Graduated DINFOS

We had a VERY informal graduation ceremony for SPC Bramble and myself today. We completed all of the requirements for the refresher course mid-day today. We also found out that we don't leave here for another two weeks, and then we will be going on to Fort Benning, GA. We are making our way all up and down the East coast. So, in order to not get stuck doing something stupid (like painting rocks) we volunteered to assist at the school in the broadcast classes. Figuring that we just re-graduated the course, we should be a little help to the students that might be struggling a bit, but they need to approve it through the Student Company Sergeants. So, I hope they are alright with that. That's about it for right now. Just letting you all know.

Quote of the blog:
We are what we believe we are.
C. S. Lewis

Moving along at DINFOS

I officially moved on to the Television portion of the refresher course here at the Defense Information School (DINFOS). We finished the radio portion this morning. It went much better than I was expecting. The last time I touched a radio sound board was the last time I was at DINFOS (over 4 years ago). It came back pretty fast. I wish our mission in Iraq was to run a radio station. It is a LOT of fun. So, anyway, we started T.V. today and will be done with that by mid-day Friday. I was doing TV only 7 months ago (when I was still active duty). The difference now is that we are learning a new editing system. When I first went through DINFOS I learned on AVID PRO, which is what I edited on the entire time I was in the Army. Now the Army is moving over to using Adobe Premiere Pro CS4. That is actually what the Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (MPAD) that we are going to in Iraq is editing on. So, we had the option of making it easier on ourselves and just doing everything at the school on AVID, but we figured we need to learn Adobe, so we might as well start learning now. It is easy enough (since we already understand how to edit using other systems) to learn this new one. When I get a chance, I'll read the manual and play around with it and know every aspect of it within a few months. After equipment turn-in on Friday, we will have a graduation ceremony (yes, just for the two of us). I guess some of the DINFOS big-wigs are going to come to it (It's a rare thing for people to come through as recalls). I guess that's it for new information. I was able to take a few pictures with my cell phone, so I'll add those as well. They are not good quality, but it's better than nothing. Before we go I am going to try to get real pictures of the sound booths, the radio station booths, and something from the TV side as well. Until then, these pictures will have to do.

This is DINFOS, from the front.



This is me at the front windows of DINFOS



Quote of the blog:
WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T.
Benjamin Franklin

Fort Meade, MD

I finally made it to Fort Meade, MD. I got here about 11:00 at night on Tuesday. We were given a room (no linens) and went to sleep (and froze (the heat was turned on Friday night)). We began our training at the Defense Information School (DINFOS) on Wednesday. The training is supposed to be 10 days long but because we got here late it will only be 9 days for us. On Friday we completed our first third of training which is the writing for broadcast and announcing skills portion. We had to write a few broadcast story scripts. We then were graded on three recorded in booth news vocal reads. It is really surprising how quickly all of the things we were taught years ago come back to you. Starting Monday we begin the Radio portion of our training, then Wed. we will go on to the T.V. portion. We will be all done on Friday. From there we should go on to a mobilization site, then deploy. It is really neat to see our old instructors again and hear them teaching the new students. I still miss my three girls a whole lot, but I get to talk to them daily, so at least we are still connected.I have a few pictures taken here, but won't really be able to put them up here till tomorrow(ish). It is kind of ironic that here at the Public Affairs School, we have the least amount of computer access. As a side note, we did get linens for our beds on Wed. and were able to have restful sleep since that first night. Since I am only here for about five more days, I'm not giving out the address here. I probably wouldn't be here by the time it arrived. I should find out within the next 2 weeks what my address in Iraq will be and I will make sure everyone knows it as soon as I do. Also, the instructors have been really helpful preparing us deploy. In addition to the training we are doing here, they have linked us up with multiple broadcast journalists that are stationed here now that have deployed within the last few years. They have been able to give us specific insite into our job over there. Each person has a different aspect that they seem to focus on. One talks about the technical side of things, one the mental/emotional, one the physical. So we are begining to get a good idea of what to expect. And from what I hear, the base where we will be located is pretty comfy as far as deployments go. Of course I would much rather be home and never have to go, but as long as I'm going I am glad things are turning out like they are. I love you all, and will write more as I know more.

Quote of the blog:
Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.
Oscar Wilde

Here's how I see it

This is how I see this whole blogging thing going... just so you know. I might not always be able to blog while I am actually in Iraq, so I will at least try to put out a blog a week. Remember that is what I hope will be a bare minimum. I'd like to see myself blogging 2-3 times/week. I'll add photos when I can (which I would think won't be a problem, since I'll be surrounded with photo/video equipment). If there is anything in particular that you would like to know about one of my blogs or anything you'd like to hear about or see, just let me know and I'll try my best to accomodate.

I should be heading off for Ft. Meade, MD tomorrow. I'll keep my camera handy.

In addition... I've just decided that I am going to add a different famous quote to each of my blogs, just to class them up a bit. So, for the premiere blog quote, here goes....

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.
Abraham Lincoln

Today's news and Convoy Exercise

Well,
I'm back already with the news that I won't be leaving SC today, I'll be leaving some time on Monday. BIG BUMMER! So I'll have another weekend here at exciting Fort Jackson.

On to today's activities. We had our Convoy exercise which was short, but none the less very draining, just waiting to come under enemy fire or Improvised explosive device (IED). One of the Majors here took some photos that I'll put up here and explain them as I go along. The photos are uploaded to Pictiger.com so if you click on one of the thumbnails it will take you to the larger image on that site.

Lets get this photo out of the way since it has nothing to do with the convoy stuff. This is us at the M-16 range getting ready to qualify on our rifles. If you look really hard I am the last person to the left.


Here we are getting our pre-convoy briefing (me on left side)


Same here


Our vehicles all lined up


I was the driver of vehicle number 2 (the Commander's vehicle), I'm standing next to SPC Bramble (he is a Broadcast Journalist too and will be deploying with me)


Vehicle 2 with SPC Schmalfuss (my turret gunner)


We were almost ready to move out (right after I readjusting my side mirror)


Ready to roll


Convoy moving into danger area


My vehicle in convoy rolling out


And last but not least SPC Newby with the Squad Automatic Weapon (S.A.W., an automatic machine gun)


This last photo comes with a funny story. As a convoy, nothing should come within 100ft of the convoy (human or vehicle). If it does you warn them, then if they don't listen you open fire on them. Keep in mind this training is for our benefit before deploying into a war zone, so it is to be taken seriously. Contracted employees are out there simulating the enemy that we must engage. SPC Newby and his S.A.W. are in the lead vehicle as we move through the convoy route. Towards the end of the route we turn a corner and there is a man standing on the trail in front of a bus (not schoolbus) talking on his cell phone. So the lead vehicle stops and SPC newby shouts for the man to back away from the convoy. The man starts to step towards the convoy so SPC Newby rotated the Machine Gun, pointing directly at the man and yells again for him to get away from the convoy. Well, with a machine gun pointed at you you do what you're told. So he turns and runs away. Meanwhile when the machine gun turns the bus starts to back up, clearing the road. With the road now clear the convoy continues to the end of our route. Well, it turns out that the man was lost and calling to get directions, and the bus is full of Navy students. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time (but the whole time we thought that this was a part of our exercise. Well the man now has a story to tell about the time he got lost and had a machine gun pointed at him. I should point out though that we were using blank rounds, so other than a lot of noise no one could be hurt by the weapons. That was our morning, which was followed by cleaning our rifles and getting ready to get out of this place. So now you know everything I know that happened today.

Leaving South Carolina

Well,
I have almost completely finished my reprocessing here at Fort Jackson, SC. I've been poked, proded, sleep deprived, and overstuffed during my two weeks here. All in an effort to make me into a soldier again. I've only been out for around 6 months, so I don't need as much retraining as some people here. I miss my family a lot, but I know that they are being taken care of, so at least I don't have to worry about that while I am deployed. Sharee is a fantastic Mom to our two girls, and I know they will be alright, and happy. I leave Ft. Jackson tomorrow morning sometime to head off to Ft. Meade, MD. That is where I learned to be a Broadcast Journalist before, so I am going back for a refresher training, for two weeks. From there I have no idea where or when I'll be going. Only that I will end up in Iraq. I've gotten past the "this sucks, I hate the Army" phase. I'm now in the "this is really happening so I better get ready" phase of mind. That is about all for right now. Hopefully I'll figure out how to add a few pictures, so I can show some of the things I've done here. I'll blog again as I get more information or something interesting happens.