11 Weeks

So far, so crazy. It's been 2 and a half months since I took off from California and plenty has taken place. Melanie has decided to move back to IL in conjunction with her trip out East for her Graduation for her Master's Degree. As far as I can tell, she'll be living with her mother for the most part. It'll be good for her to have a decent network of family and friends, and save money as the cost of living in IL is quite a bit cheaper! Keep praying for us as this deployment does make it a lot rougher on a marriage. The good thing about the stresses that have been placed on our marriage is that it is causing a much stronger desire to better myself as a person and a husband. I spend a lot of time each day attempting to weed out my deficiencies and learn how to grow into a better person.

I spent my first month and a half here learning all the systems and getting a decent understanding of our capabilities. I then got voluntold to report to Guard Duty on the first of April. After a few days of classes we did a machine gun shoot during which I was able to fire the M240G 7.62 Medium Machine Gun, the M2 .50 Heavy Machine Gun, and the MK19 40mm Heavy Machine Gun Grenade Launcher. Truly a fun day. Since then I was lucky enough to be assigned an Entry Control Point that is close to where I typically work and also only a couple hundred yards from my hooch. So I have one month down of guard duty and one more coming, so by June 1st, i should be back with my shop doing typical system's administration work. The nicest thing about my current post is that it is only an 8 hour shift and that gives me enough time to hit the gym most days. The wind is nice and strong this time of year, though with all the dust it makes breathing a chore. Monday, May 3rd, I start online courses through AMU. I have 6 classes worth of credit done already, and I should be able to swing another 12 classes while I'm out here. Then two more classes when I get back to Camp Pendleton and I should have my Associate's Degree finally. Not worth all that much, but will help transferring to a 4 year school a lot easier than a menagerie of classes and no degree. I still live in the 'transient' tent with 40 other guys on bunk beds. Certainly makes living a chore when half the tent is always sleeping, no personal space, and every morning there is a new thick layer of dust and dirt on everything.

Dad and Mom, my small group, Shannon, Melanie, Aunt Pattie, Aunt Dee and Uncle Keith, Bryan, and several others have all sent packages out to me already and they have certainly buoyed my spirits! Letters and motomail and emails have also come in from various sources as well. I keep all of those as I do like to read them more than once. I now have tentative R&R dates: Oct 22 - Nov 6. These could change quite easily but I'm hoping they stay about where they are. That is all for now.