Family Mobilization Briefings Today

So here I sit, on a Sunday...getting 8 hours of briefings with my wife on our deployment. Sleeeeepy Leiutenant, so very sleepy right now.

Another "prom" to go to...

In the military we love our social functions, and I had another one about a week ago. Any reason to get the Blues on, get the ladies in their gowns, and get obnoxiously drunk while telling lies and war stories usually qualifies as a good time. This past one was our unit "Red and White" Cavalry Ball, in which the even was from about 6pm until 11pm...and then the hotel bar thereafter. Everything is solid in my mind until the 9pm (or so) mark. From that point, it was Karaoke, talking the State CSMs ear off, and more Karaoke. Then it was various local bars of which I have little recollection, and then the hotel lobby telling more stories. I remember sitting in the hotel restaraunt the next morning just wishing I could die, after drinking a huge glass of water. Damn rum and cokes, got me again...

More pictures follow below:

Getting Ready to go

Ladeez at the table

Our table

One of my good NCOs

Karaoke, the need to share the mic at that point in time was so crucial

Taken a few weeks off

So I've been relatively busy lately, my life has been pretty busy getting ready for this deployment. Ironically, I'll probably have MORE time to blog whilst training or actually in theater. For now, as I approach our training start date things are just getting crazier by the day. As the Mobilization OIC for our Units, I have my finger on the pulse of everything that takes place and have to ensure all of my team are doing what they need to do so everything is executed on time and all of our requirements are met. It involves a lot of coordination and being very meticulous so as to not let anything fall through the cracks. I have a huge dry erase board next to my desk that I update daily, but the tough part is many things just aren't under my control...and that's when it can get sticky. To make things even better, my boss will accept nothing short of perfection, but that can be a good thing. The better news is that, in less than 3 weeks, when we start our mobilization, I get to do my "real" job of being an Infantry Platoon leader. More "hunter/killer" type stuff.

I've also been trying to cram my head with knowledge which will help during the deployment, and I really do have to know it because I'm going to hold all of my Soldiers accountable for knowing it. Things like weapons safety, clearing procedures, many things related to IED recognition and avoidance, Counter-Sniper operations, First Aid, Patrolling, and over 30 Arabic phrases. There's more but I can't think of it right now. The idea that we are going to just "show up" and succeed is ludicrus, just like any situation the more prep you can do the better. I will ensure my men have every opportunity to prepare and be successful.

So beyond that, it's been daily (for the most part) workouts, alternating between running outside and gym workouts (strength training or circuit). I must admit my running sucks ass right now, it's the winter and it's been so cold I just haven't had the motivation. This past week I was able to squeek out a slooooow 11 miles total (4, 4, 3) and I felt like crap each time. It's ok though, I'll get it back, but it's a far cry from the 30 miles/week I was running at an 8 minute mile pace.

This week will be a busy one (I had today off, yea for gubmint jobs!) with a late night planned on Wed and a long day Thurs in Columbus, and finally I'll be working Sat and Sun as the Family Mobilization briefs are those days. That's where all the families come in and get briefed on the mission, their benefits and points of contact while we are gone. I had to coordinate all the funding and payments for most of it, it was crazy.

Other than all of that, and besides working out and spending time with the family, I've been pretty much drinking every single day. Why not? Hell I'm taking 14 MONTHS off from drinking, might as well try to knock it all out now while I can.

Good times.

The great "white death" has arrived...

So here I sit, day 2 of no work. My daughter hasn't had school all week. The great white death has come and laid waste to my city. It's amazing what a mere 6 to 8 inches of snow and ice can do to paralyze a modern metropolis. I guess it's better this way, less drivers on the road and people are safer. Just watching the news, it's accident after accident out on the roads...cars snapping telephone poles and sliding through guardrails.

I must take this opportunity to talk about "winter driving." While I'm not from Alaska, nor having a lived my entire life in a northern state (and actually I'm from Hawaii), I have lived 5 years in Germany...a country which produces quite a bit of snow, but copes quite well. This due to their preparation and their rules/driving habits.

First of all, if you can't part your car in the garage, you most likely will end up with a few inches of snow on top of your car. Clean off the ENTIRE car before heading out. Snow thrown from your car, because your lazy ass is too ignorant to clean it off, can fly back and cause distractions for other drivers on the road! One of my vehicles in an SUV and I was out with a broom dusting off the top of it, it had to be done. Secondly, while driving in the snow/slush/white death, here are a few tips:

1. Momentum is everything, especially when going uphill. Don't let off the gas!
2. Minimal directional changes, think slow and steady. This requires a lot of planning and forward thinking prior to making any turns or lane changes.
3. Everything happens slow/steady/in advance. Braking especially!
4. Don't be afraid of the snow, just be careful. No need to overcompensate and drive 5 mph and actually make it UNSAFE as morons will try to pass you to the left and right.
5. If you are on ice, disregard all of the above, because you are fucked.

Finally, if you can, maximize your resources. An example of that would be to get behind two big ass snow plows and follow them for 10 miles, blowing through red lights and passing other losers like it was your job!

Check out the vid

Hunger sets in...

Damn I'm hungry! Its only 1010 and the pain in my stomach runs deep. I've been going to the gym twice daily, so I need to continue to feed the beast within. Lunch might end up being something other than a salad, that just wouldn't do the trick.

Good times!

Threw down on a little poker last night. Nothing like gambling to reinforce my good old American Values! Texas Hold'em is a great game, the art of the bluff is often undervalued. As the beer flowed, I became quite ballsy and bluffed my way to the large stack of chips pictured to the right. I was doing really well, until it was time to leave... I had promised that my wife and I would go out to another restaurant that evening, so I had to cash out prematurely and take her out. Considering that "the boys" at the Poker Table weren't going to be going home with me that night, it was probably a good decision.

Negotiations....parents and kids

Far be it from me to tell people how to raise their kids, but I must share something I witnessed which absolutely blew me away. Last weekend we had some guests over to the house, one couple in particular had a cute little daughter...maybe 4 years old? Things were going well throughout the evening, the little girl was having a great time playing with the other kids that were there and with the dogs. When it was time to go, that is when the negotiations began.

The little girl (understandably) didn't want to leave to go home. She was having such a great time! I sat there, and for 10 minutes, watched two adults (the parents) bargain with their 4 year old, in order to get her to put her shoes on, coat on, hat on. Threats to take away toys at home, or promises to "let you do this" if you put your coat on so we could go home. Or, would you like to see your cat that's at home that misses you? Finally I think they reached an agreeable bargaining point, and she consented and went with them.

WOW

Of course, this is nothing new. We see this all the time in the store when junior wants a candy bar, mom says no and he whines and the negotiations begin. Again, I'm a flawed parent and am still learning from mistakes I've made. However, it would seem that an obvious and standard "rule" in all parenting situations is that the parent is in charge, and the child does what the parent says. No questions asked, and I (as the parent) need not provide an explanation as to my thought process, and I seriously could give a fuck about what input you have on said topic. Let me caveat this response by saying that I believe a graduated scale should be used in that with age the ability for the child to reason with or provide courses of action to their parent should increase. Let's say that my 13 yr old daughter wants to go out to a skating party, and I say "tell me why I should let you go, I think you should be doing chores and homework." If she shows me that her homework is done, pulls her grades up online and they are acceptable, and gives me a good plan of action for the evening, then I could be agreeable to it.

Getting back to the original topic of smaller children though...I have a huge beef with this. If you don't establish dominance early, you will lose every time and end up wondering why your 10 year old is running your life. I'm not saying that we as parents shouldn't have compassion, or be flexible, but in fact we ARE the parents, we ARE the rule makers and owe are children NOTHING in the way of an explanation or reason. The old school term "because I said so" is perfectly applicable here. When I, as a 31 year old man who pays bills, holds a job, and feeds/shelters/clothes a child start becoming accountable to that child in ANY way....the world has definitely gone down the shitter.

If I were in that similar situation, the solution would have been simple. Get your clothes on, we are going home. Child wants to whine and cry? I put the coat/shoes/hat on the child and we leave anyway, and the child gets a firm ass chewing in the car. Child wants to continue to cry? Alternate measures are always available, and I'm not talking about "time out."

In the military we have a phrase, when in charge, BE in charge. When a parent, BE a parent. You make the rules, it's not a democracy but a dictatorship. If my kid doesn't like it, well TFB (too fucking bad).

Pricing of a gallon of Milk....WHY

Ever notice how gas stations, or stores like Walgreens/CVS post the price of a gallon of milk up so everyone can see it? My first question would be.....WHY? Seriously, if you need milk, you will buy it. You give not a rip what the exact price of a gallon is. Am I going to buy 30 gallons of milk at once to fill up my SUV?

I'm guessing this is a throwback to the old days or something, but I HIGHLY doubt people drive by and scope the various prices of a fucking gallon of milk...scouting for the lowest of the bunch.

Just tossing this out there, that I hate milk. I only "drink" in on cereal, and I barely eat that crap.

Guy project: Power tools and boredom

(Click the links to view pics)

Door Knocker
The problem: 2 years after buying my house my lazy ass decided to get rid of the previous owner's door knocker. The issue is, I went to Home Depot/Lowes and a few other stores and they didnt sell the right model. I was assed out. What to do?

Grindin!
Second best choice, GRIND off the name! Men and power tools = yeaaaa!

Progress
Stage 1, rough cut. Name is gone.

Stage 2
Hand Sanding, smoothing it out...

Stage 3
Application of cheap "metallic" paint...not exactly shiny but oh well!

Finished product
Looks good on the door actually, and even though it doesn't look factory fresh....at least there isn't some other dude's name on my front door anymore!

Protect yo shizzle....

Having been a victim of identity theft back in 2000, I can tell you that taking every precaution to protect your identity is more than worth it. I shred anything and everything with my name on it, credit card offers, statements, and other misc things I throw away around the home. It doesn't take that much time....you never know who might be dumpster diving through your trash! I also pay for credit monitoring (of all 3) and get alerts every time a hard or soft hit posts to my credit report, as well as monthly updates to my score. Think it's a bit much? Let me give you two examples of why it is worth it.

Example 1: Recently I was on the phone with a mortgage lender, just checking out rates and looking to see if a possible Re-Fi would be worth it. I got a hit the next day, this douchebag had pulled my credit report! I called back and asked when did I ever authorize him to pull my credit? He babbled about standard procedures and some other crap, he knew he was wrong. Although he did have some of my personal information, I never once authorized him to pull my credit, and that pissed me off.

Example 2: Like I said, I was a victim of identity theft. While stationed in Germany, someone got ahold of my info and ran up two phone bills (over $2000) in California! The addresses they used were bogus, and the accounts went into collection. You'd think that, me being the victim, the creditors would be sympathetic...NO. I had every possible explanation, orders showing I was in Germany, no affiliation to the addresses in California, letters from my Commander, and do you know what they wanted after all that: "Ok Sir, so how would you like to pay this debt?" They are ruthless, they don't care, and the dispute process is loooooooooong and drawn out. It took me almost 6 years to get that cleared up, and that was finally after emailing the CEO of the phone company.

Bottom line, being proactive is much better than being reactive. The $13 I pay per month to monitor my credit and time spent shredding docs is very much worth it.