us happy... and making communication with the TOC difficult...
• I spent all day running around doing errands and completing tasks and realizing at the end of the day I still hadn't completed anything on the "to do" list
• I had KBR "forget" about a mission with us so they scrambled to put a crew together and we still left 2 and a half hours late... they've known about the mission for a month... and we reminded them the morning of...
• I had to reorganize and resource a garrison command mission that isn't really mine but if I don't do it, I'll get yelled at
• Had 2 of my vehicles lose AC for no apparent reason. It's getting cooler, but 109 outside is still hot and AC is a must
• Had a tire blow out on my vehicle while out on mission
• I've worked 18 hour days regularly (today was only 16, woohoo!)

And now, to top it off, UT is sucking it up in their football game. This is the icing on the cake. I'm pretty sure that they're testing my resilience. Bring it!! Ok, well don't, cause things could be a whole hell of a lot worse, and I know that whomever you are that decided it's "Test Theresa Time" can make things so much more difficult... so please disregard my challenge. But do know, whomever you are, that I'm rising to your challenge!!! I've been kicking ass, mister. While I don't enjoy the ass chewings, I got this. With all the problems you've thrown my way, I've managed to not only work through it but do well. So while I'm stressed and tired, I got this. Take that, whomever you are!

Hugs?

So I'm realizing that something I seriously miss is hugs. It's not just the physical act of hugging that I miss (which I do, by the way) but it's being in an environment where hugs are natural, not looked at as odd, and don't imply anything other than friendship. Back home, it's natural to give hugs to friends when you meet up for coffee, when you're saying goodbye, or even just because. Even if it's the one-armed man hug plus handshake, there's still a hug. Here, hugs are taboo. Especially for the females. They automatically assume there is some sort of romantic relationship if you give someone a hug. So, alas, I have not had a hug in months and that sad fact occurred to me today. It's amazing how something as small as a hug can brighten your day and at the same time how something as simple as hugs is what I'm missing over here.

Today was ridiculous. It started out wonderful and productive: I did laundry, cleaned my room, worked out, snuck a long hot shower... definitely a good morning. Made it in to work and it seemed like the wonderfulness would continue. I got a surprise from the UT ROTC program: a whole box of UT ROTC gear! I'm psyched. I have taken to wearing the hat around the office and I don't know what I'm gong to do with 3 UT ROTC thermoses... I guess they assume I drink a lot of coffee. I do, but not enough for 3 thermoses...I can only use one at a time... Anywho, below is a picture of me with my UT ROTC cap and thermos with random UT memorabilia at my desk. Hook 'em!!!

So, after such an amazing and productive morning, the afternoon will follow suite, yes? Alas, no. I had to resolve 6 different soldier issues this afternoon ranging from a possibly suicidal spouse back in Carson to an ex husband's ex girlfriend living in my soldier's home (think about it for a minute then realize how messed up that is) to a soldier's mother being possibly deported and leaving her without a caregiver for her daughter. You seriously can't come up with this sort of stuff on your own. I want a reality TV show of my platoon. We would make a ton of money and then you could all see the insanity. I can see it now: "Distro! The Real Lives of Deployed Soldiers". It would be a hit. Today alone would be enough for multiple episodes. I knew I would be surprised by my soldiers but this is getting to an almost humorous level of insanity. Keeps me on my toes though and keeps the time passing.

It's hard to imagine we're already over halfway through September... 6 months left! Virtual hugs to everyone!!!

I want a kitchen!!

I'm tired of eating at the DFAC. Sure, there's "variety" but I want to cook some healthy, colorful vegetables and some flavorful dishes. I know many people make fun of me for liking bland food, and it's because I don't do spice well, but I still like flavor. Sitting on a steam table does not increase the flavor or nutritional content of food; in fact, it has the adverse effect. Over the past year and a half in the army, I've only had a kitchen for 3 months and while you can live off the DFAC, I cannot wait to have a kitchen again. A full kitchen this time. Where I can back and cook and just enjoy the wonders of food. Yes, that sounds divine.

The past few days I've been extremely productive, but the "to do" list never gets shorter. A lot of last minute "oh I forgot about" and "can you please take care of" tasks came my way. So while I know I'm getting a lot done, it's frustrating to look at the to do list and not be able to cross anything off after a day of work. I'm working on awards for my Soldiers for the end of tour which is interesting. That's right, I have to submit the awards now for them to receive them in March... go Army? So awards, with different bullets (4 per award) for 38 Soldiers... let's do it! They completely deserve it, so it's worth the effort on my part, even if it is a lot of writing.

Other than that, there's not a whole lot special going on right now. Busy as all hell and trying to find time to sleep, but I think that's the nature of a deployment. I need to get back to writing awards and get some sleep. Love you all!

Smurfette?

Ok, so I know I posted earlier, but this anecdote was too random and humorous to not share. So I was sitting in my room relaxing, when one of my soldiers came and knocked on my door and invited me to join them in a BBQ. They had "acquired" a grill and had used our connections with supply to get steaks, burgers, and all the necessary sides. After 3 months of the DFAC, I was definitely excited to have some semi-decent food. I joined in the evening festivities. Turns out the majority of my platoon was there, so it was a good, fun gathering. However, once I started relaxing, that's when the prank happened.

Now, to provide some background, my soldiers have a history with their PLs and have only taken the time to develop pranks for the lieutenants they actually like, so it's an odd form of a compliment that they took the time to prank me. And it was actually somewhat clever. One of my NCOs doused me in blue gatorade and announced "See, now she's officially Smurfette. She's blue!"Which, when you think about it, is surprisingly an apt nickname: I'm a short blond female in a group of males. They got a kick out of it and I'm now, apparently, "their LT". Guess I wasn't before? Oh well. No real harm done, just had to go shower again. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't bad and actually pretty witty.

Now, after my most recent shower to get rid of the sticky sweetness that is gatorade, I shall head off to bed.

Snuck Out Early... Shhhhh!!!!

Yeah, so I definitely left work early today. Not that my hours are even remotely normal, but I tend to stay at the office til at least5 (usually later) but today I just didn't return after lunch. I decided I needed some me time. I may have a little bit of extra work tomorrow, but I'm already feeling that this was a fantastic idea. Had time to run to the PX for a foam mat for my bed (the egg carton-y type) which is making my army mattress a million times more comfortable. I also grabbed some basic necessities, so that was productive. On my way out I ran into one of the Drill Sergeants I worked with last summer back in Ft. Knox; small army. It was great to see him again. He went straight from being on the trail as a drill sergeant to being deployed so I'm sure he's ready for a break; being a drill sergeant is no joke. He's working on Division staff over here and he's bored out of his mind, but it was definitely great to see him. After that random encounter, I then returned to my room and watched Disney's Hercules. I'm a kid, oh well. I'll probably work out a bit, shower, possibly watch a chick flick... maybe Shakespeare in Love... or maybe continue the Disney trend and watch some Mulan. We shall see.

Its divine to be back in my room early. I'll probably guilt myself in to doing some work while home and then emailing it to myself at work, but I'm relaxed, my boots are off, my hair is down, I'm eating M&Ms, and things are quite good at the moment.

It's frustrating to be over here during college football season because I can't watch the games! My living area doesn't have access to AFN, so even if I got myself a TV, I wouldn't be able to watch the games. And with the time difference, I would have to go to midnight chow and sit in the DFAC for hours in the middle of the night to watch the games... so I don't do that. Ward has taken to taking pictures of the game and texting them to my google voice number, so that's working. I get game updates and pictures! The Longhorns are doing fantastically this season, if you were unaware. One of my buddies over here is a Virginia Tech fan and he has had a bad 2 weeks... they lost to James Madison yesterday. Anyone ever heard of James of Madison? Yeah, neither have I. There goes their top 10 rating! Poor Virginia Tech... actually I'm not even remotely distraught and just psyched that my boys are doing so well and that Gilbert is shaping up as a comfortable Quarterback. Hook 'Em!!!!

So, I don't know how many of you were aware of this, but my unit has been scheduled to go to Afghanistan a year after we get back from Iraq. I've had that on the back burner the whole time I've been here: as soon as we get back to the states we'll have to start training. However, we got the most fantastic news: we're not on the patch chart anymore!!! What that means is when we get back from this deployment, we won't have orders for our next deployment!! It's an incredibly exciting realization that many soldiers are finding. Arny Times just did an article on the phenomenon because installations back in the states aren't used to having so many soldiers at home. They're frantically running around and finishing barracks and expanding the commissaries and such because of the influx of soldiers coming home. To me, that is the best possible problem any garrison commander can have: too many soldiers coming home. While there are still a ton of soldiers over here, the gradual closure of Iraq is creating an influx of soldiers so we can give them dwell time and rest time.

Well, I shall head out to do some working out and some yoga then grab some dinner and watch a girly movie! Yay for afternoons off!!!

Ups and Downs

It's amazing how things can be so good and so bad all in the same day. It's somewhat ridiculous. On the good: great meeting with my NCOs, had a good meeting with my CO and we're on the same page, got mail, read one of the best articles ever, and had an all around good day. This joyous day was dampened by the news that 2 soldiers died yesterday. Not mine, not in our area of operations, but it still happened. I actually had to search through the news to find the article though; it's not readily accessible. Of course, we're not here, so why would soldiers be getting hurt?

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/09/07/iraq.us.soldiers/index.html#fbid=FBpnsvIIprD&wom=false

Please say a prayer for the soldiers' families and for the soldiers still in critical condition. Not that these soldiers are any more or less important than any of the other soldiers who have died fighting in this war, but it just doesn't sit right with me that their sacrifice is being completely ignored.

On to happier things. Like mail! Ward and Martha, I am now officially decked out with UT. You're the best. I love it! The magnet is definitely on the outside of my door, indicating the longhorn that lives here, and the flag is hung up on my wall. Hook 'em!! Pat, the package you sent was a wonderful surprise. Thank you! You managed to fit in some snacks that I didn't know existed but are now suddenly some of my favorites. It's always wonderful to get treats that you can't find out here. Mama, we've already talked, but the hamster dance card is still making me smile and I'll open it to dance along with the music to put me in a fun, silly mood. It's awesome.

I must now head off to sleep. It seems like no matter how much time I get to sleep, it's never enough. Silly Iraq. Love you all!

Sometime change is painful

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been working some crazy hours. The new CO has been giving my platoon (and therefor me) a lot of attention and adding a lot to the perfect, neat organized schedule I had made... so it's currently all wonky. To someone who likes this organized, it's a very sad thing to go in and mess up her pretty, organized calendar. Just sayin. In the long run, I do see the logic for most of it, just crazy schedules for now... and not calming down again in the foreseeable future. It will be ok.

While on mission the other day, the following transmission came over the radio. Even though I know exactly what it means, taken out of context it cracked me up:

"Little Fingers, how're things in the Sherwood Forest"

"I've got a ninja milking a cow, but no Robin Hood yet"

"Roger. Keep eyes on"

Now, that little conversation made complete sense to me, but I'm sure the images in your head after reading it are different than the reality. My guys have come up with unique naming conventions to keep things as light-hearted as possible and I think they've done a great job. :-)

Ummm... even though it's been a while I don't really have a whole lot to share that I can share. I'm psyched that Ramadan will be over next week, that's a definite plus. I don't know why some people take a holy month of penitence and decide it's the time to go harm others, but apparently they do. Makes no sense o me, but killing each other because "my religion is better" has never made sense to me either.

I love you all and think about home constantly. I will hopefully update you again soon with better anecdotes.

Can't Keep a Woman Down

So today I did something that Army says women can't do: I drove a tank. Ok, so the army actually doesn't say that, it's technically a congressional decree that prevents women from being in combat arms... but you get the idea. Anywho, I drove a tank!! The motor pool was doing routine services on the tanks that belong to one of the companies within our battalion and the final step of any service in the military is a test drive. So, I got to do one of the test drives! It's an M1A1, which is an Abrams Tank. To most of you that means absolutely nothing, which is ok. I got pictures!!!

Here I am, suited up and ready to go. Hook 'em! ;-)

Here I'm getting my 5 minute driving lesson from the Chief Warrant Officer in charge of the motor pool.

I'm off! You can tell it's me by my big smile. Woohoo!

They let me drive up and down the dirt trails inside the fence. And of course, to test if the service was successful, they had me max out the speed. On a tank, that's around 35mph. I hit 36. :-) Definitely a fun and unique way to start the day!

So aside from tanks, things have been going pretty well. I definitely like the new CO and 1SG team, but they still have to settle in a bit before I make my full analysis. We're still in the honeymoon phase and they may change once they get comfortable. I can say, however, I've gotten more instruction, mentoring, and attention from the command team in the past 4 days then I have in the past 2.5 months. For me, that's incredibly exciting.

Things are still busy. It's hard to believe I've almost been here 3 months. Sometimes it feels like it's been an eternity and other times it seems like I just got here. I'm definitely acclimating to the environment, though. You know it's bad when it's 90+ degrees at like 5 in the morning and you remark on how cool it is. I'm getting the worst Army tan: raccoon eyes from my sunglasses, line from my collar, line across my wrists from when I don't wear my gloves... the rest of me is hardcore pale though.

Well, I must head off to bed and get some sleep. My body has been very angry at this whole lack of sleep thing. I shall have to remedy that. I love you all and miss you more than words can truly express!

Adder Pictures

It occured to me that I haven't sent you guys many pictures of life here in Iraq. I haven't had the time or energy to upload them before, but the stars have aligned and here they are. So, without further ado, here are some pictures of my daily life:

First off, here are a few of my room. My bed:

Here's my door. You can tell I've covered everything with pictures:

And here's the wall facing my bed with my mural of home. I would like to make my other wall this awesome; right now it's blank:

Now, let's head outside. The barriers are painted here (just like in Kuwait) and this one stood out to me and made my day:

Just down the street from that is the Alamo. Yes, the Alamo. I didn't believe it at first, but it's definitely the Alamo:

Now, here's what the majority of Adder looks like:

And again:

We don't lose our sense of humor, however, as the Tallil National Forest below shows:

Here's my brigade headquarters. Our motto is "Iron Strong" and I must say I like our new banner and mascot:

I'm adding this because I saw it on a warning label in one of the buses roaming around base and the grammar made me laugh and made me sad at the same time. Anyone see the fault?:

So there you are, a minor subset of my world. Things are going pretty well over here, but I must go catch up on sleep and such. Maybe I'll have some more peanut butter M&Ms. :-)

That Perfect Moment

You know that moment when you eat something you've been craving for a long time? And when you finally have that thing you've been craving you have a moment of pure rightness and relaxation as your body processes this thing you've obviously needed/wanted for a while? Well hold that moment in your mind.

You know that moment when you enjoy something you haven't for an extremely long time. You had almost forgotten how it tasted but remember you loved it. Then you finally take a bite and your tastebuds go crazy from excitement and happiness. Hold that moment in your mind as well.

Now combine those two blissful moments into one mind altering, amazing moment and you may possibly have come across the moment I had when I had some peanut butter M&Ms this evening. It was divine. It's the small things in life that make everything better or worse and this was definitely a fantastical moment. Brought to you, by peanut butter M&Ms.

I celebrated this momentous occasion by watching Pride and Prejudice while cleaning my weapons. Oxymoron? Possibly. Do I truly care? Not at all. Got work done and got to feel girly for a bit. Good things.

I must head off to bed and dream sweet dreams of being home and enjoying peanut butter M&Ms. :-)

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

I'm hoping you all recognize the Monty Python quote in the title. Just sayin. Today was an AWESOME day! I slept in (well... slept through the alarm so I didn't go to the gym... but same end result!), got some finance stuff taken care of, got to have lunch with one of the other 2 female lieutenants in the battalion and talked about girly stuff, got a lot of paperwork and organization stuff done, cleaned my office, got lots of mail, and got home early. A good day indeed!

As to mail, I don't know who to thank first. Wow. Totally made my day. Leslie, thank you for the note and the madrigal flyer. Not only are they awesome (well done Sandra!) but it reminded me of the SEC and all the people I love back on UT campus. Thank you. Jenn, your card was so sweet. Definitely the only pink envelope in the mail room. :-) Grandpa, your letter had me beaming. I could hear you through the letter and I could feel the love throughout the whole thing. Thank you. Maman, the box of goodies is awesome! All the girly stuff will definitely be put to good use! Thank you for sending me pictures of Liam and Jack(they are proudly displayed on my wall), the pic of the fam, but also for the picture of me and Ward at his graduation. It's perfect; I almost started crying when I saw it. Thank you.

Thank you all for listening to my little rant yesterday. I know all of you haven't forgotten us (you read my blog!) but it's somewhat demoralizing to watch the news and realize no one even thinks about Iraq except as a note in history; completely ignoring the military personnel still here. It's just frustrating sometimes. One of the most frustrating things is when our Iraqi allies (and enemies) think we'll be completely gone on the 1st... I know of at least 2 prominent sheiks and a general who thought we were leaving and were freaking out. That's no good.

Things are a little hectic here as we have a new 1SG (moved him over early) and we will have a new commander in a week. Everything is topsy turvey as we try and figure out what the new command team wants/expects from us. Many changes are already being put into effect. It's good though, because there were a lot of things that didn't seem right to me and the new command team has handed me the theater standards and expectations for everything so we can get everything back up to standard. We have some work to do, but now I know what's expected. Before, I felt a little lost and like I was being pulled around in the dark, but now I know the standards so I can enforce them. Means a little bit more work, but definitely worth it in the end.

Things are still hot here, today more than usual. Power goes out at least once a day; the generators overheat and do a safety shut off. The contractors who run the generators have a crew that drives around base with a water tank and hose all day and stop at each generator to hose them off and cool them down. Sounds like a great job, don't you think? They're getting paid 6 figure salaries so they better not complain...

Well, I should probably do some sort of a work out to compensate for sleeping through my gym time this morning then shower and grab dinner. I love you all!!

The Forgotten War

I often feel that everything in Iraq is being pushed under the rug to make the people of the world and America stop thinking about Iraq. It came to my attention today when talking to some of my soldiers about how MWR doesn't send any of the big name celebrities to Iraq anymore; they all go to Afghanistan. No one wants to be associated with Iraq. It's seen as a major scandal and the "war we shouldn't have entered" so no one wants us to think about it. Except for the major headlines that "Americans turnover all combat missions to Iraqi soldiers" in a massive ceremony in Baghdad and "No more combat troops in Iraq after 1 Sep". I just want to set the record straight. Just because we're not doing combat missions doesn't mean we're not here. In fact, 50,000 of us are here! That's right, 50,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are here, in Iraq, doing all of these non combat missions. Many people don't realize how many non combat missions go on for every combat mission. While we're training Iraqi soldiers, we're still out there with them; doing on the job training. While we're spread across the country, resupply missions are happening on a weekly basis; soldiers have to eat. While we're not doing combat missions, we still defend ourselves through route clearance, interdiction patrols, and presence patrols. We run convoys to protect important personnel (both Iraqi and American). We fly missions across the airspace to keep our soldiers and innocent civilians safe. So while we're not doing "combat missions" like kicking in doors or actively searching out threats, we're still here. We're still running convoys on these roads. We're still teaching and mentoring the Iraqi soldiers on how to search at a checkpoint or how to diffuse an IED. The news has forgotten the 50,000 of us still here and have even made our Iraqi allies worry we're leaving early. So while the world tries to ignore the 50,000 military personnel and countless civilian personnel over here, I ask that you please remember: we're still here.

Did I Mention I Was Busy?

Sorry to take so long on the updates They're working us like none other. Didn't get back to my room until 11 last night and I was definitely up and working at 6... freaking long days. Today is nice though; I actually had the time and energy to get up and go running! I haven't run in over 2 weeks and it was nice to be able to again.

Things have been crazy. My 1SG got relieved from duty due to inappropriate relations with some of the soldiers, so the whole company is in a tizzy. Creates more work for everyone and unfortunately paints the whole company in a bad light. We're working through it, though, and we will have a new 1SG next month and we'll move on. We're also going to have a new CO in a little over 10 days, so the whole company leadership will be changed. I'm crossing my fingers.

To my longhorn friends: I need some gear. I'm being bested by an Ohio State alumni who is my XO. Currently, I have a flag on order, but I need so UT gear for my desk. Nothing particular comes to mind, but my desk is pretty lame as of now.

I have mail! And lots of it! Dad, the 2 packages of Starbucks coffee drinks will last me some time, but are greatly appreciated! Thank you. And I've used many of the magnetic frames you sent; definitely helping with the room decor. Mama, the continuous stream of cards make me smile and are random lifts to my spirits, usually on days I need them most. Thank you. Claire, the card you sent with the glitter cracked me up; the guys in the mail room didn't know what to do with it and were covered in glitter for the day. Made my day completely! Amy, your card was an unexpected delight. Thank you.

Well, I must run off to work... lames. Love you all!

P.S. Reid, alas there is no swimming pool here on Adder... if only!

Busy Busy Busy

This week has been crazy. I can't tell you all the details, but I've been working a lot and we've been going outside the wire pretty much daily. My guys (oh yeah, and me too) are all beat. Doesn't look like it'll let up soon...lames.

Belated happy Birthday to you, Mama!! Sorry I wasn't there to celebrate with you!

I'm super psyched about my google voice account though!!! Anyone can text or call me from their cell phone and I can chat back and forth via my computer. Too cool. I'm not going to post my number here, but email me and I shall send it your way. Yay for texts and voice messages!!!!

So, I'm going to vent for a bit towards the Fobbits of the world. For those of you who don't know, Fobbits are the military personnel that never leave the FOB. For image, click here: http://pvtmurphy.com/strips/full/fobbit-2.jpg I have no problem with Fobbits, because many of them are needed. However, I cannot sympathize with them too much, so here is my note to Fobbits:

Dear Fobbits,

I know that your job keeps you inside the wire and you may or may not have any control over that. i understad. However, do NOT expect me to sympathize or empathize when you're venting about having to work everyday, or missing your favorite spin class at the gym, or how you have "so much work", especially when you get to go home at 1700 everyday, get to the office at 0900, and get an off day each week. You are not winning yourself any friends or support among everyone who goes outside the wire. I do not expect you to just drop everything and go outside the wire, but don't make fun of my guys' weapons that are dirty because they actually carry them somewhere other than to work and the DFAC. So next time you decide to have a major vent session, please do not do so loudly in front of me and my guys. K thanks.

OK, so I have a few more fobbit links I think are appropriate...

http://www.pvtmurphy.com/strips/full/fobbit-1.jpg

http://danatucker.blogspot.com/2007/03/fobbits-creed.html

http://www.bouhammer.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/1fobbit_thumb.jpg

So anywho, past the fobbit venting. Things have been really crazy. A base we thought was closed isn't ready to be turned back to the Iraqi government, so we're going out there everyday we don't have another mission (and sometimes even on those days if the mission is short enough) to make sure it all gets done. Tres frustrating. And on top of that we're trying to get the company ready for a change of command. That means a 100% inventory of everything within the company as well as walking the new commander around and filling him in on everything going on... good times. I'm holding up, but this is somewhat of a nasty joke because everything was supposed to be easier after we closed that base last week.... I'm not sure where the light is at the end of this tunnel... maybe I should just look forward to EML in November because that's pretty much set in stone and I know I'll get a break. Yes, definitely going to enjoy that.

I hope life is going well for all of you. I miss all of you, your senses of humor, your friendly laughter and smiles, and just having non-army conversations. Love you all!

Happy Birthday Ward!!!

Yay! It's Ward's birthday!!! And for his birthday, I closed a base in Iraq. The things I do to make him feel special ;-) Seriously though, it is his birthday and I spent it closing one of the bases here. I'm really excited that it's done. It was a pain because of all the coordination with KBR and local nationals (we may be paying them but they have a totally different concept of safety, urgency, etc...) and that was frustrating, but it's done. Everything and everyone from that base is now back on COB Adder. Woohoo!! This will also decrease my workload since this base is closed and another is about to close... yay for less work and fewer missions outside the wire! I'm excited.

I realized today that thanks to the army I've never been able to share Ward's birthday with him. That's kind of sad. Our first year together I was flying back from France (not Army's fault) but I managed to see him that evening. The next year I was stuck at LDAC and could only call from a pay phone. Year after that I was teaching cadets in Ft Knox so I didn't have a lot of time to call. This year I'm Iraq... stupid Army. We've found ways to celebrate, but Army, you are lame.

Well, I have slept a few hours this afternoon, but I'm quite tired... back to bed with me!

Sometimes life is just a sh#& filled twinkie, isn't it??

Mom used that when I was venting to her about some of the issues going on in my company right now and I think it's my new favorite saying. If you think about it, the phrase is somewhat profound but also just ridiculously hilarious yet appropriate. I shall find a way to use it in everyday conversation... :-)

My life has been super busy and I'm psyched to have a "normal" day tomorrow. I may actually even get to the gym! We're helping in the closure of some of the bases in Iraq in accordance with the massive drawdown so we've been busy coordinating that mission in addition to our normal Company Resupply Operations (CROs). I'm out on the road so much they've started calling me the "CROmistress". Personally, the image that comes to mind is like a woman with a long black cape commanding an army of crows rather than a logistician, but whatever. Things will calm down once those bases are closed though because not only will I not be coordinating the retrograde of all the stuff there, we also won't be resupplying them. It will be very nice. I'm excited.

The issues in my company have exploded into madness. Not going to air people's dirty laundry out on the internet, but let's just say lots of insanity coupled with drama, cover ups, and framing. Good times. The drama makes it difficult to get things done because the command staff is focusing on that rather than day to day issues. You have to constantly harass them to get the normal stuff done. It's frustrating. I was laughing with one of the other LTs today because I don't know if our new commander (he arrives on the 1st and takes command on the 15th) will still want the company. We were joking he would go to the battalion commander and ask for a "do over". He's going to have a tough job of trying to reunify this company; they're falling apart in distrust.

On to happier news, things are going extremely well with my platoon. We have overcome obstacles (like the Class I supply yard loading spoiled food on our trucks to take out to bases...) and are starting to work out a lot of the kinks. Still not a well oiled machine, but we've only been working together for a month so I'm extremely happy about where we are now. I really like my platoon and I enjoy working with them. They are all quirky so they keep me entertained, but they all really know their jobs and do them well, so I get the best of both worlds. Minor issues here and there, but nothing that's insurmountable. I'm also getting along with the LTs in both my battalion and the support battalion which is awesome. In the states we would have had more time to get to know eachother, but we're becoming friends over random lunches and dinners which makes the mealtimes more enjoyable. My room is also becoming a wonderful haven. I walk in and just sigh and relax. The only way you know it's an army room is the uniforms and my weapon hanging on the wall. Everything else is relaxing, non-army, remind me of home type stuff and it's so wonderful to come back to. My wall of pictures is growing (thank you mom for sending me more magnetic frames) and you wouldn't believe how good it is to look over and see so many people I love. You guys are the best.

Well, I'm going to take advantage of this normal day and get a full night's sleep! Woohoo!!

Mighty Mouse?

Yes, that's the nickname a few members of my platoon have developed for me. I guess I should just accept it; they could come up with a lot worse and Mighty Mouse was a pretty cool little superhero.

I realized my last post was kind of a debbie downer; that wasn't intentional. I was just making those realizations and felt the need to share them.

I've been super busy and have been working some long, hot days. I'm getting to see the drama side of the platoon as all of them have known me long enough to feel comfortable bringing their issues to me... and there are a lot of them... It's good though. I joined the army to take care of soldiers and I'm definitely going to be doing a lot of that. They really should start a sitcom and follow a platoon around; it would be worse than many of the reality tv shows on mtv. It definitely keeps things interesting.

Jason finally got news back from the Air Force!!! His job is entitled "Bomber Avionics Systems (Heavy)" which doesn't really tell you much. He'll be mechanic/engineer/operator for the systems which navigate the aircraft, control the guided missiles, control the functioning of the systems on the aircraft... a huge and incredibly important and interesting job. Congrats J!! The only down side is he has to wait until the end of December for his training and time in service to begin. Silly Air Force.

Well it's late and I have soldier issues to deal with in the morning. Love you all!

Taking things for granted

I had no idea how many things I take for granted, even her in Iraq. This came across my mind when I came back to my room this afternoon and discovered the electricity was out. And it was 130 outside. And while you may not realize this, but when a trailer has no ac and there are no fans and it's sitting in the sun, it becomes an oven. You know it's bad when you open the door to the heat outside and it cools you off. The point of this diatribe is that while I was sitting there in the heat, not napping, I started thinking of the things other than electricity and AC that I take for granted.

Healthy, tasteful food. The dining facility is good, but food can only be so good when it sits out on steam tables for hours. The vegetables are gray. Chicken is always overcooked. Milk is the pasteurized stuff that can go unrefrigerated. Noodles are never cooked right. "Fresh" fruit is always brown. So yeah. And despite these issues, I'm lucky because I'm not out at one of the remote places where they don't have full kitchens.

Having a bathroom nearby and in the same room as the shower. I have to walk 50m to get to the bathroom. And the shower and the bathroom are in 2 separate buildings. This may not seem like an overly big deal but go with it for a while and it will suddenly become a major hassle. But I'm still luckier than others who have port-o-johns instead of actual bathrooms and don't have showers.

So yeah, things may seem bad to me but they can always be worse; and would be if I happened to be in a different corner of Iraq. I need to keep looking on the bright side of life. Like the fact that my pillows came in today!!! Thank you Mama! And the fact that I can chat with friends back home thanks to the internet and skype. And the fact that I have an immense and wonderful support network of friends and family. Yes, there are many bright sides to focus on instead.

Earning My Pay...

So, you know all those months I was sitting around bored back in Ft. Lee? Well, I'm definitely compensating for that now. Today I definitely worked from 5 to 8... that included a mission and office time. And the other day we had 2 missions in one day that left us up 24+ hours. This is not how things usually run... I know I'm starting to wear thin, but my guys work out in the sun when we're at the FOB because they're out in the motor pool all day so I know they're exhausted.

My 1SG is awesome. He always makes me laugh and looks out for me, but he's also always taking care of me. He learned I didn't have anything in my room except my bed, dressers, and lockers so found me a mini-fridge for my room! It's awesome. I know he was getting it so I can store cold water and gatorade in my room (which I do) but I'm really excited because my frig is full of all my chocolate. :-) I have priorities...

It's still ridiculously hot and promises to get hotter as we get closer to August. There are times when I don't think that's physically possible. The other day we were commenting on how cool it was because it was only 105... that's just sad.

I'm debating cutting my hair. While it's nice to pull it back, it's a pain to get my gear on and around it; it's made for men who don't have hair. I make it work, but I'm starting to ponder if it would be easier to just cut it short. I would still have to pull the front part back, but it might make things easier... still not sure.

I got mail again! :-) It's actually turning into a running gag that I get mail everytime the mail is delivered. Aunt Aly, thank you for the pampering care package! It's awesome and everything in it is wonderful. Grandma, thank you so much for all of the goodies! I love the Cliff and power bars. They will definitely be used. Please say thank you to Oliphants for me; I will write them as well as soon as I have time.

This may seem strange, but if you have a care package you want to send, can you wait a few weeks? I'm currently stocked up on goodies and the like for a few weeks and I know a few people have mentioned stuff in the mail already... I would still love letters though!

Well, my days are long and so I must bid you adieu and head to sleep. Night!

One More Day 'Til a Combat Patch

That's right; I've been in Iraq almost a full month now and will have earned my combat patch tomorrow. I will no longer look like a brand new LT! Woohoo!

Today was unexpectedly long; should have been my slow off day but alas work popped up out of nowhere. And to make things more interesting, the CO has decided that she trusts me, but that means that now she will give me lots of work... yeah, lots of fun. I'm apparently doing sensitive item inventory for the whole company as well as a complete inventory for my platoon and the arms room next week... in addition to everything we're already doing... thanks ma'am... I'll be fine, but it's a horrible way to say welcome to the company.

I got more mail today!! Martha and Ward, thank you so much for all the goodies! I now have a drawer in my office full of snacks and goodies! And the sheets made my day; I now have my queen sized bed! :-)

When I was out at the fuel pumps the other day, I got some pictures. I thought you might enjoy them:

This is me and my platoon sergeant in front of the Euphrates. This is the most greenery you will see around here.

When we go out to the sites, there are a bunch of Iraqi children. These girls loved my blond hair and insisted on getting a picture with me. That's my CO standing awkwardly in the background.

Well, tomorrow promises to be incredibly long and busy; unlike many people here who are getting the 4th off, I have an incredibly long and busy work day ahead of me. All of you please celebrate extra for me and think about all the reasons the US is an incredible country along with all the things we take for granted!