Media Interactions and Other Things

Just wanted to take this time to thank KIMT for their coverage of the 1133 & 1168 while we prepare for deployment to the Middle East. I've received quite a few comments and emails from families and friends of the unit for helping keep them in the loop of our activities and the view into our lives as soldiers. As time goes on I will try to continue focusing on the various daily aspects of our lives in the military and sending reports to KIMT covering what we are up to (Public Affairs approving). Its my intent to sooner than later show a glimpse into something most people forget we have: a sense of humor. My first attempt wasn't well received (a Powerpoint presentation explaining the term Death by Powerpoint), but its all good as other things have come up that I'm sure will be OK'd by the Powers That Be.

The above video was shot earlier this week when Jaime Copley and David Pint (KIMT's photojournalist) visited the unit during some field training at Camp Dodge. It was a good day, and I found out that media types don't like MREs (Meals Ready to Eat...our rations in the field) all that much better than soldiers enjoy eating them.

On Wednesday the Globe Gazette visited us out in the field as well. I'm not sure why, but those guys never talk to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for an interview with them (unless I'm the one doing the interviewing), but I do find it odd that they check my blog at least once a week and have yet to drop me a line. Maybe they're timid? ;)

So, on to the "Other Things". First off, thank you to everyone who has introduced themselves. Between the comments and emails I have a better picture at who is interested in what I'm posting and why. All "hello's" have been conveyed to family members as requested...and most were quickly followed by an explanation as to why family members were asking me to tell soldiers they said "hi".

Second, yes I have Breakfast at Tiffany's listed as a movie on my profile and yes it is in fact on my iPod. Some have asked for the story behind that, so here's the details. About three years ago I met a gal who was almost a bigger Star Wars fan than as I am. Needless to say we hit things off between us and had an interesting, if unusual at times, relationship. One of the gal's favourite movies was Breakfast at Tiffany's and we often spoke of watching it together. Well, Life had other plans and that never happened. What did happen was me ending up with a couple of cool posters (thank you eBay) for the movie, and that song from the band Deep Blue Something going through my head and on my iPod. Eventually I broke down and watched the movie. Its cute, in an early 60's movie type way...and Audrey was rather attractive back in those days. As far as the song, its oddly descriptive of how things went with the gal. Now don't be all "I can't believe he just wrote all that". Yes I'm a soldier, but I'm also a person too.

Third is a point I'd like people to keep in mind: Those of us in the military may be soldiers, but we are still people. Just like everyone else we have our good points, our bad, our joys, our concerns, our loves, our romantic failures, our hopes, and our dreams. Lately I've noticed many of us are already tossing out ideas of what we'd like to do when we get home from deployment. I have no idea at this time how many of these will mature into actual executable plans, but I am hoping at least two of mine do. The first is to fly to Seattle, as Washington state is the only one West of the mighty Mississippi that I have yet to see, rent a Jeep (hopefully a Wrangler) drive Highway 1 down to I40 or so, and follow Route 66 back home. After a year in the Middle East, seeing the warmer parts of America will be nice. The second is to share that trip with my kids...they need to get out more.

If anyone is wondering, yes I have a blog for that road trip already. Its in-active at the moment, but before the whole Middle East thing came around I used to blog about my trips around Iowa/the United States. I'll post the name later of it as my return to home draws closer.

Overall Week 3 went well for the soldiers of the 1133 and 1168 and our training. We learned many new things, had two visits from local media types, were given a lot of new things to think about, and at the end were able to return home for the weekend to spend time with family and loved ones.

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