August 25th 2010

I went to the shooting range the past two days. Since I am on duty squad we load and take care of all the food, supplies, trash and just about anything you can think of. In the past two days I have helped load over 43,000 bullets into magazines. Only 210 people have shot that many. I will be glad when this week is over. It does make the time go by faster though.
PT test today. I'm trying for a high score. I will see where my preparation has taken me. The final PT test is on the 6th of Sept. Then I will know if I have to work out even more. I will let you know. If you don't pass on the 6th they will let you retake the test every other day. There will be a lot of other people taking the test on these days. The test on the 6th is the most important one. It's the test score for graduation.
Sounds like you keep yourself and the kids very busy. Thanks for letting me know whats going on. I sure do love you all. Well, I'm going to go back to sleep now. I get about 1 more hr.
We had our 2nd PT test today I scored a 291. We also went over tactical combat maneuvers out of the wedge formation. The week is half way over. I can't wait. Duty Squad is no fun. Tomorrow is qualification on the range.

(Aug. 26th the next day)
I shot Sharp Shooter. 32 out of 40. I did pretty good. The range we practiced at was on a slower timer than the one we had today. There were only 2 people in the whole company who shot expert. That's 36-39 out of 40. No one shot Hawk Eye 40 out of 40. Most people barley passed 23 out of 40. (Shani: Most of those young kids or city guys have probably never shot a gun)The 50 & 75 meter targets flip up for 2 sec. The 100 and 200 meter targets are between 6 to 8 sec. They all flip up and down. If you miss or don't shoot, to bad. You only get one shot per target. 20 on a sand bag laying down supported. 10 laying down unsupported. 10 kneeling down.
It's midnight and we have a long road march tomorrow and we spend the night in the field. I'm so excited to march in the morning, do drills all day and sleep in the field all dirty. (sarcasm's much lol)
Like I said earlier we have duty squad all week so we have extra work. It's not as bad as it sounds. By Saturday night we will be done with duty squad week. Then I will be happy.:)
I'm still gearing up for that final PT test on the 6th. It's harder than I thought. (to get 300 out of 300) Pray for me, Thanks.
For this week on duty squad we ride around in the back of a big truck. It's like a cattle truck. While everyone else gets bused around to wherever it is we're going. They pack us in like sardines. It's not to hot when we're driving.

Hey Kids listen to this, In the next two weeks Dad gets to throw a grenade and blow something up. Then I get to shoot a great big machine gun that shoots lots of bullets very fast. Mom tell the kids how fast. I also get to practice clearing houses and buildings. Does that sound like fun? Thank you all for the cool pictures you made me. They make me so happy. Dad is doing so good, so you kids be strong and happy for mom. Okay? I think I can call you on Sunday night. (Sad to say no phone call)
Sweetheart, do you remember when we were dating and I would come and visit you up North for two or three days. This is way to long. It seems to be making us even closer so it will be worth it. I have always loved how when I come home you come over and give me a big hug. I love it when you kids come and hug me too!
Can you remember all the fun times we had in our trailer? (we lived in a mobile home for 4 years) It really wasn't that bad. We weren't house broke that's for sure. We could just relax and listen to our crazy neighbors fight or start their really noisy truck and rev the engine in the middle of the night. lol Think of how much the Lord has blessed us with now. That lets us know how much we owe him. I look forward to more anniversaries you plan though. They turn out better than mine. Maybe you should have two years to my one. It's just a thought:) I like to think back on the last one. We had so much fun. It makes me happy. Good times are coming soon.
(Aug.29th)
I am up on Fireguard tonight again. We just got back from our overnighter and 5 mile march. We have one more 7 or 8 mile and then the 15 k. (9.3 miles) for the final march. We also have one more 3 day 2 night overnighter.
I walk to church now that we're in white phase. It's about 4 blocks. Between 3 battalions that's 1,000 soldiers each (3,000 soldiers) there are about 2oo that go to church. It's so nice to have time to go. It's 2 hours that I can be a little bit comfortable. It's just soldiers mostly, but sometimes when a soldier graduates or something they have their wife there. Senior couples and missionaries are there to help teach.
I can't check text messages. I might on Sunday if we get our phones and chargers.No one here has tried to sleep in the lockers yet. We had our bat trashed the other day. Some guys never wash their stuff or they leave crap all over the place. Like their soap, toothpaste, boots and anything you can think of. So just picture a room with 60 bunk beds 60 lockers, backpacks, 120 laundry bags, shoes, boots, bedding and lots of other crap that goes in our bags, just thrown all over the place. All the beds and mattresses are on their sides and all over the room. Lockers are turned upside down, so you have to refold and re stack everything. I have to find my boots and shoes and hope that some moron next to me didn't leave his laundry detergent out. Because if it is they pour it into your boots. Our DS broke one of our windows while doing all that. He was even more pissed off because he has to pay for that.
We don't get anymore sleep in white phase then we did in red. On laundry guard we just wash whoever leaves their laundry bags out before they go to bed. No suicide watch in our bay yet. We have a few sick rangers though. I didn't get to take anything for my head ache that I had after the gas chamber. I would have if I went to sick call, but then I would have been as sick call ranger. I took a private named Degreef to church today. He liked it.

Aug. 29th (SUNDAY)
I hope I get to call you tonight. At church today guys graduating had their wives there. I was jealous. I want you to be here so bad. I know our two days will be so nice. I hate being apart from you. (Shani: Just a few more weeks Hon!)