Day 82

By the time this deployment is completed, my NCOER is going to need a continuation page. Late last week I was informed that I was going to be the range NCOIC for the Brigade. Mostly a symbolic appointment, but one that looks good when it comes time for yearly evaluations. And only yesterday I found out I got another additional duty; I am now the Fire Marshall for our building. Yep, I'm fire marshall Bill. I have to go to a class before I get my little red hat and badge, and I hear that's all of 45 minutes of training. Phew, good Army training there. Seriously, I could use a little plastic firemans hat and a fire chiefs badge. Feel free to send me more than one. Things are starting to smooth out here and late last night I remembered something that I wanted to share with all you all. (Good thing I have this forum otherwise I'd be talking to myself.) While at mobilization station we all got a four day pass. I went to my sisters place just outside of Sacramento, California and we did family stuff. Mainly I slept while she made me supper. On the day I had to return to Ft. Lewis, I knew I wouldn't need my civilian clothes, so I dressed in my Army uniform, with beret. On the drive to the airport, we pulled up to a stop light. I noticed the biker pulling up on the passanger side looked in my direction as he came to a stop, noticed how I was dressed, and then did a double-take. I nodded to him and he asked me, through my open window, if I was going to or returning from overseas. I told him I'd be leaving in a few days. He then stuck out his right hand, I did the same, and while we were shaking hands, he looked me in the eye and said "Thank you". The light turned green and we went our seperate ways. I never know what to say to people who say that. I always end up saying thank you back to them. It only seems polite. I honestly don't think this is that big of a deal. All of us in uniform today are volunteers. Just being in uniform deserves a thank you. To step up and say I'll spend some time in Iraq is, to me, not that big of a deal. I have a friend who some of you know. His name is James Coler. When we were at Guard drill back in the late 1980's, one of his sayings was, "My time is your time. I signed the contract in good faith. Just don't bore me." The Army has paid me, housed me, fed me, trained me, so why shouldn't I put all of that to use and be here for a while? It's just like a long, long, long, long Annual Training, the only difference being I don't get to see my friends or family for a long, long, long, long time.