Hello

here are some pics of the mud that i have been talking about
it was raining today so i only took a few
also i took a pretty cool pic of our lovely bathrooms...more to come

So I acquired some new photos

I have two of the sunset here in iraq which is like nothing
i have seen anywhere

The other is a pic of my platoon before we left Indiana
can you find me???

It has been raining here for two days and everything is a mess
I will take some pictures tomorrow to so you my pain

take care

hello

sorry to keep you in the dark but my internet has been down.

so up to date info here.....i have a pass coming up soon
i get to get out of here for a little bit and have a few beers and just relax
always a good thing

i want to thank everybody that ha s been sending packages....its the little touches of
home that is different with each and every box that helps the days go by over here.

if you could see the faces of the soldiers over here when we receive packages you would
see how worth it that it really is
the mail truck comes up the yard and everyone is suddenly all around
maybe i'll take some video or a pic one day and post it so everybody can see
anyways THANKS to everyone
for some reason though everyone knows i am sort of a health buff and i receive alot of junkfood
no complaints here but i think i've eaten more sweets in the last 4 months than i have in the past
2 years....trust me i love every bite

so thanxgiving past and it was like every other day
we did have lots to eat though and it almost was good...better than most days
so happy late thanksgiving to everyone

its still been raining and i still hate the rainy season....if you can imagine chocolate melted
everywhere after the rain....that is the best description i think i can give.
it stick to everything and almost looks like you could eat it

so i'm still taking it day by day and xmas is creeping up
take care everyone
and heres another pic

its a little bright but i did my best in photoshop
its actually the camera...thanks josh
its me and Baines at the M16 range

Hey Everybody

things are going well
went out on another mission
seems i will be sliptting a little time between missions
and doing the communications stuff

the days seems to be going by pretty quick cause i'm keeping busy
but i dont want to say that to loud

it rained again today and everything that was almost dry from the last stuff
is all slosh again...i think i prefer the sand

i almost have my leave dates...almost
this is for pass and i cant wait...i didnt really want to come back to the states
cause it is harder to come back after a visit like that
i would've rather spent it some place in europe but its not really enough
time to do the kinda sightseeing that i would like to do
so i opted for the states

i started shooting some video maybe a documentary in the making
i'll keep you updated on that

thanksgiving is just around the corner and never in my life did i think
i would be spending another holiday year with the army overseas
bosnia was enough but gotta hang through it
i am still wondering who the USO (http://www.uso.org/) will be sending over here if anybody
not sure how they decide who is going where

i have been getting some goodie pakages from family and friends
and let me tell ya...it's been nice(THANKS)

anyways things are good i am safe and thats all i can ask for

take care

Hey Everybody

Sorry to keep everybody in the dark
but been real busy adjusting to new things and finally moving into my room.

It's about time...cause let me tell ya i was getting used to living in tents with
way to many males and sleeping on cots...i think thats bad.
And to think the cots we actually getting comfortable. I do like my small bed
now thought that my feet practically hang off of and i am only 5'8"

Its good two man rooms and I finally have my own space so I am happy as can be.

I am also gettin trained in a new position as an assistant to the communications expert.
She has a real big job and definately needs help...lots of hours but I enjoy learning something
new and keeping my brain working.
It is very rewarding getting the communications ready for the convoys that go out.
It is really the life line and I know from experiance that everybody is worried about it
so anythig I can do to help eleviate any of the worries is great.

I dont really know how long I will be needed for this but hopefully as long as I can

Other than that...the rainy season has started here in IRAQ and it sucks.
We get the whole years worth in a couple of months so you have to understand that
the sand turns into mudd that is everywhere...oh kinda like the sand...cant win.

I have not had time to animate at all..so hopefully that will change..i have a few ideas that i hope to explore.
So instead I have just been observing the way that things move...mostly people
their actions and just the way people do their normal things.
It will help me in the long run cause at least I am still thinking like an animator!! :)

Things are always unpredictable in this life style but I guess its's like that in any profession
just we dont tend to think of it as much
But i should be able to keep you updated more often

Thanks for all of everyones support...it means alot to me
take care

and chat soon

I'm gonna try to uplode some pice of me in Indiana and Kuwait
lets see if you can tell the differance

Another thing i might have forgotten I an in souhern Iraq..Tallil Airforce Base/Camp Adder
Oh and Thomas I believe you read these...so email me man...I dont have your email

Hey Everyone

sorry its been a while since i've written
but i've been pretty busy

lets see i left kuwait and arrived in iraq
i'm safe at camp adder...tallil airforce base
whatever its called

i did send out an email to people with my address
please email me if i forgot...like i said pretty busy

not sure how the tempo will go or whats going on yet
but i'm sure i will find out soon

on a good note i think i finally found a good workout partner
so now i have someone else help motivate me to the gym
besides myself...and this way i will get huge...like the HULK

i will try as best i can to keep you informed of my job and of the country
i'm sure i will be getting to see much of it in the next year

anywyas take care
be safe
and by the way i like bannana bread

i just want to quell another myth that people seem to thin if they're from the mid west and west
that the heat which is dry is worse than southern humidity heat

well i have lived throught the georgian summers for three years and never adjusted
i have been in the middle east for a month and have already adjusted
puts an end to that

any questions or comments please contact me
thanks

Hey everybody!!

sorry it's been a little bit but things can get busy around here

so my time here is almost up and everybody knows what
that means......

I can't really give to many details about the where,when and how
the army is all about informational security and rightly so
we are at war!!

Here I have just been catching up with the training that the unit has done
packing and going to the gym...I know some things never change.

I am really just ready to go do my part i my mission and come home.
Hopefully I will have some time to animate!!!!

We did get some room assignments...two man rooms, AC and internet hook up
Not bad for only being there 4yrs. But then again we goign with the Airforce and they
are always hooked up...wait did I join the wromg branch??
Nah I love the INFANTRY

OK chat soon

So they shipped me off early to Indiana
We asked for a pass for a few days and instead
got shipped here.

I just keep trying to take it in stride.

I met up with my unit and have been doing paperwork since.
The same paperwork that I did in GA but they said I have to
do it all over again here...fun.

I got shots for typhoid, smallpox and tb.
My arm hurts where I got the typhoid but whatever.

So this is a transportation unit and they are headed to southern Iraq.
I will probably be there about a year as I guessed so I just have
to put my head down and keep going.

Hopefully the days fly by and before you know it
I'm back here get demobilized and writing on my blogg.

That's it for now.

It's been another weekend here in Ft. Benning
I've had the last two weekends off and Jen has journeyed
out this way 4hrs each way to spend a couple days with me.

We've stayed at the Marriot and let me tell ya...I miss a real bed!!!
I sleep in bunk-beds now that have a hospital stlye twin bed...very comfy

I did also get my orders....I have been assigned to a Conneticut National Guard unit that
is training in Indiana right now

They are a trasportation unit and I believe that they deliver refrigerated and
dry goods to the different bases using 18 wheelers.

They are going to Iraq.
This is about all I know right now...I will find out more when I get to Indiana
on the 27th of this month. I think I will be there for amonth training but not sure.

So the questions continue...how long will I be gone for? where exactly am I gonna
end up? what will I be doing?

Not sure of any of these things at this point. I do know that the other two
E4's that I have been training with here have been assigned to the same unit.
That is a relief going in there with people I am beginning to trust.

I will keep you updated.

A new day a new weapon

The M249 or SAW(squad automatic weapon)

here ya go

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M249

and a couple of videos of course

this first one is sort of a modified version...the next two are what we fire

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3967365650162634286&q=m249&hl=en

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-100261320268189579&q=m249&hl=en

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1284996811718106555&q=m249&hl=en

this was the weapon I carried in Bosnia and for about 3 years
needless to say I loved IT!!!!

So today was another weapons

check it out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M203

here it is mounted on the machine gun
i actually found it on a video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7024603589635728063&q=M203&hl=en

enjoy
i did

Today I fired my first weapon...well not my first ever
but my 1st since being back

It is call the 240Bravo
Doesn't that sound mean

Check it out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M240

This second one is not me of course but it gives you an idea
of the size in relation to a person rather than just a picture

http://www.ironhorseonline.org/Pictures/August/Bravo%20Troop/kuwait%20ssg%20pena%20240b.jpg

here are some vids i found
for some reason firfox doens't always work when viewing
so you might need to use explorer

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2182977127653182491&q=M240&hl=en

and

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3301002156606196315&q=M240&hl=en

So tommorrow is another day and another weapon
I am hearing different things about when and where I am going next.
I might know Friday or Saturday
Do I really want to know???
That is the question.

Well not much has happened...

I had X-mas with the military...I got issued some of my gear
clothing and such.

I have also been cleared dentally and medically, a great victory in the eyes
of the military.

I should know in two weeks actually where and when I am going, so at this
point that is wht I am anxious for...well a little nervous but I do really want to know.

Monday I start with qualifications of weapons and stuff so that should be fun as
I always love firing the militaries weapons.

Hopefully soon I will be able to post pics...we'll see
I don't have wireless on base nor do a I have access to IM so you know
how much that is killing me. They classify it as a restricted site (GAY)

Hope everyone is well...I am in the bes spirits I can be
I'll check back soon

Oh sorry before but people that dont't have an account with the blogger can now post

hey everybody

the day is finally here and i have arrived at Ft. Benning
it's ok to say the least

lots of people going to lots of places...some maybe want to some maybe don't

but overall the journey has begun and hopefully the days will fly by

1 more day to go....getting crazy

have a few pics my old roomate snapped of me

they're pretty sweet

check them out on this site

http://www.joshgoleman.com/jp/

OK
so pretty much a week till DDAY as I'm calling it
trying to get things in order...life seems to be chaotic...hmm...much
like the place I will be going

Hey

As of right now my date to report to Ft. Benning is August 6th
So I have a few more weeks and I'm back the home of the Infantry.
fun

So it seems to be working and I will keep everyone updated
Thanks for tuning in.

Hello

Today is my first post of my blog. I am basically stting this up to
keep people informed of my activities while I am on active duty.
So hopefully this works. Stay tuned.