Tired...

Haven't had much free time up here and its still been very cold...but:

1/20/08
+canceled training after going to church because of no transportation to training site
+Protestant service was a little dry, hard staying awake so tired and it was a very traditional service. Really no one around to assist the chaplain with anything its just the chaplain and piano player. But the message was a reminder about God's immutability taken out of Malachi 6:3
+Sunday had been the coldest so far at around 5 degrees.

1/21/08
+more people came in today including SSG Trujillo. I got deployed with him last time. But this is his freaking 5th tour! man...
+They assigned the weapons lists on Monday and I was slotted to get an M-4
+felt like I was getting sick so I started to drink more water
+people in all the bunks around me are sick 7 people total have been quarintened and 3 ppl around me put on quarters, its supposed to be some respitory virus thing
+Ansbro fractured his foot and is on a cane
+Steidel seems more depressed and is having a hard time with people
+everyone is generally frustruated with the command because of their lack of organization
+PLT SGT let off a little bit so we don't have to show up a half hour early for company formations
+ we have really long days first formation at 530 and we don't get released until 2200
+did winching and tie down operations for HETTs today loaded up some command track vehicles and an Abrams tank
+Motto and Chandra asked me to teach them some martial arts stuff after watching me beat up on the bag
+ I'm going to try and start a bible study with the other people that go to the protestant service

1/22/08
+decided that I need 8 more rechargeable AAA batteries and it might be nice to have another charger, I also decided I'm going to take my other pair of flip flops
+you'll be surprised what people will say in their sleep, I stayed up late last night to watch Knocked up, I just needed something to give my head a break. I also discovered its not good to take showers after 2300 because the water is so cold!
+There is a lot of snow on the ground today but not as windy
+we had tro march to the training field today and did some driving courses. They had a serpintine and some barriers we had to clear with the trailer
+ so far a gate has been smashed and a concrete barrier tossed from people hitting stuff during training
+I had to act as a range safety today and was outside a lot, it was 13 degrees outside and I was comfortable in a t shirt and pants no cold weather gear on
+one of the guys was playing some music and for some reasont it made me think of Aileen and I just felt horrified and shocked consumed with grief
+I got to play with Groetken's guitar today its a really nice Dean Martin, it was just really nice to have some extra time to get into the lyrics of the songs and spend some time with God.
- I've decided to just have my guitar sent to me and I'll get another better guitar!

1/23/08
+all the extra training and general crap and added stress is coming from Schilling and Miller
+ why is our platoon the only one training till 10pm every night and why are we the only ones having a formation an hour before the company formation?
+all lot of soldiers are fed up with senior leadership asking soldiers to do things that they aren't willing to do
-we have to wear all our gear the whole day, senior leadership only wears their body armor for the morning formation
-we need to have a battle buddy everywhere we go, they wander off by themselves and do what they want(I.e. Go to the PX, go to the gym in PT!s)
+they expect us to walk and run with all our gear on to the training sites when its below freezing with ice all over the ground
-they expect us to make class times witho7ut providing transportation
-all the other units I've seen here have busses to take them all around this frozen hell and we're the only company that doesn't have transportation
+more and more people are having to go to sick call for busted ankles, hurt backs and just being plain sick!
+Everyone including senior NCO's are pissed off and are getting fed up with these "officers" yelling at them
+they talk about training the way we fight problem is that none of the people in charge have ever been deployed they don't know what its like over in the box and are asking us to do things that even infantry people don't do while they are deployed.
+several soldiers are wanting to talk to the chaplain and inspector general to wake the command up so they don't burn out their soldiers after just 1 week! Its ridiculous! No one has ever deployed with a command as jacked up as this one. There are no redeeming qualities
+some units are super disorganized but they motivate soldiers, or they are organized and treat soldiers like crap, this unit is disorganized and they piss people off, they mess with our pay and food
+several soldiers have gone without meals due to the disorganization and lack of care for soldiers, my whole platoon missed dinner chow because we were out training and no one brought us food!
+to make up for missed meals soldiers have been ordering food, and now they want to forbid us from ordering food! And they have the balls to say that we can't! There's no regulation on that
+ they are lying to us and really pushing/ignoring regs concerning soldiers well being like how long we can work outside in cold weather, or how much sleep we can get among other things

1/24/08
+Zach's sister had her baby this morning
+ansbro is off the cane
+took the road liscensing test today for the HETT
+The trainers said there is no reason for us to go back to the range tmr but our LT wants us to go back, 1st PLT is getting a day off tmr!
+3rd and 4th and Maintenence have had down time the whole time we've been here but us...nope.
+Started using the 2-way radio's I have to help have more communication for our squad and eliminate the unnecessary walking, wasted time, and time spent in below freezing weather.
+I made some 3 point combat slings for peoples weapons since supply isn't issuing any to us. Its retarded cause you can't even go through the chow hall with all the gear your carrying especially when u have more than one weapon!