Preparing to fly out

Well, we've had our second mortar live-fire, after two or three days of dithering and scrounging up ammunition for the mortars. Our mortar section, of course, proved to be highly skilled and capable. Our night fire exercise was very impressive, leaving the OC's with, get this, NOTHING to suggest we need to "improve!" That's as rare as anything in the Army.

We've been back through SRC (Soldier Readiness Checkup) and have been issued a few extra items to take over with us. We're starting to pack stuff into our duffel bags and wonder what we're going to do with stuff we can't cram in. We have had several extra training courses that have been very beneficial, and that we're going to wish we could have had twice, or even three times.

I ran into Williams again today, and he told me that what I said to him back at the end of mortar school really encouraged him and that he really appreciated it. I hope that's a sign that I'm really doing the Lords will here.

Oh, and the supply sgt. flew out today, along with someone else in the unit. So when we get there, we should be able to draw some of the things we're still lacking. I'm still short on books, although I have plenty of Sudoku and Crosswords to keep me going. The 1st Sgt. let me read a book by Ted Dekker, a Christian novelist, and it was a lot like a Dean Koontz novel, although I didn't get a very Christian vibe from it. Nothing explicit, anyway, and given the "Christian rock bands" of my youth, I'm pretty leery of anything that's not explicitly Christian.

Gotta run, the Internet cafe' is crowded. time will be up shortly. God Bless!