Chem Spouse Day 2012

Yes, I am seriously playing catch up on the blog.  Life has been a little crazy around the Albrecht home.  June and July were crazy busy and it's not even over yet!  Before we left on vacation to Idaho I got to participate in CBRN Regimental Week.  I wrote about the ball but the following week I got to spend a couple days hanging out with other Chemical Corps Spouses.  It was pretty awesome.

The first day we took a tour of the museum (which I normally love but we had a tour guide who seriously pegged out my perky meter).  Still it was neat to go and see the stuff and we even got a special look at the basement where few people get to go.  After the museum tour we went to a luncheon where we had delicious food and where I ended up at the table with half of the past Chemical Commandant Spouses.  What was cool was we had six Commandant Spouses in attendance and it was fun listening to how different the Army was during their time of serving, whether it was current or in years past. 

Five past and our current Chemical Commandant Spouses.

The day after the museum tour and luncheon we went and had a hands-on kind of day.  Our Chemical Gift Shop had ordered a ton of "Real Housewives of the Chemical Corps" t-shirts and a lot of us wore them, it was pretty fun.  What was also fun was just hanging out with other Chem Spouses and seeing some of what our Soldiers do in their job.  We couldn't take pictures everywhere we went because some of those areas are pretty secure. 

Showing our Chemical Corps Gang Sign...the retorts, lol

This could be scary if I let it be

 After the tour of the secure area, we ventured off to put on one of the suits that our guys train in.  I never liked NBC training when I was in the Army, I always felt slightly claustrophobic in the mask and MOPP gear.  I had a slight inner struggle with myself when it came to being willing to climb into all the gear but I figured I wouldn't get this opportunity again so I went ahead and did it.  It was fun and super hot!  It certainly gave me a whole new appreciation for what my husband has endured throughout his career.  He has spent many a day in these suits and for much longer than I did.

One of my favorite people ever, Ann Wells, our post Command Sergeant Major's wife who joined us for the day.

I really am proud of my husband and the job he does.  Some of the things they shared with us about what our Soldiers go through was rather intimidating.  I have always respected my husband for what he is willing to do, but now I have a better understanding of what he goes through and has gone through over the 23 years he has been a Chemical Soldier. 

I love all the opportunities that I have been afforded when it comes to being an Army wife.

CBRN Princess

After a long week in the woods doing Girls Camp, it was nice to finish out the week going to a ball.  Our theme for Girls Camp was something to do with Happily Ever After.  Throughout the entire week, we kept reminding the girls that they were Princess in our Heavenly Father's Kingdom.  So how fitting was it that I end the week dressing up and being escorted to a ball by my Sexy Soldier!  (Who needs a prince when you have a man in uniform?)

The ball is the annual Green Dragon Ball that is kicking off the Chemical Corps Regimental Week.  We went last year and had a blast.  We got to sit at a table with nice people, not crazy people like we did last year.  One of the Soldiers at our table actually worked with Kevin before she was reassigned to an AIT unit as an AIT platoon sergeant.

What was really cool about the evening for me personally was when my name was called to receive the Carol Ann Watson Award.  I am truly honored.  What is interesting is that I am known relatively well around FLW but I guess few know that we are a Chemical Family.  Most people also know what unit my husband is assigned to and it is not part of the big Chemical Brigade here at FLW.  It's unfortunate that we have not been able to get more Chem Spouses or Soldiers from our brigade to be involved in the CBRN community here.  Because of that, I often get treated as though I don't belong.  Not by the CBRN leadership, they are all wonderful and I feel truly blessed to have gotten to know them but by others who just don't know.  At the ball alone, I was asked seven times why we were at the ball.  I admit that sometimes it irritates me but I chose that evening to just laugh it off.  For a couple of young lieutenants, I did say with a smile that my husband has been in the Chemical Regiment longer than they had been alive (23 years and counting...).

Overall it was a wonderful night.  I feel truly blessed to have received my award from Mrs. Carol Ann Watson herself.  Last year I had the opportunity to listen to her speak at a rather intimate luncheon and have just had such respect for her.

I really do love my life as an Army Spouse and even more so as a Chemical Corps Spouse.

Chem Spouse Day: Red Phase

The last event I participated in as a Spouse for Chemical Regimental Week was the Chem Spouse Day. It was interesting to say the least.

The Chemical Brigade in charge planned a fun day for us. I have to admit nothing we really did was new to me after serving in the Army but it was fun to be around other Chem Spouses.

We rappelled down this animal. And shimmied across the various rope bridges to the left.

We got to watch these awesome Soldiers do awesome rappels. This one is called the Spider and it was neat to watch him start out one direction and turn himself around.

This Soldier did the Australian Rappel for the first time ever and a demonstration for us. It was awesome!

We went out in a HMMWV (Humvee). I will admit that was pretty boring for me after having driven them. I kept waiting for the exciting part, lol. Before that we went into a simulator that gave us scenarios of driving overseas. I think too many OPSEC/SAEDA briefings kept me from taking pictures while we were in there.

We had lunch at the DFAC, it was NOT spectacular, but it was food.

We had a Gold Star mother in our presence. She had come to the Sunrise Service to honor her son and was invited to come out with us. It was truly humbling. I cannot imagine how hard it was for her to walk through the journey her son had went on during his early years in the Army. She said it was hard for her to see what he had done and where he had been. God Bless SSG Stephen Sherman.

Overall it was a fun day and if nothing else I walked away from it with a promise that next year I'll be in much better shape and a lot lighter. I was proud of myself for doing the physical events, it's been 16 years since I went to Air Assault School and I was pretty proud of how much I remembered when it came to the swiss seat and the "L" position.

CBRN Sunrise Service

Yesterday morning Kevin and I attended a Sunrise Service in honor of our Fallen CBRN Heroes. (It is still Chemical Regimental Week.) Here at FLW we have a Memorial Grove that honors the fallen of the Engineers, Chemical & Military Police Corps. Each has their own section and yesterday we went to the Chemical area and paid tribute to the Fallen CBRN Soldiers. It was very touching. There were many in attendance, I really thought it was nice that they brought CBRN Soldiers who are still in training. I enjoyed being there with my husband, it definitely is a reminder that I have much to be grateful for.

I scanned the program and I ask my readers to please enlarge the images by clicking on them and reading the names of the fallen. Remember, it is up to us to Never Forget those who have sacrificed so much. We had a few of the Gold Star Families in attendance and that always touches my heart. The Burgess family was there and the younger brother who is currently here for training was there. To sacrifice so much and yet still be willing to give. It was a humbling sight.

It was a beautiful ceremony.

Green Dragon Mama

As I mentioned in my previous post, this week is Chemical Regimental Week. The entire week is set up for CBRN Soldiers and their families. They had a golf tournament, a run (well that was cancelled since it was pouring down rain), they will have a sunrise service to honor the Fallen CBRN Soldiers, tons of exhibits and many other events. They have events just for the Chem Spouses as well. Today we had a luncheon where our guest of honor was Mrs. Carol Ann Watson. Her husband is a retired Major General who served for 35 years, all of which was spent as a Chemical Corps Officer except for two years when he did his combat branch time. Mrs. Watson shared with us that she married him two days before he went in the Army so she served right along side him during his entire career. Her husband started the Chemical Corps Regimental Association and she has an award named in honor of her. She was introduced to us as the mother of the Chemical Corps (and she joked that she was glad that they didn't say Grandmother, I just loved her humor!)

I really enjoyed listening to her speak and listening to her words of wisdom. There were many things that she shared with us but what really stood out to me was when she said "we" served. I love that because that is how I feel with Kevin. "WE" serve together, he does his part and I do mine. Our journey in Army life is a joint effort, we may have different responsibilities but we travel together.

She also had us chuckling about some mishaps and moments of where maybe she shouldn't have said this or that. I loved it because everyone in the room could relate to having some of those moments. It was really an intimate setting, there was maybe 20 of us in the room so it was really fun. We all could have probably listened to her all day long. She was just fun.

What I loved most was that she was so approachable and was a reminder that no matter what rank any of our husbands are that we are all human. I feel that it truly a pleasure and honor to get advice from such a wonderful example. She is 75 years old and still going strong.

As an added bonus, I figured out that her son is stationed here at FLW and her daughter-in-law is another AFTB instructor who I really respect. I might be the only person on FLW who didn't put two and two together. I had a good chuckle to myself about that!

Green Dragon Ball

One of the advantages to being stationed at FLW, is being able to to attend Chemical Regimental Week. They kicked it off this week with the Best CBRN Warrior Competition. Kevin didn't participate in that because as he puts it "I'm too old for that" but we did have a couple Soldiers from his unit who participated. They didn't place in the top ten but like I told one of them, I think it's awesome she did it at all. They announced the winners at the Green Dragon Ball last night and let me tell you, they went home with quite the loot. I might have to get the hubby back in shape just for the prizes (just kidding baby...maybe). No matter what you're my favorite Dragon Soldier forever and always!

Anyway, last night was the ball and it was a time for all Chemical Soldiers to get all gussied up and have a night of fun. Apparently Kevin and I are getting old because we were home by 9:30 p.m. That's how it has been the last few balls we've attended. I really tried to figure out why that is because we haven't always been that way and I think I finally figured out the reason. We aren't close to that many people here at Fort Leonard Wood. That is our doing, after leaving Fort Hood, I made the conscious effort not to get too close to people because the goodbyes when we left there were so hard. As a result of that, when we go to functions there aren't that many people we want to hang out with long enough to shut down the ball with. That doesn't mean there aren't awesome people out there, we just sadly haven't put forth the effort to get to get to know people like that. Don't get me wrong, we have friends here, we've just been selective.

That being said, we went, we talked to the people we do know, had a great dinner, enjoyed the form aspect, got our picture taken and came home to the boys. The table we were seated at was interesting. We were the only couple that was still active duty. The others were all retirees and worked for Homeland Security. They were LOUD, they talked through every speaker and made it hard to hear what was going on. They all knew each other so we were the odd ones out. They tried to include us and were friendly for the most part (when they weren't being obnoxiously loud during the speakers and awards).
We left shortly after the form portion of the ball was over. I don't feel bad. Sometimes there's a lot of politics involved in occasions such as this and I don't like it. I also don't like the drunkenness that is also a common thing at balls. That's why we choose to exit when we do.

I think one of the best parts of the night was when one of the other instructors from AFTB came and talked to me (she gave me a great compliment that is for me alone to ponder on) and asked me if I was thinking about the Customs & Courtesies class we both teach and thinking about all the things that were done wrong that evening. I had a good chuckle over that because that is EXACTLY what I was doing as we went through the events and I watched people come and go. It as all quite fun.
Overall it was a great night and Kevin and I had fun. I am very proud of him and his 22 years of service to the Chemical Corps. It was nice to hear about the history and be a part of the many traditions that go along with the evening. The country of Bulgaria was celebrating the birthday of their Chemical Corps and they had some Soldiers from their Corps there representing. I love all the international students that come through FLW. I especially loved the two men who were dancing to Thriller, I can't remember what country they were from but they were having a really good time.
I feel blessed to be able to attend such events with my husband. This upcoming week should be fun, it's all about me getting to brag about being married to a CBRN Soldier but really, I don't need a special week to do that, I am proud and brag every day.

Elementis regamus proelium

Chemical Corps and Army Songs by CBRN SLC 01-10

*Note- please pause my music player to watch the video*

I was so frustrated to not turn on the video camera quick enough to capture when Kevin's CBRN Class recited the NCO Creed, it was so awesome! But I did capture them singing the Chemical Corps and Army songs...(I am going to crash the next senior leader course just to video them reciting the NCO creed because it's pretty awesome...and we'll have a friend there so it won't be like I'm really crashing it!)

CBRN Graduation

Yesterday Kevin graduated from CBRN SLC (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, & Nuclear Senior Leader Course, say that 10 times fast!). It's what the Army used to call Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer Course (ANCOC, though some will argue the acronym and that bothers me especially when those people are putting out a product about our Army and is inaccurate and doesn't care, but ah, I digress, my apologies!).

Anyway, after 9 weeks of this course, he graduated and we are so proud of him. It was a somewhat difficult course since he had some people in his class that we'll simply classify as "special" but hey we all have "special" people in our lives, right?

So he's done, he has now met all his requirements to keep his current rank and have a shot at the next one. Though his particular job only gets smaller the higher you go and they are getting ready to dump 1200 senior NCO's in the next 12-24 months, so the competition is high to say the least.

Now he's back to his regular unit and the tons of fun that will happen there. Just a few pics from graduation...(note to self* get new camera that takes better pics, lol)

We got there early for good seats...(insert eye roll), so the boys brought their books
CSM Lopez, Chemical Corps Regimental Command Sergeant Major...GREAT talk!
Kevin getting ready to get his "diploma"
Daddy with his boys...they were representing their CBRN gear!
Me and my love!His graduation gift...we got him his own desk nameplate...hope he has a desk to put it on at work!The card sang "Celebration!"

We love you Kevin and are so proud of you!

Professional Family Pics 2010

So excited to get our family pics we took mid-January on CD to share on here! We are very happy with them. We had a great photographer named Josh who drove a couple hours to take our pics. We think he did great. You can check out more of his and his partners work at Lighter Focus. For those who have followed us for a while, you know I always go for a theme or same color scheme. This time we went with Proud CBRN Army family (CBRN is what my husband's job is in the Army). Enjoy!