College football kills me on Saturdays. It begins at 1900 and the afternoon game doesn’t end until 0200 the next morning. I usually have a half day off on Sundays, but not always. For two weeks in a row I watched the Saturday night games, which started at 0230 Iraq time. First I watched OU lose to Miami and the next week I watched TCU beat Air Force in a 9-degree wind chill sleet storm.

This week we saw four of our finest leave early so they can attend Warrior Leadership Course in Fort Dix, NJ. As a reservist you have to take a school when you can get it. This is a school you need as a new Sergeant. One of the guys going has been an E5 for about three years and hasn’t been to the school. He got to watch everyone else get promoted this year while he stayed a Sergeant. It ate at him a little, but now he’s leaving Iraq a month early to take care of his career. I think it’ll all work out.

Also this week, we received 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division coins from the commanding general. His chief-of-staff gave our commander a gift of a red bull k-bar for how we were treated at the beginning of the red bull reign. They had no idea what to do with us and really messed with our housing. It was a mess, and it was nice to hear that they were sorry. All of it was a nice gesture. Then the next evening most of the MPAD received their awards from the deputy commanding general. Sassypants received a well-deserved bronze star. He’s the NCO that makes stuff happen. He’s a great leader and a hard worker. No one earned that medal more than him. The Sorority Soldier earned a Meritorious Service Medal and the other two broadcasters got Army Commendation Medals. I can’t say I disagree with any of those awards. My award is lost in the sauce of division. It would have been nice to get it with everyone else, but the administrators have other ideas.

We are winding down. Our conex is packed with all of our equipment. It’s now under customs seal. We’re just waiting on our replacements.

It’s time to come home.

Now for a little musical interlude, in honor of our conex…..

This post is tagged 343rd MPAD, Awards