Part of my Army job is taking pictures of Army training, Army living and sometimes Army relaxing. To get to these various places I ride my bike when I can. Today I was shooting photos at the extreme ends of the ten-mile long Fort Indiantown Gap training area. In the course of riding to and from both events I put 31 miles on my single-speed mountain bike. Since the terrain here is hilly, it was a good ride on rolling hills.
In the middle of the day I took pictures and videos of teams of soldiers on the Leadership Reaction Course. This is a team obstacle course. Later I rode to the other end of the base to take pictures of a field kitchen.
I don't have those pictures downloaded yet, but I have a few from Land Navigation the day before:
Veteran of four wars, four enlistments, four branches: Air Force, Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard. I am both an AF (Air Force) veteran and as Veteran AF (As Fuck)
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
In Back of an LMTV (Army Truck)
Today I went to a land navigation course in the back of an LMTV--a big Army truck. Very much like the one below.
Here is the view from inside:
The ride was short and pretty smooth for the back of a truck. When former soldiers and retired soldiers talk about why they would never want to be back in the Army at my age, riding in the back of trucks and sleeping in open-bay barracks are among the things they never want to do again.
Ever!!!
Not to mention my recent meals. Like these hot meals served in the field:
Or for that matter, the MRE I had for lunch:
Even if people of my age mostly don't like this kind of living, I am having a lot of fun.
At least for one more year.
Here is the view from inside:
The ride was short and pretty smooth for the back of a truck. When former soldiers and retired soldiers talk about why they would never want to be back in the Army at my age, riding in the back of trucks and sleeping in open-bay barracks are among the things they never want to do again.
Ever!!!
Not to mention my recent meals. Like these hot meals served in the field:
Or for that matter, the MRE I had for lunch:
Even if people of my age mostly don't like this kind of living, I am having a lot of fun.
At least for one more year.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Getting Around. . . With a Little Help from My Friends
Since early May I have been driving a 1996 Mazda Miata! I did not buy a new car. We are officially a one-car household. We have one old car, a 2001 Toyota Prius, and ten bicycles as described here by my wife Miser Mom. It looks like one below.
But for Annual Training this year I am driving a Miata loaned to me by Kristine Chin and Rick Chu. I loaned them my tandem in 2009 when I went to Iraq, so they loaned me their two-seat vehicle this year. Having the Miata allowed me to have a car at Annual training, which will allow me to go home once or twice during the two weeks.
It has been fun to drive a car so small I sort of fall back into it. My sons were delighted. They just like the idea that their family has a really cool car, even if it's temporary. The kids at their (Lancaster) school brag about their family's vehicle--and especially when the family vehicle is a big, red crew cab Dodge Ram or Chevy Silverado pickup truck.
But the Miata is a two-seat convertible so it has real cache. Unlike when I was a kid, the five-speed stick shift is irrelevant. Few modern kids are serious motorheads. A car is just designer jeans with wheels.
It is convenient to have a car, and fun to have such an interesting car. Thanks Rick and Kristine!!!
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Taxi, Take Off and Hover Videos of Chinook Helicopters
Every time I take photos and videos of Chinook helicopters, I am too close and getting buffeted by the amazing wind from their blades. A reasonable distance from an Apache or Blackhawk helicopter is just too close to the big double-main-rotor Chinook.
Four Chinooks just after starting their engines on the flight line.
The moment of take off. I am behind a metal emergency equipment container so I don't get blown over.
Another takeoff. You can see the flattened grass from the wind.
Four Chinooks just after starting their engines on the flight line.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Army vs. Civilian View of Human Nature
During the last week my co-workers, former co-workers and I said good bye to my supervisor Mary Ellen. She is great at her job, going to a better job, and a really great person to work with. Because most of those lauding her are also smart, funny and ironic, the praise was effusive but never maudlin.
My co-workers are librarians, archivists, writers, editors and historians. Just the kind of people you would expect to think the best of others. And Mary Ellen showed confirms their belief in the inherent goodness of people. Most of them are much too ironic for a Patron Saint, but if they have a chosen philosopher it is Rosseau--people are good, only circumstances make us evil.
In a coincidence known only to me, Mary Ellen's last day of work was my first day of Army Annual Training. So while I occasionally glanced at warm and sincere messages about Mary Ellen on my phone, I moved into the world green and camouflage world where everyone is a shit-bag unless proven otherwise. Machiavelli is the Patron Saint here.
I had a brief hallway conversation with a guy I served with Iraq. We were discussing some soldiers I had to supervise the following week and what I should do on the two days I would be going Michigan.
Without changing his tone at all he said, "There should be at least one of them who is not a total drooling idiot. Leave that one in charge."
I admired the non-sexist way in which he left possibility that the one who could meet his very low standard could be a man or a woman. I really do love both worlds, but the transitions are always strange.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Photos from Boalsburg 2015 Memorial Ceremony
Here are some of my favorite photos from the annual 28th Division Memorial Ceremony on the site of the Pennsylvania Military History Museum in Boalsburg PA.
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