"Story has been pulled at the request of the Defense Department" BWAHAHAHAHA!"

Our unit has been trying for awhile to laterally promote several Specialists to Corporal (an advancement which doesn't grant any extra pay, but makes them a junior Noncommissioned Officer). While this isn't supported by our TOE, our commander was able to justify it to higher command. After months of wrangling, it was finally approved for this month. As we sat in a POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harrasment) class in the conference room, one of the soldiers slated for recognition approached me...

Creator of All, As we gather here today in respectful celebration of the Corps of the Noncommissioned Officer, we ask that You watch over us and grant us the insight to keep in mind: * that service is a higher calling, and we are all service members; * that we serve not only those appointed over us, but we serve also the soldiers in our charge, the people of the nation and even all the peoples of the world, and You, our highest commander; * that we prepare for the possibility of war i...

No, he's not dead, but I am hanging out at his pad while he's out of town. I'll be doing some looking around while I'm here, apartments and other rental properties, churches, whatever... The whole drive here, it was the same as it was the last time I made the trip, five years ago. Crazy. Creepy. Nostalgic and sad. And I'm still very allergic to cats. (I hoped that, since the 5lb chihuahua was very catlike, and Cyrano is only a small cat... but, no.)

Marital Forgiveness : John Smith, upon finding out that his wife is an assassin in an organization that rivals the organization that he is an assassin for, has a choice. Not only does he feel betrayed at her "web of lies" (regardless of the fact that it so closely parallels his own ), but she has already attempted to kill him, and he has similarly been assigned with taking her out by his company. After a knock-down, drag-out fight, the couple finds themselves face-to-face, again br...

This afternoon, as I bagged raked leaves in the backyard, I felt my ring slip off my finger. I'm not certain that's when it happened, though... I had been thinking it could happen earlier. Just... I looked down right then, in a panic, sure it was gone. And it was. I spent over 20 minutes sifting through the leaves from that bag. That's more time than bagging three sackfuls in the first place. I didn't get through all the foliage before darkness descended and I had to give up... for ...

A fair amount of Contemporary Christian, or Christian Rock, songs serve as love songs of sorts. Most of these are actually written with God or Jesus as the target of the lyrics, although some of them can double as a song to a more human loved one. "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been," by Relient K, is actually more of a song directed to a person the author has wronged, although it could serve as a statement of repentence to God as well. The song is an apology for past weaknesses and misbehavio...

Last Year: Link This year, the WWE superstars made their way to Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. Even if you don't like professional wrestling, the non-wrestling segments interspersed with the handful of matches were actually the highlight of the show. WWE's production staff do a good job of putting together a presentation showing their superstars interacting with soliders and airmen in Afghanistan. There are a lot of WWE fans in the military, and everyone enjoys a good show......

I've finally gotten around to it, and the shipping is killer (they want the stuff there by the 20th!), but I bought some things for Child's Play. For the Children's Medical Center Dallas: Clifford Visits The Hospital (from akula jr) Curious George Visits The Hospital (from pseudo jr) Los Tres Cerditos (The Three Little Pigs, en espanol) (ostensibly from akulanka) The Muppet Christmas Carol (from the lot of us) I managed to get it so it should get there by the 20th, and so shippi...

Yes, intimidated, not wet-your-pants afraid. Marines and other "manly men" In this case, I know why I'm still intimidated now . I'm afraid that I'm not one of them , whether it be because they actually made it as a Marine (I simply quit before I got to that point), they can work well with their hands (I've never really tried), or they're "manly" (which I am, too, in a good number of ways, but I still worry about not measuring up). Where it came from originally? My Dad isn'...

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Seventh Level of Hell! Here is how you matched up against all the levels: Level Score Purgatory (Repenting Believers) High Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers) Very Low Level 2 (Lustful) High Level 3 (Gluttonous) Moderate Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious) Low Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy) High Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics) Very Low Level 7 (Vio...

Inspired by Nobody Special Link and this Link : mutafakha - booby-trap or booby-trapped; IED sayara mutafakha - booby-trapped car; VBIED; car bomb mutafajara - explosive (adjective) qoombilla - bomb abwa nasifa - explosive charge Hope this helps...

Where does fear come from? It comes from within us, but before that, what was the origin of a specific fear? My lack of confidence feeds my phobias, as I feel unable to overcome them, and I'm filled with dread even when facing the possibility of them. Heights I don't know where my fear of heights comes from. Was I dropped as a baby? Dangled too high by my tall Uncle Mike, who loved to rough-house with my constantly fearful toddler-ness? But it continued to affect me, continue s...

I'm going to reenlist, possibly this week, maybe early January. It may depend on what the bonuses look like. It will depend on when the re-up NCO is available. Four years should max my bonus at $15k. GAFB, AIT instructor, which should nearly guarantee me SFC (E-7) within three years (as long as I get my records update, but I think Geezer can help me with that procedure). Things look very good for me professionally, and I'm excited about that. SFC Spadde will be ecstatic, but I'm goi...