For those in the aircraft maintenance complex in the air force, when we deploy we fly out (usually) on our own aircraft, whereas most of the air force flies to deployments on a contractual flight. This is because when we deploy as an aircraft unit we deploy as a squadron, so we go with our own planes to the location, then rest of the air force, as far as I know, deploys under a different concept where when they deploy they are working with people they've never worked with before from a multitude of bases. So when we come home from a deployment theres usually a bunch of us on our own plane landing at our base and theres a meet and greet at the bottom of the airstairs (mobile stairway used on some aircraft for ease of deboarding... is thats a word lol). The meet and greet usually consists the top leadership of the base coming out to shake our hands and say welcome home. Now Ive deployed multiple times, but nothing prepared me for the meet and greet that comes following the homecoming after an ORI. Holy shit, Ive never shaken so many Colonel's hands at one time. I think what surprised me the most out of all this is the fact that it was a larger meet and greet for a fake war than a real war lol.
Needless to say I jsut got home from the exercise Ive been preping for, for 6 months now. Its pretty much considered that we got a satisfactory as a wing. Which is ok, its not excellent or ourstanding, but its a pass. Due to a couple of safety incidents that happened this time that haven't happened in the past practices (yeah figures they would happen on the true inspection) our leadership thinks that we as a squadron are either going to get a Satisfactory or an excellent. Not quite sure yet. Final results come out next week.
I came home on the 2nd to last chaulk becuase of the increments I was in charge of (aircraft tools in this case, which should leave late in the redeployment process since the planes still need fixed occaisionally.
So I had my bag drag at 0230 eastern time last night. Then had to process my out of my bay (I actually ended up in the same open bay this time, 2 beds down from the last time, however last time we had like 20-30 people in the bay... this time we had 80 people... it was packed) then sat in a room watching movies till my plane left at 8am. Not alot of fun lol.
Besides that. We're on the verge of being home owners. Liz did alot of work while I was in Michigan this week. The house passed VA, and the seller agreed to drop 5k due to the roof needing changed soon. So we're getting it for 124,900 and signing on the 15th.
Then on the 20th I deploy. So liz will end up moving on her own, but alot of friends have offered help which is very appreciated. I'll get home from this deployment and have my meet and greet with the Wing leadership then go to see our house for the first time with our stuff in it.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
The Big Zero Two
Sorry its been so long. Been pretty damn busy lately. I tested for TSgt on Tuesday of this past week. We'll see how it comes out here in a few months. Its nice not having to study now though. Frees up some time... Which was spent preping for Williams 2nd birthday. Which is today. But we celebrated it yesterday, on Liz's birthday. We had a party consisting of some family and a neighbor lol. We thought we were going to be all good and not have to rush trying to get everything setup... And it was going great until the kitchen sink backed up.... A call to maintenance, a super snake into a cut drain pipe later our sink was unclogged and I had a huge mess to clean in the basement. If it hadnt been for that we would have been right on time with the party lol.
It was a hawiian themed party that Liz put alot of work into. Kinda turned our kitchen bar into a tiki bar with a grass skirting of some kind hanging from the ceiling and slightly flared to make it look like a grass roof. Lots of leaves. You know those paper turkeys you can get for thanksgiving that are 3d in that you unfold them and the paper makes the body of turkey? Horrible description I know, but Liz found a palm tree along those lines where its the palms that fold out and hang from the wall.
Liz found a great recipe for hawaiian pulled pork that cooks for 20 hours. As well as made up some chicken teriaki (spelling?). We also had beer (kokanee for me, which is about as un-hawaiian as you can get being as that its from Canada, but we did have some Kona beer which is made from the Kona Coffee Company in Hawaii as well), and pina coladas.
But, the coup de gras was Williams cake. I'll try to get pictures loaded onto flickr here soon for it. Liz spent a few hours making a pig cake with fondant just for William that looked really cute. William however only ate alittle bit of it... mainly the back lol.
Rodney
It was a hawiian themed party that Liz put alot of work into. Kinda turned our kitchen bar into a tiki bar with a grass skirting of some kind hanging from the ceiling and slightly flared to make it look like a grass roof. Lots of leaves. You know those paper turkeys you can get for thanksgiving that are 3d in that you unfold them and the paper makes the body of turkey? Horrible description I know, but Liz found a palm tree along those lines where its the palms that fold out and hang from the wall.
Liz found a great recipe for hawaiian pulled pork that cooks for 20 hours. As well as made up some chicken teriaki (spelling?). We also had beer (kokanee for me, which is about as un-hawaiian as you can get being as that its from Canada, but we did have some Kona beer which is made from the Kona Coffee Company in Hawaii as well), and pina coladas.
But, the coup de gras was Williams cake. I'll try to get pictures loaded onto flickr here soon for it. Liz spent a few hours making a pig cake with fondant just for William that looked really cute. William however only ate alittle bit of it... mainly the back lol.
Rodney
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