"Signal School!" or "Daddy's Gone Again?!"

Fort Gordon, Georgia is the home of Signal, and I am going to be here for a while. Not as long as previously thought, so that is good. I will update with a photo eventually. Of course, ORANGE is the official color of the Signal Corps, hence the font color.
Ok, is that better? Once again I am separated from my wonderful wife and family and quickly I realize again just how much my family (especially my wife) means to me. I miss them so much and have not even been gone a week. It is hard sometimes to go away to school, but it has to be harder to be the one that is left at home. The one that has to raise three kids, pay the bills, do all the chores that I normally do (not many), and take care of the house and the dogs. I do not envy her at all. I thank God everyday that He has blessed me with such a wonderfully understanding and kind woman to be my wife. I truly could not get by with out her. I love her so much, she is my Hero. I love you Melissa!

Good to be home

Awesome Kids!!!

It sure is nice to be home on vacation and spend a little quality time at home. Recently, we have built a planter box for our upcoming garden, went to the zoo, got our Excursion stuck in the mud, and had a great time just being together. Our truck was so stuck (in the zoo parking lot) that we had to get towed out with a little BobCat. It was pretty sweet. Yes, I was parked where they told me to park. Check back in to see some photos from the zoo trip. Later!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
Wow, Paris was a blast! Just kidding. This was the only New Year Photo I could find. I hope that everyone has a wonderful new year and that your families have only happiness this year.

Thanks for reading my blog and checking it out. Sorry that I don't update it very often. Work is always getting in the way. Talk to ya later!

Family Vacation

Well, as you can see, we went on a bit of vacationing. Here we are at the Gold Mine tour. It was a blast! The kids had a great time watching the bat fly around as the tour guide was giving us a lesson 1,820 ft inside the mountain. Then, they had an even better time when we tried our hand at Gold Panning. It's the things that kids (and dad's) love to do best: play in the stream, play with mud, get wet, find treasure, and have a good time comparing who got the biggest piece of fool's gold.
Overall, our trip was GREAT (except for the hotel accommodations made by me). We saw the Great Sand Dunes, an Alligator farm, a gold mine, went fishing (caught many fish), saw the Royal Gorge, and went to the North Pole! It was a lot of driving, but I have time off and needed to make up for all the time I have missed.
Now, the kids are getting back into school and I need to go back to work soon. I would like to get a better job, but we will have to see how it goes. Have a great day!

Home Free!

Well, I am proud to say that I am back in the USA! Sorry about the long pause in posts but it wasn't convenient for me to update the site. I would consider this my last post. I know that is making all 3 faithful readers sad, but now you can get the info from calling me.

Have a GREAT Day!

Happy Birthday and Happy Mothers Day!

I would first like to say Thank You to everyone who has recently sent packages or letters to me and my buddies here in Iraq. Next, I would like to give a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to Craigie. I can't believe he is going to be six. It seems like only yesterday that I was speeding down the highway to the hospital to have him. He is a GREAT son and I am very proud of him. He is a marvelous boy and I couldn't ask for a kinder, gentler, more caring son. Of course he would not be those things if it weren't for his EXCELLENT mother, Melissa. She is the glue that is holding this family together in all my absences. I am truly blessed to have her as my wife and the mother of our children. I couldn't ask for a better person to spend my life with! I love you!

Well, as you can see from the photo, we keep things safe around here by constantly being on the lookout for possible attackers. I took this photo while performing some guard duty a while ago. This fellow was just watching his cattle. He is sitting next to an irrigation canal. He did come up and ask for "food?" "Pepsi?" "water?" to all his answers I said no. I did tell him to drink from the canal if he's thirsty, and he did! It's against regulations to give them food or water. Kinda like feeding the stray dogs. They always come back and ask for more and that causes distractions from the mission at hand.

Things here are going smooth. No problems and no notice of any extension. I should be back in time for Archery Elk season! Well, everyone have a great day and thanks for your support.

Hoppy Easter!

Hello all! Sorry that I couldn't be there with you for Easter, but I did get to see the Easter bunny while I was here. It was the first rabbit that I have seen here in Iraq. Since my last posting, I have taken another trip to Tallil. I get frequent flier miles on the Sherpa's (C-23) now. Flying in a Sherpa is really not that comfortable. It is better than a helicopter, but not by much. It's loud, hot, then cold, still loud, and the seats are kinda like a square metal frame with fabric sewn over it. I guess it's better than walking.

Anyway, THANK YOU! to Mark E., Matt F., and Lyndsay R. for the wonderful boxes of goodies. In a three day span I recieved a ton of licorice (all gone now), a bunch of CrackerJack, a boat load of Thin Mints (mostly gone), and PopTarts (all gone), gummy things, and a ton of Jerky! You guys are awesome! Thank you all so much!

As you can see from the photo I attached, we have repainted our sign. I think it turned out prettty good. If you are wondering what all that white stuff on the bottom of the barrier is, it's HAIL! yes, it storms pretty good over here sometimes. At least it's not 100 degrees YET.

Have a great day and remember to thank Melissa for all her efforts! It's not only me making sacrifices, she has a much tougher job, believe me! I can never repay her for all she has done for me and our children. I love her!

Don't forget to click on the picture if you want to see it better.

Finally!!!

Sorry for the recent delays in posting to my blog, but the Army has decided to not allow it on my computer. I guess they want people working at work and not blogging.
Well, things here are going just fine. I did get to experience a couple of MEDEVAC flights. That ws pretty cool. No, I was not injured, I just needed a ride. As we flew along over the desert, I was surprised at the number of Iraqi children that would run towards the helicopter and wave at us. I thought, wow, we are making a difference in the lives of these people and they are happier for it. Then I saw the crew cheif dropping the bombs. Litteraly. The crewcheif of the UH-60 blackhawk was bombing the kids, with candy bombs. They take a ziplock bag and fill it with hard candy, small toys and stuffed animals and drop it to them. Now I see why the kids are so happy to see us!
When you think of Iraq, what do you think of? Sand, Desert, barren, right? Wrong! What I have seen is mostly like driving through Eastern Colorado. Farming fields with plenty of irrigation and sometimes lush forests of palm trees and fruit groves. True, there is a large portion of Iraq that mostly desert, but thankfully, I don't have to go there too often. Iraq really is a beautiful place if you can stay out of the dirty cities. There is a ton of history here too. I think in the future that one of the biggest boosts to thier economy will come from tourism. It might be a while before that happens though. I hope they figure it out soon so I can go home to my family.
Have a great day!

Family Time

I am finally home for a brief period. After 18-20 hours on a plane it sure is great to be home with my wife and kids. I may or may not update this blog while I am home. Have a great day!

Baghdad New Years Eve

As you can see, I recently took a trip to Baghdad to check things out. Here is what I found. These swords are freaking huge (you could fly a helicopter under them if it was allowed) and I was actually in Saddam's fist. These arms and fist were modeled after Saddam's. I also stood on the platform where Saddam gave his famous speech and fired his rifle in the air. It was a total dive. Everything of any value was gone and all the glass was broken. Sad really. You could tell that at one time the place was quite spectacular and a show piece of a tyrant.

It was quite interesting really. The parade field was built after the Iran-Iraq war. At the base of the swords is a plaque detailing the success of the Iraqi army and there are hundreds of "Iranian helmuts" litteraly pouring out of a bag and onto the parade field. This is supposed to sybolize the Iranians killed by the valiant Iraqi soldiers. There are also a lot of them acually cast into the concrete of the street and sticking out like speed bumps so that when he held parades, his tanks would drive on the "heads of the Iranians". The IZ (International Zone) is still wild, but lots of security is there. At no time did I feel threatened or scared (ok, maybe a little scared when I had to squeeze my big self up that narrow ladder into the fist above). The IZ is also called "the green zone" to laymen.

Yes, Mom, I recieved my Christmas packages. I must have forgot to mention them.

Let me finish with this thought:

Happy New Year, may it bring peace and togetherness!

Merry Christmas!

Ok, so its a little after Christmas now, but I would just like put it out there anyway. I had a fine Christmas. No snow, but plenty of dust. And Creamer. Thanks to Trinity and all their thoughtfulness, we now have tons of coffee creamer (puts a smile on everyones face). Ya, sure, Army guys are supposed to be tough and macho, but some of us are a little more sensitive and just like their coffee with creamer. (and a couple of sweet-n-lo's).

Well, I know I am sure looking forward to coming home soon. I think DisneyLand is in my future! I had a great time last year and it should be fun again. Look out Splash Mtn, here I come!

You know what is great about people? They really care for the soldiers. People that I have never met, have sent me christmas cards and all kinds of things. For instance, I have never met my step-sister Lindsay, and her daughter's girl scout troop sent a box of stuff for me (including summer sausage!). You could say, "she related." How about the women in Ohio who have sent cards? And, lets not forget all the friends and family who have sent SO MANY packages! I cannot praise them enough.

Everytime I get a package from the states, it feels like Christmas. I especially love the letters from the kids. They say the darndest things! I like the one a friend of mine got that mentioned killing "ragheads". How did that one slip past the teacher? Still pretty funny though!

Overall message: American people rule! Thank you all and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Chuck Norris fact: Chuck Norris did not invent the internet, the computers were scared and banded together for protection from Chuck Norris.

More Packages!

Holy smokes! Trinity really comes through on the promise of packages! I must say that I now have lots of coffee and toiletries. Thank you all very much, your time and donations are much appreciated by all!

I should include a photo of our three Christmas trees next time. I don't have one with me now. Things here are moving right along, as they should be. It's good to be a Soldier, but it sucks to be away from my family. :-(

I got (good english there) some Christmas presents from Dad & Carole today, I am looking forward to opening them. I have a sneeking suspicion there are some hunting video's in there. I hope I can hold out until Christmas.

Sorry about just rambling on this time. I'll try to make it more interesting on the next one. Thanks again to everyone including my work (Pepsi)! They have been great, too.

I hope everyone is working on their Dart skills. I know mine are top notch. But then again, as Tina knows, "I'm good at everything I do." Merry Christmas!

Packages!

Wow! What a surprise! I recieved three boxes of goodies yesterday. I must say "Thank You!" to Mark and Alison Eibner for all the great stuff like the big tub-o-twizzlers! I think I have enough Beef Jerky to last me at least a week (it would last a month for "normal" people)! I tend to skip lunch due to eating so much jerky and sausage. That is fine with me!

Sue (my mom in law) really outdid herself also with the nuts and candy! Thank you so much for everything that you do. You are the mother in law a guy could have. I love you.

Today, I recieved three boxes of goodies from Trinity Lutheran Church and School. Wow, I have a ton of cookies! And Coffee! I have already distributed 3 or 4 bags of cookies to the fella's and gals that are manning the guard towers tonight. I am sure some chocolate chip cookies will help them keep their eyes open.

I thought I saw some snow flakes yesterday! It was cold and drissly all day and I am pretty sure I saw a few flakes. I checked with a couple of other guys and they thought the same thing. Maybe it was trying, or maybe we all just miss the white stuff. Hopefully it will snow when I come home. Then I can shovel and give Melissa a break. Have a great day and thanks again to everyone who sent things to me or baked a cookie for us. We really do appreciate all your efforts!

Oh yeah, check out my cool bike. It's name is "The Shocker."
I took it off "some sweet jumps" and my favorite animal is a "Liger".-Napolean Dynomite

Confirmed Kill!

That's right! After much discussion and review, it has been confirmed. I am a killer. A well trained, highly motivated and highly skilled purveyor of death. The poor bastard didn't even see it coming. It the midst of the battle, I broke out my camera to capture the moment for historical value.

Warning: Graphic War Violence Photo Below

Not for the faint hearted!

(photo removed by Mouse Haters Annonymous)

With all of our advanced technology, who would have thought, that glue would be my most effective weapon in this "War on Mice". I know the future holds many more of these battles in store for me. I will do my best to stay on top of my game and protect you from these "insurgent vermin." I will include a photo of my office so that you can see how close I am to the enemy.

New Sheets

Wow, new sheets! Sadly, it is one of those things that kinda get swept by the wayside and forgotten about. I must admit that it has been since September that I last washed my sheets. Thankfully, my wonderful wife has again saved the day. I received a very nice smelling set of sheets in the mail today and I am really looking forward to sleeping in them for the next few months. Ok, maybe now that I have two sets of sheets, I could turn them in to the laundry to get washed. Thanks Melissa for the wonderful sheets. And my room mate thanks you. I love you.

Credits

Apparently, I need to provide some photo credits to some of the photos here. So, until further notice. I took every picture myself. There, ya happy now? Ok, maybe not all. Certainly not the one's with me in the frame. I do need to give credit to Tina on most photos with Melissa in them, and to Melissa on photos with Tina or myself in them. Does that do it? Ok.

December Already?

Wow, I can't believe that it is already December. It feels like it is early September. I suppose that is good, then when I really get to come home, it will feel like spring! Unfortunately, the Iraqi heat will probably awaken my senses to summer sometime around April. I am really looking forward to coming home soon and seeing my loved ones. I miss them so much. Its hard to imagine how hard things must be for my adorable wife, but she is stronger than me. She is a true trooper. God surely has blessed me to have such a wonderful family.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I wish I could be home now to celebrate with you all! I recently had the priviledge of visiting one of Iraq's historical cites, the city of Ur. I'll show another photo of the Ziggurat. This place was really cool. I kept thinking to myself, "I bet Craigie and Katherine would love wandering around these ruins with me." I am sure they would. They are such great sports. They always are willing to do what dumb dad wants to do! I can't wait for Jack to get a little bigger so I can start including him on our adventures. Special thanks to all the people at Trinity who sent letters to me and my Soldiers. It took me quite a while to read all the letters and I am still handing out "Any Soldier" letters. Thanks for all your support! Have a great Thanksgiving and don't forget the Broncos play the Chiefs today!

If you can translate the sign, please let me know! I think is says "Confused tourist stop here for photo"

Packages!

Just like everyone else on earth, I love to receive packages and mail in general. Today, I received 3 packages. How wonderful! The best ones are the ones from my son's kindergarten class. They made cookies for me and sent them all the way here. I was a little taken back on the amount of cookies, the guys here with me assured me that they can handle the amount of cookies. I must admit, that I don't get packages. My section gets packages is more like it (even though they are addressed to me). I would have no teeth left if I had to eat all the candy and cookies being sent to me. So, I willingly share your love with my guys. And they all thank you.
Thanks for everything that you all do for me here. Now, I've got to go eat some cookies.

Rookie Posting

Hello all! Welcome to SSG DADDY! I am glad you found it. I named this blog SSG Daddy in honor of the wonderful letters I get from my wife and kids. I love them so much! Let me know what you think!

Special thanks to all those wonderful people who have sent me packages and email the past couple of months. I love getting mail as much as the next guy but sadly, I am not as quick to return the favor. I'll work on that.