"Storm's a Comin'" and "LEAP"

1 Oct

     

What keeps me going every day...

My workouts have been very sporadic, but one thing that has been constant is my Monday morning run.  It started off at 4 miles, then we up'd it to 6 miles, then we up'd it to 8.5 miles.  This next Mon, the plan is to run over 9 miles.  There is an Army 10-miler next Sun, but I don't plan on running in it.  However, it is nice to know that I could easily do it.  My workouts have been sporadic because I am just so tired after work, and before work the gym is packed.  I am trying to grab a sandwich at breakfast, workout during lunch and then eat afterwards in the office.  So far I have been able to do this a couple of times a week.

Not a good idea to go running when this happens...

    Now that we are in October, stuff will really be heating up and we are going to be pretty busy.  This is good, because it should make time go really FAST!  Yesterday we had a commander's call with the 467 Air Expeditionary Group, who are in charge of us administratively.  They talked about the different issues that have been going on,  promoted a couple of NCO's, and answered some questions.  Nothing really came from it, but it was confirmed that unless I was an F-16 pilot with Joint Operations Center experience, there is no requirement in Afghanistan.  That kind of put me at ease, but at the same time I am preparing for whatever it is that the Air Force Gods have planned for me following mission completion here.


Some have asked what my job is like here in Iraq?  Well, all I can say is that it is a "staff" job, and I found this article really explains at best what I do.  Kudos to this Col for speaking his mind.  Granted , he should not have put this out in AP news, but at the least it really does highlight the few, the proud "Powerpoint Rangers" at their best...Too bad he got fired from his job in Afghanistan...

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=upiUPI-20100823-112700-2345&show_article=1

7 Oct

The weather is changing...and change is a good thing.  We are now experiencing days with highs of maybe 90 degrees.  I know that sounds extreme, but when you go from 120 + degree weather to 90 degrees, you can definitely feel the difference.  

coming over the ridge...

If you look closely you can see a face...

 The other day we had a sand/dust storm.  I decided to go and work out at lunch time, and when I walked into the gym, the sky was cloudless and a rich blue.  After my hour workout I returned back to my CHU and as I looked at the ridge, I could see billowing clouds approaching the ridge.  It looked like something out of "The Mummy" movie, and it just kept getting closer and closer.  I changed back into my uniform and as I looked out the window I noticed that everything was orange.  I have been in snow storms, hail storms, even sugar cane "ash" storms, but I have never been in a sand/dust storm.   

A little dust in the lungs is good for the body....right??

You just felt so nasty and dirty by the end of the day that you have to take a shower before going to bed.  It was around dinner time that the visibility was almost nothing.  You could look out and maybe see 5 yards in front of you...it also affected things like internet, AFN TV, etc.  I did take some pretty cool pictures and now I can check off the "spend a day in a sand storm" box on my TO DO list.

    I found out yesterday that I was accepted in the Language Enabled Airmen Program (LEAP).  I am pretty excited about this, because the military will help me improve my Spanish language skills.  Every so often they will put me on TDY (basically a trip) to go to a Spanish-speaking country to attend a university, visit the embassy, etc. to improve and practice my Spanish speaking.  I have the responsibility of undergoing an E-Mentor program where I have to dedicate so much time a week to online courses, exercises, etc.  In addition, I now receive a skill indicator on my record that will allow the assignment folks to know that I speak Spanish for future assignments/deployments.  Now with that, I am also trying to get into the Regional Affairs Strategist (RAS) program, which will allow me to use my

Spanish language (or learn another language) to work with Embassies/Attaches in a specific region of the world.  How it would work is I would do a RAS assignment for a couple of years and then I would come back and do a Logistics Readiness Officer (LRO) assignment.  It would keep alternating between the two until I retire.  If I get this program, I will be spending close to three years in Monterrey, CA attending Defense Language Institute (DLI) and the Naval Post-Graduate School (NPS), which would mean that I get another Master's, knock out my professional military education (PME), and really be where I have wanted to be since joining the military.  I will find out in Dec/Jan if I get into the program or not.