On the way(UPDATE)

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (Ed Novak) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:45:43 GMT

Eric: Your posting takes me back a few decades and I believe that I understand your quandary. I enlisted in the USAF at age 20 after two years of Pre-Veterinary medicine studies in order to get the G.I. Bill so that I would be able to have at least a meal ticket for the rest of my studies at Kansas State. Went through 49 weeks of Electronic Warfare training and couldn't wire a light switch with what I learned. Spent 10 years working on some really wonderful acft, tours in Alaska, VN,...

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (wsmrto) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:15:13 GMT

Eb: I haven't entered into this string since just before you left. I guess I want to say how much respect you have earned from all of us. Plus, all the troops that you give a small part of yourself to in some way. I also am a tired old soldier. I spent my 20 years active with about 14 years overseas, with 2 tours in VN and several 3 others & years) on the DMZ in Korea. I hated stateside duty because of the BS that you are putting up with. After I retired from active I went on to be a...

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (zeebill) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:36:10 GMT

Truely we are all alone all the time with our Lord to keep and cherish us with his love. No matter how bad your situation may seem if you look around closely you will see his blessings and appreciate his love for us. Keep the faith brother better times are coming and he will see to it. I am praying hard for you and yours! May God Bless you and keep you! Bill

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (eb in oregon) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:10:53 GMT

Guys,

I first entered to service after I graduated from high school, 05 Oct 1970. I KNEW I was going to Vietnam, yet I ended up in Ft. Ord California a few years later as a Drill Sergeant and was "undeployable." I volunteered, I came down on orders (which were cancelled all four times), so never "went to war."

After the Army I tried the Air National Guard and the Marine Reserves, didn't like them, just wasn't "me." When Desert Shield...

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (Colin) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:46:49 GMT

Eb; While it's no fun now, it will be something else to look back on. I had been out about 10 years when Desert Storm came along. There had been little brush fires but this was the real thing. Fort Bliss, where I was working as a civilian, looked deserted and I didn't get in on it. "They gave a war and I wasn't invited". I felt old.

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (Ed Novak) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:05:09 GMT

eb: Good on both of ya. I understand you and your mate's meeting moment in NZ; "died and went to heaven" sort of thing and some of us truly understand. Keep your head down enough to maintain parts and up enough to be aware. God bless you. God bless your mate too for allowing you to put yourself on the line for us.

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (Carl Gustav) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:44:17 GMT

Jason, I wish I had seen that news clip of the 32nd Brigrade. Our son in law is in the 32nd. Carl

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (Jackbull49) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:44:23 GMT

Having been in your shoes 4 years ago, let me suggest something you may find hard to believe.

If I were you I would somehow waggle a short tour in Afganistan after I got back home. As a senior (in 2 ways) NCO your presence is a big deal in newly deploying units. I took a tour to Afganistan and ended up taking one more Bosnia after that. I have never had a moments regret. My friends from Iraq who retired as soon as possible regret not going to Afganistan. It is difficult after...

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (FLAPJACKHAPPY) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:30:58 GMT

Glad to hear you got through the red tape and made it to see your wife. Hopefully you got a decent turkey dinner , On the news they showed the 32nd brigade eating and it looked like a nice spread. Thanks again for your service .. Jason

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (Carl Gustav) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:13:56 GMT

Eric, glad to hear things are going reasonably well and that your NZ trip was a success in spite of the initial problems. Will you be done with the military when you get back? Thanks for your service. Carl

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (eb in oregon) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:21:02 GMT

"as an old soldier" that first went active duty 05 Oct 1970, it is a marvel how much it has changed. Some for the better, some not. Regardless I'm getting short and am about done with the whole thing. I'm tired.

eb

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (nothernug) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:58:11 GMT

It's good to hear you're still hale & hearty. Fortunate you are too, to havegotten to spend that leave with your wife. As bad as your situation is, it is a marvel to me as an old soldier how it all has changed. I still have some of the letters home I wrote in the army because Mom kept them. Messages handwritten in ink on pieces of paper were still the most common and practical means of communication. You could manage a phone call from overseas but it wasn't easy and you...

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (cujo) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:18:35 GMT

Glad to see that you could see your wife... I wish my brother was home for Thanksgiving I have not seen him in two years.... Maybe you know him eb his name is Randall Burda he is a SSgt in the Army. That is all I know ( he did not tell me his unit or any thing ). I am Thankfull of my brother's service and yours too... So try to have a Happy Thanksgiving eb and God Bless.

Mike

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (eb in oregon) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:57:54 GMT

Well, it's Thanksgiving, I've been back from leave a week, and I'm thankfull that things are going well for us. Up to this point my battalion has only had a few soldiers injured, nobody killed. The morning of the day I got back one of our vehicles got "hit" and the crew was injured, the vehicle killed. One was hurt bad enough that he was flown out to Germany and won't be back. However he still has all his "original equipment" and will lead a long, hopefully...

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (Ed Novak) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:09:19 GMT

The sort of thing that makes us grind our teeth. Sorry to hear that is happening to your bride and you, Eric but hope and prayers that things will work out for your R&R reunion.

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (HoosierDaddy) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:26:31 GMT

Good luck Eric. What a cluster. So there isn't anybody manning the phone in NZ at all?
Hope things get moving for you quickly. I'll be praying for you and will keep you on my mind a bit extra.

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (zeebill) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:58:51 GMT

Even a slightly mad you is good to hear from Eb!!!!! May God bless and straighten the mess out for you! Good Luck and Enjoy! Bill

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (eb in oregon) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:40:55 GMT

Well, here I sit in Kuwait waiting for an additional clearance from the US Embassy in Wellington New Zealand. My S-2 section dropped the ball and didn't get this done befoe I flew out from Tallil. The guy that did it for me when I got to Kuwait early morning Thursday did it wrong and I didn't find out until about 4:00 pm New Zealand time Friday the next day. The guy in Wellington that does these things had already gone home for the weekend. I called there asking for help and all I got...

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (mkgr22) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:34:05 GMT

Enjoy your trip to New Zealand- I'm sure you will. I suppose it will be early spring when you get there. Quite a relief from that dang desert.

Re: On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (eb in oregon) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:19:53 GMT

Well, it's been a long day, 0700 to 1900. We got 17 new "Caimans" today to replace some (not nearly all) of our worn out vehicles. Sort of weird to look at 17 million dollars "on the hoof" like that.

Spent a good part of the day checking out their systems and antennas, figuring out the work that needs to be done before they are all mission capable, and started on work orders for what needs to be fixed/repaired. It's wearing to have to climb up on the roof...

On the way(UPDATE)

feeds@yuku.com (eb in oregon) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:32:35 GMT

I'm leaving for my train-up in an hour or so, thought I'd take a look at the forum while I'm trying to take care of last minute stuff. I bought a laptop so I'll be able to "drop in" on occasion.

Fly low and stay cool.

Eric