Blue Thunder

This is where I've been for the last week - "out in the field" if you will.
We were doing things like integrated base defense, CBRNE (thats where you learn about all the 'agents' like chemical, nuclear, biological, etc.- teach you how to properly wear a gas mask, then put you in little room with some sort of tear gas type stuff and make you take off your mask so you get an idea of what your mask is protecting you from), small unit tactics, and SABC (self aid buddy care).

This is me all geared up. We had to wear vest, helmet, and weapon any time we were outside of our tent during duty hours. (basically between breakfast and dinner)

This is the tent I slept in. Not too bad I guess - a/c and cement floors.

This is what happens when an F-22 and an F-16 fly around, all the LTs come out to watch.
There was an air show going on one of the days.

Funny thing is, I was looking through my pictures and realized I was in the exact same place at the exact same time last year.

Laying around in a tent at BT
19 May 08


Laying around in a tent at BT
19 May 09

The place that I live

This is my home for the next 46 days (Yes I'm counting). It's not too shabby. Tv, mini fridge, microwave, etc. I share a bathroom with an adjoining room, but I don't know if I'll actually be sharing it with anyone or not. I just moved from a temporary room to this one today.



These are the current contents of my fridge - Pudding, bread, milk, gatorade and jam. I also have some cereal and peanut butter. I'm going to try to live on cereal and sandwiches for breakfast and lunch to save on money, then eat at the dfac for dinner.

An Ode to Friends

Today I went to visit an old roommate and I was thinking how great it is that we're still good friends even though it's been almost 4 years since we've lived together.
That got me thinking about all the awesome people in my life that I know I can count on- no matter what. I would just like to pay a tribute to a few of them at this time :)

I will start with the Roomies - since that's what got me started on this whole thing.
These are the Roomies- Mandi, Trina, Chels, and Me-ghan. This was taken at our most recent annual Christmas gathering.


We all lived together our first two years of college. Then they all went off and got married - Crazy kids. None of us knew each other when we first moved in, with the exception of Trina and Meg. Amazingly we all got along, and to this day remain good friends. I love them all very much and know that I could call them up for anything, anytime, and they would be there for me - even if it's been months since we've even talked.

Next I will speak about my best friend from high school - Sarah Carter Joslin

We had our drama back in those high school days, but now we are the best of buds :) We still talk atleast once a week on the phone since she lives in Cedar and I don't get to see her much.

My very best friend is my Wingman.


She is so awesome and I know I can count on her for anything, day or night (if I can get her to wake up ;) ) She has put up with a lot from me over the years, and I am very grateful. I'm going to miss her a ton while I'm gone. You're the best Wingman! WMFL

The other people I know I can always count on are all my AF buddies.


We have spent so much time together over the
last few years we really have become family. I could go on and on about each one of them individually - Colby, my personal psychiatrist. Tolman, my mechanic. Sarah, my neighbor. Kara, my fellow red-head, Echols, the inner child in us all - but I'll stop there because I know this is kinda lengthy, and I'm afraid I'd leave someone out. But you all know who you are and you already know how awesome you all are :) I am excited to continue onto the Air Force knowing that these are the kind of people I'm going to be working with. I definately wouldn't have made it this far without all of them. They have truely turned me into who I am today. I'll miss seeing you all every day. But it's a small Air Force right?

Thanks to all of you. I'm really going to miss all my friends and family a great deal while I'm in Germany. But it's because all of you that I am where I am and where I am going. I'm very grateful for that and am going to make the best out of this opportunity.
See you all in the real world!

Wingman CA Trip

My Wingman, her sister, and I spent the last few days in CA at Disneyland and Six Flags. I was able to get super cheap tickets to Disneyland via the AF so it was perfect. It was a blast! It wasn't really crowded so we hardly ever had to wait in lines and everything just ran so smoothly the whole trip. And check out my awesome hat I bought there :)

My Wingman and I riding the ferry over to the "Pirates Lair". We also met the first woman to be allowed to drive the ferry in Disneyland.

Mays' car started making a weird noise sometime in the middle of our drive down. By the time we got to CA it was incredibly loud and annoying. So we took it into a dealership and got it fixed. This is us waiting for the dealer van to come pick us up. We were waiting for awhile

Tues we went to Six Flags. The first ride we rode was X2 and we waited in line for about an hour. However, we never waited in line the rest of the day. Some rides we even just stayed in our seats and rode a couple times. I guess everyone in the park was riding X2. This is Mays' favorite ride - Goliath.

On the way back from Six Flags we hit rushhour traffic, kinda took a wrong turn and ended up in some industrial area right by LA. It was a good adventure :)

Basically it was a completely awesome trip. I only had one letdown: we ate at the Blue Bayou (restaurant inside Pirates of the Carribean) and they have the best sandwich EVER. I was planning on getting it but it's only on the lunch menu and we were there for dinner :( Oh well. Guess we'll have to go back. All the rest of my pics are on facebook if you want to see them.

Big Weekend

Last weekend was a considerably significant one. It started out Fri with a first-time temple trip for me and my nephew, Justin.

Saturday was graduation. I'm now a college graduate with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies. This is Lundin, me and Echols (AF buddies for those of you who don't know them) right after graduation.


Saturday night was Commissioning. Not only am I a college grad but I am now a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. I was commissioned by my good friend 2d Lt Jen Friedel. My family took most of the pictures and I haven't gotten a hold of them yet so I'll post more when I do.