The **Ongoing** Navy (Reserve) tales

Welcome home Bill, glad to hear you are safe and sound.

 

Welcome back, Bill!!!

 

Wecome back, bud! I know I kissed the ground when I landed back in the States after I was deployed. Kinda gives you a new appreciation on everything in life.

 

You're so right, Kevin!!! It has been really nice getting back home and enjoying life. I have a renewed appreciation of the simple things in life. I have a hard time seeing the materialism and the pettiness that is so rampant in this country. We have so much to be thankful for over here, but it seems like so few people appreciate it.

I've been up in Pagosa Springs for the last few days, just getting to know my kids again, and spending some quality time with Mellisa and her father. We wend day camping yesterday, and cooked hot dogs and smores on an open fire and just had a great time. The air is thing, dry, cool and the sky is blue (not brown). I'm SO glad to be home.

Thanks for your suuport, prayers and friendship. I'm looking forward to seeing you all at the next meeting.

Bill


PS: I was able to surprise a lot of my family last weekend. It was great seeing the looks on their faces when I walked through the door.

 

Too true, Bill....too true. Must keep life as we know it in constant perspective. Things can ALWAYS be worse.


Welcome back. Look forward to catchin' up wid ya at the BBQ!!!

 

Bump!

 

Thanks, BH. The reason I requested re-opening this thread was to celebrate being home for 1 full year. Also, my adventures with the Navy Reserve are far from over, and I might have more interesting stuff to talk about soon...




I returned home 1 year ago, Friday, and was fortunate enough to be home in time for Father's Day. Ironically enough, I am spending this Father's Day at drill with the Navy Reserves.

I wanted to post a quick recap of what a difference a year can make.

In the last year since returning, I have:

Been hired with the Federal Government with a full time job, full benefits, retirement, a great boss, job security etc. Not exactly something I had at the last job.

Completed 3 semesters of college classes, and am ready to start at Metro in the Fall.

Spent more time with my wife and kids than I ever did before I deployed.

Cherished life so much more than I did before deploying.

Turned down two offers to "volunteer" to go back to the Sandbox.

Potty trained my two youngest children. I've seen them grow and become great, well behaved, well adjusted children who are a lot of fun.

Twice passed the exam for promotion test for E-6. While I haven't made the final multiple for advancement, I'm getting closer to getting promoted.

I have slowed down my life so I spend more time with my family than doing busy stuff, running all over town going to events, functions or whatever, I stopped working overtime.

It might not seem like much, but this has probably been one of the best years of my life, and for that I am extremely greatful.

The big thing I can say when looking back over the last year and the deployment is this:

Each day is a gift from God. What you do with that day is your gift back to God.

Thanks, and have a great Father's Day!

 

Well in just over two weeks, I will be heading to La Maddelenna, Italy for my two weeks of annual training. I fly into Rome, then puddle jump over to the island of Sardinia. With any luck, I'll get to spend an extra day or two in Rome and enjoy the sights, then head back to the fun of normal life.

I'm really excited about this trip. It'll be my first time really seeing Eurpoe and I get to go to one of the top tourist areas at government expense. There is apparently a Club Med destination not far from the base we'll be at. So in the middle of July, I'll be snorkeling and diving in the Med. Love it.

Granted, we will be working, but only Mon-Fri for the two weeks we'll be there. So for now, I'm brushing up on some basic Italian and packing my bags.


In addition to all of that , my government job will pay be up to 15 days of time off for military training at full pay!!! So I can get paid like normal for this trip, and pocket all of my military pay as an additional free paycheck. This'll help fund my trip to Rome and possibly soome other things we've been waiting to do. Another great reason to work for the Federal government if you are a veteran.

I'll be taking a gob of new pictures on this trip, and they'll be posted in the link in my sig. Also, I have a bunch of new pics of stuff I'm taking for college, if anyone is interested.


Looking forward to July.......

 

Hello from Italy!!!

I got into Italy on Saturday, and finally got an internet account on the ship so I can communicate here. It's absolutely beautiful here. Pictures will be posted soon. I'm in Sardinia, about 120 miles west of Rome. It's a beautiful island with great beaches and scenery here. Just gorgeous!

I'm going to hit the beach here in a few minutes. I just finished a full work day, but it's only 3:15PM, so there's plenty of daylight left. And then on to some good pene al quattro formaggi and the vino.

Ciao!!!

 

Wow, Italy has been incredible!!! We did a "Spaghetti Boat Cruise" yesterday, which took us around to about 4 islands, lots of neat coves and swimming & snorkling spots. Pics will be posted today. The weather is incredible, and I'm loving every minute of my time away from the ship. Food is outstanding.

And I will be spending Friday and Saturday nights in Rome!!!! I got my flight changed, so now I get to see the Colliseum, the Vatican and a lot more. I am thrilled about this, because I don't know if/when I'll make it out here again.

So hello to all of you from Sardinia, Italy!!!

 

Can't wait to see the pictures!

 

5 albums have been added to my photo album now. Enjoy!!!

 

Ciao from Rome!!! New pics are up now. This city has sooooo much history to it. Absolutely incredible. I could photograph it for a month and only scratch the surface.

But it's also incredibly expensive. We're thinking about spending our last day here on the beach. Then tomorrow will be the long flight home....

Ciao!!!

 

I'm back. Nice to be home, but jetlag can be a bugger.

 

Jet lag gives you boogers?

 

So in the 15 months I've been back, they have now asked me on *three* separate occasions if I want to go back to Kuwait for additional tours. Out of the 20-30 people in my unit, I am the *only* one who has been called up for and overseas duty. I'm sorry, but I can't understand why they even ask for me to go back, until the rest of the unit gets to experience the fun of the sandbox.

I thought I was supposed to be exempt from having to go, but I guess that doesn't mean they can't ask if I want to go back, I guess. //shrugs//


And the scoop I'm getting from the follow-on units is that they're as screwed up as my unit was. Yeah, and you want me to go back to that mess again??? I don't think so....

 

Last month I put in my papers to transfer to the inactive ready reserve. I need my weekends for homework, family and recovery from the work week. So I now have weekends off, and *might* actually be able to make the occasional meeting, like this month's.



So no more navy for me until the degree is done, or they recall me involuntarily. Whichever comes first. Let's hope it's neither at this point...

 

It's been 2 years to the day since I arrived in Kuwait. So much has changed, and yet, sadly, so much hasn't. I'm glad to be home, glad to be alive, and glad to have wonderful family and friends. Compared to the heat over there, I'll take the snow and cold.

Life is short, enjoy it because like we learned with Tim, it can be over in a heartbeat. Love, live, forgive and cherish every minute of life. Even the crappy ones.