Friday, April 24, 2009
CCAB
Just want to give a shout to the gang at Charities. I think of you daily and am grateful to be your colleague. It seems like I have been away for a lot more than 3 months (not even 3 yet!). I am about 1/2 way through. I miss you all.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Passed Final PT test!
Yesterday was our "record" physical fitness test...I was a little worried about it, but outperformed my previous test:
Pushups: need 32, did 53
Situps: need 38, did 73
2 mile run: need to do it in 18:18, did it in 15:47
We're now into the international/operational law section....covering the Geneva Convention, rules of war, etc. Really interesting. And relevant to the news of the day...all of the issues of torture authorized under the Bush administration. The military lawyers were warning the administration that the interrogation techniques were illegal (as torture is illegal), but were largely ignored. So interesting to be learning the rules while we see what happens when they are not followed...
Graduation is 2 weeks from today!
Pushups: need 32, did 53
Situps: need 38, did 73
2 mile run: need to do it in 18:18, did it in 15:47
We're now into the international/operational law section....covering the Geneva Convention, rules of war, etc. Really interesting. And relevant to the news of the day...all of the issues of torture authorized under the Bush administration. The military lawyers were warning the administration that the interrogation techniques were illegal (as torture is illegal), but were largely ignored. So interesting to be learning the rules while we see what happens when they are not followed...
Graduation is 2 weeks from today!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
less than 3 weeks left in C'ville
Time is beginning to speed up. It has seemed to be in slow motion for the past 2 months or so. But now that graduation is coming in less than 3 weeks, it seems that time is going at a faster clip. Graduation is Wednesday, May 6. Karina and the girls leave on Friday, May 8. I will then leave for Oklahoma on Saturday, the 9th....I have to report in on Sunday.
I am healed up for the most part. After my ankle injury, I strained some muscle in my chest (don't know how or exactly when it happened) that is still a bit sore. Carrying Enya around hasn't helped heal that one! Our final and official APFT (army physical fitness test) is this Tuesday. I'm not so worried about passing it as I am in really good shape, but I am nervous about outperforming my previous test.
We are completing our training on legal assistance...think legal aid for soldiers. This is the area that I will be doing for the forseeable future....wills, landlord/tenant, consumer issues, immigration!, etc. Next up is international law and all of the rules...this should be really interesting.
Seems like it has been forever since I was in Boston. Can't believe that I am only about 1/2 way through right now...
I am healed up for the most part. After my ankle injury, I strained some muscle in my chest (don't know how or exactly when it happened) that is still a bit sore. Carrying Enya around hasn't helped heal that one! Our final and official APFT (army physical fitness test) is this Tuesday. I'm not so worried about passing it as I am in really good shape, but I am nervous about outperforming my previous test.
We are completing our training on legal assistance...think legal aid for soldiers. This is the area that I will be doing for the forseeable future....wills, landlord/tenant, consumer issues, immigration!, etc. Next up is international law and all of the rules...this should be really interesting.
Seems like it has been forever since I was in Boston. Can't believe that I am only about 1/2 way through right now...
Monday, April 13, 2009
BCGs
Just a short entry tonight....girls were slow to go to sleep.
This afternoon I went to the eye doc to get my prescription for glasses and gas mask inserts. The glasses are known as "BCG"s....or in layman's terms...."birth control glasses". They are affectionally called that because they are so ugly that no one will come near you while wearing them. They are really, really ugly. Thick, brown plastic frames. I'm supposed to have them for the officer training.
I'm not sure whether I'll share a pic with the BCGs...although since I've mentioned it, I probably have to now. But I'll be in Oklahoma by the time I get them.
Today is also our 7th wedding anniversary. Tried to explain it to Enya tonight, but her grasp of time still doesn't go beyond a day or two and afterwards she was asking when we were getting married again. We spent Easter with my brother and his family and Mom and Dad. Was really nice and really short. But good to see them. Karina and I have to find some time to celebrate our anniversary.
Will try to update this more often.
This afternoon I went to the eye doc to get my prescription for glasses and gas mask inserts. The glasses are known as "BCG"s....or in layman's terms...."birth control glasses". They are affectionally called that because they are so ugly that no one will come near you while wearing them. They are really, really ugly. Thick, brown plastic frames. I'm supposed to have them for the officer training.
I'm not sure whether I'll share a pic with the BCGs...although since I've mentioned it, I probably have to now. But I'll be in Oklahoma by the time I get them.
Today is also our 7th wedding anniversary. Tried to explain it to Enya tonight, but her grasp of time still doesn't go beyond a day or two and afterwards she was asking when we were getting married again. We spent Easter with my brother and his family and Mom and Dad. Was really nice and really short. But good to see them. Karina and I have to find some time to celebrate our anniversary.
Will try to update this more often.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
recovered from my 1st injury
About 10 days ago, I sprained my ankle. During PT, we were racing up and down a hill...bear crawl up and crab crawl down...squad versus squad. A crab crawl is where your butt is just off the ground and you support yourself on all 4s. It was still dark (a little after 6am), the grass a bit wet, and going as fast as I could down the hill. My left ankle turned inside (my toes ended up facing my right leg...if you can picture it) and folded underneath me. Ouch. I finished PT and limped back to the room, took some Tylenol and hoped it would be OK. It swelled up and went black and blue. So I had to see a sports injury doc....grade 2 sprain. No running for 2 weeks. It is nearly healed now so I expect to run on Monday. We have about 10% of the class on some form of injury profile at any given time...I am lucky to be coming off mine early. Our official/record PT exam is in 3 weeks so I don't want to lose any of the momentum that I have up to this point.
We completed the criminal law section of instruction this week. It accounts for about 40% of our instruction. The last week of it was doing mock court martials. It was interesting. My knowledge of the rules of evidence are definitely weak. Probably the hardest thing for me...you rarely ever object in immigration court...so yelling out "Objection, Your Honor" was tough since I'd then need to cite the actual rule that I was basing it on...that is what they don't show on tv...after you say "objection!", you have to say why..."it violates Rule 404, character evidence is not admissible to prove conduct, Your Honor." And then the other side has to respond with why that objection is incorrect or doesn't apply. Not easy for me. But I got through it all right.
We are now in fiscal law (a bit like contracts). A big snooze fest. Think tax law. Not the most exciting of topics. The instructors know it, too....in order to make us pay attention, they give us pop quizzes every afternoon (since it has happened every day, they really aren't "pop" anymore!). I've actually done pretty well on the quizzes, but it is really tough to pay attention in class. Basically, it covers what the JAGs must do in their legal review of any acquisition....so if the unit buys a pallet of bottled water for a field exercise, the JAG must make sure it is done with the appropriate funds drawn from the appropriate fiscal year, etc. Supposedly, this is a busy area for the JAGs as the Army buys lots and lots of stuff.
Many of you know that Uncle Skip passed away last week. I can't believe it. He was fine a few weeks ago. Got sick all of a sudden and left us. After my father, one of the smartest guys I've ever met. He was the tech guy before anyone even knew what tech was. Unbelievable loss to our family. Just can't comprehend the fact that I won't see him again. He has always been such a fixture in the family...
My orders came this week telling me that I'll be going to Ft. Sill, OK for my officer training. So I'll probably leave here on May 9 and be in Oklahoma until July 24.
We completed the criminal law section of instruction this week. It accounts for about 40% of our instruction. The last week of it was doing mock court martials. It was interesting. My knowledge of the rules of evidence are definitely weak. Probably the hardest thing for me...you rarely ever object in immigration court...so yelling out "Objection, Your Honor" was tough since I'd then need to cite the actual rule that I was basing it on...that is what they don't show on tv...after you say "objection!", you have to say why..."it violates Rule 404, character evidence is not admissible to prove conduct, Your Honor." And then the other side has to respond with why that objection is incorrect or doesn't apply. Not easy for me. But I got through it all right.
We are now in fiscal law (a bit like contracts). A big snooze fest. Think tax law. Not the most exciting of topics. The instructors know it, too....in order to make us pay attention, they give us pop quizzes every afternoon (since it has happened every day, they really aren't "pop" anymore!). I've actually done pretty well on the quizzes, but it is really tough to pay attention in class. Basically, it covers what the JAGs must do in their legal review of any acquisition....so if the unit buys a pallet of bottled water for a field exercise, the JAG must make sure it is done with the appropriate funds drawn from the appropriate fiscal year, etc. Supposedly, this is a busy area for the JAGs as the Army buys lots and lots of stuff.
Many of you know that Uncle Skip passed away last week. I can't believe it. He was fine a few weeks ago. Got sick all of a sudden and left us. After my father, one of the smartest guys I've ever met. He was the tech guy before anyone even knew what tech was. Unbelievable loss to our family. Just can't comprehend the fact that I won't see him again. He has always been such a fixture in the family...
My orders came this week telling me that I'll be going to Ft. Sill, OK for my officer training. So I'll probably leave here on May 9 and be in Oklahoma until July 24.
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