I just realized I missed my appointment for another root canal this morning. I feel so bad, because I was really looking forward to the three days and nights of pain and agony and eating only soft food.
But that's okay!
I just called and they have an opening tomorrow morning!
Whoopee.............................. NOT!!!!!!!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Chapter 4: Basic Training - Part 1
After our week in the reception center we were bused to our respective basic training areas for 9 weeks of basic training.
Upon completion of a four-day processing period, in the Reception Station, trainees were assigned to Fort Gordon or one of the Basic Combat Training Brigades, either the 1st or 2d Training Brigade, at Jackson.
I was assigned to the 2d Training Brigade at Fort Jackson: Company A, 6th Battalion, 2d Training Brigade to be exact.
The 1st and 2d Training Brigades were responsible for the conduct of 215 hours of company-taught subjects. These subjects included: (1) Drill and Ceremonies, (2) Marches and Bivouacs, (3) Pugil Stick, (4) Bayonet, (5) Hand- to-Hand Combat, and (6) Mechanical Training with the M14 Rifle.
The Committee Group would teach us other lots of cool things.
The Committee Group was responsible for the conduct of 117 hours of instruction in Basic Combat Training subjects. The Committee Group taught two general subjects: (1) Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Training and (2) First Aid. Additionally, the Committee Group conducted training in such Combat Indoctrination subjects as: (1) Infiltration Course; (2) Hand Grenades (3) Night Firing and Vision; and (4) Individual Tactical Training, which included negotiating barbed wire obstacles, individual field emplacements, and individual camouflage. Finally, the Committee Group conducted training in Basic Rifle Marksmanship to include marksmanship fundamentals on the 25 Meter Firing Ranges, Field Target Detection, Field Firing Exercises, and Record or Qualification Firing.
These are just some of the men responsible for turning us into soldiers during basic training.
Our platoon drill instructors were SSG Jerry Temple, SGT Krietz and Corporal Levato.
This is SSG Temple. What a prick! He was a real redneck Rebel from the back woods of Tennessee and hated Yankees. Since most of us were from the northern states, he gave us shit for almost the entire time we were in basic. He was the most despised drill sergeant I ever came in contact with.
This is SGT Krietz and the most liked of all the NCOs commanding us. Just look at him, can you blame us for liking the guy?
Who does he remind you of? You'll know if you ever watched the Andy Griffith Show or Mayberry RFD. Yep, the spitting image of Deputy Barney Fife the bumbling dope of a deputy of Sheriff Taylor. But Sgt Kreitz was far from a bumbling dope. He was an excellent instructor.
Or does he remind you of Opie, Andy's son?
Sorry, no picture available of Corporal Levato. He wasn’t assigned to our company until after these pictures were taken.
As soon as our bus arrived at the basic training company area, the door opened and SSG Temple jumped aboard and the yelling began. OFF THE BUS, OFF THE BUSS! FALL IN! DOUBLE TIME, DOUBLE TIME! FALL IN, FALL IN! LINE UP! DRESS RIGHT DRESS!
Our heads were spinning trying to comprehend what he wanted, because it seemed like no matter what we did, it wasn’t done correctly or fast enough. To test our speed, we were ordered to dump our carefully packed duffel bags out and repack them. Of course we were too slow and repeated this I don’t remember how many times. After a while, the drill sergeant much have gotten bored with this games and dismissed us to the barracks. We fell out of formation and double-timed into the barracks, which would be our new home for the next 9 weeks.
The barracks were built in the 1940s as temporary barracks and looking at these pictures, hadn’t changed a bit. The first picture was taken in the 1940s and the second in the 1960s.
The barracks were two floors high with bunk beds lining both sides of the room and with two wall lockers in between the bunks near the wall and two footlockers at the foot of the bed. The drill sergeant had a room at one end of the first floor. The mess cooks stayed in a room at one end of the second floor. The barracks was spotless and the floors were so shiny you could practically see yourself in it. Of course, everyone walked down the center aisle between the rows of bunks scuffing the highly polished wax as they walked.
Soon the drill sergeant and the drill corporal walked in and started that incessant yelling again. We fell in at attention at the foot of our bunks as the drill sergeant walked down the center aisle chastising us for walking on “HIS” floor and scuffing it up. We were told to never walk on that floor again. That the DI's were the only ones allowed to walk on the center aisle, which they did at least once a day probably to scuff it up and give us more work to do. There was one exception, we could walk on it while we were cleaning and buffing it to that high sign with a buffer.
Upon completion of a four-day processing period, in the Reception Station, trainees were assigned to Fort Gordon or one of the Basic Combat Training Brigades, either the 1st or 2d Training Brigade, at Jackson.
I was assigned to the 2d Training Brigade at Fort Jackson: Company A, 6th Battalion, 2d Training Brigade to be exact.
The 1st and 2d Training Brigades were responsible for the conduct of 215 hours of company-taught subjects. These subjects included: (1) Drill and Ceremonies, (2) Marches and Bivouacs, (3) Pugil Stick, (4) Bayonet, (5) Hand- to-Hand Combat, and (6) Mechanical Training with the M14 Rifle.
The Committee Group would teach us other lots of cool things.
The Committee Group was responsible for the conduct of 117 hours of instruction in Basic Combat Training subjects. The Committee Group taught two general subjects: (1) Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Training and (2) First Aid. Additionally, the Committee Group conducted training in such Combat Indoctrination subjects as: (1) Infiltration Course; (2) Hand Grenades (3) Night Firing and Vision; and (4) Individual Tactical Training, which included negotiating barbed wire obstacles, individual field emplacements, and individual camouflage. Finally, the Committee Group conducted training in Basic Rifle Marksmanship to include marksmanship fundamentals on the 25 Meter Firing Ranges, Field Target Detection, Field Firing Exercises, and Record or Qualification Firing.
These are just some of the men responsible for turning us into soldiers during basic training.
Our platoon drill instructors were SSG Jerry Temple, SGT Krietz and Corporal Levato.
This is SSG Temple. What a prick! He was a real redneck Rebel from the back woods of Tennessee and hated Yankees. Since most of us were from the northern states, he gave us shit for almost the entire time we were in basic. He was the most despised drill sergeant I ever came in contact with.
This is SGT Krietz and the most liked of all the NCOs commanding us. Just look at him, can you blame us for liking the guy?Who does he remind you of? You'll know if you ever watched the Andy Griffith Show or Mayberry RFD. Yep, the spitting image of Deputy Barney Fife the bumbling dope of a deputy of Sheriff Taylor. But Sgt Kreitz was far from a bumbling dope. He was an excellent instructor.
Or does he remind you of Opie, Andy's son?
Sorry, no picture available of Corporal Levato. He wasn’t assigned to our company until after these pictures were taken.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As soon as our bus arrived at the basic training company area, the door opened and SSG Temple jumped aboard and the yelling began. OFF THE BUS, OFF THE BUSS! FALL IN! DOUBLE TIME, DOUBLE TIME! FALL IN, FALL IN! LINE UP! DRESS RIGHT DRESS!
Our heads were spinning trying to comprehend what he wanted, because it seemed like no matter what we did, it wasn’t done correctly or fast enough. To test our speed, we were ordered to dump our carefully packed duffel bags out and repack them. Of course we were too slow and repeated this I don’t remember how many times. After a while, the drill sergeant much have gotten bored with this games and dismissed us to the barracks. We fell out of formation and double-timed into the barracks, which would be our new home for the next 9 weeks.
The barracks were built in the 1940s as temporary barracks and looking at these pictures, hadn’t changed a bit. The first picture was taken in the 1940s and the second in the 1960s.
The barracks were two floors high with bunk beds lining both sides of the room and with two wall lockers in between the bunks near the wall and two footlockers at the foot of the bed. The drill sergeant had a room at one end of the first floor. The mess cooks stayed in a room at one end of the second floor. The barracks was spotless and the floors were so shiny you could practically see yourself in it. Of course, everyone walked down the center aisle between the rows of bunks scuffing the highly polished wax as they walked.Soon the drill sergeant and the drill corporal walked in and started that incessant yelling again. We fell in at attention at the foot of our bunks as the drill sergeant walked down the center aisle chastising us for walking on “HIS” floor and scuffing it up. We were told to never walk on that floor again. That the DI's were the only ones allowed to walk on the center aisle, which they did at least once a day probably to scuff it up and give us more work to do. There was one exception, we could walk on it while we were cleaning and buffing it to that high sign with a buffer.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Swimming Pool Opening 2007 HNT!
Last weekend it was finally time to open my pool. Lori was a tremendous help and I want to publicly thank her. Thank her for that, and for recording it for posterity in photos.
1. We emptied all the water bags that held down the winter cover.
2. Then we started pulling back the winter cover so we could remove it. (Note: We had to pause so Lori could take a picture to show you how clean and clear the water was.)
3. Once we dragged the cover down to the shallow end of the pool, I had to remove the water that was on the cover and the leaves and sludge that had accumulated over the winter.
You know what? That woman has a fixation for my ass. Remember me to hide the camera when I'm doing bending projects!
4. Next we folded it up for removal to the curb for the trash man. The cover had a few holes in it so I had to toss it.Oh joy! I get to spend more money on this fucking pool!
5. Now it was time to get the filter back together...
Oh crap! Another one of THOSE ass pics!
...while Lori used the net to remove the leaves and sticks from the bottom of the pool.
You'd be surprised at the diversity of life that can be found in the bottom of a swimming pool.
6. Time for a fudge pop break. Manwoman does not live by gin and tonics alone!
7. Well, there it is, my freshly uncovered swimming pool!
8. Now I just had to fill the pool the rest of the way with watter so I could start the filter and check for leaks. Remember the major leak I had last year!
9. The pool was finally filled and past the leak test! Hooray!!!!! It's finally time for that gin and tonic and a toast to the 2007 skinny dipping season!Anyone want to join us?
1. We emptied all the water bags that held down the winter cover.
2. Then we started pulling back the winter cover so we could remove it. (Note: We had to pause so Lori could take a picture to show you how clean and clear the water was.)
3. Once we dragged the cover down to the shallow end of the pool, I had to remove the water that was on the cover and the leaves and sludge that had accumulated over the winter.
4. Next we folded it up for removal to the curb for the trash man. The cover had a few holes in it so I had to toss it.
5. Now it was time to get the filter back together...
...while Lori used the net to remove the leaves and sticks from the bottom of the pool.
You'd be surprised at the diversity of life that can be found in the bottom of a swimming pool.
6. Time for a fudge pop break. Man
7. Well, there it is, my freshly uncovered swimming pool!
8. Now I just had to fill the pool the rest of the way with watter so I could start the filter and check for leaks. Remember the major leak I had last year!
9. The pool was finally filled and past the leak test! Hooray!!!!! It's finally time for that gin and tonic and a toast to the 2007 skinny dipping season!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Chapter 3: Reception Station
Our days at the reception station processing in, were very long. So much had to be crammed into the few days given to get us ready for basic training. Each morning we were rudely awakened at the crack of dawn by the banging on a metal garbage pail lid and the yelling of evil beings that obviously enjoyed it. I forget what time lights out was, but it never came soon enough for me.
The mess hall was a place we would all soon grow to love. It didn't matter if we were eating a meal, or doing KP, we still enjoyed the break from the rigors of army life.
Each day held another surprise, like on the first day when we received our haircuts. You could see the glee in the barbers eyes when ever a hippie type with his long hair sat down in his chair.
The haircuts were nothing fancy, they just cut it all off until we were practically bald. 
My mom always cut my hair growing up and usually cut it just like the army barber did. I always hated the way they made my ears look getting haircuts like that. Just look how much they stood out.
Next we were issued our uniforms to make us look like soldiers. We were outfitted from head to toe with army issue. That left no need for our civilian clothes, so the next morning we had to pack all of our civilian possessions into a box to be shipped home.
Of course there were the usual aptitude test and IQ test too, but I don't get why we were tested to see if we could get the hang trying to decipher Morse code. I'll never get that one.
The days in the reception station were long, but the nights were even longer. The strange sounds of a new place and sometimes even the muffled sounds of someone crying due to home sickness. Night were also the time we spent trying to comprehend what was happening to us. Most of us were just 19 years old and this may have even been the first time some of us had been away from home without our parents or scout masters to take care of us. Just a day or two earlier, we were all as 'snug as a bug' in our beds at home, or out partying until the crack of dawn. Now we were is some God forsaken place and the property of Uncle Sam's US Army. To call it a culture shock is an under statement.
Each night in the reception station a few of us had our sleep interrupted to take our turn on “fire watch” for a couple of hours. Our orders were to walk around outside our barracks and if there was a fire, to sound the alert. Of course there were never any fires, “fire watch” was just one of the senseless things we did while in training at Fort Jackson. After a while, we all learned that what seemed senseless at the time always had a purpose.
The mess hall was a place we would all soon grow to love. It didn't matter if we were eating a meal, or doing KP, we still enjoyed the break from the rigors of army life.Each day held another surprise, like on the first day when we received our haircuts. You could see the glee in the barbers eyes when ever a hippie type with his long hair sat down in his chair.
The haircuts were nothing fancy, they just cut it all off until we were practically bald. 
My mom always cut my hair growing up and usually cut it just like the army barber did. I always hated the way they made my ears look getting haircuts like that. Just look how much they stood out.
Next we were issued our uniforms to make us look like soldiers. We were outfitted from head to toe with army issue. That left no need for our civilian clothes, so the next morning we had to pack all of our civilian possessions into a box to be shipped home.
Of course there were the usual aptitude test and IQ test too, but I don't get why we were tested to see if we could get the hang trying to decipher Morse code. I'll never get that one.The days in the reception station were long, but the nights were even longer. The strange sounds of a new place and sometimes even the muffled sounds of someone crying due to home sickness. Night were also the time we spent trying to comprehend what was happening to us. Most of us were just 19 years old and this may have even been the first time some of us had been away from home without our parents or scout masters to take care of us. Just a day or two earlier, we were all as 'snug as a bug' in our beds at home, or out partying until the crack of dawn. Now we were is some God forsaken place and the property of Uncle Sam's US Army. To call it a culture shock is an under statement.
Each night in the reception station a few of us had our sleep interrupted to take our turn on “fire watch” for a couple of hours. Our orders were to walk around outside our barracks and if there was a fire, to sound the alert. Of course there were never any fires, “fire watch” was just one of the senseless things we did while in training at Fort Jackson. After a while, we all learned that what seemed senseless at the time always had a purpose.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
It's Official!
Tonight was my swearing in. I am now a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America.
Today was also Flag Day. The only day of the year that is allowed to dispose of old, worn out flags. When I arrived for the meeting, the flag burning was in full force. They had 10 large garbage bags full of flags to burn. Around 8:15 the meeting was called to order to swear me in, in addition to a few other issues that had to be settled before the end of the month.
The first order of business was get a beer. The second order of business was to get another beer. Then I was escorted into the kitchen until they were ready to swear me in. Very soon they escorted me out and swore me in. I shook hands with everyone and then had another beer.
I'm going to like this group
Several people wanted to hear about my military background so we talked about that, along with some of theirs, and had another beer. We also ate hot dogs and pizza and had another beer.
I'm really going to like this group
Then we went outside to watch the rest of the flag burning and have more beer.
Who knew the VFW could be so enjoyable?
That lasted until just before 11:00. Then we all left and retired to our abodes until tomorrow evening. Friday at 7:30 PM starts the never ending Happy Hour. I hear it runs from Friday till Friday.
Man! Why didn't I join the VFW a long time ago?
Today was also Flag Day. The only day of the year that is allowed to dispose of old, worn out flags. When I arrived for the meeting, the flag burning was in full force. They had 10 large garbage bags full of flags to burn. Around 8:15 the meeting was called to order to swear me in, in addition to a few other issues that had to be settled before the end of the month.
The first order of business was get a beer. The second order of business was to get another beer. Then I was escorted into the kitchen until they were ready to swear me in. Very soon they escorted me out and swore me in. I shook hands with everyone and then had another beer.
Several people wanted to hear about my military background so we talked about that, along with some of theirs, and had another beer. We also ate hot dogs and pizza and had another beer.
Then we went outside to watch the rest of the flag burning and have more beer.
That lasted until just before 11:00. Then we all left and retired to our abodes until tomorrow evening. Friday at 7:30 PM starts the never ending Happy Hour. I hear it runs from Friday till Friday.
Root Canal HNT
I imagine this is what I'll look like on Friday while I'm getting the root canal on two teeth. Or maybe that's what I'll look like after the Novocain wears off. Either way, I'm not looking forward to the root canals.
The moral to this story is FLOSS, FLOSS, FLOSS..............BRUSH, BRUSH, BRUSH!!!!!!!!!!!
The moral to this story is FLOSS, FLOSS, FLOSS..............BRUSH, BRUSH, BRUSH!!!!!!!!!!!
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