27 Years in...

Today is the 27th Anniversary of me signing up, in Uncle Sam's Big Green Machine, aka The United States Army (courtesy of the Illinois Army National Guard).

Oh, such a look in 1985

Over the years, I got to learn all sorts of things...

Claymore! 1989, Aberdeen Proving Grounds

I eventually got to work on a disaster

The Mississippi River tells a levee that it should just quit...now.  1993

Then overseas "peacekeeping"

Sarajevo, SFOR in 1997

Back to training

JRTC, Fort Polk, Louisiana 2000

Overeas, training

Yavoriv, Ukraine 2003

Then, to war...

Parwan Province, Afghanistan 2004

And back to disaster

Post-Katrina, outside New Orleans 2005

Then back to war

Outside Baghdad 2008

3 1/2 more months, and I will be done... I wonder what I will look like after that?  I've threatened to grow out my hair and a beard to make Lord Byron's ghost blush in shame.  Maybe, maybe not.

A Milblogger passes on...

If you check my links on the right hand side of this blog, you will see "Neptunus Lex" - a naval aviator's blog.  Well, the worst has happened.  Damn.

Ashes to Ashes

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.  Today is Ash Wednesday.

From ashes we came and to ashes we shall return.

From Katrina I came and to Nightmares of Katrina I have finally returned.

After years of trying (the first post was back in Sep 09!) I have finally finished recounting my experience that I have called Nightmares of Katrina.

Go read, now.  It's groovy.

Love and Cheese

Given to me on Valentines Day this year ... actually, there were four of them to start.

I'll always wonder what was back there...

Baghdad, 2008.  Whatever was back there, I never got to see it...

"Combat Shower"

This seemed to convey the message rather effectively, posted at a camp in the Kuwaiti desert. Now,  I am thinking of posting this at the gym where I work out in the morning.  Maybe it would startle some folks into lingering a bit less...

Random Military photo of the week

I was browsing some photos of my time in Afghanistan, and chuckled when I saw this one of me, and "Commander Qand", a local man of note, former Afghan Militia Commander and veteran of fighting against the Soviets and the Talib.

Yes, meetings bore me too, CDR Qand.

Should you find yourself in Chicago....visit Lincoln Tavern

Should you happen to find yourself in Bucktown (that is a neighborhood in Chicago, for our out of State friends) you will want to drop in at Lincoln Tavern.

Hey, Look here, right on Wabansia!

While a real neighborhood bar is the first thing you will see...

Is that an Elvis picture?

Pour me a Blue, wouldya please?

 Don't think that is all there is to this place...the dining room hides off to the back.

 The food was startlingly good - the ribs were reviewed by a hungry 13 year old (my son) as "awesome!". Everything else was too.  If you have a hankering for game, they even do that once in a while.

The brother and sister that own and run the place were personable and made sure we hade a relaxing time.

Lincoln Tavern
1858 W. Wabansia Ave. (1700N, 1900W)
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 342-7778

Go have a beer and a bite, ok?

A landmark reborn

Out with the old....

In with new....Mars Cheese Castle.  One cannot cross the Illinois/Wisconsin border (near Kenosha)without at least wanting to stop at the Castle.  The iconic cheese, beer and sausage shop became so popular, they had to move (across the parking lot) to a bigger building.

Man, now I want a brat and some New Galrus beer...

I'm back

Had lost my voice, so to speak for blogging.  Well, I think I am ready to return.  Standby for posts....

Whew, I'm Glad That's Over

I thought this BBC article's headline was a bit too trite.  Maybe it's just classic British understatement.  "No need to worry about that anymore..."

I wonder why I can't even find this story on CNN, USAToday or Google News.

Veteran's Day 2011

This will be my last Veteran's Day while I am "in".  Next year this time I will be in the "grey area" (retired, but not yet drawing a pension, etc).

So how did I get here?  I think it best to lay it out in a simple "if, then" statement:

If

Dad (1945)

Grandpa (1943)

Uncle Jack (1943)

Then

Me, in Afghanistan (2004)

Me, in Iraq (2008)

Unlike my forebearers, who left the plains of Iowa to go down to the sea in ships, or climb into a B-25, I chose to pound the ground as a Soldier.  Oddly enough, I may have seen more of the world because of that - times being what they have been.

Thanks to all those who have served, whenever it was or wherever it was!

A contradiction...?

I saw the following on a company's website:

It is the policy of ____________, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, to attract and retain the best qualified people available, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.

Um, doesn't "affirmative action" regard "race, color, national origin, gender"?

An Interview

Several of us prior service OIF and OEF vets were interviewed for this particular site.  Give it a look and see a few stories of adjusting to coming home.

Happy Autumnal Equinox

I'm so happy that the moon was in a waning crescent for the equinox this year, not like last year.

I know I've tried twice before and failed twice before, but this year I am determined to relate to you what happened to me on the eve of the Autumnal Equinox in 2005, while we were deployed to help with Hurricane Katrina relief.

Go to Illini 6 for the whole story.