Who's Line Is It Anyway?

It's been really quite around here lately. We had been hosting 1,000 to 1,200 troops per day; the other day we had 113 visitors the whole day. The Fire Marshall says our maximum capacity is 281 persons, and we get awfully "close" to that sometimes. However, when I left the USO at 19:00 the other night, there were 13 people in our tent. Sheesh.

What's exciting is that the group that was in Iraq when I was there came through Camp Virginia. I missed Patrick and Matt (they were here while I was in Long Beach), but I did get to see Sgt. C, Chief, Terrence, Sgt. H (The Guy Who Looks and Sounds Like Bill Murray), Randy, Fisher No-C, and my very best buddy Chris (in picture). It was great to see them, but now I'm bummed because they are all gone.

-o0o-

FINALLY received official confirmation from USO in Arlington that I am in line to go to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Don't know when. I'll keep you posted.

-o0o-

We recently had an "exercise." I knew we were going to have it and I was aware of the approximate time, but I wasn't prepared for anything else. I'm sitting in my room, minding my own business, when suddenly there is an explosion, much louder and much closer than any I've heard. I peek outside and see smoke but no one seems to care. Then I hear, "INCOMING!! INCOMING!! INCOMING!!" I listen for, but do not hear, an announcement declaring, "EXERCISE!! EXERCISE!! EXERCISE!!" After sweating for about 10 minutes I finally hear "EXERCISE!! EXERCISE!! EXERCISE!!" Whew!!

A few minutes later the lightening and thunder started. I went outside and ran into CPT. R ,who was in full battle gear and looked exactly like a soldier from the Doonsbury comic strip. "Wasn't that cool? Wasn't that just the best?" he asked me.

"No, sir. It wasn't," said I. "That was about as scared as I've been since I've been here."

"Yeah, that was so much fun!"

When I saw the Colonel in the DFac the next day I told him that I had been really frightened.

"Yeah, that was so awesome!! Didn't you just love it?? That was so exciting!! That was just amazing!!!" He was so pleased with the exercise that he was giddy.

Whatever.