AFMAJBUCK

Oh...yeah...maybe I should say something about that...

2011-10-20T21:47:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to say I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I've spent most of the last 2 years working hard at Shaw AFB in SC after returning from Afghanistan.

I say most as my new assignment is with the Army, at Ft. Leavenworth Kansas. One year of "jointness" with the Army learning lots of Army stuff. To be fair, it's great training (education, actually) here at the Command & General Staff College. I've learned a lot about how a joint staff is supposed to work, studied Clausewitz and Jomini, and learned WAY too much about ARFORGEN (Army Force Generation).

"Best year of your life!" Or so the saying goes...

More to follow...just don't ask when...

;)

My leadership philosophy...

2011-10-20T21:39:00.000-05:00

Major Pennington’s Leadership Philosophy

I believe a leader of an organization is responsible for everything that happens in that organization, under his or her watch. With this concept in mind, a few important leadership thoughts guide my actions:

Leaders "own it" from the day they walk into an organization. Regardless of position in the organization, if you lead people, you are responsible for all that comes out of your part of that organization, doubly so if you are the commander. Any negative aspects of the organization are your responsibility to rectify.

Leaders ensure all credit for positive events go to your people. Your people make it happen. Amazing things happen when everyone in the organization, starting with you, are focused on the task or mission and not on who is going to get the credit.

Leaders lead from the front of the organization. Physically, you must get "eyes-on" with the majority of your troops on a regular basis. Leadership by emails, orders from behind the desk or memos from "on-high" accomplish nothing, but create needless space between you and your organization. Set the example in all aspects of your job. Know your "core business" better than anyone else. Get to know your people and their workspaces. Know your place in the "big picture" and be able to explain it to anyone. Understand not only the mission of your unit, but how your people make that mission happen, what tools they use and what systems or other units they depend on to make the mission happen. Know all these things and ensure your people and processes are all geared toward accomplishing the units’ mission. Set clear expectations for everyone’s performance...especially yours!

Leaders are above reproach. All leaders, in order to be effective must earn their organization’s trust. In order to earn trust, you must be perceived as fair, abiding by the rules, and worthy of your position by those you lead. Anything in your behavior, actions, appearance or policies that your subordinates perceive as morally questionable, detracts from your effectiveness and will be detrimental to your organization.

Leaders care. You must truly care about the organization you lead, the people in your organization and your parent organization. Listen to everyone, regardless of rank or experience, realize you are most likely, not the smartest person in the room and acknowledge everyone you meet as you walk around the organization.

Leaders are loyal. Loyalty to your country, service, unit and fellow members is integral to being a productive member of the armed forces. It is the price of admission into our organization and cannot be faked. People are the most important part of your organization...take care of them! Leaders, most importantly, remember their primary role: enabler for their people.

Leaders grow their people. Spend time mentoring when the opportunity arises. Provide feedback or corrective action on the spot, focusing on behavior, not the person. Don’t embarrass your people in public. Provide guidance and direction, otherwise...why are you here? Know where you want to take your organization and tell them! Focus on the most important goals and help people prioritize when necessary. Stay on message. Make sure it's the right message!

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

2009-12-05T22:14:00.000-06:00

Taking a helicopter ride to a Forward Operating Base. This is a pic from my point and shoot. You can see the conditions down there.

This was the first pic on the ground there. The second helo in the distance really isn't that far away. This was the dust storm that forced us to this Combat Outpost, instead of the FOB we were supposed to visit.

The next morning we were at the FOB. This was a pic taken while waiting to take off for Kandahar. The HUMVEE on the right was the fire truck. One each fire extinguisher and an axe on the back. Primitive at best. Good times!!

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

2009-12-03T07:36:00.001-06:00

Thinking we've got some awesome looking jets! These are a pair of my homestation jets, currently deployed up the road. Reportedly, the pic was taken minutes before they got the call to schwack a Taliban cave. They brought the rain!

Beautiful, no?

afmajbuck out...

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

2009-12-01T08:26:00.000-06:00

Getting promoted!

The post pin-on pic...

afcaptbuck is now...afmajbuck...

The long wait is over! I've already messed up answering the phone a couple of times today, but, that's ok. Still feels really good!

It feels just a little different, not much, but a little. I like the fact that it has finally happened and I'm now not waiting for it...

So...I'm off to get my remaining uniforms changed over. Out with the old!

afmajbuck out...

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

2009-11-16T08:14:00.000-06:00

Comic relief...the first thought I had after the bathrooms were "fixed." It was very...um...revealing. Yeah. That's the word... Made the gym a lot more popular I hear...

Find humor where you can! Another example:

Probably a lot easier to process through than it's big brother off to the Northwest!

Mildly amusing, but of course, had to have it removed:

Just a couple of examples...more pics to follow...

afcaptbuck

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

2009-11-10T11:58:00.003-06:00

So I've discovered the templates available to me via BLOGGER. You decide if it's worth the pain in the @$$ to try and figure it all out...

So the pic above was taken with my point and shoot. Not bad, IMHO...for a little $150 camera...

Standing on the flightline, watching A-10s headed off to ensure the bad guys get delivered to their 70 Virginians...or something like that...

You can't see the A-10s, because they were long gone by then. My boss and I were just standing there admiring the nice sunset. It's the little things when you're deployed.

Speaking of the little things...

Those are what you miss the most. Take a shower, for example, not a suggestion...

Most people don't have to walk more than 20-30 feet for a shower. Usually on carpet, tile or wood and usually in their bare feet. That's a nice feeling, being bare-footed. Here (like most deployments I've been on) the shower is a shared affair. And far away. Worst case, couple of hundred feet, best case across the road or the next structure over. Usually across gravel (best case) or dirt/dust (worst case).

I always look forward to that first shower back in the states! Sometimes at home, sometimes in a hotel, either way...great feeling!

The sound of crushed gravel underfoot is a distinct "deployment sound" for me...always has been. Walking across an unimproved parking lot in the states, or across the neighbor's RV gravel storage pad always makes me think of being deployed.

Standing there watching the sun go down though...almost makes you forget where you're at...for a minute anyway...

Gotta love the little things...

2009-11-07T11:08:00.002-06:00

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

This is an all too common view around here...dust is EVERYWHERE.

This is not unlike last year's adventure in Iraq...but there are some differences:

1. The food isn't as good...which isn't necessarily a bad thing! Last year's fare was significantly better, with a huge selection available, nearly every meal. There was also an ice cream bar and world class cheesecake available every lunch and dinner. Not good. This year...well...let's just say I won't have to worry about that issue!

2. The accomodations aren't nearly as nice. I'm still in a tent, awaiting assignment of a "mod." Mods are modular buildings with about 6 to a room. Last year I was in a trailer, with only one roommate. I actually had more room as an A1C in Desert Storm in the tent I was in back then!

3. Travel and transport around here is much harder to come by. Last year I had a vehicle, this year we're all sharing and getting to chow, the flightline, laundry, etc. is a much bigger production than last year. Also, while we did encounter some of the dusty conditions, all of the roads/streets were paved. Here, not so much.

4. The job is MUCH better this year! Last year I was in charge of a small flight. In fact, the smallest I've ever had in my career as an O. While the responsibilities were there, they weren't that many. This year, well...450+ personnel and 65+ aircraft of 5 different types, in 8 different units...and I'm number 2 in the squadron. I run maintenance and my boss is the squadron commander. MUCH busier...and that is a VERY good thing!! The mission is also much more tangible. Results of our collective efforts are evident EVERYDAY.

5. This deployment is longer...last year's was a quick 125ish days...this year's 185+...although missing the kiddo's B-day was a repeat and the holidays will be a bust again. Oh well...it's what we do...

So those are the major differences...more to follow...

Hope all are well!!

afcaptbuck

2009-11-05T22:49:00.002-06:00

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

This is the view from behind our work tent. Actually kinda nice, no? I'd love to be able to take pictures this nice. I've purloined this one from a talented Master Sergeant who sits about 10 feet from me. He's got the requisite eye for photography, IMHO.

It's my "day off" today...all that means is I slept in (0720), am in PTs vs. ABUs and I'll only spend 6-7 hours working, vs. the "normal" 12-15.

But I do enjoy these days. Today will be especially nice! Dad sent me some Acid Deep Dish cigars!! I'll enjoy the first one today...been waiting for the time when I can sit and enjoy without having to worry about being pulled away. At least that's the plan...

Most days go something like this:
~0530-0600 Wake up and perform the daily morning rituals...WITHOUT coffee...
This is a significant issue about being deployed. Full disclosure: I'm an addict. I must have coffee.

The "fix" comes after I arrive at the work tent, a scant 100 feet from the tent I currently call home. As the first cup is being consumed, I review a couple of reports before sending them up the chain and prep myself for my morning meeting with my maintenance unit OICs. I spend about 1/2 hour getting status of aircraft from my OICs, grilling them, prepping them, mentoring them, about how to brief our Colonel. Less is more. Stop talking if he moves on. Listen. Don't formulate your answers to the question until AFTER you've heard the whole thing. Full disclosure isn't always necessary, because the "facts" at 0800 may not be "facts" at all.

We've got 30 minutes to go over 60+ aircraft in 8 different units, of 6 different types. Then the real challenge starts...

At the 0830 meeting our Colonel runs through his slides, anywhere from 100-142, depending on the day...we talk about everything from manning to vehicles, broken aircraft, parts for broken aircraft, scheduled maintenance, how flying went yesterday, what's planned in the future, etc.

This meeting goes anywhere from 20 minutes up to 75 minutes. Thankfully the Wing meeting starts then and it's my turn to brief all aircraft to our Wing commander. That's actually a very short meeting with a lot of "Got it" moments. Fighter pilot talk. "Got it" means "I understand, move on...now..."

So after the Wing meeting I begin my day in earnest. Mop up from the taskers in the 3 meetings prior, find a few minutes to get out onto the flightline and touch some aircraft, grab a bite sometime before the 1600 Production meeting.

Our deputy group commander conducts that meeting and we review strictly maintenance issues. Much shorter meeting. Usually 15-20 minutes.

After that there's lots of paperwork, email and other projects to work on...

I usually skip dinner at the chow hall and eat some stuff from home. Beef jerky, tuna, cashews, almonds, banana chips and often an MRE. I like MREs. Meals-Ready-to-Eat. The Potroast with vegetables is my favorite!

In the mid-late evening I'll try to talk to the family back home and see how their day will go...we're 11.5 hours off...makes for crazy contact times.

Usually head to the tent to read and fall asleep between 2200-2330...and do it all over again!

2009-11-03T10:04:00.002-06:00

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

...posing in a helicopter...yeah, I'm a poser. At least in this pic...

I haven't posted in a long time...favoring Facebook...but it dawned on me the other day: I can access the blog, but not F/B from work, where I spend most of my time...too much, truth be told.

So...I'm going to start updating this blog o'mine, hopefully fairly regularly.

The above pic was taken the first week I was here...about 5 weeks ago. We were out touring my new units and I couldn't resist the obligatory "I'm a WARRIOR...dammit!" photo opportunity!

All that being said...the HH-60 Pave Hawk I'm shamelessly pretending to be a part of is one of the most important platforms in the theater.

It saves lives.

I've sent my dad a couple of pics and notes since I've been here, so I won't repeat those, but if you're interested, head on over to his place:

Exileinportales.blogspot.com

He's the writer of the family!

Out for now...

afcaptbuck...soon to be afmajbuck...but that's a post for a not-to-much-later date...

2009-05-10T17:18:00.000-05:00

My son Sean's religion affiliation results...seems like it runs in the family...

1.
Neo-Pagan (100%)
2.
Unitarian Universalism (98%)
3.
New Age (85%)
4.
Liberal Quakers (82%)
5.
Mahayana Buddhism (81%)
6.
New Thought (79%)
7.
Hinduism (78%)
8.
Scientology (76%)
9.
Reform Judaism (75%)
10.
Secular Humanism (66%)
11.
Jainism (65%)
12.
Sikhism (64%)
13.
Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (62%)
14.
Baha'i Faith (60%)
15.
Theravada Buddhism (58%)
16.
Orthodox Judaism (55%)
17.
Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (54%)
18.
Taoism (49%)
19.
Islam (45%)
20.
Nontheist (43%)
21.
Orthodox Quaker (40%)
22.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (23%)
23.
Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (21%)
24.
Seventh Day Adventist (17%)
25.
Jehovah's Witness (13%)
26.
Eastern Orthodox (11%)
27.
Roman Catholic (11%)

2009-05-09T20:12:00.003-05:00

Took a quiz to see which religion I line up with...

Following in Dad's footsteps...yet again...in so many ways!

Very interesting to me...

Don't tell my mom!

1.
Neo-Pagan (100%)
2.
New Age (95%)
3.
Unitarian Universalism (93%)
4.
Mahayana Buddhism (87%)
5.
Liberal Quakers (83%)
6.
Theravada Buddhism (83%)
7.
Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (80%)
8.
Reform Judaism (75%)
9.
New Thought (69%)
10.
Taoism (69%)
11.
Scientology (68%)
12.
Secular Humanism (66%)
13.
Baha'i Faith (62%)
14.
Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (62%)
15.
Orthodox Quaker (60%)
16.
Orthodox Judaism (56%)
17.
Sikhism (55%)
18.
Jainism (50%)
19.
Nontheist (47%)
20.
Islam (46%)
21.
Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (46%)
22.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (43%)
23.
Hinduism (40%)
24.
Seventh Day Adventist (28%)
25.
Eastern Orthodox (27%)
26.
Roman Catholic (27%)
27.
Jehovah's Witness (19%)

2009-03-22T09:08:00.001-05:00

Started on Facebook...seems easier than blogger...may want to find me there...

2008-09-14T06:43:00.004-05:00

Home sweet home…for the next 115 days or so…

Directly across from my room pictured here, is a great bumper sticker: "Balad…now that's my kind of trailer park!"

Couldn't have said it better myself.

The emphatic note to "TURN OFF YOUR ALARM!!" was there when I got here. I'm not the offender in this case.

Today's my first day off…and I'm at work. Just to use the computer though…

While I brought my laptop, it's much easier to just head into work to use this to compose the post, email it to my hotmail account, and cut and paste it to blogger when I get to the morale trailer. Work computers don't have access to the blogs, but the morale computers do…another concern is the movement of computers from a/c controlled rooms, through severe heat and back to a/c controlled rooms. A female major on the trip over here fried her laptop at our staging location doing just that. I can't wait for the wi-fi to come online on our portion of the base.

Anyway, the day goes a little something like this:

Out of bed late (0530!) and I treated myself to a triple mocha from the local "Green Bean" coffee house and headed to the rec center to catch the last part of USC beating on OSU. After that was over a quick trip to the shoppette to pick up some toiletries and I was on my way back to the pod. Deciding to not waste my time here, I've ventured into a physical fitness improvement program. So toward that end I put in 12.5 miles on the bike today. It ain't running, but it's much easier on the knees. Quick shower and shave (we are ALWAYS in uniform here…so we will ALWAYS be clean shaven), then off to my weekly treat. I've decided to allow myself one guilty meal a week…Taco Bell. Five regular tacos later, my craving for TB has been satisfied.

If you're shocked we have a TacoBell, don't be…We've also got a Pizza Hut, Cinnabon and Burger King as well. Another base here in the AOR has a Starbucks, a chinese chain and Popeyes, along with all the stuff I mentioned we have here.

Americans are famous for bringing the "comforts of home" with us to war (and overseas too!). They remind us of home and are morale boosters. Knowing I can look forward to Taco Bell each weekend makes this place just the tiniest bit easier to handle.

Not that it's all that hard here…so far. I won't go into details likely to raise concern but it is definitely a war zone. This base is constantly changing and to help focus our efforts, the wing commander just outlined his three main focus areas for the year. Priority number one is fostering the "joint" atmosphere.

Joint is up close and personal here. The Army is here in full force, the Navy is around as well. I've seen a few Marines, and have been told we've even got eight Coasties running around here somewhere! Add to the mix a bunch of DoD civilians, KBR contractors, other contractors and the local/third country nationals and you have an environment that could be an advertising poster for diversity! I had lunch the other day with a Navy Ltjg who runs the customs shop here. They're famous for finding all the stuff people try to take out of the AOR…

Anyway…Off to organize my pod...

The cap to my day off will be a serving of cheesecake at the DFAC tonight…ain't life grand?

2008-09-03T10:44:00.002-05:00

Off to the sandbox...

After a 24 hour delay (broken airplane in Norfolk kept us at Shaw for an extra day) I'm finally enroute.

I'm in the Starbucks of the Navy Exchange at Norfolk VA. My flight won't leave for about 4 hours, but one last skinny vanilla latte sounded pretty good.

Brought Angels and Demons along for the ride. Very interesting that CERN and the super-collider are in the news lately and figure prominently in the book's beginning...

Anyway...

Short post to let everyone know I'm on my way...

More to follow...

Special note to the kiddo: Remember RULE # 1! ILY!

2008-08-29T14:12:00.000-05:00

I like this one...

The Presidential election was too close to call. Neither the Republican candidate nor the Democratic candidate had enough votes to win. There was much talk about ballot recounting, court challenges, etc., but a week-long ice fishing competition seemed the sportsmanlike way to settle things. The candidate that caught the most fish at the end of the week would win the election.

Therefore, it was decided that there should be an ice fishing contest between the two candidates to determine the winner. After much of back and forth discussion, it was decided that the contest take place on a remote frozen lake in northern Minnesota .

There were to be no observers present, and both men were to be sent out separately on this isolated lake and return at 5 P.M. with t heir catch for counting and verification by a team of neutral parties. At the end of the first day, John Mc. returned to the starting line and he had ten fish.

Soon, Obama returned and had no fish. Well, everyone assumed he was just having another ‘bad hair’ day or something and hopefully, he would catch up the next day.

At the end of the 2nd day John Mc. came in with 20 fish and Obama came in again with none.

That evening, Harry Reid got together secretly with Obama and said, ‘Obama, I think John Mc. is a low-life, cheatin’ son-of-a-gun. I want you to go out tomorrow and don’t even bother wit h fishing. Just spy on him and see just how he is cheating.’

The next night (after John Mc. returns with 50 fish), Harry asked Obama, ‘Well, tell me, how is John Mc. cheating?’

Obama replied, ‘Harry, you’re not going to believe this, but he’s cutting holes in the ice.’

Experience Counts

2008-08-20T17:14:00.002-05:00

Waiting to go...

It's almost time for my trip across the pond and I'm on leave enjoying the last couple of days before I head out. Erm and I headed to Myrtle Beach this last weekend and enjoyed a night to ourselves and this weekend should be a great one, spent with all the kids.

The new camera is still fun...200 pictures taken to date, but I've not gotten very adventurous yet, sticking with the "easy" mode. I've yet to record a single video except the first one below, but will do so over there.

I've spent quality time with the kiddo playing Rainbow Six and football on the XBox or PS2. Work is pretty much over for now and I'm restless at home, but enjoying the "honey-dos" prior to taking off.

Sean started middle school yesterday and likes it. I told him listening to 6-7 different voices each day is better than listening to the same voice over and over again. He agrees...

That's all for now...

2008-07-17T19:42:00.002-05:00

I finally did it...with a little help...

Sean and I finally MASTER(ed) the Make-A-Word...

I'm so proud!!

Can you do better??

UPDATE!

Finally got MASTER on my own...

Just thought you should know...

2008-07-10T03:27:00.004-05:00

Long time coming...

It's been quite a while (can't really count the "I'm 47% Nerd!" tests as posts, can you?) since I last posted.

Why does that make me feel guilty?

Well, to recap the last six months...

I went to the USAF school I mentioned in my December post and yes, it was hard. Very hard. We lost 4 of the 12 that started the class. As one of the instructors was so very fond of saying: "This is AMMOS, not EMMOS!" AMMOS stands for Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School...as opposed to the Easy Maintenance and Munitions Officer School. Suffice it to say that many nights were spent studying and the most telling indicator of all would be the number of trips downtown (the school is at Nellis AFB, NV...VEGAS, BABY!):

5.

Yep...5 trips downtown in four months! I've been TDY to Vegas for a week and been downtown more often than that!

Many nights working late, a couple of nights with no sleep at all. There was the night when our paper drafts were due the next morning and we were leaving for one of the four TDYs from our TDY location and ALL of our class was up all night writing. 3 am emails asking for coffee and references to or locations of various formats and the like make for entertaining reading when you're rested. Needless to say the plane ride was spent sleeping!

As for the course itself...worth every minute. All the abuse (I've never been told I suck so many times in my life...and that was in the first two weeks!) makes for great learning. Try to imagine an environment where each and every single thing you do is graded. Briefings, exercises, tests (I could write an entire post about the tests alone!), physical fitness training and your ability to teach first and foremost, are all evaluated, daily. All weaknesses are identified and fully exploited. If you have a "scab" (read that as: personality trait which would make you defensive) it is picked at incessantly. But, and this is the real point, it is all done very professionally. I particularly appreciated the manner in which feedback is given. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Little time is spent on the good. More time on the bad, the most time on the ugly.

By the end of it all, you're worn down. You're ready for graduation and looking forward to the opportunity to put some of the new things you've learned to the test.

You can't leave without taking something with you...the tatoo is of the image above...is that dedication or what? (Yeah, it's fake...but it was a great gag!)

So as I'm driving back to the house in SC, somewhere in Texas, I get the phone call from my boss: Congrats on graduating...you've been tasked. You're headed to the sandbox in August.

Time to get to work!

Just in case you're wondering...the T-shirt says: My drinking team has a hockey problem.

2008-05-21T18:36:00.001-05:00

I scored a Far Out
85% on theQuiz by SheGoddess: Quick Weight Loss

2008-01-11T11:56:00.000-06:00

Trying to figure out how to post this...very interesting to me...Thanks Dad, for the link to the quiz!

Here's a link to my results:

http://glassbooth.org/Result/index/686254/6c195122030fdcf1a9e43aed67065bce

I'm using a library computer to access email and check the blogs this am...not having much luck manipulating it to do what I want...

Just in case the link doesn't work, the results are as follows:

80% similarity with John McCain
74% similarity with Rudy Giuliani
70% similarity with Mike Huckabee

I find that pretty interesting...and kind of encouraging.

More later...as always...later is relative!

2007-12-12T05:55:00.001-06:00

My Dad will be so proud!

;)

You Scored an A

You got 10/10 questions correct.

It's pretty obvious that you don't make basic grammatical errors.
If anything, you're annoyed when people make simple mistakes on their blogs.
As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they're only human.
And it's humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes.

The It's Its There Their They're Quiz

2007-11-25T07:25:00.000-06:00

I love this picture!

Sunday morning and all is well...

As an update:

With December fast approaching and the New Year right around the corner, life will change dramatically for the short term. I'm headed to Vegas for a 3.5 month class. Vegas you say? Yep...but almost every single person I've talked to about the class I'm taking says it's the hardest USAF class they've ever taken and they got downtown once...the night they graduated!

Let the beatings begin!

Here's the pic...scroll down...

Funny Myspace Pictures

2007-10-26T17:37:00.000-05:00

Yet another test...with predictable results...if you ask my family!

You Are 23 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

2007-10-11T17:49:00.000-05:00

Chasing some more quizzes...and liking it! I KNEW I was destined for greatness...now...to find a compliant, third world country looking for a dictator...

Any leads?

You Are Destined to Rule the World

You have the makings of a very evil dictator...
Which is both kind of cool and kind of scary!
Will you rule the world? Maybe. Maybe not.
But at least you know that you could.

Are You Destined For World Domination?

You Are 56% Republican

You aren't a full fledged Republican yet, but it's probably the party that fits you best.
You probably consider yourself an independent Republican. You usually support the party, but you also think for yourself!

How Republican Are You?

2007-09-29T17:04:00.000-05:00

2007-09-29T16:50:00.000-05:00

Yet more test results...

If I remember correctly, Dad may have also taken this test awhile back...

2007-09-29T16:30:00.000-05:00

UPDATE:

No...I haven't spent the entire time between postings playing...but probably about 30 minutes or so...

It is a lot of fun!

2007-09-29T12:27:00.001-05:00

I'm an apprentice...after I got the hang of it...I'll continue to try...

It IS addicting!

Back later...I hope!

2007-07-26T07:52:00.000-05:00

Continuing advice to my son…

Women deserve respect. Period. They have children, take care of us, work a job inside and outside the house, and generally make life livable. You’ll find no better example than your own mother…

You must ALWAYS respect them and treat them accordingly.

Yeah, I knew that dad…so what’s the big deal, you may ask?

This is the problem:

You have to know that she can do just about anything on her own, but offer to do it for her, knowing…and displaying the knowledge…that she could do it herself. Clear as mud?

Example:

Hanging up a picture on the wall.

You know she can hang up a picture. You know YOU should do it. Don’t ever act like she can’t do something. Even if it seems easier for you to do it, don’t make that mistake.

She may use the heel of her shoe to drive a single nail into the wall to hang a 30lb picture, but she’ll get it done. You’d grab wall anchors, measuring tape, appropriate sized screws, cordless drill, etc. and ensure it would hang for decades. Slight difference but the job is done either way…

So why acknowledge the fact she can do it…even if you think/know you can do it better? Aw…pay attention here my boy:

Women don’t need us…we need women. That’s it. If you’d like a long explanation I can provide one, but trust me on this. I truly believe what a great man told me:

Women could stop war in a minute if they wanted to…they really could rule the world, they just let us maintain this current charade to keep us happy and productive.

The bottom line in most relationships is desire to be with each other. If you treat her in any way like she’s not capable of doing stuff you’re telling her she’s inferior and I’d bet next month’s paycheck she isn’t. She’ll resent you. She won’t like you. She will toss you out on your ear. She will show you exactly how much she doesn't need you!

Smart men realize women are more than capable of dealing with everything…then do their best to make sure their women don’t have to deal with anything more than they should.

Side note here…if you truly believe your woman of choice can’t deal with most things:
Move along. She’s not the right woman.

So be that guy...take out the trash, mow the lawn, care for the cars, move heavy stuff, pick-up after yourself and try to keep her happy, all the while knowing she could do all this on her own…and WILL if you act like she can’t…at least until she finds your replacement.

2007-05-13T12:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother’s Day!

I, like most people, love my mother. I also happen to respect her immensely. Unfortunately, I don’t share that sentiment with her as much as I should. I’m hoping this reverses that just a little…

I am a product of my mother’s efforts.

And she did good…

I know…I’m not gonna break my arm patting myself (and my brother) on the back here, but if you take an objective look at her two sons, their families and situations, we’re doing great…and nearly all of it, due to a very special woman from Lompoc, California…she deserves the credit for our wonderful lives.

She established high standards, and didn’t give in when we failed to measure up. I sat out an entire year of little league because I got a C on my report card. That hurt…but it never happened again. We learned the meaning of duty and obligation at her knee. We were both alter boys and one year served mass every day during lent. It was the right thing to do.

She raised us to be men, without a man around. She was both our greatest cheerleader and our harshest critic at times. I learned from my mom that I could do anything…all I had to do was try.

She provided opportunities to my brother and me many kids with both parents never see. We played three sports a year every year (well almost…see above), participated in Cub/Boy Scouts until we were 18, went to summer camp every summer, served our local parish as alter boys, helped her deliver Meals-on-Wheels, cleaned houses and offices (ok…we helped a little!), and learned that if you wanted something, all you had to do was work for it.

My biggest motivation in life was making my mom proud. My mantra to my son is “Take care of your women…” it all starts when you’re a boy, trying to make mom proud. I think that’s a good thing…

She always told us she loved us unconditionally…she may not have liked what we did sometimes, but she always let us know she loved us, no matter what happened.

Just like she did. While we were doing a lot of those things I mentioned above, she was putting herself through the local community college’s medical assistant course. She worked very hard to juggle many different jobs and eventually graduated. That meant a better life for us.

She had some help. People were always helping us out with little things…because they loved and respected this woman who worked so hard to raise these two boys, successfully.

It wasn’t always easy…in fact it rarely was, but she did it…and I owe her for it…

So on this Mother’s Day…I just want to say thank-you, mom. I love and respect you more than you know!

2007-05-07T06:16:00.000-05:00

Great day! Random thoughts…

The kiddo and I had a great day yesterday…golf was the order of the day and we hit it hard! He has improved so much from last summer. He’s hitting the ball 100+ yards in the air with his driver and actually got a 4 on a par 3 hole yesterday from 119 yards out! I got lucky and birdied that same hole, or he might have beaten me! We played 9 after hitting 3 buckets between us and followed up golf with some baseball practice ( pitching, catch and grounders), until his glove came apart after a particularly great fly-ball snag! He’s growing up so much these days…

Which got me thinking…

Sean may arguably be the best kid I know…and I thank God for it all the time. We have a great relationship and he still thinks I know everything. That won’t last forever, (you’re right Sam!) but I’m hoping I keep doing what has always impressed me about my own father for my entire life. Say “I don’t know” when you don’t know. Sounds simple, but so many people try to BS their way through life by making $hit up…

Anyway…the preparations for the move continue…

South Carolina, here we come. Houses are being looked at, stuff is being packed (we’re moving ourselves!) and plans are being made. Lots going on in preparation for the move…in 26 days!

Mo is graduating in 24 days! Family will be out and we can’t wait to see them.

Longer term plans include a trip to DC in November…so whoever you are at the Pentagon that reads this every once in awhile…drop a comment (or call…the global has my number in it!) and maybe we can do lunch or something?

;)

The “advice to my son” feature (?) is still ongoing…I’ve got a few more drafts sitting on the desktop. Just have to put some finishing touches on them.

Time to go…workout. Then I get to kill pretend bad guys with an M-9 today! Should be fun!!

2007-04-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

Perceptions...

If someone sees you on the street, do they see an unkempt appearance: disheveled clothing, lint everywhere, uncombed hair, shoes untied, wrinkled or stained clothing, and a dirty face?

Or do they see attention to detail: meticulously groomed hair, perfectly matched clothing, shined shoes, everything just so?

I’d argue either can be good or bad…depending on the situation. You need to find balance. Now there’s a concept…balance. We’ll hit that one later…

Using the contrasting examples above, what do people see? The slob may convey a lack of desire to achieve, conform or possibly apathy about everything and everyone. Or maybe they’re above the crowd, unafraid to be original and unconcerned with the materialistic or social conventions some people consider mandatory.

The fastidious dresser may come across as self-absorbed, fake, high-maintenance or worse. But then again, maybe they’re a perfectionist, attentive to details and focused on success.

Using the words above implies judgment…and that’s really the heart of the matter, now isn’t it?

People judge you. It’s natural. You judge people as well, and hopefully you are smart enough to keep your comments to yourself.

The thing is…you don’t know what people think. There are social norms, standards or conventions that usually frame our perceptions, but they are anything but set in stone.

Ever see a beautiful girl with the guy you think is a loser?? Why do you think that is? Her standards or desires may not fall in line what you think to be the norm, but that doesn’t mean a thing to her…obviously! Ever have someone catch you in a bad situation that wasn’t your fault and you didn’t get a chance to explain why your underwear ended up falling out of the back of your backpack (don’t ask!)??

These things happen.

So what is important as far as perceptions go?

Your own sense of right and wrong, good and bad, acceptable and unacceptable.

Whether it is a feeling about how you interact with people, style, performance, appearance, or anything else, it belongs to you and you alone.

A few things to consider:

- Be respectful. This means treating EVERYONE with respect. You don’t know the story behind the man dressed in ragged clothes on the side of the road. He deserves your respect as much as the next guy…maybe even more.
- Be kind. Treat people like you want to be treated…or better.
- Be wary. Just because someone can talk a good game doesn’t mean they can play. This doesn’t mean you instantly disregard someone who brags about being good, just don’t believe everything you hear…or even everything you see. The guy wearing the latest golf wear, with $1,000 clubs and talking a lot of crap may be great…he may also be a duffer. Don’t let the clothes fool you.
- Be natural. Don’t get caught up in the latest fashion, fad or trend…you’re a guy. This doesn’t mean you have to dress like I did (did I really just write that???) when I was young, it just means you shouldn’t stress over what to wear. Don’t speak in a foreign language using the latest words you hear on MTV, BET or the like.
- Be confident. I’ve already talked about this one before, but it is important. People sense confidence right away. It isn’t bravado…it isn’t beating your chest and proclaiming yourself the greatest thing since sliced bread. Look people in the eye when you talk to them; it projects confidence and trust. People that don’t look you in the eye are usually shy, timid, afraid or worse, not to be trusted.
- Be yourself. This could’ve been on top. In the end, you have to live with yourself.

Back to balance…

So you’re respectful, kind, wary, natural, confident and are always yourself? Good. Now remember this:

Everything in moderation. Balance is key…to just about everything.

- Be respectful, but not fearful or timid. Respect your opponents, but don’t fear them. Respect your elders, but speak your mind (without being insolent, of course!).
- Be kind, but don’t be a doormat. Don’t just give your money or time away without thinking about it.
- Be wary, but not distrustful. Give people the benefit of the doubt.
- Be natural, but remember social norms and conventions exist for a reason.
- Be confident, but not conceited…remember the guy I always tell you about? The one that you may not have met, but is always out there? Yeah, don’t forget about him!
- Be yourself. Just remember though…if your true self likes being naked all the time…remember there is a time and place for everything. In public may not be the best place to be your “true” self.

I know I’ve used some big words kiddo…you’re smart. If you don’t know what it meant…look it up. Yet more education! Gotta love that!

;)

2007-04-29T08:51:00.000-05:00

Hard time this morning...

I usually write my posts in Word before transferring them over to blogger. Today I've written 3 pages and won't put any of it up...yet.

In attempting to pass more advice to my son, I'm having a hard time maintaining a cohesive line of reasoning. The problem is too many topics emerge as I'm trying to get a point across.

The attempt this morning was going to be "Perception is reality."

Start down this path and you may find yourself talking about first impressions, your appearance, situational awareness in public settings, private conversations and the trouble an offhand remark can produce, planning (or the lack thereof!), etc.

In my three written pages this morning I hit every one of those things. Each is worthy of a post, but taken as a whole, too large for a single one. So I'm going to insert this "placeholder" and mull these thoughts over on my ride.

Riding a motorcycle can be therapeutic. Even if you're in the middle of a large group, riding along on your bike is a very personal experience. You can enjoy the scenery, practice your technique, blow off steam, create adrenaline, or just transport yourself from one location to another. I personally find myself doing many of those things...all while paying attention to the road. Today will find me thinking about perceptions...

Should be a good time!

Back tonight...I hope.

2007-04-26T19:27:00.000-05:00

I did it!

More to follow...I'm going riding...

;)

2007-04-22T09:03:00.000-05:00

Yet more advice for my son…

The relationship (a word I never particularly liked as a young man…due to its implications!) you have with a woman is rarely a “settled” thing. It changes. It can run from easy and care-free to demanding and maintenance intensive. A couple of pointers to make yours a little easier to handle. (Some of these apply to marriage as well as dating…but dating is a completely separate blog entry!)

Don’t be an ass, be a man.

- Don’t be conceited. Remember that person I told you about? The one that is smarter, faster, better-looking? He may show up in your woman’s life. The only thing keeping her from running off with him is your track record. If it isn’t the best…watch out! If she does run off with him, figure out if you were the cause, or if she just wasn’t the girl for you.
- Don’t take her for granted. See above, but this is also a respect thing. If you’re in a relationship with a woman, there was obviously redeeming value you sought out and desired to continue to learn about. Don’t ever forget that.
- Don’t be taken for granted. This is also a respect thing. You’re not a doormat, you’re a man. Stand up, have a spine, take a stand. Don’t put up with a woman that berates you unnecessarily (we all deserve a dressing down, every once in awhile…just not constantly or for things that don’t deserve it).
- Be affectionate. This is important. Touch her. Hold her hand. Even just in passing and for just a second, never stop doing this. This conveys desire. When you find yourself not wanting to bother, evaluate this relationship…it may be time to leave.
- Have interests and hobbies. Let your passions show. Get charged up about hockey, hiking, NASCAR, astronomy, whatever, but pursue these things. Why? Because it relieves her of the responsibility of having to constantly entertain you, shows you’re not one-dimensional and hopefully your interests let you interact with other guys.
- Hang out with the guys. Men need time to be manly. Our society is quickly becoming too damn PC and tame. Hang out with guys that don’t constantly want to discuss things like antiquing, scrap-booking, or talk about colors you’ve never heard of like taupe, periwinkle or salmon (I had to look those up! And a salmon is a fish for pete’s sake!).
- Have an edge. This could be the lead item in this list. Too many guys fall into the “friend” trap throughout their lives because they are so NICE. They are surrounded by women, yet don’t have a girlfriend/wife. They may be thought of as harmless. God save you from that! You need to be nice to women. You ALWAYS need to be respectful, however, never let a woman forget you’re a man. Doesn’t mean you’re always in charge, making all the decisions, or getting the last word. It simply means you are not to be marginalized, overlooked or disregarded.

So many topics…so little time.

More to follow…

2007-04-21T08:51:00.000-05:00

Advice continued…

I left off with taking care of mom, and a small side discussion of why you shouldn’t be too cocky.

I could go through each stage of life, trying to articulate a man’s responsibilities, but I’m going to digress a bit...

My discussions with my son center around me wanting him to be a better man than I. He’s got all the tools and I want to ensure he understands how tragic it would be to waste them. So we talk and I try to instill in him not only the understanding of what makes a man (IMHO), but also the desire to be that guy.

So the next point is…

BE A MAN!

Very trite. All encompassing. Yeah, I know, but it begs the question: What is a man? Or What is manly?

Ah…now we’re off and running…

Women like men because they’re men.

- Don’t be a drama queen. If women wanted an emotional, gushing, sensitive man(?) they’d find themselves a gay one (uh-oh…the PC police will be knocking at my door soon!).
- Be tough. Physically, mentally, morally. It is an expectation. When the $hit hits the fan, don’t fall to pieces, Alice! You are supposed to be the rock. You will see her through whatever happens, because you are that guy. You will take care of her above yourself (offer your coat when it is cold, you’ll stand to let her sit, etc) because you are a man and that is your job.
- Hold your emotions in reserve. Everything loses effectiveness if used too much. Maintain an even keel, because too much emotion dilutes the power of a real emotion. Don’t get mad at little things. Don’t cry when you’re hurt, in public.

Side note here: Crying is a special topic. My son used to ask about it a lot when he was younger, but I think he gets it now. Crying is allowed…in certain situations. It is reserved for private, intimate circumstances involving only those closest to you and only for truly significant events.

- Tell the truth. Right along side of Rule #1, this is also a mantra in my son’s life.
o I’ll relay a very short story: As the recently appointed leader of my son’s Webelos den, I received turnover from the outgoing mom. She had brought some candy as prizes for the boys learning the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. As is expected, my son won his prize, but the other boys hadn’t yet mastered those requirements and I took the candy home with the promise of another chance at the next meeting. My lovely wife saw candy on the table at home and ended up eating them. She intended to replace them, but never got around to it. Meeting day comes and the boys learn the oath and laws, but no candy. I proceed to start telling them I forgot to bring the candy when my son announces “Dad, Mom ate them!” I start to say how Mom didn’t know they were the scout’s and he says “Yes she did!” At that point I realized he was already a better man than I, and promised to make amends. He is well on his way!
- Admit failure. Stand up and take responsibility. You’re going to fail. If you never fail, you ain’t trying hard enough! But when you do, admit it, don’t blame anyone and move on. Learn from it but don’t dwell on it.
- Be decisive. You don’t have to make every decision, but in a void you quickly decide on a course of action and proceed.
- Take care of your chores. Consolidate your excrement. Your job is to take care of everything outside the house and the garage. You’re the vehicle guy. You take out the trash and change the filters. You can get help with any of these, but ultimately they are your responsibility.
- Be confident...but not conceited. I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman that liked any man at either extreme. Have faith in yourself and your abilities. You’ll get the job done, because it is what you do. You’re that guy!

I realize anyone reading this can quickly say the above points have been made a million times over. You’re right. The reason sayings become trite and overused is because THEY ARE TRUE.

More to follow…

2007-04-20T07:51:00.000-05:00

Advice for my son...

I'm constantly trying to infuse my son with what he calls "life lessons."

At certain points in our conversations, he'll look up at me and ask: "Dad, is this a life lesson?"

My usual response is "Yes."

Two reasons: One, because he's pretty bright and quickly catches on when I'm trying to tell him something I think is important and two, because I want him to remember certain things.

It occurred to me on a recent TDY that I should try to organize these thoughts and write them down...3 handwritten pages later...here is the first point in this process.

Small note here...My 10 year-old already knows Rule #1. I've drilled it into his brain for the last 3 years, and if you ever ask him what Rule #1 is, he is very quick to respond appropriately.

So begins "Advice to my son..."

RULE # 1

TAKE CARE OF YOUR WOMEN.

Plain and simple, it is a man's responsibility to take care of his women. If you are a son, take care of mom and sisters. If you are a husband, take care of your wife. If you are a father, take care of your daughters. Later in life, take care of your mom again.

But what does that mean? Well if you ask me (and he does!), it means your women come FIRST.

Let’s start with mom…

I’ve tried to instill in my son a sense of responsibility. You don’t want mom worrying about you. You want mom to be proud of you!

How do you make these things happen?

Be the model kid.
- Behave. Probably the best way to make mom proud.
- Get good grades. Mom won’t worry about you in school.
- Do your homework. She shouldn’t have to keep up with your school work.
- Pick up after yourself. She cleans the entire house, why would you add to her burden?
- Do what she tells you, when she tells you. This is a respect thing, and isn’t that what this is all about?
- Take care of yourself physically. Moms worry about these things. So brush your teeth, take good showers, eat right, play outside a lot and keep yourself in shape!

The ultimate goal is going to be a recurring one: Be that guy.

That guy is the kid other moms wish they had. Later in life this turns into that guy girls wish they had, that guy is the husband women wish they had, etc. That guy is also the one other guys look to as an example.

You want to be that guy. He’s the one that makes his mom proud. It all starts when you’re a kid.

I’m a very lucky man. My son IS that guy! At this point in his life he’s doing many of the things I talk about above, and it is hard to imagine being any prouder of him.

But complacency is a terrible trap, always right around the corner. So we talk. We revisit these lessons periodically, and I try to let him know certain things…

As good-looking, smart, charming, nice, hard-working, talented, and gifted as you may be, there is always…ALWAYS, someone out there better looking, smarter, more charming, nicer, harder-working, more talented and more gifted than you are! You may not meet them everyday, you may never meet them, they may sit next to you, but they are there. Don’t ever forget that!

Enough for now…

That was the first third of those three handwritten pages…much more to follow!

2007-02-01T05:38:00.000-06:00

From a link on Dad's blog...

I'm not too surprised...

The questions were good for a laugh or two!

You are a
Social Liberal
(66% permissive)

and an...
Economic Conservative
(61% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Libertarian

Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid
Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

2007-01-21T18:46:00.000-06:00

Using Dad's blog as a springboard to the quiz below, I find I'm Dune. This pleases me. Interesting...

You're Dune!

by Frank Herbert

You have control over a great wealth of resources, but no one wants to
let you have them. You've decided to try to defend yourself, but it may take eons before
you really get back what you feel you deserve. Meanwhile you have a cult-like following
of minions waiting for your life to progress. This would all be even more exciting if you
could just get the sand out of your eyes.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

I'm enjoying what's left of this weekend and readying myself to get caught up at work tomorrow. I've been off for ten days now and it has been NICE!

10 days from now I'll be in Albuquerque for a quick-turn (in the afternoon of the 30th out on the 31st). The commander almost solely responsible for my becoming an officer is pinning on Colonel. I feel I should be there. It helps that my oldest daughter lives in ABQ and Southwest is sooo very inexpensive.

That's all for now...

2007-01-01T10:21:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!!!

Alright...so Sam has started his new blog ( http://sams-rantsnraves.blogspot.com/) and vowed to post 3-4 times a week, I shall try and work my way up to once a week and go from there...

In keeping with the normal theme this time of year, I've got a few resolutions. I know Dad has specifically mentioned NOT having any, but I've come to the realization that I work fairly well under pressure and with specific goals. I live and die by task or "to-do" lists. Unfortunetly I usually wait until the last minute to work these things, but I'm going to try and work on that too. So here they are:

1. Quit procrastinating. I have a feeling I'd be in a much different place in life if I could just beat this one bad habit. Specific items to focus on: Daily emptying of my inbox at work, not going to sleep until I've finished at least 75% of my daily "to-do" list (Yes, I make one of those everyday).

2. Get in better shape. Duh...I'm ok, but not where I want to be. Specific items to focus on: Cardio 3 times a week (how hard is it to devote just 30 minutes, 3 times a week?? Really!!). Fast food no more than 1 time per week (my current class has weekly lunches on Friday. Can't really skip those forever...rationalizing on my part?).

3. Get out of debt. Another common resolution. Specific items to focus on: See the above fast food item, stop myself from making impulse buys! I am notorious for doing this! My entire family knows my track record with vehicles. Bad joke is I'd rather trade a car in than put new tires on it. Bad because it seems on the surface to be true!

Alright...that's it...wish me luck!

2006-10-27T06:10:00.000-05:00

DON'T FALL OVER DEAD OF SHOCK!

Yes...I'm posting again...

I said I'd update at least quarterly. So here it is...

Dad over at Exile in Portales (I'd insert link here, but as often as I blog, I've forgotten how and it is early...read: Not enough coffee in me yet!) reminded me of a particular pet peeve: perfume and after shave.

I've always been of the opinion that there are a lot of things that men just shouldn't do:

Tummy tucks

Ladies'drinks

Cry in public...in fact crying is allowed in very few instances!

Complain...taking note of a situation is allowed, once, repeating the same lament over and over is verboten!

FAIL to take care of their women. This is worthy of another post...hell, of a book, but not now...

So...back to perfume and after-shave...

My lovely wife, perfect as she is, will buy me different colognes from time to time. She gets frustrated with me when I tell her I like to wear the SAME cologne all the time. I believe you should set an expectation for people. When I'm around you will always see a (hopefully!) courteous, well-groomed, attentive man, that will always smell like this. This shouldn't change. So you know that the other things won't change either...

Anyway...

Thanks for reminding me Dad!

The pic above is my new truck...I just put it there to be like my dad and so you would know instantly that I had posted something...nice, huh?

2006-09-07T22:03:00.000-05:00

Just a quick update...

I'm back from a couple of TDYs and an unplanned trip to mom's to see what help I could be with her in the hospital.

She's out now and actually headed here...to rest and relax, lest the daily California grind get her down.

I'm headed to Vegas tomorrow...my oldest daughter is 21 today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FELICITY!!!

She's actually arriving there as I post this. Her mother, my mother and her brother are anxiously awaiting the birthday girl's arrival in Sin City. A short time later...a trip to the casino is the first order of business for mom and daughter. Good luck to them!

That's all for now...

Will update again...at least quarterly...

:)

2006-08-09T06:39:00.000-05:00

Gonna go watch some stuff get blown up today! F-16 strafing run is on tap as well. Can't wait...

Life continues at a breakneck pace...if that's what passes for breakneck around here. Seeing Dad's picture of one of my old F-16s this morning on his blog makes me more homesick than ever...not for Cannon, mind you, but for the flightline.

My turn will come though. One more year of life here at the logistics center and I'll be (hopefully!) on the line again, or someplace really close to it!

Got Dad's old Yamaha running again...some paperwork drills remain and it will shortly become my daily ride. $30 worth of gas into my truck in two days time of just regular driving around, back and forth to work, makes this a very welcome addition to the garage. Thanks again, Dad!!

Anyway...time to get a very quick workout in and then it's off to watch stuff blow up!

2006-07-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

I'm TDY...again...

Learning how the air campaign is born. Lots of stuff I never knew but very imformative. Not sure I'll ever actually be put into a situation where I'd have to put into practice the skills I'm acquiring these two weeks, but sometimes just knowing a thing makes you that much smarter. The phrase "big picture" is a recurring theme in this class and "getting down in the weeds" is nearly verboten. So...I'm learning how to supress my natural tendencies to go straight for the tactical level stuff, where I'm very comfortable, and focus on the task of keeping the objective in mind...

Kinda translates well into everyday life...if you want it to.

Air campaigns are planned with each and every task performed tied to a higher level objective, all the way up to the National Security Strategy, outlined by W himself!

I'm thinking there are a lot of "tasks" performed in my day to day life that don't necessarily "tie" to higher objectives in my life. Hmmmm...time for some introspection?

Hope everything is going well in YOUR world...life is great in mine!

2006-06-24T10:30:00.000-05:00

I sold my Harley yesterday...VERY mixed emotions! On the one hand, it was the "adult" thing to do...whatever that means...and will help out.
On the other hand, I've not been so attached to a material possession in all my life! It is a beautiful bike...made only more so by the significant number of hours and number of miles I've spent on it. I've got my fair share of stories to accompany the 3+ years I spent with it and I will miss it...dearly.

The current quandry is how to spend the money we made on the sale. It isn't a significant sum, but it does need to be considered. I have a couple of personal debts to pay off, but I'm wrestling with the bulk of the cash and how best to use it. I'm considering, in no particular order, another "cheaper" motorcycle, a boat, a jet-ski, dirt bikes, enhancements to my truck, various little things (new golf clubs, new drumset, trip to Vegas, etc.).

The problem is I know what I should do...and I don't want to. I should take all that money and pay off another bill. It's the "adult" thing to do...but I don't want to...

I guess I'll spend the better part of today thinking about that one...

One last picture of my beloved bike...

2006-03-17T18:00:00.000-06:00

It's St. Patrick's Day! And...We're #1!!!

We (F-62, my flight) is the #1 Flickerball flight in SOS class 06C. We defeated the (previously) #1 flight who had 20 points to our 19. We failed to score just one more point in our first operation and ended up with 19 points. Anyway, the epic battle of #1 vs #2 took place and we waxed 'em. They were stunned from the beginning. They had never been challenged before and we actually had them shut out until 4 minutes left in the game and they scored a quick 5 points to finish the game. But it was too late. We had already scored 17 points. It was a thing of beauty. The "team" beat the "athletes." We had a solid game plan and worked it to perfection.

This after our lukewarm showing on our second academic test which left us wondering what the hell had happened. Our flight was previously #4 of 38 in the first academic test. We were #4 of our 8 flights in our squadron after this test. That hurt. But we aren't down. Two points events left and we feel good. The school puts a premium on the top third grads...I think we've all but locked that up. We want to be #1. Don't think we have even a mathematical chance at that, but #2 don't look so bad right now. Lots of IFs running through all our minds right now. 1 more minute spread between 2 tasks and we'd be #1! Yeah, and if worms had machine guns, birds wouldn't @#%$ with them either...

Anyway...stay tuned for the updates...slow as they are...

2006-03-04T21:25:00.000-06:00

I know it has been a little while...yeah, a little while...but I've been just a little busy.
I'm currently attending Squadron Officer School in Montgomery AL.
Before coming I had heard many different stories about the experience, with the underlying theme being your flight makes or breaks your experience. Well I'm happy to report my flight is awesome! We've come together very well with common goals and none of the in-fighting I had worried about. The proof is in the pudding: After 2 weeks, we're currently the best flight in our squadron and very near the top of our entire class. We'll see how we do as the course continues...

Alabama weather is a definite improvement over Utah at this point. Sunny and 75ish yesterday as we were finishing up our flickerball victory over another flight. Flickerball is an AF game that is best described as a mix of football, basketball and hockey. Played with a small yellow playground ball the object is to learn the rules better than the other team. This isn't intended to test anyone's athletic ability so much as the ability of the team to build a strategy, follow the rules, execute their strategy, follow the rules, overcome injected adversity, and follow the rules. Getting the drift? If you think the last minute of a close basketball game has a lot of fouls and free throws, you ain't seen nuthin'.

The academic side of SOS has kept me busy as well. The school throws a lot of info at you in a short time and tests you as much on your ability to read the question as your ability to answer it. Simple recall of long lists of information won't get you very far. Understanding at the COMPREHENSION level is the expectation and is what is tested. The average score on the first academic test for 489 college educated Captains was 86%. While that may seem high to some, it really isn't. 15 of those above mentioned Capts failed to score the minimum 70%. Yours truly did ok...scoring a 95% but I shouldn't have missed one of those two questions!

Anyway...this has been the first night I've had in quite a long time to catch up...so I've written just a little bit about the experience so far.

Remember...I said from the beginning...a very hit and miss blog...

2006-02-02T12:35:00.000-06:00

Tagged

Dad tagged me so...

4 Jobs You Have Had In Your Life
1. Pizza Maker (First, second and third jobs, actually, in three different states!)
2. Photo-Sensors Electronics Technician (AF enlisted job that most of you have probably seen the results of my personal handiwork...and that's all I'm going to say about that)
3. Trucking company dispatcher (and you think kids can whine???)
4. AF Maintenance Officer (my true calling!)

4 Movies You Would Watch Over and Over
1. Star Wars (any of them!)
2. Dangerous Liaisons
3. Highlander
4. Bourne (Identity or Supremacy...I like spy/action movies!)

4 Places You Have Lived
1. RAF Lakenheath, UK (about an hour north of London...great tour!)
2. Lompoc, CA (born and mostly raised there)
3. Portales, NM (almost 25% of my life there, can't NOT mention it)
4. Omaha, NE (salt of the earth people make this place a retirement possibility)

4 TV Shows You Love to Watch
1. RED WINGS HOCKEY!!!
2. CSI
3. NCIS
4. Any of the Discovery Channel, History Channel or Weather Channel specials on just about anything

5 Places You Have Been On Vacation (I know it's cheating, but I love these 5!)
1. Abu Dhabi, UAE (Not exactly a vacation, but it sure felt like it!)
2. Saas Fee, Switzerland
3. Vegas BABY!
4. Guadalajara, Mexico (Can't beat 12 cent Coronas from the factory!)
5. Edinborough, Scotland (New Year's Eve trip)

4 Websites You Visit Daily
1. Exile in Portales
2. Neptunus Lex
3. Fox News
4. AF Link

4 Favorite Foods
1. Large med-rare steak
2. Spaghetti
3. BBQ ribs
4. Any GOOD Mexican!

4 Places You Would Rather Be Right Now
1. Rio de Janeiro (coz I’ve never been)
2. Switzerland (I love to ski, and would love to go back there!)
3. London
4. Torino

4 People to Tag
1. My honey!
2. My Son
3. My daughter Natasha
4. My daughter Felicity

2006-01-29T20:23:00.000-06:00

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette!

You're a classic - powerful, athletic, and competitive. You're all about winning the race and getting the job done. While you have a practical everyday side, you get wild when anyone pushes your pedal. You hate to lose, but you hardly ever do.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

2006-01-10T20:47:00.000-06:00

Making of a hockey fan...

An earlier post showed my family (minus the wife) at a local hockey game where the highlight for me was the Stanley Cup.

Today we moved farther down the road of making my son into a rabid Red Wings fan. Here we are...with my latest online purchase...his first jersey!

I know it's a little big on him now, but you need some room to grow!!

We had a great evening: Pizza, drinks, and the Red Wings on OLN...which is only good because my dad can watch along with us down in P-ville, NM, and we can actually talk about the game instead of me just relaying the action second-hand to him after each goal or significant event.

Alas, the celebration wasn't QUITE what we had hoped for...but it was a good game. After Detroit decided to really test themselves and spot Carolina 3 goals in the first, they came up 1 goal short at the end of the game...

But you can't fault the effort! The NHL's longest reigning Captain, Steve Yzerman, opened the scoring for the Wings on an outstanding individual effort! Zetterberg scored the next one and there were just too many subsequent scoring chances for me to count. It ended with the Wings on the power play and an absolute flurry of activity around Carolina goaltender Gerber and he (unfortunately) was up to the task. He was deservedly the game's first star and the reason the Hurricanes came away winners.

Anyway...the game was a good one (except the outcome) and we spent some quality time together, always a win!

2005-12-29T06:36:00.000-06:00

I told you it was a hit and miss blog...

So we're back off vacation and I'm at home and surprisingly happy about it. Pot of coffee at the ready, I'm back to the grind this morning and wanted to start my day off right. Lot's of coffee, a work-out and a blog entry!

I love visiting relatives and I actually enjoy road trips, but I do get excited rounding the final corner on the street where I live. Ah...home sweet home.

We went to Portales, NM to visit family. You may recognize the name of the little town from my dad's blog, Exile in Portales.

It was great to spend one particularly good night knocking back a few of my favorite beverages with my dad and my wife. We didn't solve world hunger but we sure did have some great discussion. Lots of ranting about the loonies on the left (mostly by my dad and me), discussions about the health and well being of our children, my two younger brothers and pondering retirement options (mine is about 14 years away, while Dad lives that wonderful life!)

It was a late, great night and one of the type that happens much too infrequently these days. As I get older I'm starting to recognize how fast time flies. Time spent with those you love is such a gift...one you can give to yourself...don't put it off, Nike (Just do it!).

Anyway...the coffee has finally had the FULL intended effect...and my new weight bench is calling!

2005-12-15T15:34:00.000-06:00

A Public Service Announcement...

As I believe military officers should abstain from public expressions of opinion I will offer up this choice tid-bit I found via Dad's link: to Carnival of the Insanities, as a PSA only:

James Taranto, on why military people tend to vote Republican:
Reader Evan Slatis writes: “I wholeheartedly agree with the general. Perhaps if the Democrats had more to say than the military is broken, a bunch of failures destined to lose, and terrorizing Iraqis, they might be more inclined not to be aligned with only one political party.”
It also might help if the Dems didn’t try to disfranchise servicemen and wage war on military recruitment and ROTC, if they nominated someone who didn’t rise to fame by slandering veterans, and if those of them who have military experience refrained from invoking their own service in opportunistic attempts to silence political disagreement.
We’re not holding our breath, though.
-- PoliPundit

Not that I'm publicly disclosing my own simple Capt opinion (see the disclaimer in my second post ever, below...) but the man does strike a chord with one Capt I know very well...

I'm just saying...

2005-12-13T23:00:00.000-06:00

So...I love Christmas!

This is the time of year when I enjoy shopping. I don't normally enjoy shopping, but I like giving things to people...and sometimes I buy myself an early Christmas present...like this one:

If you look up the Gold's gym GB 2000 you'll find it listed for about 349...

I found it on sale for 166!!

I also got 300 lbs of weight for only 85$!! Normally you'd be lucky to find weight for about 50 cents a pound. This was just an incredible deal and I've already spent a day re-arranging my basement to accomodate it.

I love early Christmas presents! I tried to give my wife and kids at least one early present each, but the wife said no...making me feel just a little bit selfish...but I've gotten over that. After the first work-out this morning, all guilt left me...

I love this time of year!

2005-12-12T06:45:00.000-06:00

So busy...

Things have conspired against me to keep me away...at least for a little while. So for those of you keeping score at home (4 is my count of the number of people I've confirmed having read my little hit and miss blog)...this is day 4 after the last entry. I told you it would be hit and miss. But I've got a plan. Tonight will feature a new post about how much I love Christmas time. Until then...

Hope it's a happy holiday season.

Sunrise in Utah

2005-12-08T23:58:00.000-06:00

Sunrise in Utah…

Had an absolutely great morning…

Coffee in hand I went to the living room to check on the serenity of the neighborhood and was immediately awed by the sunrise over the Wasatch. Now for some strange reason it was a particularly stunning morning: clear, cold and breathtakingly beautiful. As I sat on my couch and soaked up the moment it dawned on me (no pun intended…well, ok, maybe a little pun)…

I know why baby colors are what they are…the absolutely beautiful pinks of a perfect sunrise against the spectacular blue sky are the purest of beginnings…just like an infant.

Only took me 39 years to figure that one out…

But I’m a MX officer. I need pictures for just about any concept to take root in my head…

2005-12-07T23:15:00.000-06:00

Christmas Party season...

Just back from the first Christmas party of the season. 3 more on tap at this point, and I'm sure they'll be just great, and these parties don't fall into that oh-so-military category lovingly referred to as MANDATORY FUN!

Not sure if this is the same as it is on the outside, but officers and senior non-commissioned officers are expected to attend all organization functions.

Don't get me wrong, I support my organizations,rarely miss a function, and I enjoy doing it. But I'm also an AF geek. I like occaisions that allow me to surround myself with my AF family.

I won't try to convince you that I enjoy every function, but I enjoy most.

My brother is an officer in the Navy and seems to be saddled with more of this type of stuff than I've encountered.

Anyway...

Tonight was a great time, my son enjoyed it, and I had a chance to talk with my classmates about stuff...all in all a very worthwhile evening.

Hoping you have a great holiday season as well!

2005-12-06T21:47:00.000-06:00

It's cold and there's snow on the ground...

2 inches of snow this afternoon. My first chance to start up my new snowblower (or is it a snowthrower?).

This is the first time in my life I've ever had a snowblower and I mistakenly thought by purchasing one, I'd ensure a mild winter, especially with respect to the snowfall.

Oops...

One minor note on snowblowers:

Buy one with an electric starter.

I got lucky in this respect as I purchased a used one having never even seriously considered buying one until I arrived in Northern Utah. I didn't even realize just how lucky I was unil I noticed it on the side of my machine. Turn key, prime with gas, push a button! Isn't technology wonderful??

I have to admit I felt like a kid with a new toy...I almost removed the snow from both neighbors sidewalks, but thought better of it...

I finally ended my snow-throwing fun and put it up in the garage. There's another storm coming this weekend...

I hope!

2005-12-04T01:04:00.000-06:00

It is that time of year again...

So today was just a little bit of a waste. The tree is only half-way up. The Christmas lights are still in the garage (although I have purchased the requisite clips, so as not to damage the rental house), and my Christmas shopping is far from over. My to-do list is a page long and the end is nowhere in sight. My normally hyperactive, tree up before Thanksgiving, wife is less energetic this year, though it isn't her fault, and I should be picking up the slack...and I haven't.

So the answer to my current situation can only be...

COFFEE!!

I'm that guy. No coffee in the morning and I don't function. At all. I'm sure it's hereditary as my father drinks a full pot every morning. My habit is about 1/2 to 3/4 of a pot each day, but more often lately I've been having a large cuppa joe from one of the local shops...

It wasn't always this way...

In the middle of Gulf War I, it became my job to ensure the leadership chain above me (which, at that time, was everybody), was kept in coffee. We worked 12 hour shifts and had one day off every 6-7 days after working the first 45 days in country straight. About 10 days after arriving we started to run low on the shop's supply of coffee. I was sent to scavenge and/or "procure" using any tactics required, a suitable supply. After all, everyone knows the military runs on three things: Gas, bombs or bullets, and coffee!

After making friends with a supply troop I secured a reliable source of the "elixir of life" as I was fond of calling it back in the day, and secured myself an AF medal for contributing greatly to the war effort. My brother, if he ever happens to read this will probably think I was serious...at least for a second.

Time for a tangent...

You see, the AF is somewhat freer with the awarding of pretty colored ribbons for the troops than the Navy. My brother loves to rant about how we get ribbons for proper performance of a bowel movement in basic training. I've told him it wasn't quite that easy...I actually had to fill out a form to join the "Ribbon of the Month Club" and somehow I let my membership lapse...
Honestly, we do award a lot of ribbons. I personally have almost twice the number of ribbons my father received after his 21+ years of dedicated service. Most of them are of the right place at the right time variety. Not to say I haven't earned a few of those, I have, but the more they are given, the less they mean. Just my silly capt opinion.

Back to the original idea...

I'm behind the power curve for this holiday season and it is time for me to get off my ass and get to work.

So no more blogging tonight!

By the way...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I believe in saying Merry Christmas as well as Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, etc. Apparently there are those that don't...more's the pity...

2005-12-02T23:29:00.000-06:00

This is my son Sean with me and the STANLEY CUP!!
How cool is that? We had to wait in line for over an hour, miss the majority of the first and second periods of the game...and didn't mind a bit! Shortly after this picture was taken, Sean hugged the Cup tightly and said "I don't want to leave you!"

The making of a hockey fan...

2005-12-02T20:17:00.000-06:00

A little about myself...

As you've probably figured out by now I'm a Captain in the US Air Force. This blog is completely written from my silly capt perspective and should no way be interpreted as anything remotely resembling an official USAF point of view.

Whew!...now that the disclaimer's in place...

I love my job. I'm an aircraft maintenance officer. If you know anything about the AF you know that means I'm responsible for making airplanes fit to fly. I love working long hours with the dedicated young men and women of our great nation to ensure our ability to defend our national interests. I love being part of an organization that prides itself on Integrity, Service and Excellence. In short, I, like the overwhelming majority of those in uniform, am a patriotic guy!

I don't personally perform maintenance (MX for short) anymore, but I used to, back when I worked for a living as an avionics sensor systems technician. My particular job as a young enlisted troop was to fix target designation systems. The same systems you saw video from in Desert Storm (yes, I was there) and our latest conflicts in southwest asia and other various garden spots across the globe (yes, I've been to some of those too). After working in that career field for over 10 years I decided to cross over to the officer corps. I did it partly for my family (officers make more money than enlisted troops), but mostly I did it because of my desire to try and make my own contribution to our national defense. Don't think for a second that means I wasn't already doing that as a young Staff Sergeant (SSgt for short). I was. I crossed over because of my desire to impact the mission and our AF people in a bigger way and sooner.

A young SSgt has a lot of responsibility in our AF, but a young Lieutenant (Lt for short) has even more (especially in MX). As an officer you are immediately thrust into a position of leadership and responsibility. Again, don't misunderstand, don't equate the position of leadership and responsibility with the ability to lead or be responsible. I know a lot of SSgts with more natural leadership abilities than some Lts...but I digress...

I've been a MX officer for over 5 years now and haven't grown the least bit tired of it. I've been assigned to flying training units, operational flying units and am currently assigned to an Air Logistics Center focused on supporting entire weapons systems across the AF.

This is a particularly interesting tour as I'm not directly responsible for making aircraft fly, but helping to ensure long-term sustainment.

This assignment also has great hours (family time!), a prime location (a nice change from the desert of NM!) and the opportunity to learn the wholesale logistics side of our business.

So...that's my professional life...and all I'm going to write for now.

Capt B

2005-12-02T16:19:00.000-06:00

Let's get this started...