I’ll admit it, I’m guilty of it too.  We came here for this mission to help “shut ‘er down.”  It’s gonna be a simple mission with no serious dangers in our way.  It was going to be too easy. 

Just the other day I had a nice dose of harsh reality and it had a major impact on me for some reason.  Mainly because I thought we were in this fake “bubble” where nothing was going on.  As I was sitting at work the other day, I opened an attachment in my email that, among other things, contained a few significant activities (SIGACTS) in another part of Iraq that we will eventually be heading to.  It said that an IED hit a convoy and hit the gunners turret.  The gunner was KIA.

That right there stopped me in my tracks.

Now, before I go any further, all of you barracks lawyers and military spouses that think you know everything there is to know about how the military is supposed to work regarding operational security (OPSEC), you can all calm down.  This particular event happened more than a week ago and I’m sure that soldier’s family has already been notified and that route has been cleard by route clearance teams.  So shut the fuck up.

Here I am, all nice and cozy in my office digs in a supporting role to…..well….whoever it is that we support.  I read that a soldier has died from an IED strike and the sadness and remorse hit me like a train.  I felt guilty for thinking that we are here on a mission with no dangers.  All of that was in the past.  All of the insurgents were supposed to be in Afghanistan.  I guess it’s a reflection of what the focus is from the top down.  The President doesn’t care about what happens here.  He’s got priorities elsewhere.  The media is bored with Iraq so they don’t cover the things we do here now.  And our leaders didn’t prepare us and remind us for what we are dealing with over here.

As I read that SIGACT, images flashed through my head.  I wondered what his name was.  I pictured what he was doing before his mission.  Was he smokin’ and jokin’ with his buddies?  Did he just get off the phone with his wife or parents?  Is he even married?  Did he have kids?  Then I thought about his wife if he had one.  I saw the uniformed men walking up to her door and the disbelief in her eyes.  A family’s life is now forever changed.

I know it’s happened before and it will happen again.  It’s the price we have to pay for freedom.  But the mindset of the soldiers in my immediate vicinity (myself included) all think that this is just another training exercise far, far away from home.  I’ve been thinking about him ever since.  Wondering what his name was, feeling empathy for his unit and his buddies, and coming to terms with my own mortality; almost disgusted at how some of the people I live/work with are complaining about the stupidest things. 

So as we’re over here, some of us working 9-5 jobs with daily trips to the PX, and others facing the real dangers of war every day, don’t forget about us.  We’re still fighting a very dangerous enemy and we still have a lot of work to do.  Please keep that soldier who died and every other soldier that is here and in Afghanistan in your thoughts and prayers.

Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The fam and I went up to VA this weekend to observer Memorial Day and to celebrate my step-daughter’s 13th Birthday.  On Friday, we made a stop at Arlington National Cemetery to pay respects to this country’s fallen.  It was my step-daughter’s first time and I hope she got something out of it.  I know that every time I go there, I get amazed even more every time.  It is truly an amazing place.  If you’ve never been, I highly recommend going one day.

Other than that, we just visited family, went to a water park on Saturday where I got thoroughly baked and lobster-red from laying out in the sun for 6 1/2 hours.  Good times.  Then we made it back home for some good friends, good food and good beer.

I hope everyone took the time this past weekend to pay respects to the fallen in their own way.  And to also take time to unwind and get with friends and family and relax and celebrate the unofficial opening to summer.  To those who couldn’t be with their families who are still serving over seas, my heart goes out to you and don’t worry, you’ll be home before you know it.  Thanks to all the family who made my weekend what it was and especially to my wonderful wife who makes life itself more fun than I could ever imagine.

I love you all!!

I don’t know.  Maybe it’s just me.  But this repulsive, selfish, narcissistic asshole that I have to call my CIC makes me want to puke.

No respect I tell ya.  Go read this.

Illegals Xing

There’s also a comedic layer to all of this.  Well, I wouldn’t say it’s funny but the argument that Liberals make in favor of illegal immigration (that in itself is ridiculous) has to make you wonder if they’re even living on the same planet as we are. 

Anyways, in my daily readings I came across this excellent article written by J.R. Dunn over at AT.  Mr. Dunn seems to nail it right on the head when he addresses how Liberals go about arguing their points on the subject and how Conservatives fall into their trap every time.  He also raises excellent points on how to deal with this type of argument and gives suggestions on what we should do in addressing the problem.  He also quotes from an article I read the other day that waxes eloquently the exact feelings that damn near 70% + of America feels about the subject:

From Illegals and the Election:

American politicians have also put a target on their backs. To sit patiently listening to a foreign leader attack an American state is bad enough; to then give him a standing ovation makes the blood boil. Seldom has Congress displayed such open contempt for the American people, and in the midst of a national climate thick with distrust and impatience with the political establishment. Our legislators seem to be patterning themselves after the incompetent staff of the Chernobyl reactor installation, who decided to shut down all safeguards and run the thing flat out to see when the roof would blow off.

The simple fact that our President and members of Congress (both Democrats and Republicans) allowed a leader from a foriegn country come to our capital and denigrate, insult and smear our laws is an outrage.  But, once again, we don’t hear all of that on the news.  It’s unfortunate the condition our beloved country has fallen under in this era of “sympathy.” 

The proverbial straws are becoming few and far between.

Well, I shouldn’t even really call him my father-in-law because he has never actually been a father to my wife.  He’s spent his life devoting most of his time to being an asshole who thinks that he can do and say whatever he wants without repricutions while everyone else around him, particularly those that stand up to him, are stupid, immature and wrong for saying what they want.

In the past, I would say that he’s a pretty funny guy and that our views are pretty much the same.  He certainly doesn’ t like this current administration and it’s policies but he’s beginning to lose it.  Recently, he posted this little gem on Facebook knowing full well that his daughter is married to and has devoted her life to her husband who is in the military (that would be me).

I think his little comment on Facebook went something like, “reading this made me nautious.”  Look for yourself.

I’m sure you were all captivated by the pretty pictures and official-looking graphs and pie charts.  I know, it took me a minute to look away too. 

Now, I don’t give a rat’s ass if any of that is true.  I know we, as a country are taxed out the ass and that at times what the gubmint does with that money can be questionable.  And everyone with an IQ that’s slightly more than a quivering blob of smagma from the underside of the balls from a water ox knows that in these times that we’re in, Defense spending is a must if we want to be kept safe from harm from abroad.  If you have a hard time understanding that, then it’s time for you to relocate elsewhere.

On a personal note, I’m horrifically insulted by the fact that someone I used to call family would knowingly post something like that on a public domain.  Granted, there are other members of my immediate family who do not necessarily have the same political or strategic views that I do and they are certainly allowed to their opinion.

But when you act like a child who throws a tantrum because not everyone is playing by your rules and then you “un-friend” us on Facebook tells me that your issues go way deeper than your disagreement with whatever the gubmint is doing with your tax money.

Just keep in mind that no matter what you believe, there are people out there fighting for you and your beliefs.  And, not if - but when the next terrorist attack happens right in your back yard and the gubmint doesn’t have any resources to combat the culprits, just thank your stars that they cut all that defense spending that you hate so much.

Sad.

Read the story here.

I blame Cisco.

Sitting in a Cisco routing class listening to a monotone instructor talk about PPP, Frame Relay, ATM (no, not that ATM you sick little monkey!), and frame encapsulation really dries up all those creative juices.  Fortunately, I’m proud to say that I haven’t fallen asleep…….yet.  But that might have something to do with my constant eating, drinking water and supplementation that I’ve delved into the past couple of days.

Something I’ve found quite puzzeling is now that I’m trying to loose weight again, it (fat) seems to be melting off of me with little to no effort.  I weighed myself on Monday at 220 lbs.  Tuesday I weighed in at 217 lbs.  This morning I weighed myself using the same scale at 215.6 lbs.  Five lbs. in two days?  Is that healthy?  Healthy or not, whatever it is I’m doing, I need to keep doing.  Tip:  Eating “clean” does wonders.

I was going to write something about some information that the Mrs. told me last night, but I decided not to.  Let’s just say that some of the decisions that some people make in their lives need to be a little more thought out before they act on them.  And people wonder why there are so many people so dependent on the Gubmint these days.  Luckily, I fought my way out of that same situation many years ago and looking back on it now, I wonder why I made the decision in the first place.

Anyways, I just thought I’d put something down while I have the ability to still recall my name.  Oh the power of Cisco……

No, I’m not dead.  I didn’t get captured by terrorists or aliens or the border patrol.  I’ve just been preoccupied with life.  There have been times in the past where I’ve had many-a blogs started up only to completely abandon them a few months later.  When I started “The Short Bus” – as I affectionately call this here blog – I promised myself that I would do whatever I could to keep it going.  It’s still up but I must say that my performance has been somewhat wanting.

It’s not a big blog with multiple posters to keep the tens of readers that I do have intruiged.  It’s just little ol’ me and my thoughts.  A lot has happened since Novemeber when I made my last post.  I am now an officer in the US Army and I’ve experience so many changes in that short amount of time that I guess you could say that I’m a new man.  Better?  Well, I’ll let you be the judge of that.

There are some things that need to change about my writing habits, however.  I can say that in the past I’ve been quite a bit political and have expressed my views without fear of retribution.  This needs to change  seeing as how my newly found path in my career prevents me from doing so.  Of course I could always do what I want regarding this blog, but to be on the safe side, I’ll tone it down a bit.

There’s always something to write about.  It may not be what most people want to read, but hey, I don’t really care.  And as long as the bitch I call my muse hangs around for a while, then I’ll be sure to produce more magical and intruiging readings for your daily pleasure.

Hopefully you’ll stick around and not give up on me.  And I’ll try to do the same in return.

- Spicey

Every organization has it’s stupid policies and the Army…….(laugh to myself)……is no exception.

Usually during Physical Training (PT) formation, the Platoon Sergeants (PLT Daddy’s/Momma’s) put out pertinent information that relates to our daily activities.  Make sure you make it to this promotion ceremony on Friday.  Don’t forget to donate to Toys for Tots©.  All leave forms need to be in by such and such date…..etc.  This morning’s information was a gem.

When we formed up and were waiting for 1SG to take charge of the company and fall us in, he called the PLT Sergeants to the back to brief them on today’s announcements.  When our PLT Daddy came back, he did his duty to tell us the most ridiculous piece of crap that I could stand to take at 0530 on a Monday morning.

Everyone knows that the H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccine is being distributed nationwide and it will soon be available here on Fort Gordon.  Now, the seasonal flu shot is mandatory and there is no getting out of it.  It seems that it’s no different with the Swine Flu shot.  Apparently we are on 24 hour “recall” with regards to the Swine Flu shot.

Are you kidding me?

Since when do Army units implement the 24 hour recall for a damn vaccine shot?  Especially when 99.9999999% of the people in the Army aren’t in the danger zone (i.e. small children and senior citizens).  From what I’ve been hearing and the research I’ve been doing, the H1N1 virus affects those demographic groups the most.  Most of the soldiers I know in the Army are 1)between the age of 25 and 40, 2)are physcially fit, and 3)aren’t in the medical support field.  This pretty much tells me that there are a lot more people out there that should get the shot than those of us that are in my unit.  I find it absolutely ridiculous that they would put us on some gay alert for that shot.

There was once upon a time in the Army when personnel would go on alert for legitimate reasons such as cold war exercises and terrorist threat exercises.  But since this unit can’t seem to find any good reason to waste our time properly, this seems to fit the bill quite nicely.  I, for one, am going to refuse to take the shot as much as I can without getting in too much trouble.  I’m not in any target demographic and I don’t feel that the shot will do much to ward off the infection.  But that’s my opinion.  If you decide to get the shot, by all means, get it.  I just think it’s ridiculous that they put us on 24 hour alert for something that I don’t think we need.

Go Army.