Change in Plans

Well you know when you are in the Army you have to be ready to change your plans on a dime. Well, that being said.....my plans have changed. Originally I was scheduled to go on block leave in early August, but now I have been told to get ready to go overseas two weeks earlier then when we were suppose to. So everything has been moved up two weeks. It appears now that I will be going back to Albany around the 3rd week in July. I am looking forward to seeing everyone, but it means I have to work real hard the next 3 weeks in preparation for my departure. I am happy about leaving sooner, because honestly, I am tired of Fort Hood Texas. You know a place sucks when you can't wait to leave just so you can go to Iraq. Ha ha. The training has been real fun though and we just finished a training exercise that was suppose to show us what being in a "war situation" is really like. We did real good, but now we are all tired from walking around with our weapons and body armor and all that for the last week. I have been corresponding with my counterpart in Iraq (the guy who I am replacing) and we are going to hook up and he will be showing me the ropes. He will be taking me to Baghdad and introducing me to our higher Headquarters. I am excited about this. Well I had a talk with my sister-in-law Sherry last night and she is the most loyal reader of my blog. She is disappointed when I dont update more often. Well this update is for her, and I promise not to write any more bad words even if they are partially blocked out. Ha Ha. She right. I drop way too many F bombs so I am making a pledge to clean up my act. F%%!!!!!! I am late for work...gotta go...hehe...sorry Sherry...I will try better. Love you all.

Compassion

Today was a bad day for the Army. Two young soldiers were found dead in Iraq. They had been overrun at a checkpoint and were taken hostage. Their bodies were mutilated and booby-trapped with explosives. I feel awful...for these young kids who have not even had a chance to live and for their families and friends. I pray they did not suffer...but I doubt the people who killed them showed them much compassion. Also in the news today there was a story about several Marines being charged with murdering an Iraqi civilian. The Marines were looking for insurgents and when they couldnt find one, they busted down a door and found an Iraqi civilian and killed him instead. Then they tried to cover it all up. I'd like to believe that at least one of these Marines showed even a morsel of guilt before he pulled the trigger. But my guess is, not much compassion was shown this man either. It was a bad day in Iraq. Compassion...where is it? Why is it so hard for us to understand that all this talk about good and evil, right and wrong, black and white, ect., is just alot of bullshit. Each side in this conflict believes that God is on their side. But when they say that God is on their side and they go out of their way to de-humanize their enemies....well...I think that goes against everything that a compassionate, loving God stands for. I just dont understand how "christians" could possible support this war or the way that we have treated Iraqi civilians. I am i making sense here? Am I the only one who sees through this shit? Look I understand that we are at war...and that we are fighting an "enemy", but shit lets try real hard to live by the golden rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated. And for God's sake, lets try to show some fu........... compassion.

How do I love Thee?...Be Still My Heart.

I was feeling romantic today. Elizabeth Barrett Browning and my favorite poem. Today I read this to someone. I dedicate this sonnet to that person and to all my favorite gals back home. Because it is so romantic. So guys, grap the ones you love and read them this poem. Your girls will melt...I promise:

SONNET #43, FROM THE PORTUGUESE
By Elizabeth Barrett Browning
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints!---
I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life!---and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.

I am happy right now. I can't even tell you. Things are going well. I feel I am doing good work and that I am making a difference. I feel complete. I am working hard....but I love what I am doing. Just thought I would share that with ya'll. Haha. I hope everyone is doing well back home. I do miss all of you. Block leave in 6 weeks!

Combat Life Saver

The last few days have gone by so fast. All last week I was being trained as a combat life saver. As I explained in my last post, this training is designed to prepared us to help save our fellow soldiers out on the battlefield before the medics arrive or they are evacuated. We saw alot of gruesome pics, but the worst was when we had to put IV in each other. Now I admit....I hate needles. No matter what size. The thought of putting one in someone else really petrified me. We first practiced this on Wednesday. It didn't go well. The guy who I stuck had messed up veins. I drew blood but couldn't get the catherer in. Damn. On Friday we had our written test but had to give the IV in order to pass the course. I had to stick one guy once, another person twice, my own boss twice and then finally I got it right on the 6th try. But now I think i got it and most likely would be able to do it if I had to. Its been really hot down here. It has been in the high 90's to low hundreds. This week we have begun special PT for people who failed their last PT test. We have about a dozen in that group and the commander asked me to take charge of this program. People seem to have responded well to my motivational tactics. I now have them running and sprinting around the track and its killing them. Eric would be very proud. I am really starting to feel good about where I am right now. I am tired everynight, but I have no doubt that what I am doing is the right thing to do. I am very happy about being here. I am having a ball. But I miss you all. I will see you soon though.

Clueless: Georgie Saves us from Gay Marriages

War in Iraq, poverty, AIDS, a slumping stock market and an environmental crisis looming. Iran and North Korea trying to get the bomb. Most of the world hates us. Where is Osama? A Growing budget deficit. 40 million people without health insurance. Americans are fat and getting fatter. In these dark times, Americans look to our President for leadership. The President steps forward....and he ponders for a moment....and finally, afer a long pause...he speaks. His answer to all of these complicated problems is simple. We have to keep gays from getting married. Huh? What the f....K? This is the Bush plan? Keep the queers in their place? What the f...k does gay marriage have to do with all the shit he's gotten us into? Were gays instumental in building the case for the war? Did they lie about intelligence and the reasons for going to war?...Can we blame the gays for 9-11 or for depriving millions of adequate medical insurance?....Can you believe this bullshit? Here we are...a great and powerful nation...going to hell in a hurray and all he says is that he is preserving the institution of marriage. Look pal...if you are not getting laid and your wife is fat and ugly and your kids are on drugs and you hate your job and your meaningless life....there is a way out. Bash those goddamn gays. That will make it all better. See if we distract them long enough...well maybe the American People will forget all of the other problems. And just in time for the midterm elections. You see...its still ok to hate gays in this country. And by rallying behind this constitutional amendment against gay marriage, the far right (including King George) is trying hard to tap into the deep resevoir of hatred, bigotry and homophobia that exists in this country. Oh they will never admit that but its so damn obvious what Karl "the Brain" Rove and his conniving little gang is up to. This is about saving the legacy of one of the most corrupt, incompentent, lying, cheating, scheming, hateful, and oh yeah, f..cked up administrations in american history. I am soooo sick and tired of this bullshit. Last month its "lets keep those illegal aliens out" and this month its lets keep the gays from marrying each other. Whats next month? I really hope that the American voters dont fall for this weak ass shit again. But I am not optimistic. TAKE A DEEP BREATH GLENN. AHHHHHHHHHH...... much better. I feel better now. :-)! Other then being pissed off and tired..I'm doing great...thanks for asking.

Soldiering On

Today I qualified with my M16A2. I hit 25 targets out of about 35. Not too bad over all. I was the NCOIC of the group that went out to the range today. This is the second time in the last few weeks that I have been tasked with being the NCOIC of a training. It went well. Out of 14 people, 11 qualified. Thats pretty good I think. Next week I will be taking a Combat Life Saver Course. Its 4 days of intense medical training that will qualify me to be a "medic want to be." This should be interesting. I had a good time on pass last weekend, but there was alot of work to do when I got back. Lots of guys went AWOL, some got drunk and some tried to kill themselves. The JAG office is always busy dealing with all the _____ups in our Brigade. This is nothing compared to what we will experience in Country. It was great to see all my family. Everyone is doing well. My twin is working on being a EMT. I think that she will be very good at that. I am including some pics of me and my family from my memorial day pass. I hope to see them again once more before I leave the country. At any rate, I hope everyone is doing ok. I am still learning and having fun down here