We Have MUSIC!

GOD BLESS THE USA!

Update: Music no longer available.
(Turn up your speakers)

When News Happens...

I report it...eventually!

Amazingly, Chris is less than two weeks from graduation. (I say, "amazingly" because my boy has faced more than his share of obstacles in the last few weeks.)

First there was the pink-eyes setback. Not pleasant, but quickly and easily curable. As I predicted, once Chris could actually see clearly again, his rifle-marksmanship improved. (There was something he said about some problem with his rifle, but I had no idea what he was talking about, and couldn't find anything on Google remotely close to what I think he said.) Apparently, everything fell into place, because he qualified. My son is now a Marksman.

Things are looking up...until Chris calls home on a Tuesday afternoon. This can't be good... He's in the emergency room. Dear Lord...He sprained his ankle. Whew! A sprain? Well, could've been worse...

Chris' only concern was having his graduation date delayed. He is absolutely determined to graduate on-time, with his platoon. I told him to try to take it easy on the ankle when he's given the chance. He told me he would, but he wasn't going to let this hold him back. (This is a new development in Chris' character: in the past, when faced with a set-back, Chris would throw in the towel. Now he's talking about doing whatever it takes. Quitting- even slowing down- isn't an option.) I am impressed.

Then, Friday June 9th came, and everything ground to a halt. The unexpected passing of his grandfather seemed to break the resolve that had kept Chris moving forward through his potential setbacks. He wanted to come home for the funeral. Nothing else mattered.

(If you haven't read about the extraordinary measures the Army took to help Chris get home without jeopardizing his graduation status, you can read about it HERE.)

I have to say, although the circumstances were heartbreaking, it was a wonderful experience having my son home for a few days. While waiting for his flight to arrive, I really didn't know what to expect. Naturally, he was one of the last people off the plane...

And he looked bigger! He hasn't been gone all that long, but I swear- he looked bigger! Maybe, it was the uniform. Maybe, it was the way he carried himself. Maybe, he's put on a couple of pounds (muscle, of course- he's always been blessed with a slim physique.) Whatever it was, I marvelled at his transformation as I hugged him through my tears.

I think Chris may have been surprised at the grateful remarks he received from perfect strangers. I am positive he understood his worth as an American Soldier by the time he returned to FLW. During his brief stay I noticed some remarkable changes. First of all, he speaks louder and clearer. (This is a good thing, because he always used to sound like he was talking with a mouthful of marbles.) Second, he is polite- to everyone. He said "yes sir" or "no ma'am" to cashiers in stores. Third, he's more generous. (Yes, it wasn't too long ago, when he wanted everything in the world, and not only that- he felt entitled to it. And if he couldn't have it, that was the end of the world.) Now, he's offering to help me get things.

All of this, and he's still in basic training. Color me impressed!

Holy Cow! We've been noticed!

Tanker Brothers - Two Soldiers In The War On Terror

Real soldiers with a real blog have stopped by- and actually gave us a plug!

I am honored.

Mike Antonucci: Mercy Links vs. Godzilla

Our very first link!

No! It is NOT a pity link!

(Okay you thesaurus-wielding killjoys...I know "mercy" means pity!)

Today, Mercy Link; tomorrow, Technorati Domination!

Mike Antonucci: Mercy Links vs. Godzilla

List of Army Acronyms and Expressions

Sometimes, Chris forgets I am a civilian. I have realized that sharing a conversation with my soldier entails alot of acronyms on his side, and alot of "Googling" on my side.  (Note to the preparers of the "Guide for Future Soldiers and Their Families": glossaries are good...a pull-out civilian "cheat sheet" even better!)

The Fantasticalest people at Wikipedia have rescued me from many a "huh?" moment the past couple of months with their Awesometacular list of Army Acronyms and Expressions. I'm sure this isn't complete, I hope it's accurate. At any rate, for those of us that don't say "hooah" at the end of every other sentence, here's your very own Army to Civilian Pocket Translator:

Official acronyms and initialisms

• 5-Ton - Refers to any tactical truck with a cargo capacity of 5 tons.
• AAM - Army Achievement Medal.
• AAR - After Action Review (formerly: After Action Report)
• ABN - Airborne
• AC - Aircraft Commander
• ACU - Army Combat Uniform.
• AIT - Advanced Infantry Training; Advanced Individual Training (specialty training post-BCT).
• ALICE - All-purpose LIghtweight Carrying Equipment.
• AO - Area of Operations.
• APC - Armored Personnel Carrier.
• APFT - Army Physical Fitness Test
• ARCAM - Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal.
• ARCOM - ARmy COMmendation medal.
• ASAP - As Soon As Possible (pronounced AY-sap), but usually meaning "Do it right now."
• ASI - Additional Skill Identifier; such as F7 (Pathfinder)
  or W5 (Jumpmaster). Used at the end of an MOS code to designate skill
  trained personnel. Example: 11B4VW5= 11B (Infantryman) 4 (Skill level 4
  or SFC/E-7) V (an SQI or Skill Qualification Identifier of V equaling
  airborne ranger) W5 (Jumpmaster).
• ASOC - Air Support Operations Center
• ASW - Anti-Submarine Warfare
• AWOL - Absent WithOut Leave (ie. not at one's place of duty, and not authorized to be absent, for more than 24 hours)
• BAH - Basic Allowance for Housing (formerly BAQ)
• BAQ - Basic Allowance for Quarters
• BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge (slang for Bad Conduct Discharge = Big Chicken Dinner)
• BDU - Battle Dress Uniform
• BCT - Basic Combat Training (familiarly: Basic Training or Basic), Brigade Combat Team (see also HBCT, IBCT, SBCT)
• BEQ - Bachelor Enlisted' Quarters
• BOQ - Bachelor Officers' Quarters
• BX - Base eXchange: Air Force name for a PX (see below).
• CASEVAC - CASualty EVACuation
• CBR - Chemical-Biological-Radiological (See NBC)
• CIB - Combat Infantryman Badge
• CO - Commanding Officer (also: conscientious objector)
• COB - Close Of Business - the end of the day or duty shift.
  Meaning: by the end of the duty day. Usage: "Get that to me by COB
  today!!!"
• CONUS - CONtinental United States
• CQ - Charge of Quarters. A company-level position of
  responsibility for units who house troops in their areas. Given to a
  mid-level or junior NCO who is responsible for the company's barracks
  and area during off-duty hours when the company commander and/or First
  Sergeant are not present. Lasts from COB (usually 1700 hours) to First
  Formation (usually 0600 hours) the next day during the work week. On
  weekends the duty hours are adjusted accordingly.
• CWO - Chief Warrant Officer
• DA - Department of the Army
• DCM- Distinguished Conduct Medal
• DCU - Desert Camouflage Uniform (not official)
• DD or DoD - Department of Defense
• DFAC - Dining Facility (Mess Hall or Cafeteria)
• DPICM - Dual Purpose Improved Comventional Munitions (An Artillery Round)
• DX - Direct Exchange (of damaged equipment)
• ETS - Expiration of Term of Service (scheduled date of separation from active duty).
• FARP - Forward Area Refuel/Rearm Point/Position
• FEBA - Forward Edge of Battle Area
• FTX - Field Training Exercise.
• GMC - General Military Course
• GCM - Good Conduct Medal
• HBCT - Heavy Brigade Combat Team
• HE - High Explosive
• HEMTT - Heavy Extended Mobility Tactical Truck.
• HMMWV Humvee - High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle
• IAW - In Accordance With
• IBCT - Infantry Brigade Combat Team
• IED - Improvised Explosive Device
• IG - Inspector General
• IRR - Individual Ready Reserve
• KIA - Killed in Action
• LBV - Load Bearing Vest, for carrying ammunition, water, and other tactical loads while in the field, or during an assault
• MEDEVAC - MEDical EVACuation to an aid station or field hospital, usu. by air ambulance
• MIA - Missing in Action; missing in a battle situation, not known if alive or dead.
• MLRS - Multiple Launch Rocket System
• MM- Military Medal
• MOAB - officially, Massive Ordnance Air Blast (slang:
  Mother Of All Bombs-a dig at Saddam Hussein's characterization of his
  defeat in the First Gulf War as the "Mother Of All Battles").
• MOLLE - MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment
• MOS
  - Military Occupational Specialty—formal job classification, usually
  expressed as a number or number/letter combination— e.g., 11B
  Infantryman.
• MOPP
  - Mission-Oriented Protective Postures - Established procedures to deal
  with the effects of CBR/NBC weapons use. Chemical Protective Suits are
  called "MOPP suits".
• MP - Military Police.
• MRE - officially: Meals, Ready to Eat; (slang: Meals Rejected/Refused by Ethiopians or: Meals Rejected by the Enemy)
• NCO - Non-Commissioned Officer: an enlisted person with command responsibility; Corporal to Command Sergeant Major ; see also Specialist.
• NBC - Nuclear-Biological-Chemical weapons, equipment, environment, and procedures
• O/O - Order of Operations
• OCONUS - Outside CONtinental United States, includes Alaska and Hawaii
• OCS - Officer Candidate School
• OLC - Oak Leaf Cluster (signifying subsequent awards)
• OPORD - Operations order
• OSUT - One Station Unit Training; combination of BCT and AIT where the soldier remains in the same unit for both training portions
• PCS - Permanent Change of Station, reassignment to a different duty station
• PERSCOM - PERSonnel COMmand, short for United States Army Personnel Command. Now known as HRC, or the Human Resources Command
• PIR - Parachute Infantry Regiment.
• PLF - Parachute Landing Fall
• PMCS - Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services
• POV - Privately-Owned Vehicle, a soldier's personal automobile.
• POW - Prisoner of War
• PW - Prisoner of War
• PT - Physical Training. Used in the plural (PT's), it refers to the PT Uniform.
• PX - Post eXchange. A multipurpose store which usually includes a barber shop and a convenience store.
• REMF - Rear Echelon MotherF*cker - To Combat Arms soldiers, anyone other than them
• RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade
• ROTC - Reserve Officer Training Corps, often pronounced ("ROT-SEE")
• SDO Staff Duty Officer - Same duty as CQ (see above) but done by a Senior NCO at Battalion level or above
• SBCT - Stryker Brigade Combat Team
• SOCOM-Special Operations COMmand. This is the military
  organization that oversees the activities of such elite units as the US
  Navy SEALs and US Army Delta Force among others.
• SOP - Standard Operating Procedure
• STRAC - STRategic Army Corps;
  STRAC units were those designated to be on high alert to move anywhere
  in 72 hours or less; as slang, means tight, together, by the book; when
  said with sarcasm by a combat unit about a REMF unit it refers to
  stupid troops running around in circles
• SITREP - SITuational REPort
• STX - Situational Training Exercise
• TC - Tank Commander
• TDY - Temporary Duty
• TF - Task Force
• USAREUR - US Army Europe (HQ: Heidelberg)
• UXO - UneXploded Ordnance
• XO - Executive Officer (officer second-in-command to the CO)
• V/R - Very Respectfully. The standard closure line on official mail/e-mail
• VBIED - Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device
• VDM- Visually Distinguishing Mark
• WO - Warning Order
• WP - White Phosphorous
• ZI - Zone of Interior, the United States. See also CONUS, which is more commonly used

source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Army few get to see...

Chris' grandfather (my father) died suddenly Friday, June 9th. With heavy hearts, we contacted the Red Cross to get word to Chris at Ft. Leonard Wood. Chris was very close to his "Paw-Paw." And his Paw-Paw was extremely proud of him.
(As a parent, it broke my heart to have a stranger deliver this news to my son. Even worse, knowing he had to endure this grief over 800 miles away from his mother's arms.)
He took it very hard. He called home. He wanted to come back for the funeral.

A dilemma.

Chris has been working very hard to graduate on schedule. It was the most important thing in the world to him until that day. His grandfather would never have wanted him to jeopardize this goal on his account. Never. No way.

But Chris needed to be here. He needed to say "good-bye."
(Keep in mind, this is my first foray into the Army way of life, so I have no idea what the protocol is in these situations.)

What I learned is that the Army truly takes care of their own- even the E-1's. By the time I hung up the phone, the process of getting Chris home had begun. I didn't even have to think about graduation, because the "powers that be" in FLW would take care of that. I spoke with Staff Sgt. N- and when I say this man "lives the Army values," I mean I was humbled by his concern, and grateful for his knowledge and authority to "take care of things" on their end.

Chris could come home for 5 days without jeopardizing his graduation. If I could get the flight out of Springfield, Staff Sgt. N. would make sure Chris was on it.

***A most important, heartfelt "thank you" to the Officer (who's name I have unfortunately forgotten) who made the two-hour drive to the Springfield airport, so a grieving mother and son could be together in their darkest hour.***

Our entire family is deeply touched and sincerely grateful to everyone at Fort Leonard Wood who helped to make this difficult time just a little bit easier.

God Bless You & God Bless the USA.

In Loving Memory

July 25, 1946-June 9, 2006
Beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, nephew, friend
We Miss You.

Bump in the Road

   
M-16 Rifle

    Basic Rifle Markmanship (BRM) is proving more difficult than Chris expected.  It doesn't help that his pink-eye spread to both eyes!  Although it's clearing up, he's still having trouble with his M-16.  He's really not used to having trouble doing something. To be honest, I can't think of a single thing he has ever set out to do, that he hasn't been able to do well, and with ease. (Of course that doesn't mean that he actually applies himself when the situation calls for it- i.e. his last five years of school...)
    I don't know anything about firearms, so this is a situation where I can offer encouragement, but not advice. So, I just reminded him that he can certainly do anything he sets his mind to, and not to get too discouraged (he's only been at it a week- with a visual handicap at that,) because all he needs is practice.
    In my opinion, if there is a single skill a soldier must master above anything else, it's how to fire their weapon accurately and with confidence. I know Chris can do this, and I know the thought of repeating this course of training is terribly disheartening to him, but for his safety and the safety of his comrades and innocent civilians, I hope he will come to understand just how important this phase of training truly is.

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Actual News, Part 2

In a letter dated 24May06,
Chris writes:
1. Got pink-eye
a.It is Warrior Tower day and he is not able to do it. b.Drill Sgt. says he can make it up so he's still on grad status so far.
2. Got gassed in gas chamber.
a. He made it through "cheering and everything!" b. It didn't bother him much. c. It was pretty cool.
3. Unsure if he will get to do pugil training/testing until he gets checked out at "sick call."

A LITTLE LAGNIAPPE:

Straight from the soldier's pen:

...I get homesick and lonely I also miss my friends but I'm in one of those situations where I have walked too far forward to move back and I even got a shot in my butt and about 12 or 13 in both of my arms. I got gassed and yelled at so I'm definitely staying but to sum it all up it is mostly fun and it is going by quickly. But sometimes it is boring when we are not doing anything but I'm making it so tell everybody I'm having NO trouble. Oh, and one more thing before I go- I made a check list for the car in order: [and a detailed list it is!]
...and when you come to grad. have a mini-cooler of Monster Energy Drinks-I'll buy up to $50 worth-haha!
Oh ok I'm gone...

How about that? My eternal pessimist is looking at the "bright side!"

Lots of photos (like those above) of current BCT at Ft. Leonard Wood are online HERE!

Once more, in English...

Things have somewhat settled down, and in addition to my weekly phone calls, Chris also manages to send out a letter now and then. This is good. I have realized however, that the Army may be overlooking a valuable addition to their encryption/decryption department. Let me explain...

From all outward appearances, a letter from Chris seems normal. Then, I open the envelope. Somewhere between "Hey Mom" and "I love you-BYE" my mind goes into "safe mode." (Anyone who's spent a moderate amount of time with a pc has probably cursed their way through "safe mode.") For those who haven't, when your computer isn't thinking right, it reverts to its most basic mode of operation. (Supposedly to help its owner figure out what's wrong and fix it.) When my mind goes into "safe mode," I can still breathe, speak, and read- only I'm not making sense of any of it. (I pretty much spent my entire senior year in high school calculus operating in "safe mode." )

I would wager some of Chris' letters could keep cryptologists busy for hours. Now, in fairness to my son, my confusion doesn't stem from poor spelling or grammar. The words are usually legible. It's more the pace and direction he takes. (Imagine a kitten in a playroom filled with balls of string- kittens love string. Now, imagine 20 kittens in a playroom filled with balls of string....they're all over the place, and they get there with blinding speed!) That's what it feels like reading some of his letters.

The thing is- I absolutely LOVE them! I know that he is spending what little free time he has writing to his mom. He may have 50 things to tell me about and 20 minutes to write them. For the first time in a few years, he wants to tell me stuff!

I love every word he takes the time to write....even if I do need a decoder to read them!

Next entry: Lots of news, decoded and declassified!

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