Going Down in Flames!

It seems as if I will have to face the fact that I can no longer wear the ACU's. By order of the CENTAF Commander, I have until 27 Apr to be in Desert Combat Uniform. I'd rather walk around in just my boots and a Viking helmet if that would help make me stand out as an Air Force person...but not so lucky. A terrible thought isn't it?? :P

Perhaps, I may be on the receiving side of the new Airmen Combat Uniform. Looks just like the DCU's without any new functionality and has really silly looking blue digital tiger stripes. The silver lining is the new uniform will cost a little over $100 for the pants, shirt, t-shirts, rank, and hat. I can have one set for free. A small pittance for the 7 months away from home and the extra added gluteus maximus pain from this entire ordeal.

A big hello to my Anderson High School classmates tuning in to my blog. I received an email from my classmate and friend Colleen Hines about the plans for our 20th year reunion. I have been out of high school for 20 years!!!! Holy smokes, I am old! However, in retrospect, I have accomplished a great deal, traveled the world, supported 2 combat campaigns, and have been blessed with a beautiful family, loving parents, and great in-laws throughout the extended family. Not bad for 38.

This weekend I will head over to the Chaplains office. They have a program where you can have 30 minutes of time with a video camera. I am going to read some books for my children and then send the book and the dvd back home so they can see and hear me read to them. Every so often, we are able to webcam as well.

The uniform ordeal has been an unfortunate distraction. Rest assured, we are all focused- intensely - on doing our job to protect our brothers and sisters in harms way. Seeing them each day in the dining facility in reward enough. The Lord has His own plan and calls his children home when it's time. There's nothing I can do about it. The real reward is having one of the soldiers see my JCCS-1 patch on my shoulder and thank me because our equipment saved them from being caught up in an IED explosion.

Thanks go out to Ivan Shetler for teaching the kids how to rope at the recent Cowboys and Cowgirls theme birthday party for Alex and Nikolas at our house. Hello to Uncle Russ and Aunt Deanne in Largo, FL. I am going to fly a flag over the Al Faw Palace and send it to my cousin Darcy's class as thanks for staying in touch with me on each of these deployments. Hello to the Stoller's in IL and FL! Hello to Colleen Hines' dad...thanks for explaining the death spiral cork screw approach into the airfield here in Baghdad to Colleen.