Days 1-3

For any of you who don't know I've been involuntarily activated back into the Army (I've been out since August 02)to go to Iraq. I got the letter a month ago and I just arrived in Ft. Jackson, South Carolina for 2 weeks of inprossessing. I'll get my records updated, get new uniforms, learn how to do PT (physical training)...stuff like that. After my 2 weeks here I go to Ft. Meade, Maryland for 2-3 weeks of refresher on being a military broadcast journalist. After that I go to Iraq, it's still up in the air how soon though.

11-03-05 My 3rd Day Back In the Army
So I guess I'll actually go back a few days...my first night I flew in a little late so all I really did was get on post around 11pm, got some bed linens (who calls it that but the military and hotels?), and tried for about 2 hours to fall asleep on the most uncomfortable bed ever. And let me stop there...anyone who has been near me in the last 6 months knows I just blew about $1000 on the best bed on Earth, a Stearns and Foster (a $1600 bed I got for $700 at the Slumberland Outlet) and Egyptian cotton sheets. I LOVE MY BED. That's all there is to it...I absolutley love my bed. I don't have my bed here. Need I say more? I will just in case. My bed is super soft with great support. My new "high speed" Army bed is not. It's a 3 inch thick mattress on top of metal links. I now sleep on a flat feather pillow. Ok, enough said.
Woke up at 0500 hrs in the freaking morning. Omigod! The last month I was home there were many mornings I didn't go to bed till 5 in the morning. Aw jeez, it's pretty rough, no kidding. And we have to eat breakfast. Mom will be so proud. None of it is very healthy. None of it is very good. Everyone already knows about military food so I'll move on.
Spent the day doing paperwork and getting everything "squared away". Pretty much the same thing for the first 4 days I'll be here. Found out for sure that my scoliosis (crooked spine) is not bad enough to keep me from deploying so they're definitley keeping me. Got 3 fillings today...ouch! Got my new ID card today; the picture, of course, is terrible. Talked to the people who were supposed to be able to give me some answers. They told me I am going to Iraq. No, they don't know for sure where. I should find out a few days till the end of my stay in Ft. Meade, Maryland (about 5 weeks from now) and that's all they had for me. The good news I got from them is I can be promoted without having to take a PT test (I may not have to take one the entire 18 months I'm active duty) and I wouldn't have to even go to Sergeant School. So that's cool. Also, I found out from Finance today that I'll be getting paid like I've been in for 6 years! I thought only my time in would count (about 2 years) but even the time I've been out counts for me and that ups my pay big time. The money should be pretty good for me on top of the fact that the day I arrive in the Sandbox (Iraq) taxes stop coming out of my pay. Yay!!
Guess I'll get off the internet for now...gotta be up early tomorrow and my mouth still hurts a bit. Good night all. I love you and miss you!!
-Stacy