Pay it Forward :)
I am in a sentimental mood and this came along and struck my fancy so here we go.
The first 2 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a a hand made gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise. But, you have to post this on your blog then come back and leave a comment, telling me you're in. Fun, huh? Remember, only the first 2 comments receive the gift. YOU HAVE TO POST ON YOUR BLOG A PAY IT FORWARD FIRST.
* you must leave a link to your blog post, and I need some way to contact you for your address. Happy Posting!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
From the mouths of babes
Tonight we went to Mongolian BBQ, the first time since before Derrick left. He was so excited, he loves his Mongolian BBQ. Tonight it seemed everyone wanted it. We ended up sitting 2 tables away from the Division General and his family and a short while later the Division Sergeant Major and his family came in and sat at the table right next to us.
He and Derrick talked for a minute before he introduced us. After the initial greetings Derrick asked Luke "Do you know who that is?" In all of Luke's 8 year old innocence he said "One of your Marines, Right dad?"
Derrick let out a little almost uncomfortable laugh and before Derrick could correct him the Sergeant Major asked what Luke had said. Derrick repeated Luke's comment and rather than correcting him the SgtMjr laughed and agreed- simply said "that's right, I am one of his Marines."
After he went back to his family and we settled back into our seats Derrick explained who he was though I'm sure to Luke it still didn't connect.
Ah from the mouths of babes...
He and Derrick talked for a minute before he introduced us. After the initial greetings Derrick asked Luke "Do you know who that is?" In all of Luke's 8 year old innocence he said "One of your Marines, Right dad?"
Derrick let out a little almost uncomfortable laugh and before Derrick could correct him the Sergeant Major asked what Luke had said. Derrick repeated Luke's comment and rather than correcting him the SgtMjr laughed and agreed- simply said "that's right, I am one of his Marines."
After he went back to his family and we settled back into our seats Derrick explained who he was though I'm sure to Luke it still didn't connect.
Ah from the mouths of babes...
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Attention Kmart shoppers, Blue Light special on aisle 13... Cookies!
Does anyone remember the movie Troop Beverly Hills with Shelly Long and Craig T. Nelson? Do you remember the part when Rosa the maid/assistant troop leader yells "Patches? We don't need no stinkin patches."
Yeah, that's about where I'm at but with these orders. We've been waiting and wondering, we were told they wouldn't be cut until October due to fiscal planning/finances and then we were told they've been sitting here on Okinawa since June 10th. We just didn't know.
Derrick went into work Monday to look into what exactly those orders entailed. Mainly, is there an extension with the orders or does he have to apply for one as an addition to his orders. That extension plays a huge factor in our vitality on this island. Without it, the kids get dis enrolled from school and our driver's licenses expire (in 32 days). So time is-a-ticking.
Monday the registrar from Brandon's school called to remind me they are about to dis enroll him. I reassured him that Derrick was picking up his orders that day and I'd be in ASAP with the extension paperwork. A little while later Derrick called me from work to let me know there was an error on his orders and no extension was necessary. The orders have a report date of January 2009. No need to extend for a date nine months ago, right?
Back to square one, we have no orders. In looking further there are other issues that have to be addresses before any amended orders can be released. So Wednesday afternoon Derrick did everything he could on this end to 'fix' this issue and we sent off the paperwork in hopes of getting it back by early October. *fingers crossed & praying hard*
In the mean time Derrick has started to look into applying for another extension but we've run into problems with that because nobody is certain if this can be done at a MEF level or if it has to be done through HQMC. In any case, it needs to happen & happen quickly.
I'm about to say "Orders? We don't need no stinkin orders."
Seriously though, I am stressing oh, just a little bit.
Yeah, that's about where I'm at but with these orders. We've been waiting and wondering, we were told they wouldn't be cut until October due to fiscal planning/finances and then we were told they've been sitting here on Okinawa since June 10th. We just didn't know.
Derrick went into work Monday to look into what exactly those orders entailed. Mainly, is there an extension with the orders or does he have to apply for one as an addition to his orders. That extension plays a huge factor in our vitality on this island. Without it, the kids get dis enrolled from school and our driver's licenses expire (in 32 days). So time is-a-ticking.
Monday the registrar from Brandon's school called to remind me they are about to dis enroll him. I reassured him that Derrick was picking up his orders that day and I'd be in ASAP with the extension paperwork. A little while later Derrick called me from work to let me know there was an error on his orders and no extension was necessary. The orders have a report date of January 2009. No need to extend for a date nine months ago, right?
Back to square one, we have no orders. In looking further there are other issues that have to be addresses before any amended orders can be released. So Wednesday afternoon Derrick did everything he could on this end to 'fix' this issue and we sent off the paperwork in hopes of getting it back by early October. *fingers crossed & praying hard*
In the mean time Derrick has started to look into applying for another extension but we've run into problems with that because nobody is certain if this can be done at a MEF level or if it has to be done through HQMC. In any case, it needs to happen & happen quickly.
I'm about to say "Orders? We don't need no stinkin orders."
Seriously though, I am stressing oh, just a little bit.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
It's good/I'm glad he's heading back home
Home to his parent command. Back to some sense of normalcy and well, brotherhood. Aside from the bond Derrick made with his team, and a select few Marines, he didn't really have that camaraderie with the unit he attached to. The nature of the deployment played a factor in that for sure. With teams scattered all across one region of the country it was hard to form a bond like that with people you didn't live and work with. There were other factors that affected his relationships as well, I'm almost certain, but really that's not what's important.
If you've followed my blogs (here and elsewhere) you know I have had many issues with the unit he attached to. So for me, his return is a long time coming and gives me such a calm feeling- even knowing there's bound to be some chaotic times as he takes/makes his place back in his unit, I'm so at ease.
Yesterday it became official, he checked out of that unit with nothing more than an adios. Oh, and he was handed the write up for his newest medal earned. No ceremony, no frill, just a here ya go and that was that. Derrick was fine with that, but that is something I would have liked to attend, I mean had there been a ceremony. Heck, there were several awards being given to several people and they were just passed out like last weeks spelling test. (Another reason I am so grateful to say goodbye to this unit- there is no esprit de corps).
A few days ago Derrick came home with a couple letters of appreciation for himself and the other Marines that detached from his parent command, he showed them to me and asked if I saw anything wrong with them. I'll let you decide.
I've cut out most identifying information, but you've got enough to know what I'm refering to. The crazy thing is these are the real deal. They've been signed by their Marine Corps commanding officer and an Army Sergeant Major and were passed out to all the guys. Who proofs these things?
It's laughable to me. At this point it's just one more occasion where this particular unit has neglected something. Fortunately this time it didn't cost me any money or added stress.
---------
Tomorrow we've got a zero five reveille, that way Derrick has plenty of time (20 minutes) to get ready before heading out for his first day back to his unit to PT with his Marines.
Who'd a thunk it- we're both pretty excited about having to wake up at 5. For tomorrow at least. :)
If you've followed my blogs (here and elsewhere) you know I have had many issues with the unit he attached to. So for me, his return is a long time coming and gives me such a calm feeling- even knowing there's bound to be some chaotic times as he takes/makes his place back in his unit, I'm so at ease.
Yesterday it became official, he checked out of that unit with nothing more than an adios. Oh, and he was handed the write up for his newest medal earned. No ceremony, no frill, just a here ya go and that was that. Derrick was fine with that, but that is something I would have liked to attend, I mean had there been a ceremony. Heck, there were several awards being given to several people and they were just passed out like last weeks spelling test. (Another reason I am so grateful to say goodbye to this unit- there is no esprit de corps).
A few days ago Derrick came home with a couple letters of appreciation for himself and the other Marines that detached from his parent command, he showed them to me and asked if I saw anything wrong with them. I'll let you decide.
I've cut out most identifying information, but you've got enough to know what I'm refering to. The crazy thing is these are the real deal. They've been signed by their Marine Corps commanding officer and an Army Sergeant Major and were passed out to all the guys. Who proofs these things?
It's laughable to me. At this point it's just one more occasion where this particular unit has neglected something. Fortunately this time it didn't cost me any money or added stress.
---------
Tomorrow we've got a zero five reveille, that way Derrick has plenty of time (20 minutes) to get ready before heading out for his first day back to his unit to PT with his Marines.
Who'd a thunk it- we're both pretty excited about having to wake up at 5. For tomorrow at least. :)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The update we've all been waiting for..
is going to have to wait a few more days/weeks because now that Derrick knows what he knows, he doesn't feel the rush to find anything more out. Bah humbug!
Okay, so I do know a little bit.
All of this time waiting and wondering. Would something happen during this deployment to rule MSG out? Would some other unit pick Derrick up before the fiscal year ends (when we were told we'd get orders for MSG)? When we'd know something about anything (because Derrick was at a location where he had no access to this type of information)? All of that put plenty of stress on our plates.
That on top of the e mail I received last week from Brandon's school reminding me that our time on Okinawa (our SOFA status) is about to expire. For those who have never been here, you are actually on a rotation schedule, when it ends you lose driving privileges, utilities and apparently any status with the DoD schools. Back to that e mail, if we were planning on extending on Okinawa, I would need to bring in paperwork for our extension but if we were PCSing (moving) then I need to come in 2 weeks prior to dis enroll the kids from school. If I did not do either of the above listed then I the boys would be dis enrolled by the end of October. Ahh the stress!
So today Derrick went to work and found out the monitors were here on island. For those non Marine people, they are career planners for each particular job or field the Marine Corps has to offer. He called to let me know he'd be home a little later then that expected because they were here. He also said that if he went to the Marine Security Guard monitor and they had lost his information or didn't have something news worthy to give him he would go to his monitor (for his specific job) and get things rolling for orders. Knowing that gave me reason to worry. I already know that if we don't go MSG there are only two things he wants to do. Or rather where he wants to go. MARSOC or back to Cherry Point, NC. My fear was he was going to do everything he could to land a spot at MARSOC. I have plenty of reservations about that one but I'll save it for another blog.
He made it in, he was actually the first person to meet with the MSG monitor. And apparently we've, or rather he's had orders for MSG school since June and we just found out about them today.
Holy heck! All this stress and the orders have been here all along? Seriously? Seriously.
So now that we know they're here Derrick has stopped stressing, and really he has. He can focus on finishing up his warrior transition training and will find out what those orders entail in a week or so, or when ever he gets back to his parent command. Yet here I am still dangling wanting more than just the knowledge that orders are waiting.
So now you're caught up to speed, or at least the same place I am. :)
Stay tuned, I'll update more when I learn more.
Okay, so I do know a little bit.
All of this time waiting and wondering. Would something happen during this deployment to rule MSG out? Would some other unit pick Derrick up before the fiscal year ends (when we were told we'd get orders for MSG)? When we'd know something about anything (because Derrick was at a location where he had no access to this type of information)? All of that put plenty of stress on our plates.
That on top of the e mail I received last week from Brandon's school reminding me that our time on Okinawa (our SOFA status) is about to expire. For those who have never been here, you are actually on a rotation schedule, when it ends you lose driving privileges, utilities and apparently any status with the DoD schools. Back to that e mail, if we were planning on extending on Okinawa, I would need to bring in paperwork for our extension but if we were PCSing (moving) then I need to come in 2 weeks prior to dis enroll the kids from school. If I did not do either of the above listed then I the boys would be dis enrolled by the end of October. Ahh the stress!
So today Derrick went to work and found out the monitors were here on island. For those non Marine people, they are career planners for each particular job or field the Marine Corps has to offer. He called to let me know he'd be home a little later then that expected because they were here. He also said that if he went to the Marine Security Guard monitor and they had lost his information or didn't have something news worthy to give him he would go to his monitor (for his specific job) and get things rolling for orders. Knowing that gave me reason to worry. I already know that if we don't go MSG there are only two things he wants to do. Or rather where he wants to go. MARSOC or back to Cherry Point, NC. My fear was he was going to do everything he could to land a spot at MARSOC. I have plenty of reservations about that one but I'll save it for another blog.
He made it in, he was actually the first person to meet with the MSG monitor. And apparently we've, or rather he's had orders for MSG school since June and we just found out about them today.
Holy heck! All this stress and the orders have been here all along? Seriously? Seriously.
So now that we know they're here Derrick has stopped stressing, and really he has. He can focus on finishing up his warrior transition training and will find out what those orders entail in a week or so, or when ever he gets back to his parent command. Yet here I am still dangling wanting more than just the knowledge that orders are waiting.
So now you're caught up to speed, or at least the same place I am. :)
Stay tuned, I'll update more when I learn more.
I'm taking donations =D
Okay so seriously NO I'm not. But sheesh, this is the first time I've understood why Derrick doesn't like getting new medals and ribbons.
Since Derrick has been home we've had to put quite a bit back into his uniform collection. From new cammies and name tapes to blues trousers and alterations (that's what happens when you drop twenty or so pounds), and the very latest- medal and ribbon mounting. We have spent well over $500 on all of the above. More than three fifths of that was his medals and ribbons alone. I knew it was going to be expensive. I joked with him about taking out a small loan to pay for it all. I just didn't realize it was going to be so expensive.
It's now official (because I say so), Derrick cannot earn any more medals or ribbons. Not for a while at least. :)
While I am complaining right now about the cost, really I don't mind. And the cost isn't putting us out. We've had money set aside for all of this. I was just surprised at the actual amount it all came to.
I am so proud of every medal and ribbon Derrick has earned. Heck, I'm just so proud of him & you all know, he'll look pretty darn snazzy this year at the Marine Corps Ball with his umpteen medals on his chest. 8-)
(& you know I'll take pictures)
Since Derrick has been home we've had to put quite a bit back into his uniform collection. From new cammies and name tapes to blues trousers and alterations (that's what happens when you drop twenty or so pounds), and the very latest- medal and ribbon mounting. We have spent well over $500 on all of the above. More than three fifths of that was his medals and ribbons alone. I knew it was going to be expensive. I joked with him about taking out a small loan to pay for it all. I just didn't realize it was going to be so expensive.
It's now official (because I say so), Derrick cannot earn any more medals or ribbons. Not for a while at least. :)
While I am complaining right now about the cost, really I don't mind. And the cost isn't putting us out. We've had money set aside for all of this. I was just surprised at the actual amount it all came to.
I am so proud of every medal and ribbon Derrick has earned. Heck, I'm just so proud of him & you all know, he'll look pretty darn snazzy this year at the Marine Corps Ball with his umpteen medals on his chest. 8-)
(& you know I'll take pictures)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Wolf Pack, Don't tred on me
Now that he's home, here is a piece of what his everyday life was like in Afghanistan.
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