February 4th 364 days plus

Good Evening everyone,
I just wanted to tell you that I have time during the past few night where I think of home. I will be posting pictures of my barracks in the next few days. I just want you right now to close your eyes and picture this. Picture a building that was built for soldiers back in world war II. The building has gone pretty much untouched with the exception of years of paint and layers of wax that has been applied through the years. There is a note on the bulletin board that talks about the care and maintenance of the building. For example you cannot strip the wax off the floor due to the lead tiles underneath. Do not peal the paint off the wall because of the lead underneath. I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the picture or due you?

When I mentioned I have time during the night its because of the lime green vinyl mattress covers and the too small sheets. I was issued two sheets neither one is fitted. (My pillow is also covered in plastic that crinkles under the pillow case) If I were a betting man sometime ago the folks here (penny pincher's) at Ft Lewis said why replace the mattresses and pillows lets cover them in vinyl instead. So every mattress now has a vinyl mattress cover that reminds me of the plastic my mom used too cover her couch with. The reason I'm awake off and on through the night is because no matter what I do the vinyl mattress bad seems to come uncovered. I've tried everything short of duct tape to secure my sheets but so far nothing works. I know your thinking so what big deal, suck it up. In my defense would you want your skin to touch a place where 100's of soldiers have slept before? This morning I almost drowned in my pool of drool that had formed where the mattress was exposed.

I believe I have my problem solved I bought fitted sheets to day at the post exchange. They were on sale for 8.99. If you ask me it was money well spent.

Just for the record I'm not complaining. As most soldiers will tell you we always rationalize our accommodations by saying this isn't as bad as the time I was at Ft Stewart, GA, or at Ft Dix, NJ. We soldiers can and have had it worse and are thankful for hot water, a roof over our heads, and a warm place to sleep at night.

Life is a matter of choices I say if your given lemons you need to make lemonade, others say if your given lemons .......