tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145013222009-12-25T07:41:49.252-07:00This blog represents my opinion and my opinion alone. In no way, shape, or form do my inane ramblings represent any sort of official statement from the Army. This is my insanity and mine alone.SFC Bnoreply@blogger.comBlogger455125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-54977388722107209562009-12-25T07:38:00.002-07:002009-12-25T07:41:49.258-07:00

The second pot of coffee is brewing, the sausage is cooking and the yule cake is awaiting it's sugary icing. Christmas is upon the Momma SFC B house.I hope that everyone has a merry Merry Christmas.

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-87299250267297144122009-12-12T15:18:00.002-07:002009-12-12T16:46:58.963-07:00

It's been almost a month since moving. Hasn't been the best of times, but it could have been worse. While driving to Eau Claire I managed to pulverize a canine. Don't know if it was a dog or a coyote or a wolf. It was pretty messed up (I had to stop and check to make sure I didn't kill someone's dog). Unfortunately, so was my car. I spent my first three weeks here in Wisconsin driving a

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-21225903179604534162009-11-17T20:03:00.002-07:002009-11-17T20:06:38.136-07:00

Well, I'm currently traveling to Eau Claire, WI and I've stopped for the night in Las Vegas, NM. Turns out there is more than one.The departure move went really well. The packers showed up WAY earlier than expected and had everything packed and loaded in a few hours. We'll see how well everything traveled in a couple of days. I got a horrible night's sleep and didn't hit the road until late

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-3678794961847431172009-11-01T12:33:00.002-07:002009-11-01T12:39:37.292-07:00

My new residence has been identified and the down payments maid. The movers are showing up in a couple of weeks. My route to Eau Claire has been selected. And there is jack and squat in the news about military recruiting. It is all local news outlet stories about local recruiting stations and companies and about how they're making mission like two months out. When you're the only

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-16515044275169297872009-10-10T21:16:00.003-07:002009-10-10T21:19:07.556-07:00

The search for a new place to live has been found. I found a low-cost two bedroom townhome which will be about a 5 minute drive from my office, or a nice 2-mile run. The hardest part was finding a place that allowed a pet. I was surprised by the number of places which were zero pet locations.It was so very very cold. I'm going to hate moving in the middle of December.

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-87664587945871167572009-09-29T21:11:00.002-07:002009-09-29T21:32:35.976-07:00

So I'm currently looking for a place in Eau Claire (or EC as the locals call it) and not having a lot of luck. The major apartment search websites, Apartments.com for instance, don't have listings for North Western Wisconsin. This leaves me having to rummage through Google looking for places advertised as for rent. The problem with this is, the places for rent tend to be places for rent right

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-21217863076738703052009-09-15T20:59:00.002-07:002009-09-15T21:43:32.117-07:00

I can't believe that three years ago CAT IVs were a somewhat open category. The Guard has now lowered the max age to 35, and will only take Alphas.In related news, ACORN COI is in the public eye, again. This time because they, allegedly, have a whole lot of employees volunteers strangers who occupy their offices and are in no way, shape, or form actually representive of aCOIrn, giving advice to

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-55166278008319488062009-09-11T05:58:00.004-07:002009-09-11T06:03:21.385-07:00

Eight years. I will let others talk about what this means in the big scheme of things. Today though is the first day in which everyone who is in the military joined after 9-11. With our eight year statutory commitments the 10th was the last day anyone who joined before the first plane struck the WTC would have been in the military. As of today every swinging Richard in the service has

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-48943687959354127592009-09-08T22:37:00.002-07:002009-09-08T23:09:53.377-07:00

Three years ago I participated in Project 2996. This year I remembered to reapply for the project.Richard James Stadelberger was one of the 87 employees of Fiduciary Trust who died on 9-11. He was a loving father, coached Little League baseball, taught, and even eight years later is still fondly remembered by the people who knew him. One of his former employees remembers him ending every day

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-41403312855750698232009-08-26T17:46:00.002-07:002009-08-26T18:13:52.806-07:00

A little over a week ago I'd mentioned the story about a couple of parents suing the Army for their daughter's release claiming the recruiter lied and the had the mother forge the father's signature on the parental consent.Well, turns out the recruiter really was that dumb.From the previous account the parents were supportive of their daughter enlisting, at least to the point of throwing a party

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-68383981263817748092009-08-20T10:56:00.003-07:002009-08-20T11:06:29.134-07:00

His comment when he sees the two rotweillers pretty much sums up my feelings right now.I have been in Arizona for a little over five years. Turns out I'm now the AGR Soldier with the longest time in the state. Guess what that means! It means I'm now on assignment notification! Yay!Where to?Wisconsin!When?November-December!For what?A high priority mobilization unit!YAY!It's not the assignment

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-70488214129682102292009-08-16T12:24:00.003-07:002009-08-16T12:43:57.816-07:00

Yet another month has come and gone w/ the military recruiting forces not only achieving their missions, but exceeding them by leaps and bounds. Here in Phoenix the rumor mill has it that the Phoenix Recruiting Battalion is filling the pipeline for November-December. FSR2 reservations, which were good for only 7 days when I recruited, are now good for almost 150. There is a waiting list to

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-74109252914367553022009-08-05T18:44:00.002-07:002009-08-05T18:48:27.681-07:00

Well, there is absolutely no news about recruiting. All of the stories are about how the Army is benefiting from the recession. And that's about it. Speaking with the people I still know in USAREC the Army is currently working on its mission for November-December. Non-prior Service for the USAR are FSR2'd, given 150 day temporary reservations, and told to return to MEPS in October to swear in

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-10332926520353100722009-07-02T18:08:00.002-07:002009-07-02T18:11:51.983-07:00

With the continued success of Army Recruiting, and the continued failure of Economic Stimulus, the Army has suspended its Referral Bonus Program effective yesterday. The Reserve component programs are still around, but I wouldn't be sand-bagging those referrals folks.

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-14249185755719315412009-06-18T23:20:00.002-07:002009-06-18T23:26:44.503-07:00

As was expected, two towns in California had their anti-recruiter ordinances struck down. Turns out that the Federal Government takes things like the sole authority to raise an army kinda seriously.Attorneys for the cities are reviewing the decision and deciding whether to appeal.Meserve is also working with the city council, which is considering a new measure that could achieve the same goal of

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-87670313959543048582009-06-16T19:15:00.002-07:002009-06-16T19:28:06.106-07:00

My mother recently gave me the second most precious thing she has ever given to me. Late last year she sent me a package containing my dad's letters to his parents when he was in Marine Corps Boot Camp, and then Vietnam. I've been reading them and rereading them since. It's very strange to read what your father was thinking when he went through similar training that you yourself went through

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-84127440569921761012009-06-11T07:01:00.002-07:002009-06-11T07:52:02.503-07:00

A couple of towns in California passed city ordinances barring military recruiters from contacting minors. This is, of course, news to the Federal Government given that whole "supreme law of the land" and the "Constitutional right to raise an Army" so they're taking these two cities to court. The other recruiting-related story I read recently (and yes, you'd think that the assassination of a

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-86754512757910789182009-06-01T22:55:00.002-07:002009-06-01T23:23:25.323-07:00

I know, two posts in a month... on the same day. What the heck is wrong with me?News about recruiting has been pretty light. There has been no repeat of the "Army enlisting Felons" stories of years past. Instead the DoD puts out the monthly press release saying that all the services have exceeded their missions and they are ignored.The first bit of recruiting news covers something I don't

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-40670271864946691672009-06-01T22:43:00.002-07:002009-06-01T22:55:44.446-07:00

I worked at a grocery store back in Sugar Land, TX the year before I went AGR. Thanks to this experience I consider myself qualified to use the self-checkout aisles at grocery stores. Based on this qualification I have some advice for anyone choosing to use these wonders of technology.If you have a full cart, use the regular checkout lanes. I know that you think you'll be able to get through

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-62397317950680338992009-05-04T17:48:00.002-07:002009-05-04T17:57:28.011-07:00

Okay, in case anyone notices that "Donate" button on the right, that is not something which is going to me. As the handful of people reading this know I play Everquest 2. Sadly, one of the people whom I played with, Talons, passed away this past weekend. His wife and one of his nephews is also a member of the guild I'm in and are long-serving members. Talons' passing was unexpected and it has

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-79926618397324177702009-04-25T07:18:00.002-07:002009-04-25T07:51:01.521-07:00

I'm not sure how credible how this is, but the author is usually dead on. The Army has reduced its enlistment mission from 78,000 to 65,000. Needless to say the only reference to this is a mention in About.com. I doubt I'll be seeing that "Army recruiting felons" story this year. I'm kind of sad really. Those always made for a good read.As SSG K had mentioned a while ago, since things are

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-29060672651855068102009-03-31T19:21:00.002-07:002009-03-31T19:43:46.454-07:00

Well, I'm back in El Paso for a while. Seems I've settled in to a pretty comfortable routine of headed out here to support mission rehersal exercises for deploying units. For those curious about what exactly is being done out here which requires the support of a 42A former recruiter, here it is.Today is the end of March and the beginning of the third quarter. I find myself curious if the "army

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-58434917519251016982009-02-07T19:22:00.002-07:002009-02-07T19:40:57.243-07:00

This is from SFC K in the comments.Totally off topic, but here goes anyway.I had the good fortune of having a 2 week break from recruiting shortly after Christmas.When I came back, it was like the whole world had changed.People actually want to join the Army. My station could actually make mission off walk-ins alone.I hate it.Not that I like P-1, or walking up to random strangers to pester them;

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-5613613924189824492008-12-11T21:06:00.002-07:002008-12-11T22:36:37.810-07:00

I've been catching up on some of my usual reads and I saw something from Baseball Crank which sent my inner cynic into a tizzy. Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said that military intervention may be needed in Zimbabwe if Robert Mugabe does not step down. For those not in-the-know on their oppressive governments, Mugabe has spent the better part of three decades turning the once

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14501322.post-53708312565986557682008-12-10T21:12:00.003-07:002008-12-10T22:12:22.138-07:00

... SFC B was sent there again.I'm in El Paso again. My mom came to visit before Thanksgiving and she chastised me for not updating my blog. Honestly, just don't feel the need to anymore. While I was recruiting there were times when sitting down and typing out a post was the highlight of my day. I've tried to keep it up to date, but, honestly, the continuing of my career just isn't as

SFC Bnoreply@blogger.com0