theSoldierSam!!

-theSoldierSam!!
RTB / returning to base even before leaving theFOB!!

-theSoldierSam!!
who's Jan resolutions list "Reclassing to MotorPool" is number 2 on theList.
What's number 1?!  Become a Fobbit (a soldier whom never leaves theFOB / forwardOperationsBase)
And what's number 3?!  To eat IceCream, cos until he passes next APFT test, he's forbidden to eat iceCream n Pie, yet can drink 2 pops a meal right in front of his TeamLeader sgt!!

-theSam!!
rated number one PT fail!! on theFOB, if only by himself d:o(

-theSoldierSam!!
discovering that, the deeper and darker theLaundryStains, theQuicker the turn around time can be for getting his stuff back   d:o)

-theSoldierSam!!
day 19 on the calender says, No Go Patrol, but he went on PT!!

lovs, theSam!!

Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Army Life,
You really wanna know what your heros are doing America?  Well, today. There was just a handful of us NOT going out on Patrol, we form up in PT gear and go out on the road running.

As is customary for us, on account of me the Slow Runner, the group goes on ahead and doubles back and cuts back again behind me where I end up as Lead Runner, often the group passes me again, and doubles back on up ahead as I keep running past them.

This very thing happened again this morning, only thing is, there were a dozen semi trucks sharing the road headed Off base and I was distracted by them as well as the ever present pain in my knees and ankles from running, Eventually I look around and I see no one from my group.

I keep running.

I go out about 1.5miles to the fuel station and return back the way I came, and I see no one from my group on the road, It's not pitch dark anymore either, theSun's coming up, the birds fly around, the light is much better and so is visibility as the morning Fog is gone too.

From 0615 to 0700 I run, albeit slowly as usual, and I get to our start point and still I'm all alone.
I walk back to my chu (chew) / camp housing unit and see that a few squad mates are wondering where I went to.
But they know already, cos we've done this before several times now. cos I keep running and I come back.

I shower, get dressed in clean ACU's / army combat uniform and head to chow all by myself, cos by now, most in my squad don't eat breakfast, especially the young ones, the teen men and besides, whom of them wants to hang out with an OLD MAN like me?

I can't keep up with them in PT and eventually become the butt of private and public jokes all around.
And I guess that today is MY day to get locked out of my CHU, cos I lost my key, so after we all form up at 0900 and I get stuck on a work detail (after being warned and threatened by my teamLeader Sgt about doing things my way and going by myself here and there) I go to ControlPost / CP / our HQ and get paperwork to take to Central camp billeting to get a work order done so that I can get a new CHU key,

*sigh*

Us stay behinds are in our chu's, even me, cos the workLady's handyman let me in.
And the rest of the Platoon is on patrol, per everyday activity.
And looks like today is my bad day.

It's business as usual for us Soldiers here in Iraq,
On a day to day basis, we joke with each other, and the Pecking Order of rank is enforced and protected and we all fit in somewhere,

Me?, I'm a PFC, an E-3, I'm a glorified Private, a Private First Class!! and just last night was read an CounselingStatement from a Sgt that says that "because I am prior Service, I am within time frame to be considered Promotion to "Specialist", I must be here in theater more than 90 days and pass any and all further requirements in order to be promoted etc etc, yada yada yada!!

One platoon member just being a man, I guess. Started a rumor that I have a bigDick!!, cos it goes with my name "Flyinghorse".
Oh, he's hung like a horse, and for a couple of weeks I had to endure a lot of soldiers around me, to include my CHU mates even, teasing me constantly,

I had to lock the chu door just to change in peace, I kept on telling those soldiers to stop bothering me, Even the 1st Lt, our Plt Leader laughs at all the harassment I'm getting, and it is Sexual Harassment, cos of all the related comments that soldiers, that Men can make to each other, calling each other & me Fag, homo, dumbass, horseshit, etc.

I like the Army life, I like being here in Iraq, just not under these conditions with being the whipping boy and being privately ostracized from groups heading to chow or to the PX, I'm left by myself and when I go by myself, my leaders wonder why.

But they know. And they condone this behavior.
At least I am not being "Smoked", or made to do PT for hours and hours by a Specialist or Sgt or above like they used to and still do.

And I won't be smoked just for falling behind on the PT runs or for slowing down on PushUps and SitUps & FlutterKicks.
And I won't be smoked just for losing my CHU key today either,
I'm not a fuck up. I've seen those kinds of soldiers too, I am not one of them. I want to be here, I might want to reEnlist too.

As patient as I am with the name calling and the disparaging comments, I find it a privilege to serve with these young men around me, most of them I am old enough to be their father, (me and another soldier are Oldest in Co at 42)

It's just sad that we have to sink to such despair and depravity in speech and mannerisms while serving our Country and by pretending to help these poor Iraqi people.

Just yesterday when I went out patrolling, I rode in back of Humvee as "Dismount". As we approached the Gate to leave Base. one of my Sgts (over the Radio) was commenting about Shooting the 5 children that were approaching the gate from the open field and waving at us. We laughed. I. But it was crass and cruel. I don't think that way,  "just don't lead 'em as much... hahahahahaaa"

At least I didn't, and I don't call people names and I don't speak like these Soldiers but being around them is affecting me.
See what we have to privately endure in the long run America!?
This cost is great for me, I just hope that it's worth it for you back home.

It's great to be here, but we're not all happy all the time. It's because we're so far from home. We miss our families, our friends, our homeland. It's not good when most sr Enlisted get carried away with good order & discipline and turn things into "shit runs downhill, if I'm having a bad day You are too!!" moment.

That's not the kind of leadership I want leading me, that's not the kind of leader I want to be.
In the end, that way of life just runs good Soldiers like me out of the ranks.

lovs,
theSam!!

PFC Samuel L Flyinghorse
2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Stewart GA
B Co 1-30th Inf Bn, 2nd Plt 1st Sq
FOB Warrior (kirkuk iraq)

SnailMail!!

PFC Flyinghorse, Samuel L
B Co, 1 - 30th Inf Bn
FOB WARRIOR
APO AE 09338
---------------------------

to reach theSam!!, just drop a note to theSnailMale!! himself, it just might make him run faster during morning PT!!
lovs, theSam!!

Letters From Home

When I was Navy back in 1990-1995,

I would be aboard ship and on occasion see other people get in packages and packages of mail from home.

Most of the items received was Food related, I saw two young men get cakes, would you believe CAKES!! of all things, and they ate what they could and tossed the rest in the trash,

 

I saw young men get t-shirts, and socks and they trashed them and kept the CD music and the CD players. I thought to myself that if anyone ever ended up sending me stuff like that in quantity and quality that I would at least be more respectful of the people that went through all that trouble to get me any items in the mail sent to me far far away on military duty.

 

Then one day a big envelope arrived from Alaska,

It was a bundle of letters from some school children, amongst these kids was my lil' sister Shayne!!, and they had all written and drawn much stuff for me, I thought that was so nice. I kept those letters from those kids that, at that time, never knew me and had never met me.

 

even over 6 yrs later when I arrived in Alaska at the end of 1999, I still had those school letters hidden away in storage and I got to meet many of those school children when I first lived with my family in theVillage!! Even theSchoolTeacher, msBarb, did ask of me, "Did I get what she had sent long ago?", Yes I had. And I didn't think much more of that exchange between us, theSchoolTeacher was very well liked and respected.

 

I know sometimes I don't say much about certain things,

but I like what I like, and I do dwell on things that other people do for me or have done for me. I just hope that schoolTeacher of long ago didn't think that I was in some way shape or form, like those navySailors whom stuffed themselves with cake and cookies and kept what they like and trashed the rest, to leave whole cakes and unwanted items blatantly sitting in the trash for everyone to see,

 

no no, far from it I was, for I kept those precious items for years with me.

 

Now I am far from home once again,

sitting in the Desert and enduring a few days of Orientation before we start our Army training that will get us up to speed with being able to handle our role in the conflict in Iraq.

 

My two Army duffel bags and my large RuckSack are already stuffed with Listed Items that Command told us to bring, and my smaller AssaultPack (backPack size) is full of smaller items already.

 

Some friends and family have said they would send CarePackages if I need it, but looking at the storeShelfs here in Kuwait on the base, I have everything I need.

 

I'll wait and see what lies ahead in the coming year, for we might not always be near or IN a well stocked and well maintained army base. Just today I took a late afternoon shower and slipped back into the same clothes I've worn since just this last sundayNight / monMorning that we left American soil.

 

But, I'm from Alaska, and before that, I'm a Native American. I'm kind of used to hardship and hunger and used to living without running water or electricity and other luxeries that many of us nowadays enjoy,

 

heck, I'm hooked on MonsterEnergy drinks and I love iceCream, and I love to sip on hardAlcohol now and then. I love alot of things that I will have to do without during this yearlong deployment.

 

I think this time around,

that I will ask of people to give of self if they want to send me anything. To me that means sharing things as friends and not being too impersonal with things, Yes I'm sure that some baked goods would be nice, however,

 

I'm not one of the most popular guys in my Co, or Platoon, or Squad even so who wants to share food or mail with people that never wanted to look out for me while training with them in FortSill or FortBenning or even with those in FortStewart whom didn't want to give rides to me (or AnyOne else) when we all needed to gather at Formation and go here and there across Base for trainings, etc on a daily basis prior to shipping out here to Kuwait!?

 

I'll just ask my family and friends for some letters now and then and keep things simple and to keep my already stuffed bags free as possible of excess baggage!!

 

luvs,

theSam!!

Live from Fort Stewart!!

How To Tell!!.... that you've been OverCharged (again) for Basic Enlisted Barracks Quarters Room damage even though you JustMovedIn!!

 

-On theCallOut price list, theHole In theWall charge starts at $45, but when your roomie (a 2 man room) takes a dump YOU charge $80 to stick your hand through and Wipe!!

 

-theCeramicTile costs $60 to replace yet that youngArmyChick!! you had over last weekend (after her hubby deployed) had breast Implants harder, Smoother and Colder than your apt kitchenCounterTops!!

 

-you got drunk (again), lost your key card and spent another $30 and now replace it so many times, Housing gave up on you, thus leaving theMainExchange (army PX) store clerks took over and now they "codeProximity" label your 151 Rum bottle labels to at least keep your Apt doors unlocked at least 4 days a week.

 

-theDamaged!! interior Storm door ($400) actually refers to your girlfriends Diaphragm!!

d:o(

 

-theSink Fixture ($120), is really that hot lil' female from WeaponsBrigade who keeps on using your Barracks kitchen sink as her bidet!!

 

-theSmokeDetector ($235), can nowadays, be pretty much any roomie from any of theBarracksBldgs Apts (to include across the way currently underConstruction!!) whom pounds on your apt door or bedroom window every time they think you might have a smoke (and to include when you actually DO light up a cigarette)

 

AND EVEN MORE MONETARY DAMAGES!!

 

-theWindowScreen ($55) is actually theMeshBody stockings of the 8 Army girls and 4StripDancers currently stalking you!! (or hounding for cigarettes or to buy them... to SHARE alcohol with them!!)

 

-theCleaning of Chairs!! ($55 each plus an additional $25 per chair) is quickly draining your bank account after each LoveMaking!! session - and lately, it's just been YOU and the box of Kleenex Sam!!

 

-So far, the only "Double Metal Storm Doors" ($400 - $2000) you can see in your Barracks Apt is the Stainless Braces in the mouth of that cute 18yro currently living with your RoomMate!!

 

-Misc Bldg Damages ($20 - $5000!!) also covers, Your sleepWalkingNude episodes all the way down to your Slam Dance routine when listening to GoldenOldies countryMusic radio station.

 

-theBathRoom area!! ($30 - $480) also includes, Your soiled undies, All 4 corners of your room AND your roomMates face after you drink 3 Tequila bottles

 

-thanks to base JAG / judge advocateGeneral!! being on your side (at least this time Sam!!), the "Acts of God clauses" in your rental agreement now includes "5 consecutive days of every 30 days of your girlfriend's monthly cycle"

 

d:oP

 

IN LOVING MEMORY!!  (but we completely forgot!!)

 

How To Tell Your Memorial Ceremony!? was promptly forgotten!!

 

On theMemorial Flyer cover;

-Instead of a flashy Unit crest of Deaths head reaping, raping and pillaging every known enemy to mankind with fire shooting out it's redEyes!!,  there was a SELFpicture of YOU passed out under your Barracks apt bunk bed!! 

 

(completely staged Sam... completely staged)

 

-Instead of, "In Loving Memory of PFC Samuel L Flying....", theChapel Memorial flyer read; "He's Gone, We found his alcohol he'd stashed in the Woods around base, Let's Party!!"

 

-Instead of an historicLooking, heraldic icon Gray Coat of Arms w/ 2 gallant looking Round Circles representing 2 cannon balls of old or perhaps, two gnarly looking Mace Heads and decorated in concentric tiny shapes of red, green and black...... There was a photoShoot clipping of 2 Pizzas placed atop a brick Oven counter!!

 

am I getting my point across here!? !!

 

-theWords "First Battallion 2nd Field Artillery" was struck out in redInk and was followed w/ "First BELLY - 2nd Stolichnaya Artery!!",

as if to signify your 2 most important needs in life Sam!!, and how to administer your Alcohol!!

 

-and lastly, theFadedType cast in backGround cover read like a WackedOut!! police report Sam, one of YOUR old villagePolice!! reports you wrote long ago.......

 

And To Further Add Insult To Inju..... to DEATH!!

 

the 2nd Page of theMemorial Ceremony Flyer.

-was Intentionally left BLANK!!

 

-theUnit Crest on theUpper left page was replaced w/ a game of HangMan!!, (oddly enough Sam!!, theDangling stick figure looked just like YOU in uniform!!)

 

-theSupportBattallion Unit crest on the Upper Right page that looked like a tan flySwatter... was actually a photograph of your desertTan colored briefs to Include piss & shit stains!!

 

-on the first line of text that read, "Main Post chapel, 1400" WASN'T referring to the Location and Time of your memorial Sam, It referred to your last DUI event, What you crashed into and theMonetary damages!!

 

-*hiccup!!*,  the Welcome remarks made by the Chaplain had to be delivered after a few dozen stiff drinks!!

 

-theNational Anthem music recording was replaced by "Barney is a dinosaur, in our Imagination..."

 

-No one stood for the Invocation!! d:o(

 

-theDrill Sgts remarks were totally honest!!,

cos you did lead theUnit, erh, You lead them to the ChowHall every day running, even when you were on crutches

 

-cos your contributions to Unit community service events were "selfLess" as in, Your "SELF" was "Less", or totally Absent on community service event days,

 

-cos you WERE a bright shining beacon that did indeed shown from afar, due to that Parachute flare mishap when you lit yourself on fire atop hill 27 and all the lost soldiers doing Night Land Nav SHOT their azmuths on you!!

 

-Some one yelled "BINGO!!" during your Memorial Service - and Won!!

d:o(

 

-Nobody said a damn thing during "Soldier Tribute"

 

-During LastRollCall, your 1st Sgts got very angry (again),

"jeebus chrisst, where the fuck is he!?, Somebody drive to the barracks and wake his ass up!!", and the whole parking lot emptied.

 

-During theFiring of Volleys, your ashes were shot out over thePT field - but quickly drifted away towards female barracks!!

 

and finally!!

 

-theSoundingOfTaps was actually Everyone impatiently drumming their fingers!!

 

lovs,

theSam!!

us army Infantry!!

 

theSoldierSam!!

theSoldierSam!!

 

-theSoldierSam!!

now tehBlackEye!! of 3rd Division (and of FortStewart!!)

 

-tSS!!

whom can STILL see Russia from his house!! (only cos he hid theSmirnoff vodka bottle in the grass field across from theReceptionBarracks!!)

 

-tSS!!

hoping to win theTriStateMega-millions lotto before deployment!!

 

-tSS!!

Georgias most Dazed & Confused Army Soldier!!

 

-tSS!!

his "edge on Life in tehArmeh!!" is the dull rusty disposable razor in his ShaveKit bag.

 

-tSS!!

having found his future in theArmy!! (but only cos he glanced at theHoroscopes while reading theBaseNewsPaper)

 

-tSS!!

still Nipping!! from theAfterShave bottle tucked away inside his ShaveKitBag

(only not as much though once he walked into a miniShoppette on base and realized "they Sold Alcohol!!")

 

-tSS!!

trying to "be all he can be" in tehArmeh!!, which after 1 pushup in fortSill and that 2nd bout with "recruitCrud" in fortBenning-quite frankly still isn't much!!

 

-tSS!!

now face dwon in theGutter!! - on both coasts (after drinking heavily in Alaska and now in Georgia!!)...... hmmmm, and apparently STILL NOT using SpellCheck either.

 

-tSS!!

gone Camping!! (FTX) & Hiking!! (12 mile ruck march)

 

-tSS!!

completely out to Lunch!! ( over at BurgerzKing or hitting up RobbingHood, Pepe' JohnsPizza in theFoodCourt)

 

-tSS!!

able to leap tall buildings with a single bound!! (and why not!? YOU would too after tossing a couple of 5ths of JimBeam whiskey with a couple of Monster Energydrink chasers!!)

 

-tSS!!

where 'er he am - thar he be!! (even if it means hiding in plain site Under cover of darkness smack dab in middle of theBallfield park close by ReceptionBarracks-sittin' down drinkin' Tequila!!)

 

-tSS!!

where 'er he pass out - thar he be (found by Base Popo!!)

(even after trying to run and hide from thePopo in plain site under cover of darkness by theFence surrounding theBallfield park......)

 

-tSS!!

theBlack Eye of 3rd Division!! ......but you knew this already.

(and now thanks to JimBeam bourbon, Bacardi 151Rum and a 3 day weekend, he's also theTenderLiver!!, theAchingBody!! and the over all Fatigue of 3rd ID)

 

-tSS!!

whom was the only serviceMember NotIssued a SuicidePrevention card but was given extraBullets, was still allowed to drink and was immediately Deployed!!

 

-tSS!!

still not accepted at theMahne Reception Center / MRC (and his bunk at ReceptionBarracks was a spot on theFloor!!)

 

-tSS!!

when, while still IN ReceptionWeek, he was ordered to "take that hill!!"-was given a LawnMower

 

d:oP

 

-theFortStewart!!

"gateWay to theRock!!", unfortunately, one we'd like to close but then where would Sam!! go then?

 

-theFortStew!!

'gateWay to theRock!!", he got moved clear across base and now has to walk 35mins for his Liquor!!

 

-tFS!!

"gateWay to theFuture!!", only Sam!!'s future is filled with "UnEmployment!!"

 

-tFS!!

"Sam!!'s GateWay to SkidRow!!"

 

-tFS!!

"Sam!!'s gateWay to theBreadLines!!"

 

-tFS!!

"gateWay to theSoupKitchens!!", at least theSam!! won't go hungry.

 

-tFS!!

theSam!!'s "gait" is that of a hobbleHorse that needs to be shot and sent to theGlueFactory!!

 

-tFS!!

now afflicted by Sam!! for the next 3 yrs.

d:o(

 

lovs,

theSam!!

theSam!!'s Top 10 for Halloween 2009

theSam!!'s Top 10!!

 

theSam!!'s Top 10 reason to do Army PT while in AK,

He's awake anyway for pee break at 0430!!

besides, his t-shirt & boxers getup isn't far from theArmy nylon PT short and Army "T".

 

He should stop feeling theBurn from the subzero winds and blowing snow after an hour of

Jumping jacks anyway!!

 

tS!!TT reason to do Army PT while home on Leave in Alaska,

they sell Monster Energy drinks at theVillage!!GeneralStore....along with just about everything else!!

After 3 of those, you'll be up 2 days and 3 nights as well, So just hit the bike trail and run North 2.5 miles

 

ehhhh, too bad they don't take militaryStarCards d:o(

 

tS!!TT reason living out of an Army green duffle bag ain't so bad!!

As you pull shtuff outta theBag!!, the top just collapses down a bit..... kinda like your alaskaPublicSafetyCareer

kinda did after you first pulled over theChief'sGrandkids for drunk driving way way back in 2001

 

your career sorta collapses a bit and even folds down outta everyone's way!!

and just like theBag!!, after you're completely empty and outta theVillage!! employ,

you get folded up and put upon the shelf of life to collect dust!!

 

tS!!TT reason going even one day this week without an MRE/mealReady to Eat ain't so bad!!

No teeth are falling outta your big lakota head!!, mainly cos of those WheatBread snack cakes that are

hockeyPuck hard and the VanillaMilkShake that hardens quicker than plasterOfParis in your mouth.

 

You have no water right now to activate theFlamelessHeatPacket cos, you're drinking Pop & Juice!!

besides, theVillage!! house you're staying in is COLD, Frozen and any water you would have would be ice.

 

Nothing beats Mama's home cooking!!  erh... if she WAS home, cos she's not, she's too busy outside with YOU

explaining what snow shoveling, wood cutting, dogYard tasks and yard cleanUp (of snow) needs to be done!!

 

tS!!TT he's not looking at Dad's Hunting rifles displayed upon the wall!!

There's dust, grime and dirt visible at 10 paces upon the upperReceivers, theLowerStock and under theDuctTaping

holding theSlings to the rifles.

 

the300Magnum has no 2"x3" index card sized white labeling with Dad's lineNumber upon it and isn't placed upon

theStock of theWeapon with clearTape!!

 

there is no mild scent of "CLP", or HoppesGunOil or at least shavingCream & hotWater in the air,

meaning only OneThing..... that Dad hasn't cleaned those weapons since I left in July for bootCamp.

 

ehh... don't ask about the shaving cream, even my DrillSergeants didn't know why, they just yelled at me to

clean my M-4 rifle with the stuff... eh, with theShit!!

 

tS!!TT........

nawhh.

 

my arms are starting to hurt already thinking of all the pushups I should be doing right now.

 

I'm theSam!! and that's that.

lovs,

theSam!!

 

Village Military Graduate!!

theVillage!!:  militaryGraduate Sam!!

 

theSon!! just graduated from Infantry training and along the way earned a couple of ribbons for some type of brave & selfless act so next time ya' see him, thank Him for protecting our Nation at home from a Broad!! d:oP

 

And if you don't see him don't worry cos with unfettered access to his stupid Blog, we're sure he'll keep us all apprised of his military successes so you can join him in pride.... if not Chagrin & embarassment!!

 

PFC Samuel L Flyinghorse

left Anchorage on 13 July 2009 to attend WTC/Warrior Transition Course training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

The Private First Class spent a few days in reception with 95th battalion before crossing the tracks (going over to theOther side of theBase) and joining up with D Btry 1st Bn 79th FA

 

WTC course requirements included the following:

Basic Rifle Marksmanship, daily Army Physical Fitness, Tactical Foot Marches, Convoy Live Fire & Urban Operations, Detainee Ops, First Aid, Land Navigation and a host of other military stuff too boring to mention.

 

Highlights of this WTC event included first and foremost,

Sgt J. Simonton!!  d:oP

Or at least having to stand next to theCutestAsian in uniform, while in 2nd Plt daily formations, this side of 4th Platoon!!

 

Uhm. Other highlights included taking a picture of msSimonton while she visited 2nd Plt living quarters/Bay and sighted in her M-4 rifle while wearing cute BCG's (birth control glasses).

 

Chowhall visits weren't bad either and the MRE's had to be experienced to be believed, although any MRE that contained Skittles, M&M candies or chocolate as dessert was forgiven of any distressing gastric afflictions meted out upon theSam!!

 

Lowlights of this WTC event included next to the Barracks.  daily PT sessions under the nearby metal port or else out in the open upon the grass

 

Other forgetable events included being ferried about like cattle in actual CattleTrucks!! to and from various grenade, firing ranges and field training events all the while wearing BodyArmor, Helmets, Load bearing vests, carrying our M-16 rifles and bearing our RuckSacks in the 100deg plus!! Oklahoma heat.

 

And last but not least, thePFC!! won't miss pulling his Knee and hamstring while sprinting, cos that injury carried over to PT time in Fort Benning.

 

Upon graduation from WTC in Ft Sill at the end of Aug 2009,

thePFC!! bused to OK City airport, along with his other WTC grads, and was whisked away to Fort Benning Georgia at end of Aug to begin another week of processing at 30th AG Reception before being assigned to C Co, 2-19th, 2nd Plt where thePFC!! joined theBCT's / basic Combat trainees in week 8 of their training and eventually graduated with C Co on Oct 23, 2009

 

Highlights of this OSUT / one station unit training experience included:

being sworn at and disparaged in most provocative profane and indecent manner by at least 3 DS / drill sergeants during PT formation runs and along saturday ruckSack marches..... eh, I guess those DS liked me.

 

Other great experiences included falling off an Obstacle course in early Oct and limping through a weeks worth of FTX / field training exercises and basically slowing everyone else down whom had to wait for me, nice.

 

Another great but Hazy memory includes the final days of graduation week, when, after theYoung boys of C Co had earned their PX visiting privileges and could buy food and drinks and take them back to theBay, someone offered thePFC!! a taste of MONSTER energy drink - thePFC!! was forever hooked. 

 

I say "hazy" memory cos, I stayed awake for at least 2 days straight on 3 monsters, I think I stood a few extra FireGuard watches and barely remember any PT we may have done that last week

 

Seriously though, our military training had pretty much been finished in Ft Sill, And any other FTX's and Convoy Live Fire, w/Detainee Ops and Building & Room Clearing we did at OSUT was advanced information & high speed action.

 

The wilting heat of Oklahoma wasn't present in Georgia and I liked that but I still drank enough water to kill several camels - just like I did in Ft Sill!!

 

After graduatiing as an 11B Infantryman, thePFC!! was handed papers assigning him to Fort Stewart GA, but first allowed to go on a few days leave and so theSam!! is currently back in theAlaskanVillage!! w/ his family.

 

It's snowing outside, the temps are lower 40's F w/ snowfall and moderate winds from the North.

I should know the weather intimately, cos I have to step outside theVillage!! house to go pee out in the woods, as our villageHouse!! never really had plumbing anyway for years.

 

Last night I got to SteamBath at a relatives house, when it was my turn to use theBath house I stayed in for an hour pausing only to step outside into the elements for 5mins nude, It felt great to go from 100+ deg heat to ALMOST below freezing weather. Not very many people like or embrace the cold - just us Alaskans!!

 

I'm glad I am an Army Infantryman, my PriorService brothers and sisters can Outrun me, outPush me, outShoot me and can excel greatly in anything else Army better than I can. I'm old, injured, blind as a bat and deaf as a post and still UncleSam!! lets me stay in uniform, for now.

 

I am honored to be here and have absolute faith in my Arms, my fellow Soldiers and myself.

For I have seen up close some of the training, the weaponry & tactics used, and some of the conduct of my fellow soldiers and I also pushed myself beyond the physical pain.

 

I'm glad to be part of a fighting force this Enlistment, instead of being safe on a ship like during my Navy enlistment.

I wear my CrossedRifles pin with pride.

 

Don't forget about your servicemen/women in uniform that you know,

let them know that you appreciate their time and efforts, it's not easy being away from home, being away from family and loved ones but your thoughtfulness to these brave servicemen/women helps

 

lovs,

theSam!!

 

PFC Samuel L Flyinghorse

US Army Infantryman