Wow, How did I get so lucky?

 

How did I get so lucky? I got these today from my sweetie! 

Lillies, Lavender, & Roses: They're all very meaningful flowers. 

On Sunday Jon and I will have been together for 11 whole years.
He's all I've ever known and all I ever care to. <3

What a great week!

On Saturday I received a surprise call from my soulmate (well, 2 actually). We talked for a grand total of 2 hours and 11 minutes! It turns out his platoon won a PT competition and the DS were pleased. We spoke a lot about how much we missed each other and how much we love each other. We talked about our future and adventure. It went by too quickly! I'm sorry I don't have more tangible facts to pass on, but in those moments I'm just not so good at recording that kind of thing.

He does have a bit of an ankle injury though. He says it's nothing to be too worried about, he twisted it in a hole on the way back from the confidence course. He says that one of his buddies is hurt and can't carry his ruck sack (60 lbs) so Jon was carrying both! He just so happened to step in a hole and rolled his ankle pretty badly. He has it taped up and he's still functioning at full strength though. People are calling him a "ruck beast" because as a squad leader he takes the lead on the marches and he has no problem keeping the pace because the weight does nothing to him (his legs are still used to carrying the 65 pounds he lost to enlist) and he can walk forever.

I'm so proud of that guy. He's kind of functioning as platoon uncle/father/protector. I kinda knew that was going to happen. Jon is too much of a kind person to just be there for numero uno. There are a lot of younger ones there who really need some guidance. :)

I've since received a pretty long letter from Jon. Most of it is just to me, but I wanted to pass on a little bit of info:

He's right in the middle of the "Gunfighter" phase, so naturally he's shooting. A LOT. He said that on the range, he's not having any problems really. Out of every 50 shots, he makes about 48. He's still working on the 300 M targets, but that's oh... 3 football fields worth of length, so it's completely understandable!

Also, he told me a pretty funny story about one of the DS that I'd like to pass along.
"...during our return trip to the barracks I pissed off a DS that cut open his glow stick and complained that it burned. I told him that there is glass in there and it may have been cut. He yelled at me and called me a know it all. 5 minutes later I think he got bored and came over to talk to me. Apparently, he is an astronomy nut, and he wanted somebody to talk science with. So, for about 45 minutes we talked about weird science facts like common elements, dark matter, the composition of Jupiter, pulsars, speed of light travel, etc. He said, 'You're a smart mother**** Pampell, what are you doing here?'
I told him I was going into Intelligence, but he said Intelligence 'wasn't shit' and Infantry is where it's at. I like him."

36 days until I get to have my heart in it's correct place, well, at least for a couple of days. He's only got a week and a half left of white phase!

The Most Blessed

After a long call this weekend I was on cloud 9 all week. Just yesterday, I received two amazing letters from my kind, sweet, talented, adorable, courageous, brave, and.. ehmm... sexy husband.  So is there a cloud 10? Cause if so, I am SO there. So let me get to the letters, you guys aren't here to listen to me gush anyway! :)

So, letter 1 was... 12 pages long. Yes, 12 pages! :) He started writing it on October 10th, and mailed it on Sunday before he called me. Because he knows I'm such a visual girl, he drew me a picture of his bunk and a picture of the confidence course. I <3 it! :) He says, "My bed is one of the most squared away bunks in the platoon. Who would have thought?"

He says that he's changing a lot physically and doesn't quite believe the drill sergeants when they say that the whole platoon has gotten more discipline. He's just trying as hard as he can. His ACUs (Army Combat Uniform) are getting bigger on him. :) He also said that his voice is very scratchy from sounding off so loudly. The other platoons in his company are quiet, so his platoon has to make up the difference.

He says that people are calling him sharpshooter now! :) He drew a little diagram of his shot groupings and a little diagram of what is considered a good shot grouping. He's kicking some major tail end. There's apparently a contest and the platoon with the best shooting gets some sort of banner. He's pretty confident that his platoon is doing well enough in that area to take the banner. :)

His Dede is just like our Dede in that she, "takes a little coaxing to get her doing tricks. After that she's beautiful and a little hungry."

He was having a hard time zeroing his gun because his sight picture kept changing. The next day he put a piece of tape on the butt of the gun & he was able to zero her like a champ. He said that the middle of his target was pretty much gone by the time he left that day. :)

He says, "Oh yeah. I qualified on the grenade range. Easy mode. It's like throwing rocks that explode. Real grenades are loud loud LOUD. You have to wear ear protection and it's still loud. You can feel the shockwave. Think of the huge fireworks at 4th of July, but being right next to it."

He also said that he met the PT standards on his diagnostic PT test to graduate from basic, but he won't be happy until he meets AIT graduation standards. He is being careful though, he does not want to spend ANY time in sick call. He says too much is riding on his performance to let that happen.

He's craving milkshakes. :) We'll get him PLEEENTY of those at Christmas. No worries on that one.

Oh, here's something interesting, because we're technically in "peace time" now, the next basic cycle is only 7 weeks. He JUST missed the window. He is kind of thankful for that though, because he knows he'll be a better soldier.  He'll be a "Lean, green, fighting machine like the ninja turtles!" :)

He got my letters on Tuesday and after that it was mostly to me. I'll spare you the gushy details, but I will leave you with this:

"Please tell everyone that I miss them.
Tell the kids [nieces and nephews] that I miss playing with them.
Tell Mom and Dad that I miss their conversation and our meals together.
Tell Sam and Heather I miss BBQing with them.
Tell Brian and Katie I miss our couples nights.
Tell the guys on vent they work better as a team than my platoon.
Tell Lori & Dave I miss their smiles and laughter.
Tell my shower I miss how private it is.
Tell my puppies I miss their cuddles.
Tell Boob I miss talking with him."

He included a training newsletter in his letter. I have it scanned. I won't post it here because I don't want any sort of OPSEC violation or anything. However, if you would like to see it, leave me a comment and I'll email it to you.

Also, if you want his address, definitely leave me a comment and I'll get it mailed to you. I'm sure he would love any letters you guys have the time to send his way. :)

Also, we have all got to have a family/friends meal at Christmas time when he arrives. We won't really know his plans until he gets to AIT, but Christmas Exodus is going to be for two weeks in December. This is just conjecture, but if you guys could keep an open schedule on the evening of Sunday, Dec 19... I'm betting we can all get together for dinner somewhere! *hopes*

<3 ya
- Brie

28 Glorious Minutes!

I spoke with the love of my life today for 28 glorious minutes. He filled me in on some of the stuff he'll be doing this week and we were able to play a little game of catch up. I'm pretty sure I've been on Cloud 10 all day. :)

So this next week my love will be using a grenade launcher, doing his first FTX (Field Training Exercise), and be entering the white phase of his training (also known as the "Gunfighter" phase). He's been selected as Squad Leader and will serve until he's fired. Don't worry though, this happens throughout basic, he's supposed to be fired at some point so everyone has a chance to be squad leader.

Here's the blurb about White Phase from Fort Leonard Wood's website:

White phase encompasses weeks 4-6. It is centered on the development of basic combat skills, with special emphasis on Chemical Mask weapons proficiency and physical fitness training. Skill development, self-discipline, and team building characterize the white phase, along with a lessening of control commensurate with demonstrated performance and responsibility. The highlights for white phase are rifle bayonet training, pugil training, hand to hand training, US weapons, hand grenades and a 72 hour field training exercise focusing on occupying an assembly area and convoy operations.

This means that he's entering week four of training and week five of ten weeks of his time in Missouri. He's almost half way through! (I don't think I can say that the time has flown, but I am completely excited that he's just about half way there!)

He told me on the phone that he received my letters this week, and because of me and his mom he's received the most mail in the platoon! Awesome! :) I do wish he would have been given them earlier because last week his morale hit flashing red WARNING levels.

Christmas time cannot come soon enough. I do plan on squirreling him away for a couple of days of me time after he arrives, so don't be surprised if we don't answer any phone calls! :)  

To Everyone From Jonathan

So here I am again on my little note pad. This is pretty much a note to everyone, so pass this around.

Right now I'm still in Red Phase at the end of my 3rd week here. My platoon is getting sharper after a rocky start. Let's just say I do a lot of pushups on account of my buddies. Oh well. I'm getting sexier every time. I already look thinner (and bald) and I barely recognize myself. I hope you all recognize me at graduation.

I'm certainly having a hard time being away from you guys. I admit that I cry a lot, but I'm determined to stick it out and see you all at Christmas.

So, when I am too busy to think about how I miss you, I'm:
Rappelling
Shooting
Getting tear gassed
Showering with a bunch of dudes
Doing PT
Eating
Cleaning my bunk
Cleaning my rifle
BSing with the Drill Sergeants (limited)
Combatives

The food here is excellent from what I can tell. Perhaps if I wasn't always hungry and eating everything in one chew I'd know better.

Red Phase will be over soon, and I'm looking forward to the "meat" of Basic, so to speak.

We haven't done the sleep deprivation thing yet, but I feel pretty tired all the time anyway. I think it's just the stress.

What's going on over there? I have like zero news sources, and I miss your stories as well.

How the election looking?
What are the kids dressing up as for Halloween?
Have my dogs visited any of you?
How is Brie? Give her a hug for me, please.

It turns out that Basic Rifle marksmanship is pretty easy if you hand Dad and Namps as teachers. Thanks for that, both of you guys. Since human targets are bigger than turtles, hitting them is pretty easy.

The gas chamber, while unpleasant was hilarious. We had our resident Haitian immigrant freak out so badly he was stomping on the floor and screaming like a small girl.

We have a Romanian here as well. He sounds like Arnold Swartzneiger. We had him saying "get to da choppa!" and stuff like that since he joined up.

I'm also becoming an expert at hospital corners.

So, what else to talk about.

My roommates are pretty nerdy and cool with the exception of one. Hicks is kind of a movie critic. Leon is a comic buff. Payne is a religious family man. Zhang is....Asian. He really fits the stereotype. Good at math, likes chess, can't drive, truth seems to match the preconceptions this time.

Zhang and I have already faced off at chess. I won. I consider this affirmation that I am awesome.

If this seems a bit disjointed it's because I only get to write a little at a time.

So, it's Sunday now. Since everyone has a different service to go to, we have a pretty easy morning. I'm still doing work though I'm sweeping and mopping the barracks before doing anything I want to do.

Since you have to be in ACUs to go to church, as we just got punished in my last clean ones yesterday, I can't really go. The laundry service here kinda sucks. They are never on time.

Well, I guess that's all for now.

I love you guys and I miss you terribly.

Jonathan.

Letter four :)

I got letter four in the mail today. He explained the gas chamber to me in this one. He said of course it wasn't pleasant (burning lungs & eyes) but it wasn't anything to panic over. Which was, of course what one of the guys did. He also said that because his platoon supposedly owns the place, they stay in there the longest. (I'm not entirely sure what that means...)

He also said that he is excited to have a Drill Sergeant who's a world class competitive shooter. The whole platoon is really learning a lot. He said that he's (Jon) pretty great at basic rifle marksmanship so far. He sounds really confident. <3

Also, he said that he took a PT test and did better than most of the younger guys. :) Older, smarter, & stronger (hehe!)

He's been playing chess with one of his bunkmates using assorted coins marked with sharpie. I sent him a couple sheets of graph paper to maybe help with a more respectable chess board. :)

As always, I'll keep you guys updated as I get the info.

Love ya!
-Brie

Spoke to Jon yesterday :)

I was able to talk to Jon yesterday for 9 minutes and 31 seconds. That's 16 days worth of pent up emotion right there! To be honest, I'm still processing the call, and it took me quite a while to recover.

I was just so relieved to be able to talk to him that I'm pretty sure I flubbed up a good half of it by constant repetition of, "Oh my gosh it's so good to hear your voice. I miss you... I love you."

We did get to talk briefly about his training. He said that the gas chamber wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. (Yay!) He also said that he's a pretty good marksman. :) He sounded very confident about the physical aspects of basic. He says he's just a balder, skinnier version of the same old Jon. :)

I really am worried about him though, because he has yet to receive any of the 20 letters I've sent so far. Did he think I'd abandoned him? He must have been feeling so alone. He didn't sound very positive about the emotions of this separation at all, and it broke my heart. :( I miss him terribly and I know he's missing all of us even more.

I have to say, it felt like I could actually breathe full breaths for that 9 minutes and 31 seconds we were connected. Maybe I'll be able to breathe again next week.

Happy Day!

So, for the last two days at work I've been sitting on a huge ball. :) It's keeping me in motion and keeping my energy up all day because I don't just sink into a chair and disappear. I think it's really affecting my mood in a positive way.

Or! It could be the letter I got today too. :P

Jon is sounding so much more positive! He described his bunk mates for me in hilarious detail. I'm so relieved to see that he hasn't lost his sense of humor.

He said that he did the "Confidence Course" and really didn't have a problem with it. He rappelled down a 50 foot wall with a harness that he tied himself. He said that one of the guys got in trouble at the top of the tower & was thrown off! They arrested his fall at about 25 feet, but he had a good 25 foot free fall!

He's excited to start learning, and figures that that'll give him much more than the "confidence" course. It looks like they did the Gas Chamber (Eek!), basic rifle marksmanship, and first aid this week. I can't wait to hear about them.

He said that the food is excellent there, but you hardly notice because there is absolutely no time to eat. He also said that the mess hall is a treacherous place because the DS all patrol looking for non-conformity & slip ups.

Lastly, he says that he's able to run much faster now and is improving greatly already.

I'm so proud of my husband! HOOAH! :)

Another Letter!

I got another letter from my love today! :) It looks like he sent it on Oct 4. (Or at least it was sent from the post on Oct. 4th). He says that some of the guys in his platoon are pretty awful and they get smoked every day for something dumb that they've done. :(

He also said that he can make his bunk in the dark now and is pretty much a pro bed maker. :)

As of the day he wrote this he hasn't received any of my letters. :( I've been sending them daily. I hope he gets them soon. He sounds so sad that he hasn't gotten any yet.

He also said that one of his Drill Sergeants calls him "Wetsol" because he reminds her of a private from a previous cycle.;) Supposedly he looked like Jon and always tried his best (like Jon. :) She apparently is the one who smokes them the hardest, but Jon can tell she really cares.

So Jon named his M16 Dede. :) He says that she's a vicious bitch (and cuddly too!)

Here's hoping that he'll be able to call me on Sunday.

The First Letter!

Received my first letter from Jon today. I now have his address and I'm going to scan the instructions so that I can send it to you in pdf format. Just drop me an email to request it, or leave a comment here.

Now to the other stuff. The letter I got from Jon was mostly from reception. I think the last he wrote was on Sunday night. It said the training was to start on Tuesday. I imagine he's right in the thick of all of the unpleasant stuff. Just from reception I got the impression that he's thoroughly exhausted, stressed, and on edge.

He said that he understands that he can't avoid getting yelled at, but he can at least take his licks knowing that he's trying his best.

He also said that he supposedly has the cream of the crop for drill sergeants. They're expert marksmen and he should be one too by the time he leaves.

I'm so proud of him. :) Cannot wait to hear his voice. Hopefully they'll let him call on Sunday. <3