The Ease Of Battle

     Now - Cell phones and cell phone signal, iTouch, iPod, terabyte hard drives with 330+ movies and TV seasons to watch, laptops, email, 7 layer cold weather gear, ponchos used as a shield to block the lights as they come on in the morning, wondering when I'll be able to watch another BSU football game at the chow hall, twin beds, the right kind of sling for my rifle, a fan to blow cold air on my face while I sleep...all luxuries I'm afforded or have access to... "Hey, its movie night, what should we watch?"

     Then - Using a poncho to shield the rain from his face as he's digging his fox hole to sleep in, reading a rain soaked hand written letter from his mother or wife, frozen boots in Bastogne or soaking wets boots in Okinawa with nothing but the shirt his back to keep him warm, using his hat as a way to push cool air to his face, sleeping where he sat down hoping it stays dry throughout the night..."Word is Battalion Mess is serving Cokes and steaks tonight, might even get a movie."  "You just wonder when in the hell is this going to be over.  Here I am, been out here for over 2 years and its still goin' and when are we goin' to get out of this mess.  When we gonna get back where we can have on dry clothes for the whole day, and live like human beings, instead of like rats."

     They were definitely a different breed.  I'll never be able to live up to what they did or sacrificed so I can have such an amazing life, no matter how horrible I think it may be...

Friday Fun Day

There's not many fun days in the Army but occasionally they come out and say hi. Today is one of those days. We are out at the range shooting. Its crazy how stressing a range normally is when we shoot but today it was really relaxed. And guess what? I've never shot more than 33/40 and today I shot 36/40. So what this is telling me is that the less stressed I am, the better I shoot. You'd think the Army would have figured that out by now. Anyway, just wanted to share.

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Concrete Pillow

This is a little late but I wanted to write about it before I forgot. A couple weeks ago we were doing Mounted Gunnery (shooting off of moving vehicles, etc.) and we spent an average of 18 hours a day on this range. Be thankful that when you're tired you can lay on your bed or couch. This is what we did.

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Staring Through The Wire

Its hot out today. I'm glad I'm in a shack controlling traffic. Mundane is all im going to say. Im just glad Im having a decent day :)


We're in month two now. For me time is going by fast but for others it can't be going any slower. Some days I wish I had a significant other back home but most of the time I'm so thankful I don't. I wonder how married soldiers do it. I suppose the only thing they can do is hope and pray their family stays safe and stress free while they're gone. I dont think I could handle the extra weight on my shoulders. I'm just not strong enough.


Roughly three weeks left.....hope this finds you well...

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Mississippi Nights

Mississippi nights, sounds like a song by Aaron Neville or something.  Sorry I haven't written in a while, I haven't really had internet, let alone the patience for dial-up.  It's 9:49pm here and it's been a helluva week. 5 straight days of 18-20 hour days kicked my ass but I'm still alive and kicking.  I miss home and all that it entails but I know that I'm wear I'm supposed to be, as weird as that sounds.  After our 3 week so-called "train up" at Gowen Field in Boise I was able to go home for a couple days.  I remember thinking that my life as a normal person was now over and it was time to let the training kick in and be a soldier again.  It almost didn't feel right being home.  I had already changed my persona over to soldier Mitch instead of regular Mitch.  And now, even the little things like explaining a normal thing in the civilian world like directions to my house is hard for me because it's all "AAR's, TCP's, Mounted Gunnery, 9-Line UXO/Medivac," things the normal person wouldn't know the first thing about.  It's amazing how that happens, how my vocabulary has suddenly disappeared or has been replaced with only acronims.


Things are going okay here.  Of course there are bad days and there are good days but overall, it's been pretty smooth.  We are going through some really great training and then some not-so-great training which is pretty normal.  I really like the guys I'm with and we make a good team.  I'm confident we'll all make it home alive and well.  That's for you Mrs. Geisler ;)  I know that the training we are going through will be bring us back to our families, no matter how redundant it gets and how pissed off I get for not being able to sleep in, just till 7, just once.


Its now 10:02pm and "Taps" just played over the loud speaker.  I'm outside writing this so I stood at attention until it was over.  To be honest, it was the first real time I've actually listened to it.  What an amazing song.  It makes me so greatfull for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airman, and Marines who paved the way for us to have an amazing, free country.  I just hope that someday we can all appreciate the sacrifices that have been made on our behalf.


Well, that's all for know I suppose.  I'll try and be better.....