Greetings from NW Florida! I feel so lucky! The base lodging was full so I have had the privilege of staying in a Four Points Sheraton with a room looking directly onto the beach and the Gulf of Mexico! The pictures above are my balcony views from my hotel-room...rough huh? I have been down here since the evening of the 18th of Feb, training and getting paperwork in order before heading overseas. Two of my really close friends are moving for school and the military while I will be deployed, so I have enjoyed getting to spend time with them both.
The paperwork hurdles have been exhausting to say the least. I am nearly complete with a 4 page checklist. On a positive note, my medical and dental exams took less than a full day!
I am currently going through a Combat Skills Course, complete with wearing full body armor(Pictures to come), convoy practice and M16 Sim-Round training. Sim-rounds are paint filled tips fired by an M-16A2 Rifle. So they cannot kill you but the certainly sting.
To all of my friends in Washington, DC, I get to come back through DC on my way overseas! Will be back in the city the evening of the 7th, flying out of BWI to the middle east on the 9th of March!
