Have I mentioned lately that it’s great to be home and back among the living here in the good old USA? On Valentine’s Day it was our one year anniversary of my return from Iraq. Looking back I have to ask myself “Self where has the time gone?” Why it seems like just yesterday that I was sweating like a fat kid in a sauna. Here it is thirty degrees and I’m ecstatic!
I would like to say I filed away the deployment into my life experiences file as soon as I saw my wife, family and friends. But I would be wrong; the deployment left me with a bad taste in my mouth that I’m just now getting over after over a year. I am just now placing it into my life experience file as lessons learned, and have decided not to dwell on the past instead I’m letting it go. Susan said it best when she asked me “If you had to do it over again would you have done anything different given the circumstances”. My answer after some thought was “No I would have done it all the same only different”. More often than not my wife is the voice of reason and common sense and that’s one of the many reasons why I love her.
Honestly there is no easy answer, what it comes down to is after 30 years of being a soldier you still place your soldier’s needs above your own. I may be old school (be nice) but I was always taught that the officers come up with the plan, it’s up to us the enlisted guys who are the subject matter experts to put the plan in motion. Being a senior enlisted soldier you’re responsible for the soldiers under you and around you. Our soldiers depended on us and it was up to us to drive on no matter the cost. You had to keep your game face on, support your boss all while placing the soldiers needs above your own. Kind of like driving and texting you have to be able to do many things at one time. Truth be told I lost a friend during the deployment who I think forgot somewhere along the way that he was the enlisted soldier’s first line of defense against the system. Understand I am not without blame for I have my own faults and know that it takes to two Tango.
Enough about that as the saying goes yesterday is the past, today is the present and tomorrow is the future. Our destiny is what we make it and when the day is done we can lick our wounds or say I did my best and anticipate the next day. There is a saying that I like that goes something like this. I have been shot at, misquoted, trampled on and beaten bloody. The only reason why I’m here today is to see what they are going to do next. I think this saying sums it up best “Some days you’re the dog, other days you’re the fire hydrant”.
On the bright side my car had an orgasm today! I know you’re shocked and I sense that you’re all wondering where in the world did this thought come from. It’s just I gave my car a much needed bath and discovered the beautiful white stallion that was buried under the dirt from life’s travels. And yes my hearing may be bad but I’m sure I heard my car moan in ecstasy when the foam was applied not once but twice as the winter dirt was removed. It may be my imagination but my car goes a little faster now and the car stands an inch or two taller than the other cars parked nearby.
I’m sure I’ve kept you in suspense long enough “Irving’s transplant went well”. I was nervous doing my first solo transplant and could easily relate to how a doctor must feel doing his first ever brain surgery. I procured (appropriated, acquired, relocated) new digs for Irving earlier in the week. I was nervous and tossed and turned the night before wondering if I was doing the right thing or more importantly what if something went wrong?
I put on some Barry White music to perform the transplant and extracted Irving from his cramped coffee cup. Upon inspection the soil was dry and the roots were somewhat exposed. (Note to self I should give him water on a regular basis not just when his leaves are brown). His new digs are much larger with room to grow. Not to second guess myself but maybe, just maybe some fresh dirt should have been added instead of the hardened chunks of earth that I recycled from the newer pot. Dam those insurance companies and their high rates, if only there had been affordable insurance he might have received new dirt!
I was a bit apprehensive at first and I have to admit I left him alone for the weekend. I was nervous on what I might find when I returned to the cabin. I was scared to look at him the first day, but the second day there he was all green and glowing. It’s almost as if he saw the light and was turning over a new leaf.
All is well at the Crotteau house more postings will follow. Special mention to Jacki’s as her wedding gets higher in the horizon. You’re not closing doors your opening up windows of opportunity.
That is all,
Dave
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Story worth sharing
I received the following story in a E Mail. I have always liked this story and I wanted to share this with other...
My dad was a career Marine and this really chokes me up but it is a story that, to me, is not just about how Marine's act but rather how we should all act. We are not alone in this life unless we choose to be alone. Be kind, be a friend and you will find that kindness and friendships come to you in time too! Read this story and have a wonderful day!!!!
The Old Man...
As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.
The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.
I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something.
The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying, 'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.
I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'
He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.
The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us, he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.
When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with'
He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal . He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.
He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all around again and I said my goodbye's to his wife. I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me.
One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.
For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name...... 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'
I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence.
Remember, OLD men like him gave you FREEDOM for America . Thanks to those
who served... & those who supported them.
America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the
Mall. If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in
front of them!
Remember, Freedom isn't "Free" -- thousands have paid the price so you can
enjoy what you have today.
LET'S DO THIS -- JUST 19 WORDS
GOD OUR FATHER,
WALK THROUGH MY HOUSE
AND TAKE AWAY ALL MY WORRIES AND ILLNESSES;
AND PLEASE WATCH OVER AND HEAL MY FAMILY
IN JESUS ' NAME. AMEN
My dad was a career Marine and this really chokes me up but it is a story that, to me, is not just about how Marine's act but rather how we should all act. We are not alone in this life unless we choose to be alone. Be kind, be a friend and you will find that kindness and friendships come to you in time too! Read this story and have a wonderful day!!!!
The Old Man...
As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.
The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.
I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something.
The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying, 'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.
I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'
He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.
The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us, he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.
When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with'
He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal . He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.
He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all around again and I said my goodbye's to his wife. I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me.
One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.
For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name...... 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'
I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence.
Remember, OLD men like him gave you FREEDOM for America . Thanks to those
who served... & those who supported them.
America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the
Mall. If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in
front of them!
Remember, Freedom isn't "Free" -- thousands have paid the price so you can
enjoy what you have today.
LET'S DO THIS -- JUST 19 WORDS
GOD OUR FATHER,
WALK THROUGH MY HOUSE
AND TAKE AWAY ALL MY WORRIES AND ILLNESSES;
AND PLEASE WATCH OVER AND HEAL MY FAMILY
IN JESUS ' NAME. AMEN
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Ole Christmas tree - 18 Jan 11
For the record we are all OK after the accident. Let me set up the scene for you. We were driving back to the cabin after a great meal of stir fry at my son’s house. We were listening to the Justin Beaver CD for the second time. The night was dark no moon and the star light hadn’t reached us yet. Needless to say the snow was blowing across the dark icy roads so we were proceeding with caution. I was at the wheel and Susan was by my side looking out the window at the darkness. We were traveling under the speed limit along the winding road when suddenly out of the darkness there it was (Insert your favorite horror music) a Christmas tree. The tree came out of nowhere, my guess was it had just left a party although the lights were off and the tinsel that was remaining was non reflective. There was no Angel there that night looking out for us either.
In slow motion I thought to myself “Self what should I do”? Susan screamed and I did the only thing I could do giving the circumstances. I didn’t veer left or right, nor did I head for the ditch; there was no time. Instead I ran over the tree and I should add Susan’s RAV4 handled the Christmas tree just like hitting a speed bump in a parking lot. Then Aubrey asked out of the back seat “what happened” in a frightened voice? We assured her after turning down Justin that it was OK and that we had hit a Christmas tree. Big deal your thinking and I have to admit that I thought the same thing as well. I pulled over to check for possible damage and was amazed to find that the plastic covering over the front bumper was damaged, the fog light housing was gone and the fog light itself was hanging by two wires.
We turned around to take a picture of the tree and to remove it off the road before someone else hit it. The tree was a spruce approximately 8 foot tall, painted or dyed green with a lot of needles left on it. The reason I mentioned a lot of needles left on was because of the time of the month (Three weeks past Christmas), the impact speed, and the fact that the front of the RAV 4 with the pine needles sticking out of it looked like a rabid Chia pet.
Susan called the insurance company to file a claim and I could hear the insurance representative laughing after she found out we were OK. I’m sure it was a first for them; we probably hit the insurance version of the Guinness book of world records.
Later when we stopped at the Food and Fuel in Osakis to drop off a rented movie I coached Aubrey to ask Grandma a certain question when she got back into the vehicle. Grandma got in and closed the door then Aubrey said “Grandma” to which Susan replied “yes Aubrey”. In her sweet and innocent voice she said “Grandma why does your car smell like a pine tree air freshener"? I love my Granddaughter!
In closing the score now is Christmas tree 1 Toyota RAV 4 nothing!
Have a great day!
Dave
P.S. Irving says hi!
In slow motion I thought to myself “Self what should I do”? Susan screamed and I did the only thing I could do giving the circumstances. I didn’t veer left or right, nor did I head for the ditch; there was no time. Instead I ran over the tree and I should add Susan’s RAV4 handled the Christmas tree just like hitting a speed bump in a parking lot. Then Aubrey asked out of the back seat “what happened” in a frightened voice? We assured her after turning down Justin that it was OK and that we had hit a Christmas tree. Big deal your thinking and I have to admit that I thought the same thing as well. I pulled over to check for possible damage and was amazed to find that the plastic covering over the front bumper was damaged, the fog light housing was gone and the fog light itself was hanging by two wires.
We turned around to take a picture of the tree and to remove it off the road before someone else hit it. The tree was a spruce approximately 8 foot tall, painted or dyed green with a lot of needles left on it. The reason I mentioned a lot of needles left on was because of the time of the month (Three weeks past Christmas), the impact speed, and the fact that the front of the RAV 4 with the pine needles sticking out of it looked like a rabid Chia pet.
Susan called the insurance company to file a claim and I could hear the insurance representative laughing after she found out we were OK. I’m sure it was a first for them; we probably hit the insurance version of the Guinness book of world records.
Later when we stopped at the Food and Fuel in Osakis to drop off a rented movie I coached Aubrey to ask Grandma a certain question when she got back into the vehicle. Grandma got in and closed the door then Aubrey said “Grandma” to which Susan replied “yes Aubrey”. In her sweet and innocent voice she said “Grandma why does your car smell like a pine tree air freshener"? I love my Granddaughter!
In closing the score now is Christmas tree 1 Toyota RAV 4 nothing!
Have a great day!
Dave
P.S. Irving says hi!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Me and Irving – 14 January 2011
With my new job being at Camp Ripley I spend my weekday evenings at our cabin instead of the 90 mile commute one way back to our house in the cities. I knew up front that I would miss the hustle and bustle of family and friends and most certainly waking up next to my wife every morning. There were a few perks of course I felt fairly certain that I wouldn’t miss Bella (Susan’s Labor-doodle) trying to wake me by slamming her front paws down on my unprotected chest in the early morning hours.
What I didn’t count on was sometimes I look in the mirror in the morning and think to myself “Self, who is that moron singing country songs”? The reflection looking back at me is a much older version of the man in the mirror that I remembered from yesterday. Why country songs you ask why I’ll tell you where else can you get depressed and still get the hog market report? It seems that one of the few radio stations I get clear up there is county. But it’s not all bad; if I ever farm I will know where to get my farm crop insurance and what kind of seed to use. Another drawback is there are a few TV channels to watch but only two have a clear picture. The other ones are all statically and show snow no matter the time of year.
I was wrong on so many levels as the walls of the cabin close in on me I start to have weird thoughts such as:
Why is it that there are advertisements for a “White Sale” on Martin Luther King Day? Is it just me or am I reading into this?
Why are there brail numbers on the drive up ATM machine? Could that explain the multiple colors of car paint on the post protecting the machine?
Why is it McDonalds had to mark their coffee cups with a warning that contents are hot, but not mark a shake container that the contents are cold? You may think it’s silly but dump an ice cold milk shake in your lap once and see how you react.
Though the fall I was busy clearing brush, burning the piles of trees and brush. Every night I was out till the news came on reclaiming our land from the forest. Now it’s dark when I leave and even darker when I get back to the cabin at night. Not to mention the pretty white snow that waits for me on the metal roof above the door. Its times like that that I ask myself “Self why is your metal roof so steep and when is it going to slide off and seal my fate”?
It’s not that I’m alone I’ve had visitors come to see me during the day. Why just yesterday I had fresh Turkey prints in the snow that came from the bird feeder to the cabin door. I’m sure Tom the Turkey wanted to tell me the feeder was empty. Then there’s Fat Boy, Chunky Momma and Little Buddy (squirrels) that I have been feeding. I’ve started to like them around even though at first I tried to keep them out of the bird feeder. I recently bought a salt block to encourage more of Mother Nature’s kids to come out of the woods.
What gets me though most nights is that this is temporary and that everything will work out in the end. One weekend I go home the next weekend Susan comes to the cabin. It’s not necessarily the best case scenario but the time we have together is quality over quantity. Not long after winter hit I was in the cabin making supper when I felt that I wasn’t alone and that something was watching me. I did a few fast head turns in hopes of catching whatever or whoever was watching me. I mean the shades were drawn and the weather outside was in the single digits who could it be?
Then I noticed him sitting there on the ledge looking so happy and yet out of place, His colors were a vibrant green that were in contrast to the winter white outside the kitchen window, Who was he and where did he come from? His long hair and mug look had me worried at first. I wondered where he came from for a moment I visualized the scene in the movie cast away where it was just Tom Hanks and “Wilson”. Here I was far from home and suddenly I wasn’t alone anymore. You see my mother-in-law Harriet had received the plant as a gift and left it at the cabin. It was up to me to initiate the conversation being tongue tied I said “Hi there are you thirsty”? You might think it was an odd thing to say but the words never left my lips instead we were doing that mental telepathy thing. I sensed he was thirsty and I was right.
No matter what I do he is there for me and being a cast away I befriended him and called him Irving. Since then Irving and me do most things together. Although he won’t eat the food I prepare, drink a beer, or swallow the pop corn spread out on his soil I think he’s cool. Being my roommate can’t be easy for him as well but I do draw the line at the dirt he leaves on the couch or the dried leaf that he recently left on Susan’s pillow. I haven’t witnessed him going to the bathroom yet, although someone has been putting the lid down on the toilet? Between you and me I’m thinking that he might have his intestines knotted up from sitting in the coffee cup planter.
Irving likes to watch TV but he looks on in horror when horses are grazing or a lawn mower is in use or when a mangy bush gets clipped. He never seems to want to watch anything other than what I watch. To be fair I would love to let him watch gardening shows or landscaping but the two channels I have are neither. It’s probably just as well that we don’t have cable. With him being upset by horses grazing, sharp shears and lawn mowers can you imagine how he would respond to a cooking show? Picture Julia Childs making a fresh garden salad using fresh greens?
All in all life is good! Not the ideal circumstances by far but being unemployed isn’t a viable option either. One day our ship will come in and everything will work out. I’ve always said the big guy takes care of us and if it was meant to be it will happen.
In closing I want to add some New Year’s resolutions that I know I can keep.
# 1 I will utilize every minute of the car drying time the next time I’m in a car wash.
# 2 No matter the line at the self serve soda fountain I’m going to make sure my cup is full but not running over.
# 3 I’m going to transplant Irving to a bigger pot and watch him grow!
# 4 I’m going to enjoy being a husband, dad and grandpa and live each moment as if it was my last.
That is all,
Dave
P.S. You have to ask yourself if Dave can write something like this now imagine what he will be like after 3 more months of winter?
P.S.S. I don’t get the Far side but then again I don’t get the local paper either.
What I didn’t count on was sometimes I look in the mirror in the morning and think to myself “Self, who is that moron singing country songs”? The reflection looking back at me is a much older version of the man in the mirror that I remembered from yesterday. Why country songs you ask why I’ll tell you where else can you get depressed and still get the hog market report? It seems that one of the few radio stations I get clear up there is county. But it’s not all bad; if I ever farm I will know where to get my farm crop insurance and what kind of seed to use. Another drawback is there are a few TV channels to watch but only two have a clear picture. The other ones are all statically and show snow no matter the time of year.
I was wrong on so many levels as the walls of the cabin close in on me I start to have weird thoughts such as:
Why is it that there are advertisements for a “White Sale” on Martin Luther King Day? Is it just me or am I reading into this?
Why are there brail numbers on the drive up ATM machine? Could that explain the multiple colors of car paint on the post protecting the machine?
Why is it McDonalds had to mark their coffee cups with a warning that contents are hot, but not mark a shake container that the contents are cold? You may think it’s silly but dump an ice cold milk shake in your lap once and see how you react.
Though the fall I was busy clearing brush, burning the piles of trees and brush. Every night I was out till the news came on reclaiming our land from the forest. Now it’s dark when I leave and even darker when I get back to the cabin at night. Not to mention the pretty white snow that waits for me on the metal roof above the door. Its times like that that I ask myself “Self why is your metal roof so steep and when is it going to slide off and seal my fate”?
It’s not that I’m alone I’ve had visitors come to see me during the day. Why just yesterday I had fresh Turkey prints in the snow that came from the bird feeder to the cabin door. I’m sure Tom the Turkey wanted to tell me the feeder was empty. Then there’s Fat Boy, Chunky Momma and Little Buddy (squirrels) that I have been feeding. I’ve started to like them around even though at first I tried to keep them out of the bird feeder. I recently bought a salt block to encourage more of Mother Nature’s kids to come out of the woods.
What gets me though most nights is that this is temporary and that everything will work out in the end. One weekend I go home the next weekend Susan comes to the cabin. It’s not necessarily the best case scenario but the time we have together is quality over quantity. Not long after winter hit I was in the cabin making supper when I felt that I wasn’t alone and that something was watching me. I did a few fast head turns in hopes of catching whatever or whoever was watching me. I mean the shades were drawn and the weather outside was in the single digits who could it be?
Then I noticed him sitting there on the ledge looking so happy and yet out of place, His colors were a vibrant green that were in contrast to the winter white outside the kitchen window, Who was he and where did he come from? His long hair and mug look had me worried at first. I wondered where he came from for a moment I visualized the scene in the movie cast away where it was just Tom Hanks and “Wilson”. Here I was far from home and suddenly I wasn’t alone anymore. You see my mother-in-law Harriet had received the plant as a gift and left it at the cabin. It was up to me to initiate the conversation being tongue tied I said “Hi there are you thirsty”? You might think it was an odd thing to say but the words never left my lips instead we were doing that mental telepathy thing. I sensed he was thirsty and I was right.
No matter what I do he is there for me and being a cast away I befriended him and called him Irving. Since then Irving and me do most things together. Although he won’t eat the food I prepare, drink a beer, or swallow the pop corn spread out on his soil I think he’s cool. Being my roommate can’t be easy for him as well but I do draw the line at the dirt he leaves on the couch or the dried leaf that he recently left on Susan’s pillow. I haven’t witnessed him going to the bathroom yet, although someone has been putting the lid down on the toilet? Between you and me I’m thinking that he might have his intestines knotted up from sitting in the coffee cup planter.
Irving likes to watch TV but he looks on in horror when horses are grazing or a lawn mower is in use or when a mangy bush gets clipped. He never seems to want to watch anything other than what I watch. To be fair I would love to let him watch gardening shows or landscaping but the two channels I have are neither. It’s probably just as well that we don’t have cable. With him being upset by horses grazing, sharp shears and lawn mowers can you imagine how he would respond to a cooking show? Picture Julia Childs making a fresh garden salad using fresh greens?
All in all life is good! Not the ideal circumstances by far but being unemployed isn’t a viable option either. One day our ship will come in and everything will work out. I’ve always said the big guy takes care of us and if it was meant to be it will happen.
In closing I want to add some New Year’s resolutions that I know I can keep.
# 1 I will utilize every minute of the car drying time the next time I’m in a car wash.
# 2 No matter the line at the self serve soda fountain I’m going to make sure my cup is full but not running over.
# 3 I’m going to transplant Irving to a bigger pot and watch him grow!
# 4 I’m going to enjoy being a husband, dad and grandpa and live each moment as if it was my last.
That is all,
Dave
P.S. You have to ask yourself if Dave can write something like this now imagine what he will be like after 3 more months of winter?
P.S.S. I don’t get the Far side but then again I don’t get the local paper either.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
A trip down Memory Lane (2010)
Sorry I didn't post this earlier. I lost my password and log in!
To all our family and friends reading this we wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas and a very prosperous New Year! Here is a long overdue update on the Crotteau family:
Josh (our baby) graduated from high school and left in early September for a 6 month Army school. His interest in mechanics is ever increasing as evident by the vehicles that are parked in the shop and the back yard. Besides his 2000 Pontiac Bonneville he has two project vehicles a 1991 Ford bronco and an old 1978 Ford pickup truck (3/4 Camper special). For the record we have a difference in opinion as he thinks their old, where I on the other hand remember both vehicles when they were relatively new.
Jacki and her fiancé Zack and are raising three wonderful boys (Austin, William, Wyatt) together and now call Mankato their home. Zack asked us for her hand in marriage, we couldn’t say no. He is a good man and places Jacki’s and his family’s needs above his own. Not to mention that his kids are absolutely amazing and call us Grandma and Grandpa.
Matt relocated to the Alexandria area where he met a wonderful girl named Trista. Just recently he asked his father in law to be for her hand in marriage. Our belief is that with a good woman by his side his options in life are endless! His daughter Aubrey is growing like a weed and makes my heart skip a beat when she flashes me her smile or calls me poppa bear.
Doug is buying a house and soon he will be leaving home to start the next chapter of his life. He has someone special in his life by the name of Dusti that we are quite fond of. Sad to say he will be going back to Iraq early next year.
Darcie is still traveling through life with her sights set high and is determined to change the world. She still dabbles in photography taking awesome pictures and is working hard to land a management position with her current company. Whenever possible she and Roxie travel to the farm as she calls her childhood home.
We are truly blessed by our ever growing family and welcome both Zack and Trista into our family. We love them both and can’t wait until the 2011 Weddings.
Let’s not forget to add to the excitement that after thirty years of wearing the uniform I finally retired. I’m now a civilian contractor working for the Government doing the same job but on a much smaller scale. The biggest difference besides the pay cut and living apart is that I wear comfortable jeans and short sleeve dress shirts. To be honest it’s quite refreshing to be a little different than the guys in my office who are all wearing ACU’s (Army Combat Uniform). I know a few of you are smirking right now thinking that it’s not the civilian clothes that make Dave different.
Susan is doing well and has now worked for Wal-Mart for over 20 years. She is contemplating going back to school, or now that the kids are older getting a new job. For so many years Susan has put her family’s needs above her own. With the kids all of age now, her future is for her to decide. No matter her decision, I support her and will stand by her side like she has stood by my side throughout the last 23 years.
We spent some time this year downsizing with happy thoughts of moving to our Cabin in Osakis and making it our permanent home. We had a massive garage sale getting rid of a lifetime of accumulation and said good bye to Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the three wise men. I really wanted to hand the outdoor decorations off to the next generation for them to make their own holiday traditions. Nobody had the storage space required. A man with 5 kids under the age of 8 made me a deal I couldn’t refuse. Truth be told I made him a deal that he couldn’t refuse and he became a hero to his kids. You see his kid’s eyes were already sparkling in anticipation of the next Christmas wonderland in their front yard. Call me a softie but I would rather have our treasures go to a good home than to wind up at Goodwill lined up next to the walkers, and seldom used exercise equipment.
Lately we have been going through the precious treasures that our kids have given us through the years. Everything from homemade cards (all occasions), to some fine works of art that our children had labored over for us. There are cards to mom that say “There have been some bad times in the past, but this isn’t one of them” to “You might be the Queen but I’m the joker”. So many memories as we went through the boxes from the past. We wanted our kids to know how much we love them while were here and want them to share their treasures of their youth with their kids someday. Some of the stuff we held onto is hard to explain but hopefully they will see that we held onto it because it meant something to us. I know to some it may seem gloomy but the laughter we shared going through the treasures past or a tear that may have been shed together is priceless.
In closing we want to say enjoy your time with your family now while you can. Hold them close, tell them you love them even if it embarrasses them. Never forget that life is so precious and you may never again get the chance to tell them that you’re proud of them. Or that you never said you were sorry while they were here and find yourself wishing that you could after they are gone. I’m not sure who said it but the quote goes something like this. When I die I don’t want to go peacefully living life cautiously. Instead I want to slide over the line at the pearly gates saying “wow what a life and what a great ride!
One last request from us to you is to say a prayer tonight for the soldiers serving in harm’s way. For the spouse that is alone for the first time this holiday season. Lest we forget our public servants and our government in hopes that they will do the right thing by us and for us no matter the cost.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
To all our family and friends reading this we wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas and a very prosperous New Year! Here is a long overdue update on the Crotteau family:
Josh (our baby) graduated from high school and left in early September for a 6 month Army school. His interest in mechanics is ever increasing as evident by the vehicles that are parked in the shop and the back yard. Besides his 2000 Pontiac Bonneville he has two project vehicles a 1991 Ford bronco and an old 1978 Ford pickup truck (3/4 Camper special). For the record we have a difference in opinion as he thinks their old, where I on the other hand remember both vehicles when they were relatively new.
Jacki and her fiancé Zack and are raising three wonderful boys (Austin, William, Wyatt) together and now call Mankato their home. Zack asked us for her hand in marriage, we couldn’t say no. He is a good man and places Jacki’s and his family’s needs above his own. Not to mention that his kids are absolutely amazing and call us Grandma and Grandpa.
Matt relocated to the Alexandria area where he met a wonderful girl named Trista. Just recently he asked his father in law to be for her hand in marriage. Our belief is that with a good woman by his side his options in life are endless! His daughter Aubrey is growing like a weed and makes my heart skip a beat when she flashes me her smile or calls me poppa bear.
Doug is buying a house and soon he will be leaving home to start the next chapter of his life. He has someone special in his life by the name of Dusti that we are quite fond of. Sad to say he will be going back to Iraq early next year.
Darcie is still traveling through life with her sights set high and is determined to change the world. She still dabbles in photography taking awesome pictures and is working hard to land a management position with her current company. Whenever possible she and Roxie travel to the farm as she calls her childhood home.
We are truly blessed by our ever growing family and welcome both Zack and Trista into our family. We love them both and can’t wait until the 2011 Weddings.
Let’s not forget to add to the excitement that after thirty years of wearing the uniform I finally retired. I’m now a civilian contractor working for the Government doing the same job but on a much smaller scale. The biggest difference besides the pay cut and living apart is that I wear comfortable jeans and short sleeve dress shirts. To be honest it’s quite refreshing to be a little different than the guys in my office who are all wearing ACU’s (Army Combat Uniform). I know a few of you are smirking right now thinking that it’s not the civilian clothes that make Dave different.
Susan is doing well and has now worked for Wal-Mart for over 20 years. She is contemplating going back to school, or now that the kids are older getting a new job. For so many years Susan has put her family’s needs above her own. With the kids all of age now, her future is for her to decide. No matter her decision, I support her and will stand by her side like she has stood by my side throughout the last 23 years.
We spent some time this year downsizing with happy thoughts of moving to our Cabin in Osakis and making it our permanent home. We had a massive garage sale getting rid of a lifetime of accumulation and said good bye to Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the three wise men. I really wanted to hand the outdoor decorations off to the next generation for them to make their own holiday traditions. Nobody had the storage space required. A man with 5 kids under the age of 8 made me a deal I couldn’t refuse. Truth be told I made him a deal that he couldn’t refuse and he became a hero to his kids. You see his kid’s eyes were already sparkling in anticipation of the next Christmas wonderland in their front yard. Call me a softie but I would rather have our treasures go to a good home than to wind up at Goodwill lined up next to the walkers, and seldom used exercise equipment.
Lately we have been going through the precious treasures that our kids have given us through the years. Everything from homemade cards (all occasions), to some fine works of art that our children had labored over for us. There are cards to mom that say “There have been some bad times in the past, but this isn’t one of them” to “You might be the Queen but I’m the joker”. So many memories as we went through the boxes from the past. We wanted our kids to know how much we love them while were here and want them to share their treasures of their youth with their kids someday. Some of the stuff we held onto is hard to explain but hopefully they will see that we held onto it because it meant something to us. I know to some it may seem gloomy but the laughter we shared going through the treasures past or a tear that may have been shed together is priceless.
In closing we want to say enjoy your time with your family now while you can. Hold them close, tell them you love them even if it embarrasses them. Never forget that life is so precious and you may never again get the chance to tell them that you’re proud of them. Or that you never said you were sorry while they were here and find yourself wishing that you could after they are gone. I’m not sure who said it but the quote goes something like this. When I die I don’t want to go peacefully living life cautiously. Instead I want to slide over the line at the pearly gates saying “wow what a life and what a great ride!
One last request from us to you is to say a prayer tonight for the soldiers serving in harm’s way. For the spouse that is alone for the first time this holiday season. Lest we forget our public servants and our government in hopes that they will do the right thing by us and for us no matter the cost.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
20 Oct 10 - Retirement
I was hoping that life would slow down just a little now that I'm retired, I was wrong. I may have every weekend off but there is always a wedding, reunion, grad party, retirement party, birthday gathering or family obligation waiting on the horizon. I have to ask myself, “Self when and where were these events in years past?” I do like my new job and the 4 10 hour days makes my life so much easier! You’re probably wondering why he is still working, you were a SGM after all. Let me just say I may get 50% of my base pay for the rest of my life, the problem is I only get 1/3 of the pay I use to, and then they take taxes out of what’s left. Let’s be honest the bills haven’t changed, my life style is still the same and there is a wedding on the horizon. According to my wife the other reason I’m here is I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to help soldiers. (I hate to admit it she is right)
It's 92 miles one way to Camp Ripley compared to 40 miles to the cabin. Needless to say I live at the cabin during the week and travel home to the cities for long weekends. This is the biggest drawback. Being separated from my family again isn’t easy. Fortunately for me Susan (unfortunately for her) recently had surgery and has been living at the cabin with me. Life is great right now not saying that it wasn’t great before!
I’ve been busy with small projects at the cabin. Finally installed the ceiling fans upstairs; built a temporary wall where the double garage door is to save on the heating bill: minor landscaping; moved the fish cleaning house; installed metal inside the fish cleaning house along with sink and counter (water and electricity to follow). Did I mention that Susan thought moving the fish cleaning shed by myself was one of the stupidest things I’ve done to date? NOTE to self – “Self I wonder what she knows and what she compared it too? Actually I had Susan running the winch switch on the 4 wheeler and standing by with her cell phone in case it went from bad to worse! We also mounted an antenna outside went from 1 channel to 5 and still nothing on. Cleaned out some more underbrush dropped more trees and together we burn just about every night.
Last night Bella (Susan’s Lab-r-doodle) acted up and I noticed the wild turkeys out in the trees. A little later I noticed them hauling ass out of the area and noticed a wolf out of the corner of my eye. The wolf was almost transparent and blended in with its surroundings. Night life has everything from the loons on the lake; Grouse starting their outboards; to the coyotes yipping in the distant it is awesome!
A couple of weeks ago before Susan and the dogs came up I was outside burning when off in the darkness I heard the coyotes yipping. They sounded like they were hunting and then I heard a scream that made my short gray hair stand up and gave me goose bumps. I'll be honest after that I watched the fire from the comfort of our cabin! The next day the guys at work said it was probably a bunny rabbit dying (Who would have thought).
I find myself smiling a lot more, not sure if it’s the ankle socks, delivery man shorts, or the never iron short sleeve dress shirts that I wear everyday to work. Or it could be that Susan’s at the cabin waiting for me. Then again it might just be that the kids are doing fine and are making their way in the world and are contributing to society. More than likely its D: all the above and the fact that I’m a civilian after over thirty years of wearing a uniform.
I also have come to terms with missing so much of my family’s activities throughout the years. Susan has told me on more than one occasion that I did the best I could given the cards that I was dealt. One example that comes to mind was recently while attending Josh’s Prom. I was sitting in the audience watching the grand march. I whispered to Susan they should have done this for all the kids. She whispered back they did you were never hear for the whole prom. (Her tone was a combination you’re a dumb ass mixed with a little life sucks). You see I only caught bits and pieces of each Childs prom. I could feel really bad or accept the fact that I had a job to do and I did it well given the circumstances.
In closing all I can tell you is to enjoy every moment with your kids as if it’s your last. You’re going to reach a time when they don't need you as much, don't worry they come back. Be prepared and buy a smaller house –just kidding. Seriously my older kids didn't need me so much because they knew more than their old man. Now they call me once in a while and ask me what I think. Life has a funny way of working out. If you look down at your left hand at your wedding ring you will see the symbol of what I'm talking about. Life goes on but sooner or later it makes the full circle.
That’s all for now!
Hope everyone is well!
Dave
It's 92 miles one way to Camp Ripley compared to 40 miles to the cabin. Needless to say I live at the cabin during the week and travel home to the cities for long weekends. This is the biggest drawback. Being separated from my family again isn’t easy. Fortunately for me Susan (unfortunately for her) recently had surgery and has been living at the cabin with me. Life is great right now not saying that it wasn’t great before!
I’ve been busy with small projects at the cabin. Finally installed the ceiling fans upstairs; built a temporary wall where the double garage door is to save on the heating bill: minor landscaping; moved the fish cleaning house; installed metal inside the fish cleaning house along with sink and counter (water and electricity to follow). Did I mention that Susan thought moving the fish cleaning shed by myself was one of the stupidest things I’ve done to date? NOTE to self – “Self I wonder what she knows and what she compared it too? Actually I had Susan running the winch switch on the 4 wheeler and standing by with her cell phone in case it went from bad to worse! We also mounted an antenna outside went from 1 channel to 5 and still nothing on. Cleaned out some more underbrush dropped more trees and together we burn just about every night.
Last night Bella (Susan’s Lab-r-doodle) acted up and I noticed the wild turkeys out in the trees. A little later I noticed them hauling ass out of the area and noticed a wolf out of the corner of my eye. The wolf was almost transparent and blended in with its surroundings. Night life has everything from the loons on the lake; Grouse starting their outboards; to the coyotes yipping in the distant it is awesome!
A couple of weeks ago before Susan and the dogs came up I was outside burning when off in the darkness I heard the coyotes yipping. They sounded like they were hunting and then I heard a scream that made my short gray hair stand up and gave me goose bumps. I'll be honest after that I watched the fire from the comfort of our cabin! The next day the guys at work said it was probably a bunny rabbit dying (Who would have thought).
I find myself smiling a lot more, not sure if it’s the ankle socks, delivery man shorts, or the never iron short sleeve dress shirts that I wear everyday to work. Or it could be that Susan’s at the cabin waiting for me. Then again it might just be that the kids are doing fine and are making their way in the world and are contributing to society. More than likely its D: all the above and the fact that I’m a civilian after over thirty years of wearing a uniform.
I also have come to terms with missing so much of my family’s activities throughout the years. Susan has told me on more than one occasion that I did the best I could given the cards that I was dealt. One example that comes to mind was recently while attending Josh’s Prom. I was sitting in the audience watching the grand march. I whispered to Susan they should have done this for all the kids. She whispered back they did you were never hear for the whole prom. (Her tone was a combination you’re a dumb ass mixed with a little life sucks). You see I only caught bits and pieces of each Childs prom. I could feel really bad or accept the fact that I had a job to do and I did it well given the circumstances.
In closing all I can tell you is to enjoy every moment with your kids as if it’s your last. You’re going to reach a time when they don't need you as much, don't worry they come back. Be prepared and buy a smaller house –just kidding. Seriously my older kids didn't need me so much because they knew more than their old man. Now they call me once in a while and ask me what I think. Life has a funny way of working out. If you look down at your left hand at your wedding ring you will see the symbol of what I'm talking about. Life goes on but sooner or later it makes the full circle.
That’s all for now!
Hope everyone is well!
Dave
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
17 Jan 10 - Baby I'm coming home!
I just wanted to do a blog trying to recap some of the highs and lows of our deployment. I have so many memories of the time leading up to the deployment; the time spent at Ft Lewis Washington training to deploy. Then there are the last 10 months of our time together at Kuwait, Victory and Basra Iraq.
Before we actually deployed there were so many trips, expectations, and tasks that we needed to complete. One of which was reading the numerous professional readings to help us understand the people, the culture, the mission and to help us understand the behind the war. The titles were interchangeable in my eyes and most of the readings became one after a while. I’m not complaining, in fact I never slept better.
Then there was the Iraqi born guest speaker from the SCSU to raise our awareness of the local customs, courtesies and the concerns of the Iraqis. Understand he has lived the last ten years or more in the United States and only briefed us based on his two to four weeks spent here every summer and the phone calls home. It amazed me when he spoke of America’s promises after the war that has not been fulfilled. Excuse me I thought, you tell us that not all the people of Iraq have power. My question is of those that had power before war, do they have power now? Then he said the same thing about the water and our countries promises to provide water. From my window I see water plants being built, and the lights glowing in the city of Basra off in the distance at night. Had my inside my head voice not been under control I would have blurted out “If America is so bad why are you still here, go back to Iraq?”
You see, of the locals that I have talked to they see things differently. The one lady I dealt with has known nothing but war her whole life. When you ask her is her life better, she says better than what. Her family has nothing to compare it to because of the war. Her family was used to moving from one hostile area to another less hostile one. Yes they have power, yes they have water, and yes her life is better today.
FT LEWIS, WA (FLWA): What can I say except what an experience? On our way over to serve our country we had the pleasure of staying at North Fort. The old World War II barracks where our forefathers stayed. I’m sure they told the soldiers back then that it was temporary and they were going to tear them down and replace them just like they told us. The place was definitely not the Pierce Motel that you can rent by the hour. At the same time it was far short of your expectations of a Motel 6. Trust me they didn’t leave a light on for us. What made it special was the people that had been to war and back. Maybe they didn’t serve in Iraq, but definitely Vietnam. So many of the civilians that worked with us had already been there and done that, but never received the T shirt.
There was a Vietnam veteran named Glenn in the mess hall that greeted us every morning with the phrase “Would you like an Omelet my friend?” If you said no his automatic reply was “Maybe tomorrow”. His enthusiastic comments every morning made more than one soldier smile.
There were others like him of course. For example the Catholic congregation at church for our going away mass made us feel special as well. The church was located on the base so you can imagine how the soldiers serving there understood us and what we were going through. One older gentleman from the World War II era pulled me aside and reached his shaking hand into his pocket to retrieve his pamphlet on how to pray the rosary. His voice broke as he expressed his gratitude to me and those I serve with.
On a lighter side there was the notorious paint peelers club that was founded by our friend Ms Asset visibility. I won’t go into the details but those of you from my section that were there that day, know. Let me just say we should have gotten the T-shirt that day that said we survived the first paint peeler 2009. She may have been the first but she was definitely not the last.
Let’s not forget the Ninja! This high ranking NCO showed the young punks how to use simulated numb chunks to defeat their opponent. Instead, he defeated himself (literally) in the mud. One observer mentioned that he did a Kamikaze move as he spiraled into the ground.
What about the quotable quotes that was on our wall of fame. Like the one “They want the same information in a different format, let’s just turn the chart sideways!” or “You can’t make this shit up”. Of course you can’t bring up the wall of fame without mentioning the overall cribbage champions Crotteau/Howe who dominated the Ft Lewis series over Townsend/Ulmen. I know that most of us felt that they needed a road map and a compass as their pegs were moved first one direction and then the other.
Who could forget the shower scene? Many a joke has been told about reaching over to pick up a bar of soap in the shower. Let me set the mood: the showers were cramped, the steam was in the air, but the shower looked less gloomy with the single 60 watt bulb hanging from the ceiling. As you walked into the shower you might have to squeeze by one of your 30 roommates or by a total stranger from the first floor. You didn’t want to be the guy to have to work his way down to shower spout #4. My most awkward shower was the day my bar of soap launched itself out of my hands and landed between me and the other guy. It was slow motion as the bar launched high into the air twirling end over end, our eyes met briefly as the bar of soap continued to tumble. When it landed between us I laughed nervously and asked him if I could use his soap. We both laughed I felt as if the whole experience would have made a great opening shot in some X rated movie. It was childish but the scene I just described to you could have gotten a man in prison compromised.
Sure there was time out for good behavior; we got almost 3 hours one night. We would have gotten all four if we didn’t have to drive back and forth to get our leave slips signed. What a way to send soldiers off to war right! But the evening out was well worth it, we went to our last supper that night in the good old USA. After that we went for a night cap of ice cream and talked nervously of our travels the next day.
Movement Forward: 24 hours in an airplane oh my! We traveled ahead in time through several time zones and ended up 9 hours ahead of those we left behind. During our trip here we went from Ft Lewis Washington, Kansas, Bangor Maine, Germany, and finally Kuwait. We all looked like death warmed over with hat hair, wrinkled uniforms and fuzzy faces. Old Chuck looked like he had been rode hard on the chain gang. I bet you thought I was going to say something else?
Temperatures definitely weren’t what they were back on the old homestead. I left Minnesota on 2 February with temperatures at 30 below, Ft Lewis was 30 above when we arrived, and now on 6 March in Kuwait it was 60. It can’t get much better than this I thought to myself. Trust me it didn’t, the temperatures crept a little higher each day and it finally reached well over 130 one day.
We were in tents stacked like sardines awaiting movement into Iraq. We each had 3 duffle bags, and a large ruck sack complete with our choice of carry on. We had a few tasks to complete including shooting our guns on the rifle range. We were cautioned on the way to the range if a camel should cross the range you had to yell cease fire! I’m not sure what the cost was exactly but the cost varied between brown and black camels. I do remember you could buy a 1985 4 x 4 Chevy ¾ truck for the price of a camel. That day nothing crossed our path except for the thought of what in the hell am I doing in this god forsaken place. Looking out the curtained covered windows (You weren’t suppose to look out due to force protection) of the bus you saw sand to the front, left, right and rear. In fact in the days ahead you found out how fine the sand was and where the sand could get in the cracks if you know what I mean.
Our first sandstorm was similar to a Minnesota blizzard driving along I94 headed to Fargo. Lucky for us we were trapped in a mess hall when the day became night. We were eating breakfast one morning when the sand storm struck. It suddenly got dark outside as the winds increased. Fine sand particles were in the air in the mess hall as the storm unleashed outside. It wasn’t pretty afterwards but it was an experience. That night I discovered why my friend rolled his sleeping bag up each and every morning. I had sand in my sack and in my crack that night. The next day when it rained the downpour became mud as the air was cleaned by Mother Nature. It’s was kind of funny as the mud drops hit the earth, splat, splat, splat.
Victory Base Complex (VBC) Iraq: Well we’re finally in Iraq and ready to start learning from our counterparts from the 10th MTN. It didn’t take us long to discover that they were a lot like us. Even though they were active they still blew off steam the only way possible. They had fun, threw a beanie baby or two or whatever else was on hand. They worked together, ate together, and looked out for each other. Most importantly they welcomed us into the fold. Granted our sleeping accommodations made us miss the old vinyl covered mattresses in the World War II barracks back in Ft Lewis. But the cots and my 30 tent mates were happy to be inside out of the elements. They talked of moving us closer to where we worked but most of us had already settled into a routine. It wasn’t until just before we headed south to Basra that we found out the tents they wanted to move us to have regular beds with mattresses. It’s OK though, the indentation on “my not a kid” anymore hips went away with time.
It was there that I learned the humor of the civilians from other countries that were there to support us. One day when Peter (name changed to protect his feelings) went to pick up his laundry, the little Asian lady behind the counter said to him in her best English “Big man, little package”. Now I wasn’t there but the Asset Visibility lady was, she swears the laundry lady wasn’t talking about the size of his laundry bag. I might add that his laundry bag was the size of a back pack that my 2 year old granddaughter might carry. Its funny how nick names are born, right BMLP (Big Man Little Package)?
We were excited to continue our deployment and head to our final destination of Basra Iraq. You see the Division we were replacing was moving from the comfortable country club setting of Victory to the yet developed base of Basra. They were taking over the Basra base from the British. It wasn’t pretty down there by any means.
BASRA, IRAQ: 4 April 2009 we had boxed up the equipment in Victory, called the moving company and headed off to our new digs. Nothing was ready except for the cubicle furniture already set up in barn 3. We called it the barn because we were in stalls (cubes) in this rather large barn, with concrete walls, and in the roof over head. We later came to love our barn during incoming attacks versus being outside in a bunker sweating your butt off listening to the echoing voices of the Base Defense Operations Center (BDOC). You see there were many speakers not all in sync so you would here “This is the BDOC” from multiple speakers with 1 – 3 seconds delay between them. Once the speaker was done near you, the speakers in the distance could still be heard.
This is where reality hit in the middle of the night the alarm would sound and you would drop to the floor and crawl under your mattress. When the BDOC sounded again you were instructed to head to a hardened structure. You grabbed your body armor, helmet, and your weapon and off to the bunker. For a while there it was common for once or twice a week to be in the bunker. You learned early on to stay at work if there was a threat of the neighbors acting up.
My friend MAJ Flikke described our recent out burst from the neighbors in her blog. I couldn’t describe it better when she said:
Your knee and your foot hurt where you hit them on the floor or knocked them against the bed frame. The alarm and the incoming message continue to sound. The big guns outside explode with sound and fury. You are no longer confused, but you are wide awake. You remember exactly where you are and why you are here. You check your watch – midnight. You know that the quick reaction force is on the move to the place from which the incoming came. The alarm stops and the fury of the guns die down. You also know that you will be required to go to a bunker until the ALL CLEAR is given which could take anywhere from a half to four hours. Now you have a choice: do you bring your blanket with you to the bunker or a book. I chose the blanket and tried to sleep, my Buddy chose a book. This isn’t your average wakeup call – for one thing it was way too early.
Trust me after the loss of our three comrades early on, the voice of the night was what could bring you awake in an instant. The voice had a way of bringing you back to reality in a heartbeat.
What does all this mean? Well I’ll tell you, it means for the most part that we came together as individuals and became a team. There wasn’t a star quarterback at the front of the pack, or matching jerseys, just soldiers that wanted to play in the big leagues. There would be no need for a ticket taker to be at the front gate collecting money. The game that we play for those that we supported was for the most part transparent. No one knows what we do until we’re not there to do it. As long as the operation is running smooth no one even looks our way. Once there is a serious oversight on someone’s part, it suddenly becomes our problem and we should have taken care of it yesterday.
Some of my team mates I will never see again and that’s OK, others I will keep in touch with as I grow older. A wise man once said some people bring a smile to your face as they enter a room and others bring a smile to your face as they leave. Most of my team has made me smile as they come into the room, and a few will see me smile as they leave. Truth be told, I will miss them all, for it takes all types to make what happened here possible.
Our team could not have been successful without our civilian contractors. Mark, Tonya, Isiah, Patrick, Ken, and Rose without your guidance, patience, and quiet understanding we could not have made this journey without you. You can play on our team anytime!
Last but not least I need to make honorable mention of LTC Muskrat. Here was a lady that came to us after we were already in country. Her story of being out for 17 years and being called back to serve still make most of us smile. Her real name is LTC Mary Yusckat. Because of my hearing I mistakenly heard her say my last name sounds like muskrat instead of musket. Another nickname was born and her smile and laughter that produces happy tears will not be forgotten. Mary you were an inspiration to us all, and your patience with dealing with the “Man” is remarkable. You truly were an inspiration to us all!
Sometime February 2010: To my family and friends both old and new I thank you for your support, your sacrifices, and your friendship! If you’re ever in Minnesota in the winter knock on the door of my ice shack and say hi. Or join me at the cabin as we gather around the fire to say a silent toast to our Soldiers serving. Let’s not forget that we are Americans first and foremost as we live our lives and enjoy our freedom. I ask at a minimum that on Veterans Day and Memorial Day that you participate in the day and that you reflect on the sacrifices of our brothers and sisters that have gone before us. Share the memories, tell a story or two and never let our youth forget the sacrifices that so many have given so we can live the life that we do!
Susan to you I say “Baby, I’m coming home!”
That is all,
Dave
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