A Pensive Sunday

Today's post is going to be more serious. No pictures, no jokes, just what has been on my mind lately. If you get bored of too much reading and less comedy, then a new post will be up soon to alleviate you.  Also, this isn't a cry for help. So don't go thinking that I've gone crazy.

If we have ever crossed paths on the journey called life, I'd like to say that sometimes I can come off as a goofy, lovable, sometimes eccentric, and lately brutally honest. The funny thing about me is how I despise talking myself up to others, especially with work and the brag sheets. Putting numbers on a piece of paper stating what you've accomplished is a great way to remember all the work one has been tasked to do, but to me it's just numbers. With that kind of a mindset, one will not go far and pick up quickly within the military, and it's ok with me. It's the person who needs help with the issue is what's most important, not helping only to add a new number and look a little bit better on paper. 

Everyone has experienced something in their lives to bring them to where they are this day, be it negative or positive. It affects the very being we are and we use that to make the most of it, or at least try to make the most of it. We make friends, we become family, we fall in love, memories are born and then cherished when the tough times come. Unfortunately for some, those tough times are too much to bear. 

Being so far away from home can be taxing on everyone here on Okinawa. Most of us are the single active duty personnel who live in the barracks. Our family then becomes the people we work with, other personnel who live in the same barracks, or meeting someone during a social gathering. Also, there are married people living in the barracks but their spouse isn't here, and that sucks. Married couples have it tough due to being far away from their families as well, including the much needed help with raising children and being able to visit with each other. The other type of person who has it tough out here is the newly married or newly pregnant single (or to be married). Think about it, they just got married and/or pregnant with their first child and they will have to go through pregnancy without the presence of family nearby. I personally couldn't imagine going through the stress of a budding family and work, with only a phone and the internet to get support from my loved ones back home. 

Regardless of what your status is, we know life out here is stressful. If I stress out over my E-nothing POG job, then of course my CO is going to have things much more difficult to deal with. The extra money he makes slightly helps, but not enough to sweep the problems under the rug and pretend everything is fine. He's not the highest in the chain of command on the island, so the General definitely has a lot more to bear as well. 

For some, death is the sweet escape from stress. After passing through the veil, the impact hits everyone who was involved in his or her life. The ripple will be felt even if you are only a member of the same work force, death will make its presence known. One day we will pass through that same veil, it's a matter of how and when it will happen. 

So I ask to those have read this far: Are you satisfied with where you are in life if you were to die this day? 

Think about it, you might have a lot of friends and loved ones who would go to the ends of the world for you. You may be in love with someone but have gotten into an argument over something that really is hollow. Are you content with any bridges that you may burned with friends or family? Any day could very well be our last, so would you want to leave this world behind with unresolved issues? Have you accomplished everything you wanted to do or have done enough to be ok to be swept away by the Reaper? I ask these things with no particular person in mind, this is something I wonder if anyone besides me has asked these questions for themselves. 

As dour as this post may have been, the reason behind this post is that I found myself alone with my thoughts as I nurse my injury back to health. It also didn't help when a death occurred on island that involves a fellow uniformed member. I may be curt with the island leadership and policies, but something as tragic as death, be it with intent, accidental or self inflicted, is no laughing matter in real life. The next post will be back to normal.  

Long Needed Update

I know that it's been too long since my post, and I apologize for keeping all two of my readers waiting. There have been events since my last writing that has kept me busy, and have found myself even more so at this present time. So let me explain very briefly of what was it that happened if you don't mind.

First I had a breakup and then I went back home to California about the same time as my last update. I was left in a very angry and bitter state for a while, but thankfully going home was the perfect medicine. There was no wi-fi at my house and since I only have my Japanese cell phone, it made things very difficult to be socially active online. But it was a gift to be disconnected from the world, even though it left me alone with my worst enemy: myself. Spending time with family and friends, doing a lot of traveling, and even jumping off a plane was the best way to relax. 

Now, my mind is almost back together from the fallout but it's good enough for a new post! Since then a few things have happened with how the military lifestyle has changed here on Okinawa. Some of it good, a lot of it bad. Let's jump into it. 

                                                          ^Some of you will get this

Since returning home, the plan was to lay low, keep my mouth shut (and that's a VERY hard thing to do) and make it to January 2014 when I PCS. There's also those moments that come and hits me with the fact that I will miss the island and people of Okinawa, as well as mainland Japan. There's also the regret of not seeing more of Asia like I had wanted to, and there is sometimes the crazy idea of extending another year here to do more traveling and save money before getting out of the Navy. However, there have been times that makes me hope TMO can come into my room today and pack my belongings.

Since being in my new workstation known as HQ, the one thing that causes my brain cells to die faster than a marine going hard on alcohol over a 96 is how we are held to a higher standard, worked harder, and expecting to be successful at work and in life when there are absolutely no tools given to succeed. The ones that were given have been taken away and yet the standard remains high. It's no secret that not everyone here can drive a vehicle for personal use, but that is no excuse to be late for PT or to morning muster. Getting to work on foot from the old barracks took about maybe 10 minutes, but when we were moved to our current location on the complete opposite side from where I work, the time to get to work did not change (which the time alone is a strange one during PT days: 0740). It's a mile away from work and it feels longer with the heat and humidity or the heat and rain. Don't bother going to the chow hall on your way, because if you are 1 second late to muster, you are deemed an unreliable sailor or marine who needs to be addressed on why he/she is unreliable. Even if the reason for being late is completely valid, you're still a piece of trash and wrong because you were late. God help you because you are hungry and disobeyed the rules and went to the chow hall to eat and couldn't make it on time without having to pay out of your wallet for a ¥500 honcho ride. So what can be done to fix this situation? The most obvious is to change the time for muster to accommodate the time to eat, but it's not going to happen. HQ has to start at 0700/0740 on the dot or else everything will fall apart and the war on terror will be lost. Mind you, I work in a dental command. We don't fight terrorist, we fight plaque.

                                               ^Every Thursday
                                                                                                     

Recently we had a command lockdown, I mean a "period of reflection" for about 2 weeks. A new liberty policy that allows us to have 2 beers at a restaurant was to be given some time ago, but a chief TAD from somewhere in the States decided that he was better than the liberty policy here and got drunk, went into Naha looking for hookers, and woke up in the living room of a lovely Okinawan family.  So the new liberty policy had to be put on hold for a bit longer, about 2 or 3 weeks, and if I knew what his name was, it would be blasted on this post. Anyways, so the new policy was then passed down and it happened that some of the guys are HQ went a little too hard on the drinking that same weekend. The command was put on a lockdown which lasted about 2 weeks, and I wasn't upset over it. It was a matter of when a lockdown would happen, not if. During the lockdown I got to drive to the other clinics and see the disappointment in people's faces over it. "It could have been worse, they could make us be in uniform during liberty hours or even restricted on base drinking." is how I would try to help alleviate the frustration.

For starters, if this situation was to occur in the States, it would have been a regular Sunday afternoon for everyone except for the minor for obvious reasons. Not here. Instead of keeping the incident as low profile as possible like the TAD chief, every clinic and HQ was lectured to about the consequences of drinking. Names were dropped and the real story was muddled by the leadership because they sure added their twist to the story. In actuality, the guys had more responsibility drinking than the TAD chief who thought himself above the policies. He himself ended up in a worse situation, but his fate most likely ended him with a slap on the wrist and got right back to work. Our boys? DRB, XOI, and then Captain's Mast. The DRB really wasn't necessary but you know that the chief's wanted to put in their two cents and call them all dirt bags and horrible members of the military. I bet my entire paycheck that they got caught with worse when they were that rank and in Okinawa. I'll double with the other paycheck that it's because of people like them is why the rules were changed to be as strict as they are now. Every morning at muster we would be reminded of the 4 individuals that were involved in the incident, and even though they were all present in the muster, they didn't drop the name as if we don't know who did it. This is still going on to this day and they've all received their punishment from the CO last week, being reminded about the 4 and drinking. Why can't the leadership let it go already? The 4 have accepted the mistake and are paying for it, but are carrying on. I guarantee the CO has also put it behind him and hasn't bothered anyone about it. This command is good at forgiving, but not forgetting. We all want to move on, but it's impossible when reminded of the past, which included incidents from over a year ago.

                          ^I guess should start drinking in order to be trusted in the military...makes sense

I'm going to have to stop writing, there's A LOT more to write about. This is a good pause for now, and I will do better to make sure that there are more updates. I sincerely apologize to my 2 readers for keeping you waiting, but here's hoping for more.

Oki Vision

Some bases on Okinawa are tolerable due to recreational options both on and off base for those who cannot drive. For example: If you're stationed on Kadena, Lester, or Foster, you have things to do nearby. Stationed on Kinser you have Naha nearby. If you CAN drive then the whole island is your oyster. All 60-something miles of it.

But that actually doesn't matter to be honest. You can have a Six Flags in the middle of Schwab or a real American mall in Hansen, that wont help make the majority of active duty personnel feel better. That majority I speak of is your average, young, single male who is out far from home defending his country. Give him a tropical island, warm water beaches, some bars, and gorgeous women some extra money to help make up the difference with the yen rate off base.  That sounds like the perfect recipe for an amazing lifestyle as a young single male, but alas, tis not so due to lack of one factor: women.

                                                                 ^ This also applies here!


In some bases, the male/female ratio can be as generous as 5:1. The northern bases (Hansen and Schwab) it can be as cruel as 15:1, maybe more. This ratio does not factor any married American or Japanese women, as this is about a single active duty personnel only. Dating can become very difficult and very competitive, almost as competitive as picking up rank.

To pick up rank, you have to look good for your leaders both in person and on paper. You do that by picking up some collaterals, doing some volunteering services during the weekends, looks sharp by having a fresh haircut and flawless uniforms. Even the occasional brown nosing is acceptable to gain the favors of that staff sergeant or petty officer 1st class you actually don't like. That same formula works in the Okinawa dating scene: you go to the gym to lift, do some volunteering in hopes of finding females other than bars, look sharp by ironing your clothes and putting on that just tight shirt to show that you lift, and brown nose your way into her heart. You'll say just about anything to get close to her even though you really don't think she's that good looking.

Stay here long enough and that young single female lance corporal will go from a 4-6 on the scale to an Okinawa 10. And how do you know that she is an Okinawa 10? She walks around the island as if she really is a 10. It gets way into their head that these young ladies don't realize that they're just in a 2-3 year relationship and then it's over when either partner moves back to the States or somewhere that isn't Okinawa. There was one I remember talking to when I was in Kinser about how her boyfriend broke up with her because she wanted to get married and he did not. Things went sour and on their separate ways, and she didn't realize that he was with her just for the sake of company and being one of the few to have a girlfriend that's on island.

Another thing that happens, and this happened to me a lot since I'm not actively chasing women into a bed, is when a female has her nose so high that anything a guy would say is heard as him wanting to hook up. No joke, I've been shut down even though all I was saying was literally "hello" walking in the opposite direction. As a nice guy (I know, I come in last place) it's frustrating to be assumed that my intentions are to get into her pants, which is one of the biggest reasons why I stopped talking to women I don't know at all on this island. There's probably more out there that feel same way, except for the not talking to women part.

                                               ^ Sexual assault brief waiting to happen...


Of the very few females I do talk to on this island, the things I've heard from them are the same things I've heard from females back home since high school: being looked at as an object of lust and not a person, thinking that nice guys no longer exists, why guys only want sex and then leave afterwards, having to deal with multiple guys trying to get her attention (all of them only wanting one thing...), and so forth. There's really an easy way to fix things, but you still somehow make things more complicated than it should be. This vicious cycle happens everywhere, but it seems that it's even worse here considering how little females there are. The other harsh truth is that most of the times they bring the unwanted attention upon themselves by purposely giving off the wrong signals. Ladies: that's YOUR fault.

It's very hard to be a female here, I'm glad I'm not one. Another time at Kinser there was a female marine who came into the clinic and we were making small talk as we were waiting for the dentist to walk in and do a check up. She was telling me about how she just got back from a short 2-4 week deployment on a ship, I told her that it must have been really nice considering that it's not long at all being away. Her reply was that she was glad to be done with it, and never wished to go back on a ship. The reason being is that because there was even fewer females on the ship, almost every guy was hitting on her and the other females. She even said that she was approached by a gunny who wanted to hook up with her. A married gunnery sergeant who couldn't wait for a month was wanting to get with a young and single lance corporal. Maybe it was a power trip on his part, or he seriously couldn't keep his pants on for that long, or she had a reputation of letting many guys get their hands on her cookie jar. By the way, she was an Okinawa 10.

                                              ^ And females wonder why guys only want sex...


Personally speaking, I'm glad that I'm in a great relationship. I don't have to worry about having to compete with other guys for a girl's attention only to be placed in the "friend zone" with the other nice guys. Maybe it helps that Nicole and I didn't rush into things either, it took plenty of time before making things official, and were not in the need to show off to the world about us dating. At this very day it's definitely not easy being an ocean apart, but we manage to do our parts to keep our relationship alive.

None of what I mentioned above applies if you're one of the guys who prefer to date Japanese women or are already married. And if you're a female that is stationed on Okinawa or were stationed here and are offended, we can wager a Coco's meal to see who's right. I've already won a free dinner, I can definitely go for more free curry. Come at me bro bra.

                                      ^ The same amount of single females at Schwab

Plans for April...

It's been while since I last posted something, I guess things have been busy for me even though I don't feel that it's been productive. Anywho, I suppose the 2 readers that check this out don't mind the wait.

Although it is very good to say that I will finally be going home in April! It'll be very nice to get off Okinawa for more than a few days at a time and actually be able to "legally" be without a liberty buddy since apparently we are not capable of being trusted to being alone here. Waking up without an alarm clock or very early for PT, and having some real breakfast instead of relying on Calorie Mate or whatever the shoppette has to offer. I can almost cry just thinking about my temporary freedom from the tentacles from the marines is going to happen very soon.

So the leave is going to be from the 2nd week in April until the 1st week in May, just in time to see Iron Man 3 open in theaters. At least with this new Marvel movie, there wont be a full week's wait until the following Saturday and waiting for 3-4 hours outside a small base theater with mediocre sound and picture quality like how life is here. Or on the next day after outside a bigger theater with the same wait time, picture, and sound quality. Either way, it sucks seeing Facebook blow up about the newest movie and how epic it is while I have to wait 8 days to see it (waiting for The Avengers almost killed me).

I defend that freedom! 

As soon as the leave was approved, the first 2 weeks home have already been planned. It's going to be so much fun to be so tired and it wont involve work. So the plan is to land in LAX and then drive about 2 1/2-3 hours north to Visalia to see my family and catch up with them. From there it'll be about a full day of being in town until having to then drive to Tucson, Arizona that weekend for the wedding of a friend who's in the command. It's a great idea since it's been years when I was last in Tucson, and that was during my mission back in 2007-2009. Although my stay will be short there, I do hope to meet up with some of the families that I've met on the south and west side...if they remember me.

After the wedding it's driving back home to spend a couple days there until it's time to leave yet again and drive to Las Vegas. The closer to leaving home is when I'll start looking into the shows and things to do for the 5 day stay. I really look forward to Vegas as this is going to be the way I'd like to unwind from the stresses of work, but nothing more than the hotel has been booked. There's already plenty of things in mind to there, but I'm keeping as quiet as possible so not to spoil any details to Nicole...

Once the Vegas trip is over with, then it's finally going to be spent at home until it's time to fly back to Japan. That's pretty much what's in mind, and it's really going to hurt my wallet. It'll be worth it since being with my family and loved ones is extremely important to me. There's a lot more to fit in the short month back in the States, like mountain biking with my mission president, going to Six Flags, and seeing Sequoia National Park, but that's for later to worry about. I'm just very happy that this will all be able to happen, and it WILL happen :D

'Merica! 

The cold, hard reality is that April isn't for another 2 months. So my suffering will have to continue for a little bit longer before I get to see my loved ones again. Although I'm hoping it'll come quickly :) 

What's in a Name?

Update 29 Jan 2013: I'm surprised that I've been approached by someone in my command about this blog when I don't advertise it outside of my Facebook. I also choose not to make friends with anyone E-6 and above for the obvious reasons and not give too much about my thoughts, so it's kind of an honor that this person found it on their own. Out of respect for that person I'm changing some things on this post but the message will be the same.



This month marks my second year of being stationed on Okinawa, Japan. Unfortunately it's not my time to leave like most people do when they have 2 year orders. I was in the window that as a single unaccompanied member, I get the "honor" of being on this island for a full 3 years. Usually that long of a stay goes to members who are married and their spouses and family moves with them here. This alone is one of the many headaches that III MEF liberally gives out. But those back in America who haven't been here or know where Okinawa is, here's a map to give you an idea of my location...

Please feel free to share this to your families for those who live on Okinawa and read this (all 2 of you).

So what makes this place tough? It's definitely not the Japanese. Not even with they're out protesting the Marine Corps and their Ospreys, or whatever new incident that happens over the weekend. The reason why this place is so hard and frustrating for the single, unaccompanied active duty member is the Marine Corps itself. More specifically, III MEF.

Even though this is my first (and mostly likely last) duty station in the Navy, I've never seen "one team, one fight" not only be preached, but enforced more often than by III MEF. It's not hard to understand the meaning of "one team, one fight," So I'll spare you a couple minutes of more reading. I will explain how inspiring it is to be considered a part of Team Okinawa that the marines so lovingly forces us into. I hope you get the sarcasm behind these words...anywho, let's get to some examples of the "one team, one fight" concept that those from E-1 all the way to O-10 get to be a part of.
Example 1: Petty Officer 3rd Class (E-4) "John Doe" and Seaman (E-3) "Jake Doe" both from a reservist base in TEXAS are on island for an overnight stay. After drinking and a late night out, they RAPE a Japanese girl in her 20's. "One team, one fight" was then changed that ALL E-4 and below were to be in liberty groups no smaller than 4 when off base. Curfew was dramatically changed. Gold cards were essentially (and still are) invalid since all personnel were to be back on base or in their place of residence (if married) by 2300. No more being out past midnight for those with gold cards. E-5 and above do not need a liberty buddy when going off base.

Example 2: Senior Airman (E-4) "Jacob Doe" was arrested for breaking into a Japanese apartment on the 3rd floor of the complex where the bar he was drinking, punching a 13 year-old boy in the face, and then proceeded to escape by jumping out the window. This happened after the order of 4 man liberty group, curfew at 2300, and no drinking alcohol off base was issued. I really wish I was making this one up. New restrictions included no drinking in your barracks room or place of residence after 2200. The military was quick to realize how stupid this rule sounded as has since taken it back.

Example 3: Staff Sergeant (E-6) "Ernest Rutherford" was arrested for a DUI and crashing his vehicle that included the cars of 3 Japanese drivers. This was after the 4 man liberty group and no drinking off base rule was passed. So what do the E-4 and below get other than more talks about alcohol? Those with a previous alcohol related incident within 3 years will be put on an even more stricter restriction. E-6 and above don't count because they're considered senior enlisted and not capable of causing such incidents. Oh wait...

Example 4: 1st Lieutenant (O-2) "Tom Sawyer" was arrested for breaking into a Japanese apartment after a night of drinking. He then payed a fine of 100,000 yen (which is somewhere around $1,200-1,300) for the crime and most likely got a slap on the hand from his command. This was also after the 4 man liberty group and no drinking off base rule was passed. The 2 previous example all were kicked out. This officer, he gets to stay. Also, no new restrictions concerning only the officer community were passed, but you best believe that the enlisted (especially the E-4 and below) were given more briefs about alcohol abuse.

There's so many more examples, almost on a weekly basis more. There's just way too much to write about in one post, and I don't think I will continue in the future as I don't want this blog to become all about how living on Okinawa under the tentacles of III MEF is like. Things will happen off base that will give III MEF more reasons to simply punish the E-nothings for the actions of very few. Our leaders, especially in my command, would say "You're all doing great, and keep up the good work. You're all part of the 99% that's doing the right thing. It's because of the 1% that are causing these incidents is why we have restrictions." That's very reassuring there, to let the actions of the "1%" dictate how I can and cannot enjoy my free time in Japan.

Since day 1 of being on this island I've been a liability to III MEF. On the command level, there's no such thing as sleeping in during a 96 due to having to phone muster with someone assigned from each clinic in order for the higher ups to know that we haven't either killed ourselves (because apparently with more days off means that we do want to kill ourselves) or are laying face down in a ditch somewhere. My last 2 training commands haven't been this strict, and I'm supposedly out in the "fleet" where the "real" Navy is.

This is how I've decided on the name of my blog. I personally don't drink or am tempted to drink, even when there's plenty of reasons to. I've never been drunk before to ever experience how a hangover feels, but living here for 2 years with 1 more to go definitely has given me the sense of it. Those of you who have been hungover, I'm sure you can agree with what you've read is just about the same you feel in the morning after some heavy drinking.

If you made it this far on my post, thanks for taking the time to read my rant. I shall leave you with one more picture as a reward :)

'Merica!

                                                               

Jerk Report (Jan 13, 2013)

I've decided to bring it back. Due to a couple people's demand, I proudly bring you the Jerk Report. It's very simple to explain: People are jerks. They are everywhere and in every corner of the earth. I feel it best to call out the ones who stand out, and one "Creep of the Week." No one is safe from this Report, not even me.

3) Even though it's the 3rd week of 2013, the news is still being reported on a daily basis throughout the world and I feel that it needs to be added to this list. No two have made this duo impact since Thelma and Louise took those police officers on a long chase only to end things by driving off a cliff (although I do wish that these two I'm reporting do the same). I'm talking about Kanye West and Kim Kardashian for quite possibly the two world's worst people having a baby together. A human baby. That's not exactly the best way to start a new year for the world, and the news will never end until it turns 18. How dare you two for bringing such a future abomination to the world! Thanks to the two of you, more air is going to taken and space to be wasted. Jerks!

2) Jimmy Savile. Not only are you British, but you sexually assaulted lots of children and probably some teenagers and maybe adults for over 60 years. That's one of the worst crimes one can commit on this planet. Where do you come off getting all powerful thinking that you'd be able to get away with it? You probably thought yourself as a god like General Doucher (Sinclair) and could get away with forced sodomy. I don't have to worry about you not going to jail or anything like that, since the law will make sure of that, unlike General Doucher who will simply walk away with his retirement pay. Jerk.

By the way, E-3 and below on Okinawa: stand by.

1) Flu, I'm calling you out because you're causing a lot of panic back home! I'm seeing maps of states that have been affected by you and blown out of proportion by the news. First it was Sandy, then the Mayans, then Kanye and Kim, now it's you. Actually, if you can get to those two I will take you off as number 1 this week. We can make a deal, just have your people call my people or send me a tweet. Anywho, you're a jerk flu for scaring and getting the world's greatest nation in the history of the world sick!

So that brings us to the Creep of the Week: This one was fairly easy to choose: Lance Armstrong. It's not because of his doping back when he was in the Tour de France or lying about doping to the world ever since. The reason why is because the headlines about him is about considering coming clean for the doping. Then deciding to admit to the doping. Then to plan to talk about the doping. Just get to it! You're sponsors have pulled back, and the rest (if any) will do the same soon. You've already been stripped of your 7 Tour de France titles. So call a news conference and a tons of reporters can ask you questions about it. Don't make the world wait for what we already know. The sooner you talk about it, the sooner people will forget. Therefore, you sir are the Creep of the Week.


So that's about how the Jerk Report goes. If any of my 3 readers would like for me to call anyone out for you (and I seriously don't care who it is) on my Report, let me know and maybe you'll one day see them in a future post. Or you might find yourself on the list :P

HN (FMF?) Lopez

I shouldn't take the time to write this, but that's how weird I am. And in about an hour I'll be calling my girlfriend who's back home in Chicago, although I should ask her if we should wait until Friday night Japan's time. That would be the best option, and for my delaying I'll probably have another night of little sleep. So...what is it that I should be doing? Schooling? Work (ha)? Volunteer firefighter? Advancement exam study?

F.M.F.

The greatest and most desired warfare device that one can earn in the military. Many have attempted to be able to go through the arduous studying, conquer written tests, and dominate the oral boards but have failed to do so. The FMF pin is what divides the gods from the men. A FMF frocking ceremony is like combining the excitement and glory of the World Cup, the World Series, and World War II. In short: It's a big deal.

2 years ago on the island of Okinawa, Japan was a fresh-from-FMTB dental doc who was motivated to make his impact to the command and to the United States Navy. Despite a tough end of 2010, he thought that 2011 will be perfect to start fresh and in good cheer. He was welcomed by his first duty station of 3D Dental Battalion which was under III MEF. Among the many signatures he gave, one was for the FMF program stating that the said dental doc would receive his pin in two years time. Little did he know about the horrors that was awaiting him and those that came after to their respective commands.

Just about 2 years later...

Saturday is my deadline to have my package sent up to the general and blah blah blah. All that's left for me to do is take the group test and the murder board before the Page 13 (contract for you non military) expires. The PQS book all got signed today, and the prac apps was done a long time ago in a base north, north away. What I should be doing is studying for the group test since I still have trouble with the LCE portion and some of the marine doctrine.

Pass or fail the test and murder board by the end of Friday, at least this will finally be over.