I'm new and ish just got real

I've followed the blog for awhile now and loved every minute of reading the past posts. For the past ten days I contemplated writing in it at night but couldn't find the time and couldn't decide what to write. On second thought, it wasn't a matter of what to write(most people around here know there is no shortage of what could be written) but more how to write it. That said, I've decided to ease my way in with this ish.

All in all today was a decent day. Decent until someone sharted into my homemade chicken noodle soup, which sounds absolutely delicious right now(ahem, babe, are you reading this yet?). I was getting filled in on the info that got passed around while I was out, and was told that our unit cannot play any type of team sports anymore. Understandably there is risk of injury with team sports and semi-understandably there is the concept that we all need to be in mint shape to deploy(so why do we have so many broken people?). The thing that got me was the next piece of info on the list. "physical training tomorrow will be body armor PT". So let me get this straight, we can't play basketball, but running around with a 40lb vest on makes sense. Huh? PT with a 40lb vest on is a great workout, but where was the logic in the decision making process? Redonkulous.

On a more positive note, I hit the gym with one of our "more better"(goes hand in hand with "sirs", and it makes me chuckle...but not too loud, because Thor's hammer has a habit of appearing when morale gets too high) leaders. It felt great, but also painful.

Night Night world.

or "No no, please, tell me what you really think"

I'll take "Feedback from the Company-level CCS" for $200 please Alex.
Your answer: "out of touch, toxic".
What is: "How most of the Soldiers feel about their respective Commanders".
BINGO.

A topic of late "around the water cooler" here at work has been the request, by the boss, for Command Climate Surveys to be given to the Soldiers of the two units.this survey is a tool for the leadership to receive feedback, anonymously, from their Soldiers on the overall climate of the unit. It allows them to answer questions like "On a scale of 1 to 5, how much you agree with the statement 'I'm confident my leadership cares about my welfare' or 'makes sound decisions and gives me ample time to execute at my level' or 'is effective in their current position'".

The Soldiers are nervous about having their responses kept confidential, so they can be candid. The Commanders (should be) nervous about overwhelmingly negative responses. The Boss is mostly likely frustrated that he has to do this, and then work within tight limits to make adjustments.

I hope it goes off smoothly. I hope the Soldiers feel safe being honest. I really hope something changes as a result.due to my position and my rank, I am afforded some extra wiggle room for mandatory BS and additional work. I am hyper sensitive about taking advantage of it when others don't have the same options, but that's another story. I try to go through everything the troops go through, and I feel their pain. I've heard stories of hypocrisy, blatant disrespect and mandates that would make your head spin.

I'll make it a true "Daily Double" that I can call this one. Goodnight y'all.

or "Guts, and guts, and danggggeeeeerrrr!"

We kicked today off with a mandatory Counterinsurgency (COIN) Operations briefing. It went relatively well, with higher than usual motivation from the masses, false or otherwise. Here's the super summary "country can't provide, group rises up in power to either help or take advantage. We come in to fight and build structure behind whichever side we back, so that they can govern again, hopefully more effectively." Very dumbed down, but the general gist (is that redundant?)

After that I scrambled to pull a group together to head to the main base. We dropped one at the airport, sent 2 through the medical screening, sent 2 to coordinate our urinalysis supplies, one to work logistics, 3 to work weapons and supplies, and 2 of us worked certificate turn-in and schools requests. Pretty full trip. I got both a Starbucks iced and hot coffee out of the mix, so I'm a happy camper.

Back to home base after that, rolling right into a meeting. Info flies around, tomorrow is coordinated, then into the bunk early.

Ladies and gents, that's a day. Minimal bitching and griping, trying to balance this a little with all the frustration day to day.

How's regular life? Any questions I can clarify? Let's get interactive. K

Far from the Best Coast

I miss LA. I miss the Westside lifestyle. Pretty much New Texico sucks, I'll say it.  I'll say it right to the Mayor of El Paso's face.  They totally know it.

Outside of us being locked on the military base, our little glimpses of civilian lifestyle around here look...sad, and hot and sandy and rather...fat. They are free though, they are free.

Free is what I miss. I miss being at the armory in Manhattan Beach, and after checking in on my email Inbox, taking a walk up the hill at Rosecrans. Cresting over the hill and getting the full on view of the ocean and the beach.  I miss breakfast at Four Daughters Kitchen.  I could throw down a El Porto scramble WITH the cheese and the home fries. Washed down with some coffee. Good coffee.  Not coffee brewed in a "silver bullet", set to percolate again and again over the course of 3 or 4 days, until it's caffeinated sludge (which actually makes it taste better).

With this delicious grub-fiesta I miss the freedom of schedule. Here we are bound to the Dining Facility (DFAC) hours of operation. 0500-0800, 1100-1300, 1630-2000 (I think). You get there or you pursue other options.  I've missed breakfast 3 times in the past week, for scheduling conflicts, and settled for home baked cookies and a protein shake. Quite delicious, but not a full meal. You end up planning your day around chow times, which is wack, regimented, but wack, smothered in weaksauce.

I want a healthy, vegetable-laden, deliciously crispy thick cut bacon garnished, egg concoction first. Then I want a crazy Griddle Cafe gluttonous pancake stack with Peanut Bubba French Toast on the side and a giant brick of hash browns.  I want it to give me the Diabeetus (just for like 20 minutes) and I want Wilford Brimley to show up and tell me about Liberty Medical and how we can live together with our Diabeetus.  I want him to teach me the art of mustachio growing while we drink Cokes and shoot Insulin and suck on sugar free candies, because that how we do it.

If your in the Southbay, represent at FDK or Uncle Bill's Flapjack Shack and Pancake Emporium.  That's what I would do.  Relish life at the beaches, because the CONUS (Continental US) Suck exists...and these poor saps don't even know it's them (sorry anyone out here, or anywhere similar, by choice).

Cool, I'm done.  0630ish tomorrow, it starts all over again, and it's all sub par.  I'll have the bacon, eggs, and some salsa, AGAIN, for the 14th day in a row (except for the aforementioned cookie/shake days). It could be worse...but it could a lot better.

Sanctuary from the "Stupid"

ahhhhhhhhh. finished a great workout today. one hour stretching and mobilization, followed by a few light clean and jerks, then a nice sprint workout. total of 2.5 hrs. you may ask how can I do this. what happened to the army training. well ill tell you how you can be as successful as me, the BS check the box training was complete at 2 pm. no further instructions were given and i sure as hell didn't go looking. i made arrangements with a few choice like minded individuals to meet at our sanctuary "The GYM" its like a secret hiding place. no dumb ass dares go near. (wait strike that one does. probably to keep up his facade of "I'm buff you have to listen to me" anyways he is there rarely and only in areas that have mirrors.) in the gym I am the boss there isn't an army manual or regulation i have to follow to workout. freedom from the "Stupid"
definition of Stupid as of stardate 9OCT2011: wake second day in a row at 0430. go to breakfast come back put on gear including our super duper deltoid protectors and u sure as hell better have army issue eye pro on or else someone might snicker at you, mumble then whine about it later at some dumb meeting. wait 30 min because bus transportation wasnt arranged or whatever excuse THEY can come up with. roll out to a range ran by a tool that has absolutely no interest in actually training troops just sending them through the motions of training. training consists of "short range marksmanship" AKA "point ur weapon downrange and pull trigger, please god dont shoot ur buddy." 100 people trained on same 20 targets. why shoot at targets if were not getting any feedback. im a training/ teaching stickler. keep it real, keep it relevent, if you are gonna teach know the subject.
feel my anger build. i shouldn't be angry though because i listened to two freaking hours of zen audio books last night due to my jacked up sleep schedule. Tangent complete. so there I am outside in the sun with my gear on watching a bunch of quite literally undiagnosed retards fumbling with weapons. hoping mind you i dont get shot somewhere fatal. commence deep breathing technique. thoughts of the workout, thoughts of the sanctuary, thoughts of this stupidity is only temporary I will endure. laugh aloud, realize that ur anger is a waste of energy, speak with other like minded individuals. now wait til its over.
for more laughs check out "action figure therapy" on youtube. hilarious. learn to laugh often or you'll go crazy. to my wife, when i call and simply say im trying to avoid the "stupid", the above is what i mean. give baby a kiss, im spent, good night

or "No Talking, No Kissing, and No Eye Contact with the Clearing Barrels. Those are the rules, Mister."

"Just stick your finger, or flashlight, in there, if that's what you need to do."


We patrol the training base with weapons. In these weapons we have magazines with blank rounds.  The intent is to simulate the environment overseas and reinforce with the Soldiers proper handling and procedures while controlling lethal means in both combat and garrison situations.


A few years back, the term "Accidental Discharge" was euthanized, and "Negligent Discharge" emerged from the ashes.  This transition shifted the responsibility, to the individual and their leadership chain, further solidifying the seriousness. We are conditioning professional Soldiers to act swiftly and safely with live ammunition. Risk is mitigated through understanding and repetition.


Being the caring, compassionate, Soldier-focused culture that we are, when a "ND" happens, we react accordingly. From our Physical Training sessions the other day, we hear "pop pop pop" in the distance.  Our thigh stretch interupted with the unmistakable sound of blank fire. "Get some! ND's for breakfast! Better than coffee for killers!" No more than 10 minutes later. "Pop". Someone was having a bad day, and it was barely 0630.


As a corrective tool, the whole scenario is played out. [Training] letter home to the family of the [notionally] deceased Soldier. Memorial Ceremony conducted by the Chaplain, to include rememberance statements from colleagues, a 21-Gun Salute.  The whole nine yards.


Needless to say, within our entire umbrella of command we are climbing the charts.  What's your record? Pfft, we can beat THAT, in our sleep (ironicly probably part of the problem). Not necessarily the statistic the Boss is looking to grab.  "D'oh!" Achievement Unlocked.


Extra emphasis on "Buddy" teamwork, and the familiar guidance of "slow is smooth, and smooth is fast". So by theory, our barely-sub 40 BMI Soldiers should be Olympic sprinters (but I digress, that post is being drafted and should hit the press soon).


Right now, "our clearing barrells are [not] looking good", and have been taking a beating. Soldiers are starting to getting tired and slip. No bueno. Team Super Sergeant will step up, but now it's classified as reactionary.


Another day in the life. Living the dream.

or "Let's go to war this morning...to save 'Merica"

"The only way I'm dismounting during this thing, is if there's an IED...in our vehicle" says Ohio. True that. We talk big-slacker, but we like to get out and wrinkle it up a bit.

This morning we conduct the culminating event for our Fundamentals of Patrolling block of instruction. All week we've been going through classes and practical exercises for all of the pieces, and today the puzzle comes together and we are "evaluated".

My role is Mounted Rifleman, which is the tactically acceptable way of saying "passenger". "Oh hell no! Grumble, grumble, grumble, hurrumph, huurrumph. There are no passengers in a tactical convoy! Everyone has a job to do." I went through rehearsals and walkthroughs with one group, we identified and worked out a good amount of potential hiccups, and then I learned late last night that I was switching groups (to be available tomorrow for our boss' briefing, as an info resource). So now, as a last minute add-on, I ride in the back seat.

It's cool with me. I've been through this about 50 times. Let some of the young bucks get a chance to work through it. Plus, our job is in the office. Let's be real. Of course everyone needs to know, to avoid a Jessica Lynch type scenario, but our group as a whole will not be running presence patrols. It's a wax-on, wax-off paint the fence type thing. After we make it through the lanes, drop a few Crane Kicks, then they just "honk" our nose, and we bounce.

"The block is checked Sir, 3 bags full!" Stories to follow, no doubt.