First Post

Welcome. I hope that I will update this blog on a fairly regular basis so that those who read can see what it's like for me while I deploy to the CENCOM AO (<---fancy Army acronyms which mean "Central Command's Area of Operations IE Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan).

I am an officer in the G-1 section of the 364th ESC. ESC stands for "Expeditionary Sustainment Command." We move into a theater of operations, and take over all aspects of Sustainment Operations. We ensure that anything and everything (or anyone and everyone) who needs to get in and out of Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan does get in and out. If you read the news, and are up-to-date on the importance of the 31 DEC 2011 date, then you can guess what our main emphasis will be until then. If not, use your googlefoo, and learn, padawan.

The above is a general overview of what an ESC does. I said that I am a member of the G-1. That means that I am on the general's staff--an ESC is commanded by a 1-star general, called a Brigadier General. The 1 designation means that we are the personnel section. Our job is to ensure that people get to and from the AOR. We also deal with awards, promotions, strenght management, moral and welfare, and, the job with which I've been tasked, casualty operations or CASOPS. I will be managing and tracking all casualties in all countires in which the United States has a footprint within the CENTCOM AOR. This includes not only the big three, but the Horn of Africa, the Sinai, Qatar, Oman, and Djibouti.

I left Michigan July 28 with my beautiful bride, and we flew to Seattle. There, we had our farewell ceremony which was pretty cool. After that, Christina and I said our goodbyes--which sucked--and I was off to Fort Bliss, TX. Fort Bliss is outside of El Paso, TX, and it is blazing hot here. The highs are consistently over 100 degrees, and apparently West Texas doesn't believe in fully functioning AC. Oh well. I spent the first week getting a lot of shots (to include freaking small pox. It's really gross because I actually have a pock on my arm right now), inprocessing for pay, and working on Standard Operating Procedures for CASOPS. I've been in constant contact with Christina, but our internet here is touch-and-go, so we haven't been able to skype yet. Ironically, it may take for me to get out of the United States before I can have face-to-face communication with her. Go figure.

Anyway, that's all for now. Hope all is well with you.

P.S. If any of my Latin students are reading this, what do you think the title Magister Latinitatis Fit Miles Unum Annum means?