I opened a FLICKR page in Iraq and just started using it. I guess this is considered social media, but it does not connect with Facebook (at least as far as I can see) so I have not made a lot of FLICKR friends. If someone does know how to connect FLICKR with Facebook, please let me know.
Here's the page.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Barnstormers
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, my hometown for the last 25 years has a professional baseball team called the Barnstormers. They are a minor league team. My family has been to several games on different occasions. I haven't yet been to a game. I am not a fan of stick and ball sports in general, but they are the local team, so I hope to get to a couple of games before the long baseball season ends.
It will have to be a night game, because if I have that much free time during the day, I'll be on my bike.
Anyway, one of my neighbors has taken her kids to several Barnstormers games and said they are a lot of fun. Then she said, "but it's sad reading about the players, you can tell they are on the way down in not-so-great careers."
So. . .
They may not be starting for the Red Sox, but they are professional players. They get paid to play ball. How many people ever get a chance to play pro ball or get paid to play any sport as a professional? I know that there are tens of thousands of people who wish they could play pro sports for every one who makes it.
When she was making that comment, I thought about the 50 miles I rode today, part of more than 200 I rode this week trying to get to the point where I can just finish a race. Nobody among the thousands of masters amateur racers I ride with gets paid. Really hot shot riders get free jerseys and bike parts, but nobody quits their day job.
In amateur sports, as in the Army, the big dividing line is between those who do and those who don't. Often when I ride with a group of fast riders who are not racers, somebody will tell why they don't race. Usually, they are worried about crashing. I always tell them they made the right decision. Racers crash. If you don't want to crash, you should not race. Frankly, you should not ride fast or on roads either, but that's another topic.
In the same way, there is no safe way to serve. Get a guarantee for the safest job and a computer somewhere will spit out a requirement for your job in the middle of the hottest conflict. Enlisting means serving as needed. It can be dangerous.
And like racing, it is clearly not for everybody.
It will have to be a night game, because if I have that much free time during the day, I'll be on my bike.
Anyway, one of my neighbors has taken her kids to several Barnstormers games and said they are a lot of fun. Then she said, "but it's sad reading about the players, you can tell they are on the way down in not-so-great careers."
So. . .
They may not be starting for the Red Sox, but they are professional players. They get paid to play ball. How many people ever get a chance to play pro ball or get paid to play any sport as a professional? I know that there are tens of thousands of people who wish they could play pro sports for every one who makes it.
When she was making that comment, I thought about the 50 miles I rode today, part of more than 200 I rode this week trying to get to the point where I can just finish a race. Nobody among the thousands of masters amateur racers I ride with gets paid. Really hot shot riders get free jerseys and bike parts, but nobody quits their day job.
In amateur sports, as in the Army, the big dividing line is between those who do and those who don't. Often when I ride with a group of fast riders who are not racers, somebody will tell why they don't race. Usually, they are worried about crashing. I always tell them they made the right decision. Racers crash. If you don't want to crash, you should not race. Frankly, you should not ride fast or on roads either, but that's another topic.
In the same way, there is no safe way to serve. Get a guarantee for the safest job and a computer somewhere will spit out a requirement for your job in the middle of the hottest conflict. Enlisting means serving as needed. It can be dangerous.
And like racing, it is clearly not for everybody.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Awards from Iraq Presented at Last Drill Weekend
Four Companies had award ceremonies on Sunday morning, June 13. Bravo, Delta, Echo and Headquarters & Headquarters Company gave awards to soldiers in separate ceremonies during the morning. The photos of these award ceremonies are at the links below:
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Freedom Salute Pictures
On Sunday, June 13, 2-104th GSAB received a Freedom Salute ceremony honoring soldiers who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom last year, returning home in January. All deployed soldiers who could attend the ceremony were honored for their service. Photos of the ceremony are available for download on a FLICKR page maintained I set up in Iraq. To view all the photos and download yours, just click on this link.
There are 273 photos in this set. Please add identifying info to your picture or pictures and feel free to share the pictures with family and friends.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Adoption Begins
Yesterday we officially became the foster parents of Jacari Waddell. The adoption could take up to another year before the paperwork is completed. In the meantime, Jacari will be with us.
Our family now has five last names for seven people.
Monday, June 14, 2010
More Change of Command Pictures
Chaplain LaVoie making the Invocation
Master of Ceremonies SSG Shawn Rutledge
HHC Change of Command
Out-going Commanders after the ceremony
Delta Company
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Changes of Command June 13 2010
CFour companies in 2-104th Aviation got new commanders on June 13, 2010.
Battalion Formation
Capt. Shamus Cragg B Company, 1-150th
Here are pictures from the ceremony. Military tradition passes the company guidon flag from the first sergeant to the outgoing commander to the battalion commander to the new commander and back to the first sergeant. The four soldiers stand at the four points of the compass facing each other with a flag flying between them.
The ceremony is a dramatic moment for those involved. Often the out-going commander is leaving his first command. The in-coming commander has been a platoon leader or other small unit leader before, but often is stepping into his first actual command.
These change of command ceremonies are especially poignant for the men involved. Every one of the out-going commanders led their unit in Iraq. The new commanders are taking the place of combat commanders--always big boots to fill.
Battalion Formation Capt. Shamus Cragg B Company, 1-150th
Capt. Nate Smith B Company
1st Lt. Zettlemoyer commands D Company
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