Hello, Goodbye

Lauren and I spent our last pre-FOB weekend together yesterday and today, and I just sent her on her way to Charlottesville, VA where she has training for the next week.

The two of us have had our share of goodbyes already, but this one felt pretty final. That's because sometime later this week I'll head off to train for several weeks straight, after which I'll have a few days off before my unit deploys to Afghanistan.

So, while this goodbye wasn't our last before deployment, it does bring our unprecedented run of weekends together to an end. Namely, since this whole process started Lauren and I were together every weekend since July, with a single exception in late September. We were a Rockies-esque 16 for 17 on weekends, despite all the Army stuff going on and Lauren's cross country move from Colorado to Virginia.

And because this improbable summer that the Army has improbably gifted us is finally come to an end, things are a bit sad.

But at the same time, I'm finally about to start the Army Training I need to get my skills back to the level they should be prior to deployment. I'm excited to meet my new unit, to start building my new role on a new team. And more than anything, I'm excited to get overseas so I can do some good for some folks, then get on home once and for all.

Your dragon style is no match for my Microsoft Paint Technique

While the image on the aforementioned blog is cool and all, this is how the real playas play, Jennifer Aaker in a Yao Ming Jersey style.

And for the record, yes--I did receive business school credit for making this image. Professor Aaker is probably the coolest b-school professor ever.

Another interesting IRR blog

This one from a recent HBS grad who apparently wasted 5 years in the Army that he could have spent making bank with his crazy Photoshop/Microsoft Paint skills.

Kidding aside, this makes an interesting read...he's obviously shared many of the same emotions that all of us IRR types have. The twist is that his delay/exemption process has dragged on and on, to the point where he still hasn't reported--and still might not have to.

It raises an interesting scenario, though--on the one hand, you're glad to not have to go back to the Army just yet, but on the other hand, you were kind of counting on that paycheck from Uncle Sam to kick in. Business school kinda makes you broke, and I know that I, for one, wouldn't be financially solvent right now if the Army hadn't been paying me since June.

Checking In and Saying Hey

Hello everyone!

Obviously, I've been away for a while. After 68 posts in less than 2 months of Army 2.0, this is my first blog since August 20th. To celebrate my return I thought I'd start tonight with an update on my timeline.

I won't share exact dates (even if I had them, which I don't), as troop movements are sensitive information that I can't post in this forum.

It turns out that I am going to Afghanistan. I'm currently slated to be a Public Safety Officer for the 451st CA Battalion. I don't know what this means exactly, and I might get moved into a job before all is said and done, but I meet my new unit tomorrow so I'm excited to learn more. As best as I can tell a PSO works with the police and emergency response, that sort of thing. An interesting, important mission, though not one I know much about.

When I link up with my unit tomorrow, we start a 4-6 week block of pre-deployment training. From there we'll deploy overseas sometime in December.

Fun stuff. More to follow.