By duper, on September 2nd, 2011
 Well, where were you one year ago? I know where I was. Let me pause here already, I was wanting to write this post a couple of days ago, but time has been a little out of my control lately.
One year ago on Aug 30, 2010 I was saying my oath of enlistment, again, and then getting on a bus to go learn to be a soldier, again. In that year, WOW what has happened?
My first stop was in WTC at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. This was a month long course that served as a mini-basic training to get us back in shape and learn how the Army does things. The majority of the trainees there were coming to the Army from other services. You can read more about my WTC adventures here.
The second duty station was for Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. This is where I learned to become a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Specialist. The training here took about four months. There were about 110 students in my class, with eight of us being either prior service or existing service and changing MOSs. The eight of us lived apart from the new trainees and had more freedom, so it was pleasant. I even got to drive back home to Dallas to see my family a couple of times. All the gory details of my adventures during AIT can be found here. While I was there in AIT I was working to get my records updated with all of my old schools and awards. That didn’t work out so well, but it did facilitate the opportunity for me to talk to the right people to get me into an Airborne assignment. So I requested to be assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
My first permanent duty station this time around is of course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina with the 82nd Airborne Division. I spent the first week in an in-processing unit and after that on my first day in my new unit I was told, oh by the way, we’re about to go to JRTC for a month and then we’ll be deploying to Iraq.  umm, YAY!?!?!? Fortunately I was able to take 10 days to get my family situated and we were even able to get into on post housing right away, so things worked out pretty smoothly. Then I was off to Fort Polk, Louisiana for a month of training. When we got back from JRTC we were able to take 14 days of leave. We had my grandmother come and stay with us for one month to include the leave time, so we had a great time. Bride and I were able to sneak off to the beach one day for a date. We took everyone down to the ocean and stayed for a weekend so we could play. And of course we spent lots of time running around the Fayetteville area just having fun.
When it was time to deploy here to Iraq, our first base of operations was in Al Asad Air Base. We spent about two months there and took advantage of the time to get acclimated to the heat of Iraq, as well as get our operational plans in place.
We’re now in Baghdad, Iraq doing what soldiers do.  Running missions, being prepared to support our fellow troops and generally counting the days until we are heading home. I even celebrated my 40th birthday here in Baghdad. Here are my posts on what I’ve seen and done so far in the 82nd.
So in this last year the Army has sent me to six different places to live for one month or more. It has made for an interesting year and the time has FLOWN by. I’m grateful to God for calling me to this path as I’m having fun and I see Bride and Bug both growing so much throughout the challenging situations they have faced.
It has been a great, but challenging year. I’m glad I’m here, I’m glad I am back.
Oh, and one year and two days after re-joining the Army I pinned on sergeant stripes again. I see God working, he is taking care of us and I couldn’t be more excited to see how he uses us next.
By duper, on August 13th, 2011
Well, just a couple of days ago I turned 40 years old. Ya know, I actually feel pretty good about it. I may be in a profession where most of the people are half my age, but I’m doing alright. Plus I have experience on my side. I’ve done this stuff before. 
Bride is AMAZING, she sent me a box for my birthday that had 40 cards from different friends and family, plus a “party in a box”. The party box contained plates, napkins, birthday candles, plastic ware, rubber frogs (I’m sure those are from Bug), two kinds of icing for the cake (yes cake, I’m getting there), sprinkles for the cake, the family birthday sign and a couple of balloons. In addition she and Bug made two kinds of cake, Guinness Chocolate and Vanilla Sprinkle cakes in mason jars so they wouldn’t go bad. Bride sent the box about three weeks early to make sure it got here in time. Crazy mail system, this is one of the few things I got quickly, in less than a week!!! So I opened all of the cards and everything else, but kept the cake for my actual birthday.
On my birthday, all of my team was off of work except me, so I waited until the next night and took everything out to our truck. By the red lights inside the vehicle we set out the spread and ate. The cake was wonderful, almost as wonderful as my bride. I’ll go ahead and include photos of things here.
All of the cards lined up.
The “party in a box”.
Look at all of these cakes!!!
Having cake at the back of the MRAP. (sorry the lighting isn’t
so good)
I just want to thank Bride, Bug, my family and friends that all took the time to send cards, a cd, and coffee. I had a great birthday thanks to all of you.
By duper, on July 22nd, 2011
Back in when we were in Al Asad, Bride sent me a box of goodies and in it was a Frisbee. I LOVE to toss a Frisbee around, so my roommate and I would go out in the evenings and toss it around for a while. We quickly found that the winds here were a little strong for the lightweight disk she had sent, so I ordered a 170gr disk off of Amazon. Once it arrived there were many evenings after chow that we hung out in the motor pool and tossed it around for an hour or so. Just a great way to spend some time relaxing and being normal. I thought I’d include a few pictures of our frivolities here.
The new frisbee.
Disk in the air.
Disk in the air 2.
Caught through the legs???
By duper, on July 18th, 2011
Well I know its been a few days but we’ve been pretty busy. We got word that our squadron was going to move from Al Asad to Baghdad, so we were packing and getting everything ready to move. We had a few days to get all of that completed and it all went pretty smoothly in the grand scheme of things.
The armorer and I focused on getting the arms room packed up back into its container. Of course we also made us of that space for a few of our own items. I was happy to be able to bring my coffee maker, folding chair and my rug. It may sound silly, but having a rug to rub my feet on after wearing boots all day is like a little piece of heaven. And the coffee maker… well if you know me then I need not explain. 
Our convoy traveled mostly at night and I was the company commander’s (CO) gunner. I spent most of my time up in the gun turret of our mine resistant ambush protected vehicle (MRAP). My job was to watch for any person, vehicle, place or thing that looked like a possible danger to our MRAP or the convoy, and of course if there was a threat to engage it with my M240 machine gun. Our driver was kind enough to find a spotlight that we were able to mount on the gunner’s shield and we used it to look further out than our standard light kit allowed us to see. It proved very helpful when we were scanning. The drive ended up taking over seven hours, but we are thankful that it was a good trip where nothing happened. No IEDs were hit and no one shot at us.
Since we arrived here in Baghdad we’ve been refitting and getting everything ready to roll out on missions when we are called. We’ve gotten settled into our new housing areas and our new work spaces. The conditions here are much nicer in some instances but not as nice in others. The PX here is the biggest in Iraq, but our motor pool is just a field of rocks. Oh, and our chow hall is huge as well and offers an amazing selection of food. I think the part that makes this place better is the availability of parts and repair facilities for equipment.
Well, tomorrow I actually get to sleep in a little bit, so I think I’ll get this posted and head to bed.
By duper, on July 4th, 2011
 Yesterday we were awarded our “Combat Patches” formally known as “Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, Former Wartime Service” (SSIFWS) in Army terms. I have to admit feeling a little funny about getting this combat patch. Combat patch, I haven’t seen any combat. No one has shot at me. I’ve left the base only three times since I’ve been here, and those three times have been to go to a shooting range just outside of the gate. I don’t deserve a combat patch for this. This place is safe, I mean S.A.F.E.
Or at least as safe as any place can be in a country that is at war. There is the crux, this country is at war. American servicemen are still dying here. We weren’t awarded combat patches, we were awarded a patch that designates the unit we served in a war zone with. One need not get shot at to be awarded this, that is what the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Combat Field Medic Badge and the Combat Action Badge are awarded for.
So I accept the patch that I’ve been awarded. I will wear it with pride, because of the unit I’m here serving with, the men and women that are here with me. The 82nd Airborne Division has a great history and pride. The soldiers that serve in the 82nd are second to none. I am proud to serve with my Airborne brothers and sisters here in Iraq.
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