NightCrawler Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Keep it real. Alot of us just want you home safe. You're in my prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Thanks NC. Just got back from the second long mission of the day. Ready for sleep. Just making the rounds whenever I can. One thing I can't do is complain too much about the living conditions here. I don't envy Prozac one bit. We live well on the FOB at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly2442 Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 How long does your entire term in the service last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 8 Years. I have 6 years of active drilling status... as National Guard that's one weekend a month, two/three weeks a summer. I have two years of Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). I don't drill or do anything with the Army. Just Joe Blow civilian, but the Army can call me up for deployment if it needs me. I'm thinking about extending to get rid of my IRR time. I know a lot of guys here who had a few months left on IRR before their contract with the Army was completely up, but they were pulled for this deployment. This tour lasts just over a year. Started in 1Dec08 and will end officially around 10Feb10, even though I expect to be home by the end of January. National Guard is a strange beast. But I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pz3 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 thats the thing ruin, we are on one of the biggest fobs in country. Building a new runway for C17s right now but we rarely got chances to just live here. every few days we would be back out on week to two week long missions. The 509th and other parts of the 501st have some crappy living conditions but everything we have we built. Gave us 4 empty connexes, tons of wood and POWER TOOLS! pretty much made what we wanted with 2 guys per connex... got some AC/heater units made doors, insulated them, ran our own wiring. Its not to bad havent been out in the last 2 months and I gotta admit getting cabin fever on the fob now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 I know about FOB Cabin Fever. As we're getting closer to coming home (within 60 days now) our chain of command has slowed our roll pretty heavily. We were going out at least every other day, now it seems to be every few days. Because of the Status of Forces Agreement, gone are the days of extended OPs. We're capped at 4 hours without IA involvement. Crazy huh? It's amazing how different both AOs can be. We've got civ contractors on the FOB. They're responsible for FOB improvement in tandem with the FOB Mayor/CoC. This FOB has been here since 03 though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Merry Christmas Everyone, Just wanted to give you all a quick update from the sandbox. In roughly 30 days, I'll be at home, on terminal leave, drinking beer. In 60 days, I'll be in Indonesia visiting the family. For the most part, our ops have stopped here. We're getting ready to hand over power in the coming weeks and start movement out of the FOB, to the airport, to Kuwait, to the demob station in GA, and then back to the house. I sent off my tough box and duffle full of clothes in the shipping connex, and have mailed off most of my gear. The light is on the horizon. Some great news... 2 days ago I was surprised at an awards ceremony. I, and about a dozen other guys in my platoon, were the only people in our company, and part of the two dozen in the Battalion, to receive our Combat Action Badges (CABs). We were recommended for them back in September, and nearly 4 months to the day after our engagement, we were awarded them. Quite the honor for me. Anyway, just wanted to let you all know what was going on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl Ledanek Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Merry Christmas Ruin and to the rest of the guys out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabellum Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 God Bless you Ruin. You and all the other guys and girls from GR.net who are serving. Thank you for continuing to give the rest of us the gift of freedom. Many blessings on you and yours, my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Thanks guys. Merry Christmas to you all as well. We're getting a very special guest today. I'll see if I can get pics before he leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 Some great news... 2 days ago I was surprised at an awards ceremony. I, and about a dozen other guys in my platoon, were the only people in our company, and part of the two dozen in the Battalion, to receive our Combat Action Badges (CABs). We were recommended for them back in September, and nearly 4 months to the day after our engagement, we were awarded them. Quite the honor for me. Congrats Ruin, and Merry Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnTC02 Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Congrats on the CABs Ruin, I bet your itching to get home. You guys are doing a great job out there keeping us all safe, I hope you and your platoon have a good Christmas. Stay safe, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Rocky and John, Thanks for the congrats guys. I'm very excited to come home soon, in a few days I'll hit my 13th month for this deployment. I'm ready for the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly2442 Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 For those of you that don't know what a Combat Action Badge is (I had to look it up): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_action_badge Glad you're coming home soon. I'm sure you'll enjoy a much deserved break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pz3 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Congrats on the CAB Ruin I've been or will soon be getting awarded from this deployment: CIB (Combat Infantryman Badge) ARCOM (army commendation medal) Drivers badge??? something about driving a lot. Had a chance to get the V device on the ARCOM but me and the other guy told the Platoon leader we didnt want it. Nothing I dunno maybe its just me but theres nothing valor about it. I signed up to do this crap, not get medals. In other news the SSG. in control of my butt was awarded a bronze star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Congrats on the CIB Prozac. We've got an array of deployment awards coming also, I forget what they are. I got an ARCOM at the same time I got my CAB. Our LT got a Bronze Star. Only a handful in our company did, only 3 officers and I think 5 NCOs. I was awarded my Gold Spurs today also. Pretty cool. I'll get my Stetson ordered just before I get home so I can have it meet me at the house. We head off the FOB in less than a week. Then we get to chill around at BIAP/Striker for about 12 days, then Kuwait, then home. Hoping to be back at the house around the first of Feb. Stay safe until you're out of there PZ. Let me know where you are once you're stateside. I've got a friend at Bragg right now who just finished Airborne and is in the pre-selection phase of SF training. Maybe I can buy you guys a beer or two or 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Just a quick update... We left the FOB a few days ago. There hasn't been a sandstorm here in months, but of course the day we leave... Our flight got pushed back 6 hours as we sat in the storm. Didn't care, we're starting the journey home! I'm at Striker just hanging out, waiting on the rest of my Company to get here so we can get on a bird to Kuwait, then Georgia, then home. One step closer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natsanwa Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 havent been around for ages, so i'll keep it simple - just get home safely mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteKnight77 Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Stay safe on the way home. When are ya due in Atlanta? If ya have time between connecting flights, I might stop in and buy ya a beer in the Atrium if ya can leave the concourse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 WK, We won't be coming in to ATL. We'll de-mob at Ft. Stewart and are on lock-down until we get on a bus going back to NC. Unless they radically change their mind and let POVs pick us up rather than bus, I won't be able to escape or drink beer. But, I'll be through GA and SC during the Spring. I'll try and setup a rain-check. Natsanwa, thanks man. Looking forward to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Made it to GA yesterday. A few days of paperwork and then I get to go back to the house and take some time off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pz3 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Stay safe on the way home. When are ya due in Atlanta? If ya have time between connecting flights, I might stop in and buy ya a beer in the Atrium if ya can leave the concourse. Hahaha, I did that some time ago and met up with =MH=Puffy if anyone remembers him. Went to ... some steak house. Lol. Was good stuff, Ill take you up on that beer though hopefully para when im back in FL. Should be pretty soon. I might be hanging out in the saint petersburgh area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Atoa Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 RUIN, I'm glad you are back safe and in one piece Welcome back to the land of the big PX I hated DEMOB @ FT HOOD, the out processing took 4 days plus 1 additional day because there was not flyouts to my little island (Puerto Rico) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcinko Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 You guys grow some balls yet and head to RIP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruin Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Sgt. Atoa, We've been at demob for 4 days already and have at least one more to go before we get on a bus home. That's at the earliest. Bravo company too 2 weeks to get done here and back to the house. Demon is easy. It's the longing to go home that's killer here. Cinko, Haha I'm guard for a reason boss. I like the whole M-Day thing. Ready to be a civvie again before school and (yes, I know) ROTC in August. Prozac might be a better one for RIP. I'd just be happy for air assault or sniper school in the future. All so heavily unit dependent though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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