Moving day

August 14

Today could be moving day, I never thought I would be so excited to move into a room that is about 18 feet by 8 by about 7 feet high but I am. I can finally get my coffee pot set up so I do not have to go anywhere to get my coffee. Can’t wait to unpack my things and see if the internet service they offer is worth buying. The Texas Boys are not here yet but soon I hope.

I am ready to take over for the guy I am replacing too. I know it will take me some time to get everything down right as things are very different here than stateside.

Yesterday we received some new trucks. By looking at it this vehicle sole purpose is to protect soldiers if it is blown up. If these would have been available at the beginning of the war(S) then I wonder how many lives would have been saved. One of our training events was to be harnessed into one of these vehicles and then they flip it upside down and you have to get out. It was not something I ever want to do at full speed but it really makes you think what the guys must go through when a roll over happens.

As I hung there upside down with my seatbelt tightly fastened with all of the blood running to my head I look over to see the guy across from me frantically trying to get his seat belt unbuckled. I told him to calm down and let’s do this like we discussed. I pushed up with my hand to relieve the pressure of the 50 pounds (I guess, not real sure of the actual weight , it feels like a hundred) once the pressure was off I unbuckled my seat belt. The shoulder straps hung up in my gear and my arms were stuck. With some twisting and turning I managed to release myself just as I was beginning to go into “freak out” mode. I looked over at Bill and said okay it is your turn. His seatbelt was buried under his gear and that is what made him frantic earlier. As we worked him out I realized that talking is the best thing to do to reassure everyone that they will be okay. The new vehicles have one issue that needs attention. We did our training in a clean environment, no weapons in the vehicle no gear of any kind. All of the vehicles I have seen that go “out” are filled with bags stuff everywhere. I think the manufacturers forgot about all of the crap that we have to carry from one place to another. If it is not tied down it can injure or even end a life. If this had not been training and all of that stuff would have been in the vehicle rolling around. I wonder if I would be the guy to release too early and get everyone tangled up in a ball. Who knows but I pray that I never find out…….

News flash the move is complete thank God I have a place to call my own, if only for a little while..