Its gotten pretty busy with teaching Combat Lifesaver and First Responder, coordinating lanes training, ranges, and just the everyday “Hoo-ha” of garrison existence.  Just a couple of things worth noting.

First, I am on projected orders to Alaska of all places.  I HATE the cold.  Everybody we have talked to has said they enjoyed it immensely though , and I do plan to make an adventure of it.  My wife is actually kind of looking forward to it, but I say projected because nothing is set in stone yet.  I still have school in September and that could change everything, as well as my wife’s status with her pregnancy.  From a broiling desert to a frozen one, go figure.

On that note, we had our first appointment today.  It was more of a classroom thing where all the women filled out their charts, got speeches on the hospital, policies, and WIC.  We should get an ultrasound in a few weeks though, just to narrow due dates and check on the fetus.  It was extremely boring stuff, but they didn’t waste time with a lot of nonsense.  We received the information packets, filled out paperwork, she had blood drawn and got prenatal vitamins.  Almost machine like, but that is the military way.

After the exam we went out to eat lunch - alone.  It was nice to be able to sit down and enjoy a meal without our daughter hopping up and down and being three.  However, we were interrupted once by a lady who just wanted to “thank me” for what I did.  It was nice, albeit a bit unnerving at first.  I am just not much of a people person, especially a “stranger walking up” kinda guy, especially since Iraq.  It was kinda nice to know there was support still out there.  After she left us she stopped at another table and did the same on her way out.

I also finally received my Iraq Travel Per Diem check.  It only took 5 months and 4 tries, but the check was a good one.  We were finally able to get some thing fixed and enjoy some extra cash.  Things are finally starting to settle financially.  Its only taken 3 years of heavy belt tightening and creative consolidation, but we didn’t need the check to survive.

Finally, on a geeky side note, I hooked up a CAC Card reader in openSuse.  It was actually one of the easiest installs I have done in a long time.  Install a few packages, plug it in, an register the certificates.  I am planning on posting that later, for anyone who cares.  The CAC login dialog confused me at first with the wording, but it works just great.  Now I don’t have to go all the way to work to “digitally sign” documents.

I guess that’s about it for now.  Its just busy here.  People coming, people leaving, and all kinds of training.  It all goes with the territory though. 

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