Hard Soldier

PTSD Post Tremblay and Shoe Disorder

Only one thing is certain during a career in the military a soldier will definetly meet some of the funniest people he will ever meet, and experience comedy unlike any other way it can be experienced at home.

So I have a new squad now, at first I wasn't too happy only because I had been through a lot with my last squad and it really cut me pretty deep to part ways with them. Change is sometimes a good thing however when one can put the past behind them and embrace the inevitable future to come, it makes it easier to transition to change.

Specialist Tremblay and Specialist Schoephoerster, Schoephoerster try saying that ten times fast at the top of your lungs, we just call him Shoe. At home every one had that friend that was a complete smart ass but in a funny sarcastic way so nobody was ever mad at them because every one knew that guy was always just joking or being sarcastic. Well these guys are a tag team of sarcasm and hilarious hijinx, they constantly have me laughing at the cost of their team leader SGT Aden. Poor SGT Aden, this poor soul is constantly getting joked on by these two guys but, he takes it all in stride wth a good attitude. Heres an example of PTSD at work when they go to pick up their team leader they will let him walk up to the car only to drive up when he grabs the door handle, and they'll do it over and over. I don't encourage it but it is pretty hard not to laugh. Sgt Aden will call those two to pick him up and they will pull up and drive around him in circles untill just before you could tell he's getting upset then they will stop let him walk up and drive forward when he grabs the handle! Oh man it might not be funny to read but it's hilarious to watch. 

It's Been a Long Time, I Shouldn't Have Left You

Wow! yup that's about how one can best describe all of my experiences since my last post. I almost don't know where to begin so I'll start with after Halloween.

November 2nd was my birthday, I turned.......25! no wait that was oh hell, some years ago. So it was my birthday and in true birthday tradition I got a good ol fashion wuppin by my guys. There is something about the birthday wuppin that just completes a birthday, like a rite of passage it is there to remind you that you are getting older and you don't heal any faster. We were coming up to Camp Cedar II and had blocked off traffic in southern Iraq at the stroke of midnight when I hear my gunner SPC Shaw turn his turret and suddenly he has his arms pinning me to my seat. My first reaction was to fight back but at the sound of my Driver SPC Davis beating me repeatedly in the arm screaming at the top of his lungs "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU" I could do nothing but sit there and take what was coming to me. I have always been an advocate for the birthday a$% wuppin and that day was another fine day in American military tradition. But the birthday shananigans did not end there, oh no, they were just getting started. Upon arriving at Camp Cedar we hit the chow hall to refill our empty bellies with greasy food prepared by non-english speaking TCN's (third country nationals). I knew something was going to happen because of the sh*t eating grins on Shaw and Davis' faces. Shaw got up to go to the latrine then minutes later comes back with a herd of Indian and Iraqi chow hall workers singing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU", like a guy that farted in front of a smoking hot chick on a first date my face went beet red. The entire chow hall filled with soldiers, civilian contractors and TCN's got up and started clapping, I felt like I was at TGI Fridays in bizarro land. Ah yes that was an unforgettable birthday and I'll never forget those guys for it......payback's a bi%&h.

Shortly after my birthday I went on my two week R&R leave expecting my brand new baby girl to be born the day after I got home. Just like her dad she couldn't wait to get the hell out of there so I missed the birth by a couple of hours, it was probably too hot in there too. Don't worry sweetie daddy understands. Unfortunatley there were some complications with her not breathing so she got an all expense paid vacation in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). My wife is a better soldier than I am because she was strong through it all, she new I would have to go back overseas in a couple of weeks but she took it all in stride and showed her dedication to our family.......ok enough scoring awww points with the wife although, this is how cool my wife is. Knowing that her husband is a boxing fanatic she bought me and my friend tickets to a championship fight at the Staples center. I rest my case, coolest wife ever.

When I got back from leave I was told by SFC Nunn that I had been placed on a different mission. I didn't take to it well at first because I wasn't to keen on the idea of being seperated from my squad and my crew. It was almost like someone took my kids away from me. The Army is like that sometimes though, missions have to get done and sometimes we don't like it but I'm a soldier and if America wants it done then I get the job done.

Unlike movie sequels things actually got good after a couple of challenges, in my next post I'll tell you all about my new squad and the infamous PTSD (Post Tremblay and Shoe Disorder) crew, these guys are hilarious. Thanks for still reading I have gotten a lot of emails asking when I was going to write again, I appreciate it. I have made peace with a lot of things I felt were wrong lately and "The Strike is Over!"