The other day, I was flipping the pages of my Army Wife Handbook, and came across the following entry:
“I went to a company coffee last night. There was the usual griping about the Army, griping about the weather, and some not so usual attacks on the commanding officer’s wife because she couldn’t attend. Under the sniping was the attitude that nobody cares.
Well, ladies, I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that the commander’s wife, the sergeant major’s wife, the first sergeant’s wife, and others have houses to keep clean, jobs, volunteer work, children to tend to, husbands to baby, college to attend, bills to pay, and their share of homesickness, boredom and despair over living overseas. We don’t have time to coddle you about your boredom, loneliness or non-existent social life.
The good news is, we do care. Call the same commander’s wife, too busy to make it to a coffee, and tell her your car broke down and you need to get the baby to the doctor, and she’ll be there to give you a ride. If your husband is in the field and the kids are making you crazy, call the first sergeant’s wife, and she’ll be more than willing to listen, maybe even baby-sit so you can get away for awhile. Need a job? Call the platoon sergeant’s wife who works at CPO and find out how willing she is to show you how to fill out the maze of paperwork.
We care because we’re all in this together. But you’re grown women, and your first responsibility is to care about yourselves. You have to reach out, and let people know you have problems. You have to take the steps to ensure your happiness.
Homesick, but can’t afford to call Mom? Write letters, or send cassette tapes and post cards. Can’t afford to travel? Travel through the post library, or discover the city or village where you live by foot or bus.
Don’t know anybody and you’re lonely? Reach out. Invite possible friends for coffee. Encourage your husband to bring single soldiers home for dinner; macaroni and cheese in a homey atmosphere beats a steak in the mess hall any day. Be the nice lady who bakes a birthday cake for the single men, or sews stripes on their uniforms.
Bored and can’t find a job? Volunteer. Being needed a few hours a day is a terrific remedy for a sagging self-esteem. Are your kids making you crazy, but you can’t afford a baby sitter? Find someone else in the same situation and time-share the child care. No night life where you are stationed? A bottle of wine, a deck of cards, and a few friends can be a lot of fun on a Saturday night. Husband in the field? Have a slumber party or a potluck dinner.
Make yourself useful, do favors for people, develop your skills and talents. Start caring about yourself and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find out how many people out there care about you.”
The Stars and Stripes, May 8, 1988
Even though this entry was first published over 20 years ago, it still encouraged me to GO OUT and make something of myself in spite of my current circumstances. So often, spouses of soldiers in the military become stagnant and allow their soldier’s career path to absolutely consume their lives (understandably so!) I started to feel as if I was starting to journey down that road…and then I realized that it does NOT mean we cannot have a GREAT job, not just another job…or make an impact on others that are around us. It has been difficult to go out and find new friends, it has been difficult going from TWO nice paychecks to ONE so-so paycheck, and it has also been difficult finding another church to call “home”. But, we are making it…we know that we are right where God wants us to be in this moment, and in knowing that, we find comfort.
Until next time, stay encouraged <3
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
RECEIVING END UPDATE!
I’ve heard it said that if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. So, with that in mind, here is my next post:
OK, well we didn’t get very far with that, did we?! Bad news doesn’t get better with time, so here it goes!
David and I arrived to Columbia Sunday afternoon. The movers were scheduled to deliver our HHGs Wednesday morning. We were also working on setting up cable, Internet, and getting some other items switched over. The cable/Internet folks couldn’t come out until Wednesday either, so we were both a little bummed about that…but with our luck so far, we weren’t surprised at all.
The movers arrived, as promised (thank God!) The supervisor of the movers was the same gentleman we met in Florida, except this time he had two different helpers with him. David had an appointment that morning, so I was the lady left in charge to manage the movers, check off all the boxes and furniture on the receiving list, tell the movers where everything should be put, etc. A tough job, but someone’s gotta do it, and that someone might as well be ME =)
No sooner than David walks into the house, I hear a LOUD CLUNK-THUD-THUD-CRASH-BANG! Uh oh. I look outside towards the moving truck and I see one man standing on the unloading ramp of the semi trailer looking down. My first thought was, Dang, that really stinks for who ever THAT belonged to….then I realized what it was =/
A few days before the packers came, we decided a brand new Browning gun safe would be a nice OCS graduation gift for David. For those of you that don’t know, David is an avid competitive shooter and it is a sport that is near and dear to his heart. Boys and their toys, right?! So, we splurged and got one that was a little nicer than we originally intended to purchase. Mistake? You decide.
So, yes, as you have probably guessed by now, it was David’s brand new, never been used, gun safe that was dropped off the truck…literally dropped off. It face planted like humpty-dumpty face first onto the concrete parking lot / curb and definitely will NOT be put back together again…the locking mechanism and fire proof material inside has all been damaged, rendering it useless for its primary purpose (locking and fire protection).
…David was furious. Wouldn’t you be?! This entire situation CONSUMED our emotions, along with the rest of the afternoon and well into the next day.
Along with the brand new gun safe that was damaged beyond repair, here is a list of other items that were broken, dented, scratched, gouged, etc. etc. etc. : our bed, dresser, mirror, chest, table, bookcase, love seat, washing machine (it was shipped without the shipping rod, when we explicitly told them to insert it), treadmill, and a multitude of other weight training equipment.
To make it even more interesting, the supervisor attempted talking David into just “buying the safe” off of us so that we would not file a claim. Mmmm hmmm, yeah RIGHT. With that said, we have spent the last two or three days, documenting and taking photos of EVERYTHING so that we can file a claim. And, it was submitted this morning =) We will SEE what the company comes back with as far as a counter offer is concerned.
So, a few other things I have learned through all this:
1) I’ve said it before, but people really do not care or have any respect for your belongings – WATCH them, stand over them, babysit them…and if you are going to do all this, you might as well do it yourself.
2) When your hired movers break or lose your stuff (and they will), FILE A CLAIM. The paper work is ridiculous (purposefully, I’m sure…) but do it anyway. Eventually, these companies should get a clue.
3) Get renters insurance BEFORE you move. We spoke to USAA today regarding renters insurance and they informed us that if we would have had it last week, ALL of our belongings that we damaged during shipment would have been covered. It is worth it!
Interestingly, remember about the cable/Internet folks not being able to come until Wednesday? Well, let’s just say that was a divine appointment to say the least. Rich, the gentleman who came out to do our installation, was just what the Big Man upstairs ordered =) David had been really questioning how he handled himself and the situation regarding the movers damaging the safe. Rich helped encourage and remind us both that God is always in control, regardless of whether or not we see it (or remember it) in the moment. Up to this point, everything had been so overwhelming with the move, it was a relief to have someone in our home to talk with and be encouraged by. Rich shared with us his military stories and how God worked in his life – everything truly DOES work together for good to those that love Him (Romans 8:28) <3 Here’s a pic of the Cable Guy ;-) THANKS Rich for all you do! Keep up the super work =)
The past week has been one giant learning experience. Perhaps we just had a good streak of bad luck with this whole move…or maybe this is just how all of them go. David and I are still scratching our heads about the whole situation. It is just unfortunate that companies – professional companies – do business this way. I mean, WHY hire a professional to do something that we could have done better on our own? In the long run, it is still costing us just as much time, energy, and effort as it would have had we just embarked on this our own. I will post the outcome of all the claims paperwork once it is finalized and hopefully that will be sooner rather than later =)
So, take NIKE’s advice and JUST DO IT (yourself!)
OK, well we didn’t get very far with that, did we?! Bad news doesn’t get better with time, so here it goes!
David and I arrived to Columbia Sunday afternoon. The movers were scheduled to deliver our HHGs Wednesday morning. We were also working on setting up cable, Internet, and getting some other items switched over. The cable/Internet folks couldn’t come out until Wednesday either, so we were both a little bummed about that…but with our luck so far, we weren’t surprised at all.
The movers arrived, as promised (thank God!) The supervisor of the movers was the same gentleman we met in Florida, except this time he had two different helpers with him. David had an appointment that morning, so I was the lady left in charge to manage the movers, check off all the boxes and furniture on the receiving list, tell the movers where everything should be put, etc. A tough job, but someone’s gotta do it, and that someone might as well be ME =)
No sooner than David walks into the house, I hear a LOUD CLUNK-THUD-THUD-CRASH-BANG! Uh oh. I look outside towards the moving truck and I see one man standing on the unloading ramp of the semi trailer looking down. My first thought was, Dang, that really stinks for who ever THAT belonged to….then I realized what it was =/
A few days before the packers came, we decided a brand new Browning gun safe would be a nice OCS graduation gift for David. For those of you that don’t know, David is an avid competitive shooter and it is a sport that is near and dear to his heart. Boys and their toys, right?! So, we splurged and got one that was a little nicer than we originally intended to purchase. Mistake? You decide.
So, yes, as you have probably guessed by now, it was David’s brand new, never been used, gun safe that was dropped off the truck…literally dropped off. It face planted like humpty-dumpty face first onto the concrete parking lot / curb and definitely will NOT be put back together again…the locking mechanism and fire proof material inside has all been damaged, rendering it useless for its primary purpose (locking and fire protection).
…David was furious. Wouldn’t you be?! This entire situation CONSUMED our emotions, along with the rest of the afternoon and well into the next day.
Along with the brand new gun safe that was damaged beyond repair, here is a list of other items that were broken, dented, scratched, gouged, etc. etc. etc. : our bed, dresser, mirror, chest, table, bookcase, love seat, washing machine (it was shipped without the shipping rod, when we explicitly told them to insert it), treadmill, and a multitude of other weight training equipment.
To make it even more interesting, the supervisor attempted talking David into just “buying the safe” off of us so that we would not file a claim. Mmmm hmmm, yeah RIGHT. With that said, we have spent the last two or three days, documenting and taking photos of EVERYTHING so that we can file a claim. And, it was submitted this morning =) We will SEE what the company comes back with as far as a counter offer is concerned.
So, a few other things I have learned through all this:
1) I’ve said it before, but people really do not care or have any respect for your belongings – WATCH them, stand over them, babysit them…and if you are going to do all this, you might as well do it yourself.
2) When your hired movers break or lose your stuff (and they will), FILE A CLAIM. The paper work is ridiculous (purposefully, I’m sure…) but do it anyway. Eventually, these companies should get a clue.
3) Get renters insurance BEFORE you move. We spoke to USAA today regarding renters insurance and they informed us that if we would have had it last week, ALL of our belongings that we damaged during shipment would have been covered. It is worth it!
Interestingly, remember about the cable/Internet folks not being able to come until Wednesday? Well, let’s just say that was a divine appointment to say the least. Rich, the gentleman who came out to do our installation, was just what the Big Man upstairs ordered =) David had been really questioning how he handled himself and the situation regarding the movers damaging the safe. Rich helped encourage and remind us both that God is always in control, regardless of whether or not we see it (or remember it) in the moment. Up to this point, everything had been so overwhelming with the move, it was a relief to have someone in our home to talk with and be encouraged by. Rich shared with us his military stories and how God worked in his life – everything truly DOES work together for good to those that love Him (Romans 8:28) <3 Here’s a pic of the Cable Guy ;-) THANKS Rich for all you do! Keep up the super work =)
The past week has been one giant learning experience. Perhaps we just had a good streak of bad luck with this whole move…or maybe this is just how all of them go. David and I are still scratching our heads about the whole situation. It is just unfortunate that companies – professional companies – do business this way. I mean, WHY hire a professional to do something that we could have done better on our own? In the long run, it is still costing us just as much time, energy, and effort as it would have had we just embarked on this our own. I will post the outcome of all the claims paperwork once it is finalized and hopefully that will be sooner rather than later =)
So, take NIKE’s advice and JUST DO IT (yourself!)
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Hind Sight…
…they always say is 20/20. How true it is. We are currently in the process of our very first PCS move, and oh if we could only do this all over again. Most of my blog readers are friends and family, however if there are any military families out there that are reading this, this post is for YOU =)
First, I would like to start off by saying, I am a brand new ARMY wife…which means my hubs is also new to this whole military thing as well…we are learning as we go and hope others can glean a bit of knowledge from our experiences. Here we go…
So, over the past week we have been doing our very first PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move. This is where your “sponsor” a.k.a. military service member, a.k.a. my husband has received orders to permanently change where he is required to report for duty/schooling/training. PCS orders are when the military pays to move the sponsor and his/her family members. There are other categories of moves, but I will not go into detail of that for this blog post…perhaps another time. For your family’s PCS move, you can choose to have the military set up times with packers/movers to come to your house, pack EVERYTHING (and I DO mean everything!), drive it to your new duty location, and unpack your belongings – you do not have to lift one finger or pack one box. Or there is what is called a DITY (Do It Yourself) move. This is where YOU pack everything, YOU load the U-Haul, and YOU drive to your new duty location, and yes, YOU unpack everything. Or, you can do a combination of the two types (usually shipping the larger house hold goods (HHG) and then taking the items that cannot easily be replaced).
With this being our very first move and knowing that we really do not know how everything works with the military, we decided it would be best to have the military coordinate the move for us so we were “less stressed” about everything. (Note: this was mistake #1).
So, we are EXCITED. Our first move. Our first NEW apartment. A new town. A new post to explore. Its summertime and things are GRRREAT! We are anxious to meet the packers, the movers, and just to see how all of this works. After all, YOUR tax dollars at work ;-)
Wednesday rolls around. The packers come. Two men and one woman. They were all very nice, very quiet, but nice. It only took 3.5 to 4 hours for them to pack our entire house (not that we have a big house by any means…but it was super fast!) We also provided drinks and snacks for them during this time, since we had been advised to “take care of your movers” on more than one occasion. About 30 minutes before it was time for them to leave, they talked amongst themselves about how “great” of a tip one family gave them last week. So, David and I of course overhear this, and decide we too should probably tip these people. I did a little research online to make sure it was appropriate to tip packers (and it is WHEN they do their job right). The going rate appeared to be $20 per packer (or about $5 per hour). So, $60 we paid and that was that. (Mistake #2).
Thursday morning the movers were supposed to come and load all of the heavy furniture and all the boxes the packers packed the previous day. This crew consisted of three men. We provided the same hospitality we provided to the packers the previous day. About half way into the morning, the supervisor of the crew came to David and I and showed us a piece of chewed up bubble gum that was still a little soft that had been stuck to the bottom of our bed (allegedly the previous day)…and we also found two or three additional pieces thrown all over our front lawn (see Mistakes #1 and #2.) This gentlemen also pointed out that they packed a box of my hanging clothes with shoes and bedding supplies (which they are not supposed to do because it will wrinkle the clothes – they have special boxes to ship hanging clothes in). And, they also packed cleaning liquids, which they are also not supposed to pack because it could leak out of its container and ruin your belongings or the belongings of someone else. All of our belongings are loaded up onto a semi trailer (along with other family’s belongings from all over the south east) and it will be delivered to our apartment by Wednesday or Thursday of next week. So, we tipped three more guys $20 each – so now our tip total is up to $120.
So, here is what we have learned from this SO far (b/c it isn’t over until we get our goods on the receiving end!):
1. Watch your packers. They will tell you to stay out of the way (and you probably should so they can do their jobs). But remember, they are packing YOUR items, YOUR memories, and NOBODY cares about your stuff like YOU do!
2. Do NOT tell them this is your first move. Period. If they ask, answer it like a politician…if you are not still living with your parents then you HAVE moved before, capice?!
3. Get the first AND last names of each of the packers and movers. This way, if you DO have issues, you can call the company. The company should know who was on the job, but you never know.
4. Just do it yourself, if possible. Period.
All of this has been quite the learning experience. What makes the bite sting a little more is knowing that if we would have just DONE IT OURSELVES, we would have banked about $8,000 based on the weight of the items in our home and the distance we are to be moving. Ouch!
Yes, it is true that you live and learn…we have done just that. Packers and movers are great, and I am sure not all of them are like the folks that came to help us…if they are I don’t know how they stay in business. Just be prepared and know what “could happen”. We certainly did not.
Next time, provided that we are not stationed OCONUS (Outside Continental United States) we WILL be moving ourselves =)
Updates on the receiving end to follow!
First, I would like to start off by saying, I am a brand new ARMY wife…which means my hubs is also new to this whole military thing as well…we are learning as we go and hope others can glean a bit of knowledge from our experiences. Here we go…
So, over the past week we have been doing our very first PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move. This is where your “sponsor” a.k.a. military service member, a.k.a. my husband has received orders to permanently change where he is required to report for duty/schooling/training. PCS orders are when the military pays to move the sponsor and his/her family members. There are other categories of moves, but I will not go into detail of that for this blog post…perhaps another time. For your family’s PCS move, you can choose to have the military set up times with packers/movers to come to your house, pack EVERYTHING (and I DO mean everything!), drive it to your new duty location, and unpack your belongings – you do not have to lift one finger or pack one box. Or there is what is called a DITY (Do It Yourself) move. This is where YOU pack everything, YOU load the U-Haul, and YOU drive to your new duty location, and yes, YOU unpack everything. Or, you can do a combination of the two types (usually shipping the larger house hold goods (HHG) and then taking the items that cannot easily be replaced).
With this being our very first move and knowing that we really do not know how everything works with the military, we decided it would be best to have the military coordinate the move for us so we were “less stressed” about everything. (Note: this was mistake #1).
So, we are EXCITED. Our first move. Our first NEW apartment. A new town. A new post to explore. Its summertime and things are GRRREAT! We are anxious to meet the packers, the movers, and just to see how all of this works. After all, YOUR tax dollars at work ;-)
Wednesday rolls around. The packers come. Two men and one woman. They were all very nice, very quiet, but nice. It only took 3.5 to 4 hours for them to pack our entire house (not that we have a big house by any means…but it was super fast!) We also provided drinks and snacks for them during this time, since we had been advised to “take care of your movers” on more than one occasion. About 30 minutes before it was time for them to leave, they talked amongst themselves about how “great” of a tip one family gave them last week. So, David and I of course overhear this, and decide we too should probably tip these people. I did a little research online to make sure it was appropriate to tip packers (and it is WHEN they do their job right). The going rate appeared to be $20 per packer (or about $5 per hour). So, $60 we paid and that was that. (Mistake #2).
Thursday morning the movers were supposed to come and load all of the heavy furniture and all the boxes the packers packed the previous day. This crew consisted of three men. We provided the same hospitality we provided to the packers the previous day. About half way into the morning, the supervisor of the crew came to David and I and showed us a piece of chewed up bubble gum that was still a little soft that had been stuck to the bottom of our bed (allegedly the previous day)…and we also found two or three additional pieces thrown all over our front lawn (see Mistakes #1 and #2.) This gentlemen also pointed out that they packed a box of my hanging clothes with shoes and bedding supplies (which they are not supposed to do because it will wrinkle the clothes – they have special boxes to ship hanging clothes in). And, they also packed cleaning liquids, which they are also not supposed to pack because it could leak out of its container and ruin your belongings or the belongings of someone else. All of our belongings are loaded up onto a semi trailer (along with other family’s belongings from all over the south east) and it will be delivered to our apartment by Wednesday or Thursday of next week. So, we tipped three more guys $20 each – so now our tip total is up to $120.
So, here is what we have learned from this SO far (b/c it isn’t over until we get our goods on the receiving end!):
1. Watch your packers. They will tell you to stay out of the way (and you probably should so they can do their jobs). But remember, they are packing YOUR items, YOUR memories, and NOBODY cares about your stuff like YOU do!
2. Do NOT tell them this is your first move. Period. If they ask, answer it like a politician…if you are not still living with your parents then you HAVE moved before, capice?!
3. Get the first AND last names of each of the packers and movers. This way, if you DO have issues, you can call the company. The company should know who was on the job, but you never know.
4. Just do it yourself, if possible. Period.
All of this has been quite the learning experience. What makes the bite sting a little more is knowing that if we would have just DONE IT OURSELVES, we would have banked about $8,000 based on the weight of the items in our home and the distance we are to be moving. Ouch!
Yes, it is true that you live and learn…we have done just that. Packers and movers are great, and I am sure not all of them are like the folks that came to help us…if they are I don’t know how they stay in business. Just be prepared and know what “could happen”. We certainly did not.
Next time, provided that we are not stationed OCONUS (Outside Continental United States) we WILL be moving ourselves =)
Updates on the receiving end to follow!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A Quick Update!
David and I have returned (briefly) from Ft. Jackson – we found a super cute apartment about 10 minutes from post!
Court Yard
Our new backyard - stocked with bass too!
Front yard
Dining/ Kitchen
Living Room
It’s actually really great that we will be in Ft. Jackson over the summer – my best friend’s father lives up there so we already know someone! We had dinner with him one evening to catch up on LIFE…the next day at our hotel, we had a little surprise from him waiting on us =)
Also, while we were up there, I went “car looking”…the car salesman, of course, made small talk and I told him we were new to the area, my husband was in the army, etc. He asked what I was planning on doing as far as jobs were concerned and I told him about my personal training background and that I would probably continue building my personal training business in South Carolina. He mentioned that he knew someone that managed a local gym and that he would make a couple phone calls to see if he could at least help me get an interview =) Neat, huh?! Even cooler, is this guy actually called me back with the manager’s contact information, I called him, and I have an appointment next week to meet with the manager! I am stoked!
Since we have returned to Tally, we have been talking with all of the usual service providers – utilities, cable, Internet, etc. about turning off services in Florida and getting everything set up in South Carolina. So far, so good! Everything has gone smoother than expected so far. Wednesday, the packers are coming to pack and Thursday another set of folks are coming to load everything up for its journey to SC…we are super excited, a little sad, but we are embracing this as a NEW opportunity to GO and LIVE and EXPLORE everything the world has to offer…and maybe give a little back during this whole process =)
AND..... MOST important, I COULD NOT go up there without checking out the stables. This is the riding arena, overlooking the golf course. It is directly behind the Officer's Club - HOW convenient, right?! Now, we just have to buy the RIGHT horse trailer to bring my baby up with us!
I will continue to update the blog during our move! We MAY be out of Internet for a couple days once we get up there, but hopefully no longer than a few days =) Again, thank you for all your support!!!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Per Your Request…
I’m BACK! So as you've probably noticed, my lips have been sealed and my fingers have been frozen since BCT Graduation – I DO have a reason and will probably write a small post about it in the future…until then, here’s a recap of the last 12 weeks!
Week One:
Week Two:
David was selected by his platoon to be the Warrior of the Week this week =)
ALPHA COMPANY
(notice the company flag!)
Week Five:
“Week five has come and gone, and today marks the beginning of Week 6. Since OCS is 12 weeks long, the Candidates are quite excited.
We are currently signing out weapons and packing (and trying to figure out how to fit X items into what seems like space for only Y, so there's a lot of 'hold this while I step on it' going on) to head out into the field after dinner and returning Wednesday afternoon. Accordingly, you will probably not have any contact with your Candidate during this time, just to forewarn you.
We will be spending these next few days learning Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills (WTBDs for short), which are basic tasks to prepare a Soldier for what to do in various combat situations.
During Week five, we ran over 20 miles, practiced Urban Land Navigation, began History classes and had an exciting guest lecture from Retired Major Dan Turner, participant in the Special Forces raid to liberate POWs from the Son Tay prisoner camp during the Vietnam War.
Branching and the Senior Officer Candidate Review (where Candidates will officially move into Senior Phase and exchange their black ascots for white ones) are less than a week away!”
Week Six:
“Alpha Company Candidates are now officially Senior Officer Candidates. They have completed the first half of OCS and are currently preparing to head out into the field for a week to conduct Field Leadership Exercise I (FLX I). During this time, the Candidates will be out of contact with their families, so you should not expect to hear from them for the next several days. Nothing is wrong, they will simply be busy with training. As always, thanks for your continued support. The Candidates have undergone a great deal of growth in these past 6 weeks, and the next 6 will be no different.”
Week Seven:
Week seven has come and gone. The Candidates returned from the field yesterday morning and were more than excited to take showers and do laundry, as well as excited about getting to eat somewhere other than the chow hall during their on-post pass for a few hours.
We return to the field this evening after dinner and will be out for another 10 days. During our time in the field at Field Leadership Exercise (FLX) 1, we completed several major events, such as Land Navigation, preparation drills for Squad Lanes and the 7 mile tactical road march.”
WATCH the NEWS COVERAGE HERE!
And, a photo of my contribution to our Small Group meeting in honor of David's absence during OCS =) It was a tid bit patriotic, so I thought I would share =)
Week One:
Week Two:
(YES! That IS David just hanging out!) ;-)
David was selected by his platoon to be the Warrior of the Week this week =)
ALPHA COMPANY
(notice the company flag!)
Week Three:
“Week two has come and gone, and the Candidates are excited to have earned the right to do 3 pull-ups and 3 chin-ups (you must do one pull-up on the way into the chow hall for each week you have been in class, and one chin-up when exiting). We're sure none of the Candidates ever thought they would be so excited about pull-ups and chin-ups, but a mile marker has been crossed, and the Candidates continue to move closer to Senior Phase and to Graduation.”
(Pulls-Ups to Chow)
MAIL CALL!
Week Four:
“Week four has come and gone, and the Candidates are now 1/3 of the way through OCS and that much closer to earning their commission in the United States Army. Week five promises to be another busy and exciting week. Candidates nominated others whom they thought exemplified the character and spirit of OCS, and then voting was opened to the entire body of Candidates to select one person whom they felt has best represented OCS in this first month of training.”
SO Glad he didn't go ARMOR!
“Week five has come and gone, and today marks the beginning of Week 6. Since OCS is 12 weeks long, the Candidates are quite excited.
We are currently signing out weapons and packing (and trying to figure out how to fit X items into what seems like space for only Y, so there's a lot of 'hold this while I step on it' going on) to head out into the field after dinner and returning Wednesday afternoon. Accordingly, you will probably not have any contact with your Candidate during this time, just to forewarn you.
We will be spending these next few days learning Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills (WTBDs for short), which are basic tasks to prepare a Soldier for what to do in various combat situations.
During Week five, we ran over 20 miles, practiced Urban Land Navigation, began History classes and had an exciting guest lecture from Retired Major Dan Turner, participant in the Special Forces raid to liberate POWs from the Son Tay prisoner camp during the Vietnam War.
Branching and the Senior Officer Candidate Review (where Candidates will officially move into Senior Phase and exchange their black ascots for white ones) are less than a week away!”
Week Six:
“Alpha Company Candidates are now officially Senior Officer Candidates. They have completed the first half of OCS and are currently preparing to head out into the field for a week to conduct Field Leadership Exercise I (FLX I). During this time, the Candidates will be out of contact with their families, so you should not expect to hear from them for the next several days. Nothing is wrong, they will simply be busy with training. As always, thanks for your continued support. The Candidates have undergone a great deal of growth in these past 6 weeks, and the next 6 will be no different.”
David was the Platoon Leader for 3rd Platoon for SOCR =)
SOCR = Senior Office Candidate Review
Week Seven:
Week seven has come and gone. The Candidates returned from the field yesterday morning and were more than excited to take showers and do laundry, as well as excited about getting to eat somewhere other than the chow hall during their on-post pass for a few hours.
We return to the field this evening after dinner and will be out for another 10 days. During our time in the field at Field Leadership Exercise (FLX) 1, we completed several major events, such as Land Navigation, preparation drills for Squad Lanes and the 7 mile tactical road march.”
Week Eight:
“Week eight has been a mix of fun, exhausting work, hot weather and busy schedules. Field Leadership Exercise 2 (or FLX II, for short) began this week, with Candidates deploying to our temporary base of operations across Ft. Benning. Candidates established security, checked the fence around the perimeter, and set up shop for the next week and a half.
FLX II is the culminating training event at OCS, where all previous learning is combined in the two leadership evaluations each Candidate receives in the field. Each squad (10-12 members) conducts various missions, with a Candidate selected to plan the mission and a different Candidate selected to execute the other’s plan. Each Candidate has the opportunity to plan one mission and to execute one mission and must receiving a passing score on at least one of these leadership opportunities.
Cadre are present at all times during the planning and briefing of the mission and accompany the Candidates on their missions, often adding unexpected elements, such as mortar rounds and grenades from the enemy, in order to see how the Squad Leader reacts under pressure.
Candidates have also had the opportunity to be the base operations team and the Opposing Force (OpFor, for short) when their squads are not currently conducting missions. The operations team conducts intelligence briefs with each team leaving for and returning from missions, monitors supplies, provides security at the gate and sends out more troops for assistance, when called for by those under attack on their missions. The Opposing Force has been a favorite for many of the Candidates, because it allows those participating to set booby traps for their friends and return fire, trying to disrupt the assaulting Candidates and hold onto the assigned enemy territory.
FLX II ends next week, so the Candidates are half-way through this culminating event. At this point, many are trying to figure out how many more days they can wear the same socks to make their clean clothes last and are getting tired of MREs for lunch, so returning from the field will be a very welcome change next Friday.”
Week Nine:
Week nine has come and gone, and Alpha Company has returned from the field with 98 Candidates poised to graduate on April 14.
A lot has happened in the past week, and we've overcome the major milestones of OCS. All that remains are 3 graduation requirements: the final PT test, History II exam, and the graduation run.”
Week 10:
“We are less than 2 weeks from graduation, and everyone is getting excited. We've finished the last history test, so the only remaining graduation requirements are tomorrow morning's PT test and the graduation run (4 miles) on Friday. There is still plenty of work to do between now and April 14, with all of the moving, equipment turn-in, cleaning, PT, and paperwork to be done, so it's not over just yet.
Yesterday, we had the opportunity to spend several hours at the Boys & Girls Club with kids as young as 4 and high schoolers as old as 15. It was a great time to relax and have fun away from the strenuous activities OCS requires. We also bought plenty of pizza for everyone to eat and got to let out the 'big kid' inside all of us.
As week 11 begins, from those of us on Student Council, let us just say that we are proud to be a part of Alpha Company and that your support helps us make it through the stressful times.”
WATCH the NEWS COVERAGE HERE!
Week 11 and 12:
“Thanks for your support of these Candidates-turned-Officers over the past 12 weeks. Alpha Company graduated and Commissioned 98 new 2nd Lieutenants on Thursday at the Iron Works in Columbus. The road to get there was intense, and we - and you should be, also - are proud of the obstacles overcome in that time.
From here, the new Officers will travel to various different locations for follow-on schools in their respective branches. After this training, they will either report home (Reserves & National Guard) or to their first duty assignments as new 2LTs in their respective fields.”
David was the Distinguished Honor Graduatate (DHG) for OCS Class 005-11, which means he graduated #1 in his class! Due to David's ranking in his class, he was assigned the responsibilty of being the Student Company Commander for graduation week, which encompasses being responsible for everything the company does or DOES NOT do.
Also, he was Distinguished Merit Graduate (DMG) which means he was within the top 20% of his class. Because of David's accomplishments, he was given the Jess Walls Distinguished Honor Graduate Award and the (now washed and framed) company flag/ guidon. GOOOO DAVID!
Week 13: HONEY, I'M HOME!!!!
Ok, well, there really ISN'T a real week 13 for OCS, but I figured I would show where we are now...
We did FIT EVERYTHING in my car - which was a true task in itself, considering I drive a mustang. I am still not quite sure how we did that...
And, a photo of my contribution to our Small Group meeting in honor of David's absence during OCS =) It was a tid bit patriotic, so I thought I would share =)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Basic Training GRADUATION!
It is official – David has graduated from BCT! The last five days have been a very LONG, fast-paced, emotional roller coaster ride! Here’s the lengthy recap – better grab a nice hot cup of Joe, some fluffy socks, a nice warm blanket, and sit back and enjoy the story.
Family Day/Afternoon - Wednesday January 19th
I left Tallahassee at 4am to catch my 6am flight out of Panama City. I had a layover in Memphis, Tennessee and then caught a flight to St. Louis, Missouri. All of my flights and layovers went very well, thank God! Two other Army wives and I were scheduled to meet at the airport in St. Louis and rent a car to ride together to Fort Leonard Wood. Well, as we all know, nothing in the world works as perfectly as we plan – and this was no exception. (First, let me go back and introduce the two army wives I have met so far. Stephenie is from New York, and Carrie is from New Mexico.) Stephenie’s first flight was delayed due to engine problems and of course set her layover back a couple hours. She wasn’t sure when she would arrive to St. Louis. Carrie’s flights were all on time, as scheduled.
Because Carrie and I were at the airport, and because we were not sure when Stephenie would arrive, I decided to go ahead and rent another vehicle so we could begin the 2.5 hour drive to Ft. Leonard Wood. I went to the first rental car company – they didn’t have any cars. I went to the second rental car company – they didn’t have any cars. I went to the third rental car company – all they had was an 18 passenger van and a minivan. I politely told the lady that I would take a Ferrari if that was all she had – as long as it had wheels and would get me from point A to point B, I had absolutely no preference. I JUST NEEDED A CAR! $417 later, a car I had…
So, Carrie and I are on our way to Ft. Leonard Wood…feeling horrible for Steph the whole time =/ Finally, we made it to the Family Day “meeting”. Pretty much the most important thing said in the meeting was that graduation may be pushed back, and/ or families would not be allowed on post to watch graduation due to inclement weather heading that way (i.e. snow!). Oh, great…that fit into our day just perfectly! (<-- Insert sarcasm here). Here we are, sitting on post, without our husbands, without Steph, uncertain when she will arrive, and uncertain IF we could even see our soldiers over the weekend…
Finally the guys were released – we had a few hours with them Wednesday evening. We ate dinner on post, shopped for some more of their Officer Candidate School (OCS) gear, and then returned them for “accountability formation”. THANKFULLY, Steph arrived safely and got to wave at John (her husband), AND the higher ups on post decided that families could come on post to watch the graduation ceremony that WOULD be held at 0900, regardless of the weather!
Graduation Day – Thursday January 20th
I woke up this morning, and this is what I saw:
David was an HONOR GRAD!!!!! (But we ALL knew that was coming, RIGHT?!)
After graduation, we all went out to lunch. Afterwards, we had a few hours to hang out before we had to return the guys back to post. It was sooooo nice to be able to just hang out with our men, like old times.
Since it was snowing, I decided to try to build a mini snow man – but to no avail =/
I am SO happy the BCT training is over!
Travel Day – Friday January 21st
Steph, Carrie, and I drove back to St. Louis from Ft. Leonard Wood. We had an ENTIRE day of nothing but traveling. Carrie got a flight back to New Mexico, and Steph and I continued our journey back to Florida to drive up to Ft. Benning where the guys were headed to begin OCS. We arrived to Columbus, Ga around 12:30 AM and went straight to bed!
On Post Pass Day??? - Saturday January 22nd
Saturday was the day I was supposed to give David all of his OCS gear. I was PRAYING he would be able to have a pass so that I could give him everything. Thankfully, all the guys from Ft. Leonard Wood were given a four hour pass to get the rest of the gear to start OCS. We were thinking that FOUR whole hours would be FANTASTIC and we could get a couple things they needed, eat lunch, and just chill for an hour or two...yeah, we thought WRONG! The entire time we were all stressing about getting all their gear so that they would all be able to "class up" on Monday.
We did get the guys everything they needed. After we dropped the guys back off at the hold over company, Steph and I went back to the PX to unwind and have coffee.
I ordered my coffee under MY name...this is what I got. Coincidence? You decide. ;-)
CHURCH - Sunday January 23rd
Steph and I decided to spend the night again to attempt to go to church with the guys Sunday morning. This was a REAL treat since we haven't really been able to worship with them at our sides since before they left for BCT (with the exception of the time they were home over Exodus). My hope and prayer is that I will be able to drive up to Ft. Benning some weeks to see David in order for us to go to church together. If I have to drive a couple hours, just to see him for one, I still come out ahead (in my opinion anyways!)
Us after the church service
Family Day/Afternoon - Wednesday January 19th
I left Tallahassee at 4am to catch my 6am flight out of Panama City. I had a layover in Memphis, Tennessee and then caught a flight to St. Louis, Missouri. All of my flights and layovers went very well, thank God! Two other Army wives and I were scheduled to meet at the airport in St. Louis and rent a car to ride together to Fort Leonard Wood. Well, as we all know, nothing in the world works as perfectly as we plan – and this was no exception. (First, let me go back and introduce the two army wives I have met so far. Stephenie is from New York, and Carrie is from New Mexico.) Stephenie’s first flight was delayed due to engine problems and of course set her layover back a couple hours. She wasn’t sure when she would arrive to St. Louis. Carrie’s flights were all on time, as scheduled.
Because Carrie and I were at the airport, and because we were not sure when Stephenie would arrive, I decided to go ahead and rent another vehicle so we could begin the 2.5 hour drive to Ft. Leonard Wood. I went to the first rental car company – they didn’t have any cars. I went to the second rental car company – they didn’t have any cars. I went to the third rental car company – all they had was an 18 passenger van and a minivan. I politely told the lady that I would take a Ferrari if that was all she had – as long as it had wheels and would get me from point A to point B, I had absolutely no preference. I JUST NEEDED A CAR! $417 later, a car I had…
So, Carrie and I are on our way to Ft. Leonard Wood…feeling horrible for Steph the whole time =/ Finally, we made it to the Family Day “meeting”. Pretty much the most important thing said in the meeting was that graduation may be pushed back, and/ or families would not be allowed on post to watch graduation due to inclement weather heading that way (i.e. snow!). Oh, great…that fit into our day just perfectly! (<-- Insert sarcasm here). Here we are, sitting on post, without our husbands, without Steph, uncertain when she will arrive, and uncertain IF we could even see our soldiers over the weekend…
Finally the guys were released – we had a few hours with them Wednesday evening. We ate dinner on post, shopped for some more of their Officer Candidate School (OCS) gear, and then returned them for “accountability formation”. THANKFULLY, Steph arrived safely and got to wave at John (her husband), AND the higher ups on post decided that families could come on post to watch the graduation ceremony that WOULD be held at 0900, regardless of the weather!
Graduation Day – Thursday January 20th
I woke up this morning, and this is what I saw:
Driving to the Fort:
Graduation Pics:
After graduation, we all went out to lunch. Afterwards, we had a few hours to hang out before we had to return the guys back to post. It was sooooo nice to be able to just hang out with our men, like old times.
Since it was snowing, I decided to try to build a mini snow man – but to no avail =/
I am SO happy the BCT training is over!
Travel Day – Friday January 21st
Steph, Carrie, and I drove back to St. Louis from Ft. Leonard Wood. We had an ENTIRE day of nothing but traveling. Carrie got a flight back to New Mexico, and Steph and I continued our journey back to Florida to drive up to Ft. Benning where the guys were headed to begin OCS. We arrived to Columbus, Ga around 12:30 AM and went straight to bed!
On Post Pass Day??? - Saturday January 22nd
Saturday was the day I was supposed to give David all of his OCS gear. I was PRAYING he would be able to have a pass so that I could give him everything. Thankfully, all the guys from Ft. Leonard Wood were given a four hour pass to get the rest of the gear to start OCS. We were thinking that FOUR whole hours would be FANTASTIC and we could get a couple things they needed, eat lunch, and just chill for an hour or two...yeah, we thought WRONG! The entire time we were all stressing about getting all their gear so that they would all be able to "class up" on Monday.
We did get the guys everything they needed. After we dropped the guys back off at the hold over company, Steph and I went back to the PX to unwind and have coffee.
I ordered my coffee under MY name...this is what I got. Coincidence? You decide. ;-)
CHURCH - Sunday January 23rd
Steph and I decided to spend the night again to attempt to go to church with the guys Sunday morning. This was a REAL treat since we haven't really been able to worship with them at our sides since before they left for BCT (with the exception of the time they were home over Exodus). My hope and prayer is that I will be able to drive up to Ft. Benning some weeks to see David in order for us to go to church together. If I have to drive a couple hours, just to see him for one, I still come out ahead (in my opinion anyways!)
Us after the church service
John and David
FINALLY!!!!! An OCS Candidate =D
Where David will be staying - 12 weeks and counting!
So, what is from here?! Tomorrow (Monday, January 24) is shake down. This is when the guys have to make sure they have all their gear - if not, they have a great chance at being kick backed / recycled (when they have to wait for the next OCS class to begin). If they pass, they move on to the next phase.
Tuesday, January 25, is the first PT test. This is VERY important because it will be the first test where they begin earning points towards their ranking in the line up of their OCS class. Their ranking in the line up is what determines the order of each person choosing their branch.
Wednesday or Thursday is their first obstacle course and Friday is water survival. PLEASE pray for the guys...specifically David, John (Steph's husband), and Justin (Carrie's husband).
At this point, I am not sure when I will be in touch with David again. From here on out, things are going to get even more fast-paced and exciting and interesting! I will keep everyone posted on the status as I receive more info.
Again, thank you all for your prayers and support!!!
xoxo
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