Just Cause 2009

Where the magic happens.
Me on the first day, my wife hates the 'stach.
Cooking breakfast.
SPC Piltz, my KP.
Co-worker SPC Cho.
Getting some.
Looking for the commies.
For the ladies!
SPC Piltz and I.

Wut?

Some horseplay out in the boonies.
Waiting for something to happen, we do this alot.
Driving home, looks natural, eh?
The Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea sunrise.

I lied

I do have another board to go to before I leave. A Promotion board.(gulp) It will be 01 May.

Low on the totem poll.

So I went back to the old workplace today and saw how the Air Force is utilizing our old offices. See we used to occupy a fairly large space. Every section had it's own office, the platoon leaders and sergeants had there own desk and phone line and there was a large orderly room. The Air Force moved in and said we need all this room. The unit moved all that stuff into a 1000 sq ft building. Now everyone shares 3 offices. No one had their own phone, except 1SG and the commander. Well I went back there to pick something up and saw the old office. I'm not exaggerating when I saw the only thing in our huge orderly room was a table with a microwave on it. That's it. Most of the offices are empty and those occupied have one person in it. A large room say 15x20 has one guy and his desk. That's it. Meanwhile when I go to the new place they have to let someone out the back so I can step in. Guess I know where the dumbass groundpounders stand around here.

Dear ACUs

As I struggle to do laundary tonight and pluck OD green socks stuck to my uniforms from a seemingly endless array of velcro. I am reminded of a letter I read in the Army Times a little while back. I should send this to Obama.

Dear ACUs,

We’ve been together for almost two years now, and in that time, you have brought me nothing but grief. Why do you hate me?

I turn you inside out when I wash you. I’ve never used optical brighteners. I hang you with your collars up. And I try to keep your Velcro flat.

But you treat me so badly, despite all the good things I do for you. Why?

You fade, noticeably, after three washes. Your seams come apart.

After two months, you’re visible for over 800 meters in all conditions. Your Velcro wears out too quickly, you stain so easily and you look like something out of a bad sci-fi movie.

Do I deserve to get treated like this?

BDU and DCU treated me so much better. Even when I was seeing both of them (at the same time, and they both knew it) they still loved me.

When I was in Iraq, BDU waited for me, and DCU kept me safe.

Neither of them ever faded on me, and despite the fact that DCU’s complexion is much fairer than yours, stains always washed out — even that time when I tried to check the oil on a running generator.

I was heartbroken when they were taken from me.

I expected you to be as good to me as they were, but you’ve been terrible to me.

And you wonder why I say such terrible things about you. You wonder why I call you names like “Confederate Starship Trooper Uniform.”

I would like to divorce you, but I can’t. My Uncle Sam says that he’ll cut me out of his will if I do, and I can’t afford to disappoint him — not just because of the inheritance, but because I love the American family.

I wish they saw you the way I do — the side you only show, when it’s just us. Then maybe they’d support me more.

I’m scared that one of these days you’re going to get me killed because you refuse to protect me. You’re completely unable to camouflage me, and that’s dangerous.

This is a hollow marriage, and I will never be happy with you. I hope you can live with that.

Spc. Jarod R. DePastene

Fort Sill, Okla.

From the Army Times Dec 2008

You know the Marines started this and I have to admit they have badass uniforms and (gasp) two different patterns! What an idea! The Air Force has some pretty cool Vietnam-looking tiger stripes with (gasp) sew on patches. Someone is getting rich selling this garbage to the Army and only the soldiers pay the price by not being protected, having to buy new ones when they rip and fade too soon, and the general psycological weariness of looking like shit all the time. They remind me of pajamas, they stick to my buddy, themselves and worst of all the screens of the MKT. (@#%^!) They rip, they are noisey (you try being quiet and opening the pockets), the velcro wears out too fast, they fade quickly; the list is endless. The Army keeps telling me that they are good trying to make me feel better but no one beleives what they say. They say it saves me money all that velcro because I don't have to sew patches on. Like my rank or unit changes that often; never mind my name is velcro, really? They say wash and wear, saves time and money cleaning. But guess what? All the idiots in my unit get them cleaned, so I'm the one that looks out of place. The skill badges are pin on. Really pin on? Good idea except when I have to take the M-Fers off and place them on the next day's uniform. I hope before this is over they change their minds but probably not.

More Holiday pics

Almost everyone I work with. Left side; SSG Peterson, SPC Richardson, SPC Oliverios, SPC Jenkins. Right side; Me, SPC Collins, SGT Ayala, SPC Harris and SGT Nino.
My battle from AIT, SPC Harris receiving his chefof the quarter award from the BDE Col and CSM. I'll be geting my award in April.
SPC Cho cleaning the grill.
The holiday decorations by SCP Dean and SPC Janey.
Gingerbread houses by SGT Schnuphase & SPC Oliverios.
From L to R; my First Sergeant, 1SG Woodley, he'sone hell of a good NCO, 2LT Thompson, SSG Yi, 1LT Walsh, my XO and my DFAC manager SFC Martin.
SPC Oliverios and my NCO, SGT Schnuphase.