Friday, October 28, 2005

The Last Week in Yuma

Well, someone "fucked up" and the phrase of SNAFU comes to mind. The crappy schedule I had when I first got here is back. Oh, and my renter, he just turned my landlord experience into FUBAR. He pissed off the neighbors and they called the county, which in turn puts me in a violation that if not fixed shortly will cost me a $10,000.00 a day fine until fixed. Hopefully, this will be taken care of before I leave the states.
The whole part that really chaps my ass is that the person who turned in the individual that did the wrong should have taken care of the Marine instead of fucking him and everyone else. This statement would not have been foreign 5 to 10 years ago nor would it be when my father or anyone else's family was in the military. The situation did not harm anyone and the violation was not a major one. I am not saying to break the rules, the rules are there for a reason. All I am saying is this Marine just needed to be looked after for about twenty feet and all would have been fine.
What is the one thing that Marines do the other services do not do or do not take pride in?

Well, the answer is history if this truly is the "new" Marine Corps.

The good is part is a friend is visiting me for the last few days. I hope the best for that.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

T minus 281 : Day 84 : Rotation Time Minus 11

I can not wait until this detail (exercise) is over. I like the area, but I am truly hating this job I am doing here.

One of the good points of being here is I have an awesome renter. He is actually taking care of my house. (Saving me a dime or two.)

When I do return, I will be going to the ball "stag." If that is a surprise then you haven't been reading.

I did receive a few awesome presents from some really cool people. Definitely, this is year has been a banner one.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Nothing Special

This post is nothing special.
I do not have time to post anything of any real value.
I barely have enough time to type this message.
This thought process is a complete waste of time.
You have just wasted your time by reading this.
You and I can not feel any smarter or wiser by reading this.
In fact, you are probably wondering, why I would do this?
I do not know.

Monday, October 10, 2005

A Good Analogy to Share

From a person who's there, in the midst..........

The other day, my nine year old son wanted to know why we were at war...My husband looked at our son and then looked at me. My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would be honored to serve and defend our Country again today. I knew that my husband would give him a good explanation. My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window.

He said "Son, stand there and tell me what you see?"

"I see trees and cars and our neighbor's houses." he replied.

"OK, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush."

Our son giggled and said "OK."

"Now son, I want you to look out the window and pretend that every house and yard on this block is a different country" my husband said.

"OK Dad, I'm pretending."

"Now I want you to stand there and look out the window and pretend you see Saddam come out of his house with his wife, he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death. Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are screaming and crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and they are afraid of their father. You see all of this, son... .what do you do?"

"Dad?"

"What do you do son?"

"I'd call the police, Dad."

"OK. Pretend that the police are the United Nations. They take your call. They listen to what you know and saw but they refuse to help. What do you do then son?"

"Dad.......... but the police are supposed to! help!" My son starts to whine.

"They don't want to son, because they say that it is not their place or your place to get involved and that you should stay out of it," my husband says.

"But Dad...he killed her!!" my son exclaims.

"I know he did...but the police tell you to stay out of it. Now I want you to look out that window and pretend you see our neighbor who you're pretending is Saddam turn around and do the same thing to his children."

"Daddy...he kills them?"

"Yes son, he does. What do you do?"

"Well, if the police don't want to help, I will go and ask my next door neighbor to help me stop him." our son says.

"Son, our next door neighbor sees what is happening and refuses to get involved as well. He refuses to open the door and help you stop him," my husband says.

"But Dad, I NEED help!!! I can't stop him by myself!!"

"WHAT DO YOU DO SON?"

Our son starts to cry.

"OK, no one wants to help you, the! man across the street saw you ask for help and saw that no one would help you stop him. He stands taller and puffs out his chest. Guess what he does next son?"

"What Daddy?"

"He walks across the street to the old ladies house and breaks down her door and drags her out, steals all her stuff and sets her house on fire and then...he kills her. He turns around and sees you standing in the window and laughs at you. WHAT DO YOU DO?"

"Daddy.."

"WHAT DO YOU DO?"

Our son is crying and he looks down and he whispers, "I'd close the blinds, Daddy."
My husband looks at our son with tears in his eyes and asks him.

"Why?"

"Because Daddy.....the police are sup posed to help people who needs them...and they won't help.... You always say that neighbors are supposed to HELP neighbors, but they won't help either...they won't help me stop him...I'm afraid....I can't do it by myself Daddy.....I can't look out my window and just watch him do all these ! terrible things and...and.....do nothing...so....I'm just going to close the blinds.... so I can't see what he's doing........and I'm going to pretend that it is not happening."

I start to cry. My husband looks at our nine year old son standing in the window, looking pitiful and ashamed at his answers to my husband's questions and he says...
"Son"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Open the blinds because that man.... he's at your front door... "WHAT DO YOU DO?"

My son looks at his father, anger and defiance in his eyes. He balls up his tiny fists and looks his father square in the eyes, without hesitation he says: "I DEFEND MY FAMILY DAD!! I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM HURT MOMMY OR MY S ISTER, DAD!!! I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM, DAD, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM!!!!!"

I see a tear roll down my husband's cheek and he grabs our son to his chest and hugs him tight, and says... "It's too late to fight him, he's too strong and he's already at YOUR front door son.....you should have s! topped him BEFORE he killed his wife, and his children and the old lady across the way. You have to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone, before its too late." my husband whispers. THAT scenario I just gave you is WHY we are at war with Iraq. When good men stand by and let evil happen son, THAT is the greatest atrocities in the world won't affect him. "YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT ALONE!" BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! BE PROUD OF OUR TROOPS!! SUPPORT THEM!!! SUPPORT AMERICA SO THAT IN THE FUTURE OUR CHILDREN WILL NEVER HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR BLINDS..."

(name withheld)
CMSgt 332 ELRS/Vehicle Management
Flight Balad Air Base, Iraq

Saturday, October 08, 2005

Friends and Enemies

Since being back have run into many people that I have known before. The vast majority are good friends, but on occasion there are those people that I wish to have been run over instead of seeing them again.


I would like to think that most people I encounter view me as a friend, but I think that would be over stepping my boundaries. I admit it, when I meet someone that I don't like I tend to let them know about it. {There are exceptions to the rule.}



Some of the people who obviously do not like me have been avoiding me. I know this because I keep running into their coworkers. A little odd. Some of you know this person or people and I do find it quite odd.

The funny part is, I am not looking to pick a fight, have an argument, or have a run in with anyone while I am here. I feel that I can hold my own and be the bigger person.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Correction

I am truly on day 66. For some reason my math went to crap and no one noticed. If fact, I believe that maybe when you all say you read these posts, you actually don't think about the posts.

A horse by any other color. ~ A bird in the hand as luck would have it.