Monday, July 31, 2006

Back in Texas

The past week has been a tremendous week for me. I had a really good time and it was nice to see all the things I love. My friends, my house, my dog. And most of all my "baby". That is someone who made my week so enjoyable and who I will hold close to my heart the next year. I am really lucky. Love you Babe! This weekend I will be going back on leave for 5 days to go to my friends wedding in Louisville and to visit with my family in Tennessee and Kentucky. Its one more chance to say goodbye before I head out. Things are busy here and there is still alot to do this week before everyone goes on leave. This last weekend I was the Master of Ceremonies for our Brigade Deployment ceremony. Lots of important people there (lots of "stars" around...meaning generals)..I got lots of compliments on the performance...they said I brought a professional touch to the event. The next few days I will be doing our final preparation for deployment. I can't believe that in a two weeks I will be in Iraq! Well anyway, I guess I better get ready for bed. Another long week. See ya my peeps!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Home

Well this is the longest I have gone between posts, but I have been real busy with everything. I am writing this post from my bed in Albany. It has been a wonderful few days here. I am reconnecting with most of my friends and with my best friend (Elvis). He is laying beside me right now just like we always did before I left for Texas. It didnt take long for him and I to bond again and I am grateful he is with me for this week. Well I found out late last week that I am not going advance party but with the main body, which means I will be leaving later then I thought. At any rate, in a month I should be in country. The time here has been great. I flew in on Thursday night and landed at Newark airport about two in the morning. Todd was there to pick me up and we stayed at a hotel next to the Airport. The next morning we got up and met Eric in the city for lunch. Lots of heavy rain on Friday and we left the city to head up state. There we hooked up with the old gang for dinner and drinks. It was good to see Goutham, Christa, Warren and Jason. Eric and Wanda were also there. The next day we just hung out and then we went to a party they planned for me. We drank alot. Ha ha. Saturday I also picked up Elvis and he went nuts when he saw me. He missed me alot and I was so glad to see him. Sunday we all woke up late and went to the park and played a marathon game of football, whiffle ball, and then soccer. Poor Todd is still feeling it. He tells me he needs to quit smoking. I have encouraged this notion. Yesterday was a little more chill. Lunch with Todd and Justin and then I saw Cindy from Zing-A-Gram. Ahhhh...what a life. Food and friends and Elvis. What more could a man need. I am almost ready for the "sand box". Here's a shout out to my brother John, who is down in Florida and a little less liberal then me. He looks forward to reading my posts and was wondering why I hadnt posted in awhile. Well here you go John. Thanks for your support of me for what I am doing. (even though I dont want to kill as many Iraqis as you me want to....haha). Actually I am real proud of all my friends and family for their support. I need that believe me. As do all the gals and guys going there with me. Its a comfort to know we have peeps in our corner. Love you all.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Getting Closer to War

When I first got here in April I looked at the list of the training that I needed to take in order to be certified to go overseas and thought that I would never be able do it all. Besides our "green training" (the army related training) I also had to set up our office, supervise my section and do additional duties when called upon by the company commander or 1st Sergeant. I can't believe it, but I am almost there. This last weekend we did a training called "close quarters" combat training. This was a two day training in the hot Texas sun. We got to shoot off 140 rounds of ammo in different fighting positions and then the 2nd day got to experience a little of what the 11 Bravos do...(this is the guys in the Infantry). We were put in four man teams and sent in to a building where "insurgents" were hiding. We used live ammo, so it was a little scary. Haha. But I learned alot and I am gonna get Eric and Warren and Jason to practice with me on this. We will use paint balls instead of live m16 rounds of course. The training is risky, and apparently there have been some deaths as a result of this training. But I made it out alive and managed not to kill any of my team members. In other news, they found out I was an actor and tapped me to be the MC for the deployment ceremonies that will be held when we leave. I am glad to do it. I want to give a big shout out to my signficant other. I am glad you are in my life and don't worry I am coming home soon. Actually I am due to go on leave on the 21st of July and I want to party a bit with my buds on that next Saturday. So ya'all get ready...Haha. At any rate, as unbelievable as it may seem, In about a month, I will be heading off to the big sand box. I think if you took a poll of my friends a year ago and you asked them if they thought this was possible they would have thought you were crazy. Hell, I would have thought you were crazy. But here I am. I can't even tell you how great it makes me feel.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Tribute to a Fallen Soldier - 2LT Mark J. Procopio

Sometimes I try to bring a level of brevity to these posts. I dont take myself seriously and I like to make people laugh and think with what I write. Today, something happened to me that I will never forgot. I dont feel much like laughing tonight, so bear with me. Yesterday I had an opportunity to go to Houston for a couple of days to participate in a Independance Day parade. It was a chance to get out of FT Hood and to see another city in Texas I have not seen yet. We were escorted by a lady by the name of Ms. Julie (don't know her last name) who heads up a group on post that works with deployed soldiers, injured soldiers and their families. The do alot of neat stuff and show support for all those who need it. Ms. Julie has lots of friends all over Texas, and two of her friends joined us in Houston for dinner last night. They actually paid! We had about 24 in our group. Today we were in a parade held in a nice part of town called the Woodlands. As we rode down the parade route, people of all ages stood and cheered as we went by. It was very moving to see young kids and older folks (especially the veterans) enthusiastically cheer as we went by. "We love you" or "Thank you" was what they yelled at us as we went by. I was embarrassed a little I guess and just said thanks back to them. After awhile, I saw a young woman being held by two other woman. She was crying and was having a very bad time of it. I felt really bad because I knew that this meant that she had experienced some kind of awful loss. A few blocks down the road, Julie stopped our truck and brought the young woman to us and told us to help her into the truck. Julie says she needed to be close to us because she lost her brother to a road side bomb in Iraq last November. We all gladly helped her into the truck and told her that we would protect her. I then began talking to her and found out her name was Amy she was from Vermont and that her brother had been one of the "Green Mountain Boys", the Mountain Infantry unit out of Vermont. His name was 2LT Mark Procopio and he was killed in action on November 2nd, 2005 near Ramadi. Amy rode with us the rest of the parade route and got hugs from all the guys at the end. I told her that her brother will never be forgotten and that we wanted to come back to Houston next year so that she could see that we all made it back. I never had the honor of knowing Mark but I know that he was loved by his family and that he was killed doing something he felt was important. I pray that I will get the chance to do the same. Until that day, I salute Mark and the others who have lost their lives in this conflict. They will not be forgotten! Amy, it gonna be alright. I promise.