A day in the life
It came close today...
As I said in my first post, I'm a drilling reservist, subject to change. It came close to changing today.
I received a call at work just before 0900(9AM to you civvies) from one of my unit admenastrators. She informed me that I had come down on a roster of four people and that they would be taking three of us to deploy with a Reserve Unit being activated 1 March. They needed three 11B(Infantry). The unit was an MI Battalion(Military Intelegince Bn) from the north east. Nothing much else was known.
At that time I could "Volunteer" or take my chances. I looked at the calendar across the break room. 1 March was a Tuesday. I have drill this weekend, and I'm on orders for training all next week. I was going to have two day's to get everything together and say good bye and be gone. That's a jump throught the hoops for my employer, and, I have alot of questions...I don't know these people...where is theyre Mobilization Station? What will I do in an Intellegince unit as an Infantryman? Where are they going to, Iraq or Afghanitan? Can I take my own personal side arm(A Sigg Sauer P220 .45 ACP)? I asked who else was on the list...The names were familair, but, I couldn't place the faces. I'm reletivaly new to this unit and it's over a three hour drive from my house. If I had heard the name of my buddies that transfered there with me I would have "Volunteered".
She said that she would let me know what came either way. Simple. As I told her, you just acceppt the inevitable. I imeadiatly told my Plant Manager. He was like..."tell them you have to know for sure. That your employer has to find someone new." I had warned him some time back that this could happen.(I can hear a helecopter buzzing through the mountains)
I told him they would let me know.
I then got on my Military e-mail and sent word to the boy's that had transfered to this new unit with me and one of the retired guy's. Then I got on my cell phone and tried getting ahold of my brother. Last Sunday we had talked it over, (I am pending activation later in the yrear, but, this was sudden) he would handle things for me while I was gone...My Power of Attorney, handle the things that come up. He lives a couple of states away and I knew was doing contract work in a Papaer Mill on third shift. I called the number he had called me on my cell phone from. It was the Paper Mill. So I sent him an e-mail.
Here it was, I was most likley(80%) going to war with a unit I knew nothing about. And as I told my brother, a bunch of yankees. I would not know my date of activation(1March?) and where I would have to go to. Much less what was actually being reqiured of me. And can I take my gun?
Further, I was going to have to settle some affairs quick. Set my power up on bank draft and cut off the main power, cut the water to the house and drain all water lines . Basicaly shut everything down and notify my creditors. I have had a plan, but, it was being implemented at a faster rate than I had anticipated lately.
Then at noon I received another call. USARC(US ARMY RESERVE COMMAND) sent another message down and all four of us was off the list. They had someone already aligned before hand...a SNAFU Basicaly. Then I had to turn around and tell everyone it was off. The Plant Manager said Welcome Back.
No one knows of this in the family, but, my brother. I don't think some have took it seriously. Some can't comprehind that I live on call. That's what it is...on call.
I have spent the evening packing for drill and my week to come. I need to get everything in the truck in the morning and won't be back until the next weekend.
Amy, if your reading this, no offense on the Yankee thing.
The future is alway's uncertain...
Appalachian Intellectual
As I said in my first post, I'm a drilling reservist, subject to change. It came close to changing today.
I received a call at work just before 0900(9AM to you civvies) from one of my unit admenastrators. She informed me that I had come down on a roster of four people and that they would be taking three of us to deploy with a Reserve Unit being activated 1 March. They needed three 11B(Infantry). The unit was an MI Battalion(Military Intelegince Bn) from the north east. Nothing much else was known.
At that time I could "Volunteer" or take my chances. I looked at the calendar across the break room. 1 March was a Tuesday. I have drill this weekend, and I'm on orders for training all next week. I was going to have two day's to get everything together and say good bye and be gone. That's a jump throught the hoops for my employer, and, I have alot of questions...I don't know these people...where is theyre Mobilization Station? What will I do in an Intellegince unit as an Infantryman? Where are they going to, Iraq or Afghanitan? Can I take my own personal side arm(A Sigg Sauer P220 .45 ACP)? I asked who else was on the list...The names were familair, but, I couldn't place the faces. I'm reletivaly new to this unit and it's over a three hour drive from my house. If I had heard the name of my buddies that transfered there with me I would have "Volunteered".
She said that she would let me know what came either way. Simple. As I told her, you just acceppt the inevitable. I imeadiatly told my Plant Manager. He was like..."tell them you have to know for sure. That your employer has to find someone new." I had warned him some time back that this could happen.(I can hear a helecopter buzzing through the mountains)
I told him they would let me know.
I then got on my Military e-mail and sent word to the boy's that had transfered to this new unit with me and one of the retired guy's. Then I got on my cell phone and tried getting ahold of my brother. Last Sunday we had talked it over, (I am pending activation later in the yrear, but, this was sudden) he would handle things for me while I was gone...My Power of Attorney, handle the things that come up. He lives a couple of states away and I knew was doing contract work in a Papaer Mill on third shift. I called the number he had called me on my cell phone from. It was the Paper Mill. So I sent him an e-mail.
Here it was, I was most likley(80%) going to war with a unit I knew nothing about. And as I told my brother, a bunch of yankees. I would not know my date of activation(1March?) and where I would have to go to. Much less what was actually being reqiured of me. And can I take my gun?
Further, I was going to have to settle some affairs quick. Set my power up on bank draft and cut off the main power, cut the water to the house and drain all water lines . Basicaly shut everything down and notify my creditors. I have had a plan, but, it was being implemented at a faster rate than I had anticipated lately.
Then at noon I received another call. USARC(US ARMY RESERVE COMMAND) sent another message down and all four of us was off the list. They had someone already aligned before hand...a SNAFU Basicaly. Then I had to turn around and tell everyone it was off. The Plant Manager said Welcome Back.
No one knows of this in the family, but, my brother. I don't think some have took it seriously. Some can't comprehind that I live on call. That's what it is...on call.
I have spent the evening packing for drill and my week to come. I need to get everything in the truck in the morning and won't be back until the next weekend.
Amy, if your reading this, no offense on the Yankee thing.
The future is alway's uncertain...
Appalachian Intellectual
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Thursday, February 17, 2005
4 Comments:
Hello hello. Sorry for the delay - haven't been blogging much this week. I get distracted with other projects and the like and only come back to blogging when I think of it.
Are you glad that they aren't calling you up, or is this someth9ng you want to do? Just curious. I'll post a reponse to your comment in my blog before I call it a night.
I know you would go if called, but I'm just as glad you're not. War is a nasty business that (I think) is best viewed from afar. However, in any way I might could help I would have your back.
Thanks for the shoutout in your blog. It was nice. In fact, a better tribute than I gave you.
Rena commented to me also, but just to tell me a hamdog sounds disgusting. I got so busy responding (you're right, she seems the decent type) that I forgot to tell her I lived in her neck of the woods for 6 years. 301 south to the Potomac River bridge in Dahlgren, King George County, Virginia. So Rena, if you're following this thread....
Later,
Travelin' Ed the homesick southerner
Am I glad? Well, I was having to jump through hoops, going to war with people that I did not know, with no other firm information...Going is inevetible. As a Soldier, you want to do your job. 17 years ago when I was a young Private First Class in a Ranger Battalion the greatest honor that be thrown on me was going to war and as a Seargent First Class all these years later, some of that still exists in me. I could be more specific, but, that should go in a post.
Rena, Hamdogs don't sound too bad...Ed could sale them to pregnant women, I'm sure.
Ed is right, war is best observed from afar...the Navy likes to punch a button and nail them from 120 miles out. It's fun to watch on the history chanell too. Unfornutaly, this kind of war is not like that.
Rena, Ed, you'l be good...
Hey there AI. Hope your training week is going well - thanks for your comment in my blog. Sorry I haven't responded specifically. I've been all enamored of and involved in blogging over at Daily Kos. If you're interested, you can see my diary entries. It will give you plenty to argue about with me in your valued respectful way. ;-)
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