38 and 20

Today's blog has two topics:

1) I turned 38 today. Pretty uneventful day; got up, ate chow at 0630, drew weapons, and went to "marksmanship training." Came home turned in weapons, ate lunch, and went to work reconfiguring my 70 pounds of equipment, as the previous configuration was choking the bejeesus out of me. After that, went to the gym, ate a salad at Burger King (wasn't bad, even though they screwed up the order--- how do you screw up a salad?) and then had a beer or two in the barracks. Pretty uneventful, but I kind of enjoyed the slower pace. Nice to be under the radar once and a while. I figured I already had a birthday present this past weekend; we got to go home for a couple of days, and I got to spend some unexptected time with Shannon and Hailey (and our menagerie of dogs and cats). Tomorrow is a bit of a birthday present too-- we get to shoot. Free ammo!!!! Woooo!!! I'm pretty sure it won't be as much fun as this place, though. www.darc1.com

2) Enlisted in the Army 20 years ago today. To me this date has significance. I have often said my enlisted time as an Infantryman from ages 18-20 defined who I was as a person. I spent a good bit of today reflecting on those two years. My Drill Sergeant, Sergeant First Class (SFC) Darryl Jordan, was an enormously loud and animated man. To date, I believe he is the loudest man I have ever met. But his dominating presence commanded everyone, and I learned how you present information is often more important than the information itself. My platoon sergeant at the time, Sergeant First Class (SFC) Booker T. Daily was a jerk, but he taught us the right things, and he taught me that the decisions you make between the ages of 18-25 affect you for the rest of your life. He told me that right before I went to see the First Sergeant about reenlisting. This profound statement along with my father's advice of 'if you don't go to college now, you never will' convinced me to not reenlist and to go to college.

I have met some fantastic people in the Army. I have made great and long lasting friendships. I'd be lying if I told you I didn't meet some pure boneheads, too. But I am lucky to have learned a little from each of them. By no means am I done, I still have four years to go before retirement, as they don't count college years for service, but the past 20 or so have been an absolute blast.

Hailey (my 10-year old) is playing in a softball tournament this week in Mesquite, Texas. Good luck, Sluggo....