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| It really has been a long time since I've posted anything on here. I guess this website kind of just slipped my mind. A lot has happened since the last time I've written on here. I guess I should probably get started, this may take a little while.
So, now it's 2007. This year brought quite a few changes into my Marine Corps Career. The end of last year I finally made it into the Fleet Marine Forces. This year, I was asked by a fellow marine if I would like to go on deployment. Of course, I volunteered for this. It was what I had wanted to do since I had joined the Marines. Since volunteering for the deployment we've made several trips up to
Virginia for enhanced marksmanship training, as well as training on our
boat to prepare us for the deployment to come. There is no doubt that
we will all be sufficiently prepared for this long deployment. Since then I have learned very little as to where we're going and what we're doing. Either they are just keeping us in the dark or nobody really knows what is going to happen. All that I know so far is that in July we will be boarding the U.S.S. Kearsarge LHD3 and begin the long trek across the Atlantic Ocean. There have been many rumors so far as to where our ship will take us. Some of the places, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Djebuti, Africa seem to be the more probable choices. Others, like Iran, or even possibly Cuba, will depend soley on those nations and how they "behave" in the months to come. Being with a MEU (marine expiditionary unit) leaves our final destination up in the air until the time comes. We will be capable of going anywhere in a moments notice. This is really all that I can say about this right now.
One bad thing is that I will not be able to take leave and go home before I leave. While this sucks, I know that I'll be able fine knowing that, next July, a couple months after I return from this deployment, I will hopefully be buying my first motorcycle. My dad keeps taunting me with that fact and gets me more excited every time I think about it. He has planned to ride back with me from North Dakota to North Carolina. That will be a great time spent with my father if we do it.
I've noticed that whenever I go home, everyone has changed so much. Everybody who went to college or is working for a few years before they go has become fat. Some more than others. Who knows, maybe it is I that have changed. I realize, now and then, that joining the Marines really has been good for me. I've learned how to conform quickly to my surrounding and to not be overwhelmed by having to move to a whole new location and meet all new people. In doing this, also, you learn who your real friends are. You see who stays in touch with you. I've also learned that most of your friends in the marines are closer friends than any that you'd meet as a civilian. You are bound together through similar suffering and struggles. You'll meet a lot of friends in your life time who will say that they'd take a bullet for you but rarely will you meet one that, if the time came, actually would. I know that most of my friends in the marines would, if I got into any trouble, would be there to get in trouble with me or back me up and help me out.
Now saying that, I wonder as to why I'm getting out of the marines. I know that there are a lot of things I can't have while in the military, but at the same time I know I'll miss a lot of things I had while I served. The Marine Corps also made me appreciate small things in life and has shown me that these things can be taken away from you without even a though. It will be a tough decision when the time comes, and I know that whichever decision I make, it will have to be a set decision that I won't regret later.
I suppose that this is enough to write for now. Feels good to write again. I'll have to try and keep up with it until I leave. Unfortunately, I won't be able to be on here at all once I leave. But as soon as I get back, I'll try to keep up to date again.
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| So, another Christmas has come and passed. As I look outside it's impossible to tell that it's even the Christmas season. With the temperature averaging 70 degrees and rain pouring down it's not the sort of holiday season I'm used to. Back home in North Dakota it's usually snowy and cold this time of year. Oh well though. I suppose North Carolina does have some things that are good about it. I'll find them someday. Anyway, this is the second Christmas now away from home, and I know that next year will be the same. I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong, this is what I signed up to do. We had a good time this year. Even though we spent it watching movies and eating canned soup. For some reason, it didn't really bother me this year. I was perfectly happy and content just to be visiting with my old friend and just having a simple holiday. I hope that everyone else had a great time these past few days and have a fun time planned for this next weekend and the coming of the new year. | | |
| It's been quite a while since I last updated on here. Oh well I suppose. I just returned to North Carolina after being back home for two weeks. The time back was used mostly to relax. However, I did spend some time with the few friends I still have left hanging around Williston. I was able to spend a lot of time visiting with my Dad about cars, guns, hunting, fishing, motorcycles and of course the military. It was nice to have someone to visit with that shared the same interests as me. Unfortunately, some old friends no longer wish to know me. I respect their decision even though it is unfortunate. This is all that I'm going to write for now. Perhaps I will update again tomorrow.
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| I havn't posted for a few days. I guess it just slipped my mind. These past few days have really just slipped my mind. They've gone by so fast. Hopefully the whole next month does that. The 20th of November can't get here soon enough.
In case you didn't know, I was approved for leave last friday. My leave dates are as follows: 20 November 2006 through 05 December 2006. My flight doesn't actually leave here until around noon on the 21 and I should arrive in Bismarck at around 1830 local time. I honestly don't know what I'm going to be doing while on leave. I have been thinking about purchasing a shotgun and maybe doing some pheasant hunting. That could easily fill my mornings. Afternoons should be a different story, however, I'm not entirely positive yet. I'm hoping that I am able to see some snow while I'm home. I missed the snow last year when I was in Pensacola, Florida.
Today and tomorrow I'm preparing to go to the rifle range by "snapping in." Snapping in consists of everyone that is going to the range lying, sitting, kneeling, and standing around a barrel with mock targets painted on them. We use snapping in to work on form and trigger control as well as the other fundamentals of marksmanship. Next week the shooters will go to the actual range and begin firing. First, we will do grouping exercises to determine our rifle's zero. Monday and Tuesday will then consist of practicing our marksmanship with live rounds. Wednesday is qualification day. This is where we fire on known distance targets and earn our rating. The scores and ratings are: 0-179 Unqualified, 180-209 Marksman, 210-219 Sharpshooter, and 220-250 Expert. After the known distance qualifications are done we practice field fire on Thursday and then finish on the range with field fire qualification on friday.
I'm bored if you can't tell. I just thought of the first possible thing to write about and then did so. Have a nice evening.
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| I had a pretty good night tonight. My shop got together and had a going away party for a couple of the sergeants that are leaving. We went out to eat and everyone was drinking. The few of us that didn't drink got to watch everyone else get drunk. It was fun watching them act like they did. Only a little over a year and I'll be able to join them.
We have a football game tomorrow against a few of the other shops. Should be fun. We ended with a tie game last time. Hopefully we'll beat them tomorrow. Should be a fun time. Football always is.
But, anyway, I'm going to cut this post short. I'm a bit tired and I am having trouble finding the right words. Or any words at all for that matter. Have a nice day everyone...bye.
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