Last Time

Next weekend is going to be a very sweet unexpected weekend, and a very sad and painful weekend.  I am coming home for a quick weekend, this is not expected and I am not going to be very social, so apologies in advance.  The Marine Corps is giving us a 72.  For those of you how don't know exactly what that means they are giving us 72 hours of liberty, some may think oh a three day weekend how nice, but the Marine Corps is a little more literal than its civilian counterpart a 72 is literally 72 hours from noon on Friday to noon on Monday. A three day weekend it is not but a weekend is better than nothing so I am flying home late Friday and getting back to Camp Pendleton early Monday.  After that it is off to Afghanistan and off to work.

Batman & Thomas adventure II Convoy

Batman and Thomas took off again on an adventure.  This time they went on a convoy to take 3/3 from camp Wilson, out to the 52 area, where there were setting up their forward head quarters.  (this is all notional of course in a training environment)  Anyone who has been to 29 Palms may know that this is a long way.  It took 3 or 4 hours just to get there.  On the way there it was required to take a few breaks, Thomas and Batman got out to stretch their legs and snap a couple pics. As you can kind of see from the back ground the area is kind of austere, I imagine it is a little bit what Afghanistan is going to look like.  The convoy went well, we dropped the grunts off and then headed back to the lovely camp Wilson.

San Diego

Sara was able to come down to San Diego last week and pick me up.  It was a great time, she flew in on Saturday and stayed till Tuesday, then we both flew home (the first time we have flown together).  We stayed at the San Diego Hilton right on the bay, went to Sea World, went out dancing, and toured the USS Midway.  It was a great weekend.  Thanks to Kathy for watching the boys so Sara could come down, it was great of her to take them and let Sara and I have a weekend together alone, and in San Diego no less.
I'll be on leave now till the end of the week and will have to head back to getting ready for Afghanistan.

Batman & Thomas adventure I

The adventure begins when Batman and Thomas come along with me on a trip to Afghanistan. Thomas loves his new digs and Batman swings around the place to check it out.  The squad bay at Camp Pendleton California, Edson Range, makes for an interesting night.  We pulled in for a night before we headed out to 29 Palms.  It was cool to stay at Edson Range again, the last time I was here was in 2000 while I was in boot camp.  The next stop for Batman & Thomas is the K-span at 29 Palms.

The space isn't quite as luxurious as the racks at Edson Range, but it sure beats sleeping out in the cold.  A K-span is basically a modern quansit hut, like in "Heartbreak Ridge" so a tin can on its side and buried halfway in the sand.  We slept on cots and lived out of our sea bags.  Thats it from the front with Batman & Thomas stay tuned for more adventures.

A Long Couple Months

It has been a long couple months in deed.  I have made it through Mojave Viper. A six week training and testing excercise, we did all kinds of good training.  Mojave Viper is located on Marine Corps Base 29 Palms California.  After 29 Palms we moved to Camp Pendleton California to wait for Afghanistan, I have been doing classes and training, getting my gear ready and all of those kinds of things.  This week I get to take some predeployment leave.  I am excited Sara and I are going to spend a weekend in San Diego and then spend a few days back at home. Then after I get back it should only be a couple more weeks before we are off to Afghan land. 

I want to thank everyone back at home.  The ward has been really helpful for Sara, I wish there were a better way for me to thank you all for your support.