Writer's Block

I'm not really sure what to write about tonight. The different platoons are all on different training schedules and I haven't had much time to coordinate with members of each of them to see what has been going on with them. Some unit members I haven't seen since the flight from Camp Dodge to here at Ft. Bliss. As I think I may have stated in a previous posting I have yet to receive approval from Public Affairs for posting video, and I haven't received the memo authorizing me to video tape any of our training...times like this I think I should have made arrangements to do stories for the newspaper instead of the television station.

What I can say at this time is that I appreciate our single-stall showers. They even have changing areas in them, which is quite the change from the open shower at Camp Dodge. The increase in sinks and toilets in the latrine is nice too, as well as each of us having our own wall locker.

I am looking forward to tomorrow's training as we'll be learning a limit amount of Arabic, designed to assist us in interacting with Iraqis if we should happen to be doing check-point operations or are stopped along the roadside for any reason. Part of that fact annoys me though, for last Spring I requested permission to attend a three-week course in Jordan for Cultural Awareness that included two hours a night of Arabic language as well as some other topics we have been training on recently. I was told the course would not be worth-while for the State to send me to, yet here we are learning all the stuff now...and the only cost the State would have had to send me to the training was my basic pay and transportation to and from Washington D.C. for my flight. Once again I had an idea that was ahead of my times I guess.

I'm starting to find my niche in my new platoon and it feels nice. I have never been the best at making new friends or getting to know people, but the soldiers I am now with have made it very easy to do both. For as new as I am to their routines I have felt very accepted by everyone. Its actually quite comforting as these are the people I will be spending the bulk of my time with for the next year, who's backs I will be watching, and who will be watching mine in return.

Not sure what else to say other than the picture is the scorpion I mentioned before finding on our first night in the barracks. I'd also like to once again thank all the people responsible for our receiving AAFES gift cards. Unlike most of us, instead of buying boots I used mine to offset the cost of a new Camelbak. The Army issue one isn't bad, but I need one with pockets as I have my camera and various little-but-useful items I like to carry. What can I say? I'm a gear geek.

Thank you also to everyone who has commented, emailed, or IM'd me in regards to my blog. I apologize for not having responded to everyone as our training schedule here is not what I was expecting. I will try harder to keep up with questions in the near future.

Until then, I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe, I hear Iowa is pretty close to being snow-covered lately.

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