just a lil som'thin som'thin...

It's Monday- a federal holiday...I supose to celebrate the life of a man who wanted social equality for everyone. That's cool. I've never had too much problem with treating people like they should be treated. Alot of that has to do with how I was raised I guess...unless you think that man's (and when I say man I mean HU-man....geeze....give me a break...) fate is pre-ordained.

Got a couple of questions from a few of you, so I thought since I am sitting at home in my underwear I'd type a bit.

One reader asks what winding path have you taked in the twenty years of military service, (and oh, BTW- he says I don't look forty...of course now I am nervous 'cause he's looking at me that way....not that there is anything wrong with that....)

I enlisted when I was seventeen as an 11B. I signed up for Airborne and Ranger School which I completed right after AIT at Ft. Benning, Georgia. I spent the next six years as a light infantryman moving from third spear carrier from the right to senior company squad leader...(ooooooooooo....tough gig)

At that point I transfered into the AGR to go to school full time. Went to Ft. Sill to complete my training as a 13E, Fire Direction Specialist and was the Chief FDC for a 155mm Self Propelled Howetzer Battery in the Nebraska National Guard. It was at college I met my wife and realized that in college you learn more outside the classroom that in.

In 1990 I was re-called for GW1 and served in 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division as a HMMWV Driver for the Brigade S3. The CSM told me not to worry- there would be a Platoon Sergeant's job opening up soon...100 hours later, or course...

Finished school with a teaching degree only to find out I hate children. Worked a bit over the fall to figure out what I was going to do. Ended up re-enlisting in the Active Army and volunteering to go to OCS.

Graduated OCS in the fall of 1993. Somehow I ended up being selected as a Armor Officer. Did my Officer's Basic Course at Ft. Knox, and went back to Ft. Riley, Kansas as a Platoon Leader. Completed my advanced officer training and commanded a tank company at Ft. Hood, TX. Had a second command at Ft. Knox in the Armor School.

Was transfered to Ft. Riley (love it there) to work as a Division Gunnery Officer. I was selected for and completed the Information Operations course the summer of 2002. Shortly after I completed the course came down on orders for the upcoming OEF operation.

Spent seven months attached to JSOTF-180 in Afghanistan before heading to Kosovo for four months to serve as MNB-E Information Operations Officer.

Upon return to Ft. Riley I PCS'd to Ft. Hood to serve as an Observer Controller/Trainer in the 75th Training Support Division.

For the last two years I have been training National Guard and Reserve units that are going to Iraq, Afghanistan or the Balkans.

In Novemeber while I was training the Texas National Guard at Ft. Polk, LA, I recieved a phone call from my Battalion Commander telling me I had been selected to go to Iraq to train their Army.

This mission has changed from Training to Advising.

And that, my friends, is the winding story of how I got to where I am. As far as I know, I may be to only officer in the US Army who has graduated from all three combat arms schools, Infantry at Ft. Benning, Armor at Ft. Knox, and Artillery at Ft. Sill, and has a functional area that is completely different, Information Operations.

go figure...