Combatives...

The Army's new name for hand-to-hand combat - Combatives. I was skeptical at first, but we really did learn some useful stuff. They're not trying to turn us into Ninjas, just teach people how to keep themselves alive and gain control using dominant body positions and basic techniques.



We all hung out in this large pit full of chopped up tire pieces. At last, a solution for the excess used tire problem - everyone should have a combatives pit in their back yard!








Below is SGT Joe Ryan from the Davenport Detachment of our company. Joe is an aircraft airframe repairman (Army Aviation's version of the Body Shop) and always keeps a good attitude.

It was a typical 99 degree day in Oklahoma. We're all getting used to the heat, but there were some pretty red noggins and noses after this morning of no shade.....

The instructors were very good - lots of experience. They showed us a few submission moves as well - Careful, I now know how to choke you out, so you better be good....

When asked how long you should maintain a choke out on an enemy combatant, the correct answer is: "Until the flies start to gather."

Back "home" again in Oklahoma...

Here are a couple of pics of the boys at work during the Aviation Training Exercise at Ft Rucker. The facility is really kind of cool - there are combat flight simulators in another part of the building, so the aircrews fly real time missions and us 'brain cell' guys track them and handle all the boring stuff - logistics (fuel, maintenance, ammo, etc.) to keep the mission going.

Andy Nordseth digs in on the "Petite" breakfast

burrito at The Diner in Daleville, AL, right outside

the Ft Rucker gate....

Well, here we are back in sunny - oops - rainy - oops sunny Oklahoma. The locals tell me that the weather is running about a month behind schedule - Winter lasted an extra month, so they're still getting Spring rains in late June - go figure.

A fleet of CH-47D Chinooks on the Ft Sill Army

Airfield ramp - about $35M a copy.........

But they'll lift a bridge if you really need one.

Anyway, it's godawful hot, but the humidity doesn't seem too bad after being in Alabama for a week and a half.

US Army's newest Warrant Officers

Yesterday I was priviledged to attend the graduation ceremony of Warrant Officer Class 2008-15. My comrade and close friend, Gary Freel became a Warrant Officer.

Gary's Wife Kelly, daughter Shay, and Mom and Pop were there. Kelly and Mom pinned on his bars, while Dad (CW4 retired) and Shay looked on.

Sorry for the bad photography, but it's the best I could do.

Kevin Springer, from our unit, who will be going on to Army Flight School soon was in the same class.

Tornado at Scout Camp in Western Iowa

Just got this pic from my buddy, John Shannon, of the tornado that killed four scouts and injured dozens of others in Western Iowa. What a tragedy, but the picture is worth a thousand words....

On a happier note: Happy Father's Day! Got calls from Lois and both kids today. My life is complete....

Ft Rucker Vacation

Yup,

I never thought I'd be this tickled to be at Ft Rucker, Alabama. We flew in this evening for a 34th Combat Aviation Brigade training event the next 10 days. We're staying at a local motel - my own room, air conditioning that works, hot water, real food, all those things I usually take for granted.....

Nice chartered flight from Lawton, OK to Dothan, AL - no intermediate stops, no TSA lines, just got on and got off, grabbed a rental and headed for the motel. I'm hyped up on diet Coke, so bear with me.

Father's Day tomorrow - just one of all the holidays I'm going to miss with my family this year - I miss you all very, very much.

Well, gotta go check Army stuff on my email. Don't forget to write when you find the time. I'm always glad to hear from you. I'll have pretty good internet access the next 10 days, so I promise to answer.

I may get leave from 13-18 July before I go to Kuwait. I'll keep you posted on this blog.

Watch this space.....

Later, Dave

More Pics, etc....

Here are some shots of our TF 34 aircraft - the big ones are CH-47D Chinooks, and the single rotor aircraft are UH-60 Black Hawks. Red crosses on the Medevac birds.

These are from our family picnic the Monday before we left for Oklahoma. A great turnout and a really nice bunch of folks. I am blessed to serve with some great young men and women - they're a lot more tolerant of the hurry up and wait than I am!

Take care, everyone.

Write when you find the time.

Later, Dave

Dateline, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.....

Howdy all.

I thought I'd start this blog instead of bugging everyone via email. For now, I have pretty good internet service, but we'll see what it's like overseas. Please feel free to share this site with anyone who might give a rip.

Gosh, it's hot. How hot? Hotter than a three dollar Rolex - Hotter than a stiffed waitress, that's how....

95 degrees today - it's about 90 in our room - the A/C doesn't...

We're doing pretty well, all things considered. Went through another screening and I fooled 'em one last time... We drew all our new swoopy go-to-war stuff yesterday. It was a long, hot one, but another block is checked..

I'm going to work with the Battalion Support Ops section as the Aviation Logistics Officer. What that means is that I'll track the aircraft status reports from all the battalions in our Combat Aviation Brigade and help them get repair parts, special tools, support equipment, etc, etc, etc.... I get to work with all the Battalion Aviation Maintenance Officers pretty much every day. We're doing modifications to the aircraft and trying to fit it all in while they continue their flight training for the desert.

I'll be going to Kuwait around the 20th of July, (about three weeks ahead of our advance party), to coordinate all the dock operations - unloading aircraft, building them back up, getting them through Maintenance Test Flights and off to the Kuwaiti training area. I'm not sure if I'll get any leave before that or not - sure hope so.

There are about 30 of us from the brigade going to an Aviation Training Exercise at Ft Rucker, Alabama on Saturday. We'll be there for 10 days (real hotel livin', with real A/C. Yee Ha!) and come back on the evening of the 23rd.

Try and stay dry, dodge the twisters and party on!

Dave