Oh yes. This is how it's going to be while I'm out here. Do to the fact that trying to get on a computer at the internet place takes almost 1 1/2 to 2 hours and lets not forget the office computer. There is only one computer for about 30 people to get on and check their e-mails and what not. I had purchased a thumb drive so I could type my blog on my computer and then just upload it on here but it has seemed to have disappeared (sticky fingers McGee).
I just figured I'd stop by and let everyone know I have made it back to the sand box. I know all your prayers and wishes are here for me and I thank you for them. If youd like to contact me the e-mail is joshua.christie@acemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil . And to my loving wife I love you and miss you.
HOW DID I GET SO LUCKY?
Later,
Joshua
Friday, March 03, 2006
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Changes....
As you can tell I'm trying to spice up the blog page. So over the next couple of days you'll see a couple of changes here and there. Just hang in there with me. I'll also get those pics I promised earlier. I'm more worried about doing things to the page that I will not be able to do in country.
Joshua
Joshua
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Face Of The Earth!!!
Fell off. Fell off. Fell the hell off!
Thats exactly what happened. I have been so busy the past few months since returning that I haven't really found the time or the words to really have a good blog. Sean (docinthebox.blogspot.com) has been poking me with a stick for the past month or so to let everyone know what I have done in my last three months of being home. There are only two things that I feel are of real importance. I am now a married man! On Jan 7th, 2006 I got married to my girlfriend of two years. I met her family over Christmas leave and asked her to marry me on christmas eve. I had to get the ok from her dad before I even thought about popping the question. I have some pics but will have to post them later when I get on my personal computer.
The other thing of great importance is my return to the sand box. I will be deploying again the first week of Febuaury to Al Taqqadum, Iraq. I will be flying in the CH-46 as a casevac corpsman. Which is basically an EMT of sorts. We fly into the battle zones and pick up wounded and treat them as we fly them to a higher echelon of care. So after much deliberation with the wife we decided it would help us as far as the money for our first home. So, here we go again for another 6-9 month deployment. So the next time you read from me it will be from the sand box.
Joshua
DING! Fries are done..! You have to read Doc in the Box to understand that last part.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Friday, October 21, 2005
HOME AGAIN!!!
We have made it back to Miramar!!! On Thursday the 6th of OCT at 0730 in the morning HMH-465 arrived at MCAS Miramar. They were greeted by a sea of anxious loved ones, significant others, friends, and family. Most everyone had someone there to welcome them home, and if they didn't then there was definitely enough love and admiration to go around. For somewhere around 40% this was their first deployment to Iraq and their first homecoming. This will be something that they will remember for the rest of their military careers.
I know, I know!!! I'm lousy at keeping on top of my blog page now that I'm back in the rear. But do not worry. I shall be back to at least weekly musings in a short time. Right now I'm trying to spice up the blog. One of my fellow corspman is helping me with backgrounds and skins. I hope to be up and running by the end of next week. So until the next time I get around to it.
Joshua
I know, I know!!! I'm lousy at keeping on top of my blog page now that I'm back in the rear. But do not worry. I shall be back to at least weekly musings in a short time. Right now I'm trying to spice up the blog. One of my fellow corspman is helping me with backgrounds and skins. I hope to be up and running by the end of next week. So until the next time I get around to it.
Joshua
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
So there I was...
I'm truly sorry for the lack of devotion I've shown to my faithful readers. The past month has just flown. With all our advanced party leaving, us getting ready to return to the states, the E-5 exam, and taking 4 days of R&R to Qatar. I haven't really had the chance to sit down and put my thoughts to the computer.
Where did I leave off? Our advanced party has made it back to the states which means we are soon to follow. The squadron that is supposed to take over for us should be here really soon and all we have left to do here in medical is pack up our records and medical books and we'll be ready for turnover. Just a few more weeks and I'll be back in the states with the woman I love, and my friends and family. Just thinking about this makes it even harder to sleep at night.
I took the exam to see if I make E-5(HM2) on the 8th of SEP. Now all I can do is sit around and wait for the results to come out sometime in the end of NOV. I studied my ass off for this exam. I studied the last half of July, and the entire month of August just reading our manuals and what not. I really think it paid off too. It's a 200 question exam that we are required to take every MAR and SEP. Each test if different and they give us bibliographies on what stuff we should review for the exam. 75-100 questions of wich have to do with job specific items, 50 questions on Navy history and heritage stuff, and then another 50 questions on things that are related to being a Petty Officer Second Class in the Navy. Out of the entire 200 questions I think I had a problem with about 10-15 of them. So like I said I fell really confident about this exam. Your score on the exam isn't the only thing that you require to advance to the next paygrade. It's a multiple of your time in rate(How long you've been an E-4), your eval which is completed annually, your award points (Points aquired for certain ribbons or medals you've recieved as an E-4), and your PNA pionts (Points awarded for taking the exam before but not making the cut off). All of these scores are tallied up and that creates your final multiple. If your final multiple reaches the cut off multiple then you are advanced to the next paygrade. If not then you get those PNA (Passed but Not Advanced) points. I think there are one or two more things that weigh on your final multiple but I'm not quite sure what those are.
So moving along... I got to go to Qatar for 4 days of R&R. It was good times once we finally got there. The groupd I went with was supposed to leave on the 10 th but our C-130 got cancelled two days in a row. Finally flew out on the 13th about 0100. I spent most of my time in Qatar at th pool or in the gym. They have a Chili's right there pool side. So most the time we just swam, played some water polo, and then ate at Chili's. The gym was amazing. From the time you walk in you'd think you were at an actual health club. The even had a spa where you could get a full body massage. I didn't partake in that though. I'll wait to get home for one of those. HINT HINT!!! Oh and let's not forget that your allowed three beers a night. Whoopee!!! Not that big on drinkin so I only drank one of my beers with dinner each night and sold the other two tickets to the guys I was with on R&R. There were some people that 3 beers were a little too much for them!!! Had a lot of pics from the whole thing but my camera was stolen from out table in the bar. One of the other guys bought a camera and took some pics the last night we were there so I'll put them up when I get them.
So that about covers what I've been doing over the past month. As for whats happening around the base here. Nothing really going on other than these idiot insurgents blowing upour water lines and shooting rockets at the base every now and then. We went almost two months without an IDF (In-direct fire) attack cause the grunts went on a forced march through the desert and found most of the insurgants ammunition. Well it seems like they have restocked and are now playing their little games again. That's O.K. though.
"They want to play games?
We'll play games!
We play our games.
Do you know why they are called our games?
Cause we always WIN!!!"
As quoted by one of my RDC's in Boot Camp.
So I have had a few requests to link some pages on my blog page. I would love to do so, but I can not do it right now. My web page is going to be undergoing some major cosmetic reconstruction. When that is complete I will put those links on here. That is all I have for now. I'll try to post a few more times before I go home. If not then I will catch you all on the flispside.
Joshua
Where did I leave off? Our advanced party has made it back to the states which means we are soon to follow. The squadron that is supposed to take over for us should be here really soon and all we have left to do here in medical is pack up our records and medical books and we'll be ready for turnover. Just a few more weeks and I'll be back in the states with the woman I love, and my friends and family. Just thinking about this makes it even harder to sleep at night.
I took the exam to see if I make E-5(HM2) on the 8th of SEP. Now all I can do is sit around and wait for the results to come out sometime in the end of NOV. I studied my ass off for this exam. I studied the last half of July, and the entire month of August just reading our manuals and what not. I really think it paid off too. It's a 200 question exam that we are required to take every MAR and SEP. Each test if different and they give us bibliographies on what stuff we should review for the exam. 75-100 questions of wich have to do with job specific items, 50 questions on Navy history and heritage stuff, and then another 50 questions on things that are related to being a Petty Officer Second Class in the Navy. Out of the entire 200 questions I think I had a problem with about 10-15 of them. So like I said I fell really confident about this exam. Your score on the exam isn't the only thing that you require to advance to the next paygrade. It's a multiple of your time in rate(How long you've been an E-4), your eval which is completed annually, your award points (Points aquired for certain ribbons or medals you've recieved as an E-4), and your PNA pionts (Points awarded for taking the exam before but not making the cut off). All of these scores are tallied up and that creates your final multiple. If your final multiple reaches the cut off multiple then you are advanced to the next paygrade. If not then you get those PNA (Passed but Not Advanced) points. I think there are one or two more things that weigh on your final multiple but I'm not quite sure what those are.
So moving along... I got to go to Qatar for 4 days of R&R. It was good times once we finally got there. The groupd I went with was supposed to leave on the 10 th but our C-130 got cancelled two days in a row. Finally flew out on the 13th about 0100. I spent most of my time in Qatar at th pool or in the gym. They have a Chili's right there pool side. So most the time we just swam, played some water polo, and then ate at Chili's. The gym was amazing. From the time you walk in you'd think you were at an actual health club. The even had a spa where you could get a full body massage. I didn't partake in that though. I'll wait to get home for one of those. HINT HINT!!! Oh and let's not forget that your allowed three beers a night. Whoopee!!! Not that big on drinkin so I only drank one of my beers with dinner each night and sold the other two tickets to the guys I was with on R&R. There were some people that 3 beers were a little too much for them!!! Had a lot of pics from the whole thing but my camera was stolen from out table in the bar. One of the other guys bought a camera and took some pics the last night we were there so I'll put them up when I get them.
So that about covers what I've been doing over the past month. As for whats happening around the base here. Nothing really going on other than these idiot insurgents blowing upour water lines and shooting rockets at the base every now and then. We went almost two months without an IDF (In-direct fire) attack cause the grunts went on a forced march through the desert and found most of the insurgants ammunition. Well it seems like they have restocked and are now playing their little games again. That's O.K. though.
"They want to play games?
We'll play games!
We play our games.
Do you know why they are called our games?
Cause we always WIN!!!"
As quoted by one of my RDC's in Boot Camp.
So I have had a few requests to link some pages on my blog page. I would love to do so, but I can not do it right now. My web page is going to be undergoing some major cosmetic reconstruction. When that is complete I will put those links on here. That is all I have for now. I'll try to post a few more times before I go home. If not then I will catch you all on the flispside.
Joshua
Saturday, August 20, 2005
My Two Cents...
Here I go again. I tried to sit back and not get all revved up by what's going on in the rear. But when this is the only thing that ever covers the news what do you expect. So here it is. My opinion!
Every president that is elected will be liked by some and disliked by others. Had Kerry been elected, then the supporters of Bush would have felt the way the Kerry supporters feel now. It happens every 4 years when elections come around, so whats new?
In Vietnam, there was very little support for our troops. From what my dad has told me, they came home and people said some mean stuff and did some really awful stuff. Now, it seems that everyday you hear about people supporting the troops, but not supporting the Government. People need to realize that we as a COUNTRY are at war and that we need to stick together and not go around pointing fingers every chance we get. I mean, we have people like Cindy Sheehan. She wanted to meet with the President because her son died at war? No offense, but does she forget what happens in war? We don't drop crayon bombs and throw lipstick at each other unfortunately like she may think. When her son enlisted, he knew what he was doing, so she needs to rethink things. God forbid I die. I hope my parents and family understand that I chose this as my life and as a result of making this adult decision I take on all consiquences of that decision. I for one, am thankful for each and every one of my brother and sister in arms that has joined our armed forces to serve this country. Without their service and dedication America would not be what it is today. It's sad when a soldier loses their life, but they gave it fighting for our freedom. I for one would not want to pull out of here now knowing that all those people had died in vain for us to just give up. We owe these Iraqi people. We came over and tore down their government, houses, and farms. We at least owe it to them to help rebuild.
So this is my 2 cents. Take it or leave it.
I have some question for Mrs. Sheehan. Why didn't you protest the war before the death of your son? Could it be because your son would have disowned you like your husband did?
Every president that is elected will be liked by some and disliked by others. Had Kerry been elected, then the supporters of Bush would have felt the way the Kerry supporters feel now. It happens every 4 years when elections come around, so whats new?
In Vietnam, there was very little support for our troops. From what my dad has told me, they came home and people said some mean stuff and did some really awful stuff. Now, it seems that everyday you hear about people supporting the troops, but not supporting the Government. People need to realize that we as a COUNTRY are at war and that we need to stick together and not go around pointing fingers every chance we get. I mean, we have people like Cindy Sheehan. She wanted to meet with the President because her son died at war? No offense, but does she forget what happens in war? We don't drop crayon bombs and throw lipstick at each other unfortunately like she may think. When her son enlisted, he knew what he was doing, so she needs to rethink things. God forbid I die. I hope my parents and family understand that I chose this as my life and as a result of making this adult decision I take on all consiquences of that decision. I for one, am thankful for each and every one of my brother and sister in arms that has joined our armed forces to serve this country. Without their service and dedication America would not be what it is today. It's sad when a soldier loses their life, but they gave it fighting for our freedom. I for one would not want to pull out of here now knowing that all those people had died in vain for us to just give up. We owe these Iraqi people. We came over and tore down their government, houses, and farms. We at least owe it to them to help rebuild.
So this is my 2 cents. Take it or leave it.
I have some question for Mrs. Sheehan. Why didn't you protest the war before the death of your son? Could it be because your son would have disowned you like your husband did?
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