Reminded About Why I Enlisted

In the last week I was reminded about a good and a not-so-good reason I re-enlisted.  First the good reason.
When I saw the first footage of Tomahawk cruise missiles launching from US ships, I was thinking, 'I am so glad to be serving in the best military in the world.'  Earlier in the day reports from Benghazi told of Libyan soldiers firing machine guns at civilians and laughing and joking while they did it.  This was an army that was sure they were going to win.

Then every anti-aircraft missile battery in the Libya was hit or on the target computer of 100+ Tomahawks.  French Mirage fighters were tearing Libyan tanks to pieces outside Benghazi.  The lopsided battle of rebels against armor flipped.  It was now a more lopsided battle of Libyan ground troops without air support against fighter jets.

I know that depending on your politics there are 100 things wrong with us attacking Libya.  But I love to watch CNN when poop happens anywhere in the world.

OK, that's the good one.

Last night I went to a Church group meeting and remembered exactly why I joined the Army.  The one hour meeting was to decide if we as a group should join with a local group that helps single mothers and help one single mom for one year--a commitment of an hour or two per month.  The group discussed why and why not for a whole hour and reached no decision.  In fact, we have a vague plan to further discuss it at the next meeting in two weeks.

I had forgotten, but remembered last night that this kind of thing was one of the reasons I re-enlisted four years ago.  I had volunteered for a few different local ministries, but I wanted to do something, not talk and talk and talk about it.  I also, to my own shame, would volunteer and then something else would come up--like working late or a bike ride--and I would beg off whatever charity thing I was supposed to do.  I knew if I enlisted, service would not be optional or subject to my whims.  I also knew that when I was assigned a task, it would not include a long process of deciding whether it fit with my feelings.

At the next meeting I expect my wife and another woman in the group to take the lead and we will help one of the single moms from this group.  After all, the most clear command in the Bible, for those who take it literally, is to help widows and orphans.

Boss Goes Extra Mile on Army Guard Service

My employer has always been great about my service in the National Guard--although very surprised that I signed up.

Last month I talked with my new boss about my vacation plans and said I was planning a couple of weeks away with my kids plus unpaid leave for summer camp.  She didn't know sumer camp was unpaid leave.
She said she would talk to our leadership team about changing that.  Today she told me they agreed and beginning in June I will be on paid leave for summer camp.

Wow!!

Serving on active duty in the states is a very big pay cut for me, so paid leave is quite a big deal.

We had a ceremony several months ago when the Army gave CHF a thank you certificate for supporting the Guard and Reserves.  I'll have to see if there is a new category they fall into now.
From the left:  SFC Albert Newman (retired) ESGR Representative;  Tom Tritton, CHF President and CEO; Denise Creedon, Vice President (my boss), and me.

Lining up for Fuel

At Last Drill, Echo Company set up a night FARP (Forward Arming and Refueling Point).  Lucky for me, they set it up in mid-afternoon so I could shoot pictures.  Just before dark, this pair of Apache Longbow helicopters flew in for fuel.  They had to wait a few minutes while the fuelers transferred fuel from one tanker truck to another, so I did not get pictures of the fueling operation.  I did get Blackhawks and Chinooks getting fuel which I will post tomorrow.  


I like watching the Apaches circle and swoop down to the fueling area.  

Screws Out for Summer!!!

All three of my daughters were on Spring Break last week.  Lauren scheduled the surgery to remove the plate and six screws from her finger--she had a compound open fracture at the beginning of the Soccer season last fall.  

Surgery was Friday, the 4th.  She started moving the finger on Saturday and was back on the elliptical on Sunday.  Therapy started Monday and she returned to school on Friday the 11th mostly recvoered.

She asked the doctor for a picture during surgery.

Here it is:

Catching Up--Fuelers in the Snow

These pictures are from January.  A convoy of Echo Company fuelers were heading out to set up a fuel point for aircraft.  Their 8-wheel-drive HEMMT fuel trucks are great in the snow.

More Combat Life Saver Training Photos

More photos from Combat Life Saver training.  The "casualties" refilled the blood bags before each team started the training.  They said it definitely washed out--they hoped.

Combat Life Saver Training

At the February drill weekend, 46 soldiers in our battalion took part in Combat Life Saver training.  One day was class training, the second day was hands on training in the Medical Battalion Training Site.  They trained in smoke, noise, low light, rubble and with fake blood squirting out of the casualties.  Here is the first batch of photos.  More soon.