March 13

Here's whats on my mind:

-It seems like every time I go on an annual tour, there is a history-making event going down. The Tsunami in Japan, unfortunately, is one for the history books. I've been to Japan, I know it's cold there right now, rainy, and in Tokyo, the sheer number of people, there must be major, major chaos going down. I feel terrible, I should send a donation to Unicef. One of the LNO's brought up a comment I both agree and disagree with. She (specialist donahue) said, "why do we always have to bend backwards to help other countries, get us in further debt? Where were the other countries with hurricane Katrina?" Well, I would always put myself in someone elses shoes,if I was homeless, cold, and hungry, I would sure want someone helping me. But she's right, where were the other countries when Katrina hit? That was downright despicable that happened on American soil. Those were terrible images. I remember being on the beach 30 miles south of Tokyo in 2000, seeing a sign saying something to the effect of, "Beware of Tsunami, run to the nearest high ground." I tried imagining what it would look like, now I know exactly what it looks like. I must really get down on my knees and pray for them.
You'll be a little surprised what happended in history on some of my annual tours during my career:
1. Camp Zama Japan 1992: I was there when the Rodney King riots started, unfolding before my eyes. I actually got teary eyed, I was embarrased because one of the girls in our section, (black) said, "what the hell is wrong wit you?" Crazy stuff
2. Atlanta, 2002: Lennok Lewis beat Mike Tyson....hahah just kidding, but it was an entertaining fight and the beginning of the end for one of the most devasting fighters in boxing history before his rape conviction
3. Yokota Japan 2003: We invaded Iraq, we were all watching at the base sports bar as the events unfolded. It was rediculous, how they had former generals doing literally play by play commentary on all the news channels. I remember thinking in the back of my mind, "something just isn't right." Everyone was so not in reality, thinking we were going to cruise to victory, all it took was the first servicemen to be held with bullets in their head and the pictures to get leaked on the internet to realize, this is no joke!
4. Korea 2006: North Korea launched a test nuclear warhead, all eyes were on us, CNN, everything. Tense!
5. Norfolk Virginia 2008: Beginning of the economic collapse. fanny Mae and Freddy Mac, in the blink of an eye, almost closed. what happened was a disaster of huge prportions, a domino effect, with housing and the auto industry, recession would soon follow. All unfolding before my eyes on annual tour. How could people have not predicted this?
6. Korea 2009: same thing as 2006, but more intense because they had done it before, and everyone was very ticked, very tense, plus we had just finished a week of war excersizes. We went to Seoul that day and we had to bring a SAT phone just in case stuff hit the fan and they had to recall us.

So, five historical events, pretty interesting, huh?
- Some people from my unit actually love being here, I sometimes get annoyed when they look at me all crazy when I answer them truthfully how it's going here and if time is going fast. It's OK and no time is not going fast. Sometimes I think that people in my unit don't have family, are not close to their family, or have really boring lives at home. I mean, this is everything I expected but I swear, I think everyone here volunteered to come except me. I wish I could have what they are having. From A pure physical standpoint, I feel fantastic, no caffeine for about 7 weeks now and getting in shape. somehow I have to keep the discipline to stay doing this stuff, of course I'm going to go back to drinking diet soda, but hopefully not as much. I saw a picture of me last year at the river and I was disgusted

-People going through the Xray are really annoying me lately for being annoyed with have to get their stuff X-rayed. Complaining under their breath (I'm just waiting for one to look me in the eye then I'll give them the riot act, but they don't because they know they're wrong and being selfish), trying to sneak by their when I have my back turned for 15 seconds, even though we have a clear sign that says "STOP put your bags through Xray EVERY TIME!" IT's a FLIPPIN WAR ZONE PEOPLE!!!! just because they are allowed to carry weapons they think they shouldn't have to xray anything. What about grenades? Explosive? All it takes is one C-130 to go down, then they'll be crapping their pants. Geez the complaceny. I had some civilian try to give me attitude about boxes he delivered, he didn't want them X-rayed because it was so bulky, said he didn't know what the problem was because they let him by on the day shift, I told him the last time I checked this is a war zone, then he says, well you guys called us telling us to deliver it. Based on racial profiling, he doesn't fit the bill, so after looking at the cargo I let him through but I should've called for verification, the last time i'll ever let an annoyed civilian try to give me the guilt trip. I'm running out of patience, and I am the NCOIC so i could be a real jerk about it if I need to!

- It stinks I cannot get pictures on the flightline, if only Nelson was here since he is safety NCO and he is allowed to take pictures. I just see real cool stuff with all the helos and planes, Apocolypse Now-vietnam War kindof stuff, stuff out of a movie. but it's not worth getting in trouble, somehow I gotta sneak a few when noone is looking.

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