The past few days have been busy but not particularly productive. Let me start by telling you about my weekend.

Several of the warrant officers in my Company invited me to go dirt bike riding with them at a National Recreation Area called "Land Between the Lakes (LBL)" (http://www.lbl.org/Home.html). The area is about 40 minutes from here and is covered with trails for both motorized and non-motorized use. We went to the Turkey Creek OHV area which is reserved for motorized off-highway vehicles.

Many of you know that I own a KLX-650 motorcycle. This is considered a "dual sport" bike meaning that is can be used on or off-road. It is kind of like the SUV of motorcycles. I rode my KLX to LBL where I met my friends. They brought their motorcycles on trailers because, unlike me, that had machines dedicated to difficult trail riding. Their bikes were much smaller and lighter than mine. Moreover, my friends are experienced dirt bike riders. This was my first time bringing my motorcycle off-road.

I got bloody and muddy, and tired and frustrated and had a great time! We spent the day riding trails that I never imagined could be ridden on my motorcycle. I spent a lot of time floundering in deep mud pits trying to pick my very heavy bike back up. The rest of the time was spent chasing my buddies over jumps, around trees, through boulders and up steep hills. It was great fun and good bonding with the guys I will be training (and fighting) with.

The rest of the week has not been nearly as much fun or as good for morale. It is the "Week of the Eagles" at Fort Campbell. This is supposed to be a week of self-congratulatory, esprit de corps events. In reality, it is a lot of group runs and parades and inspections.

As usual, the only thing constant is change and uncertainty. I was sent home early on Tuesday evening to prepare for Air Assault School on Wednesday. On Tuesday night I got a call telling me I would not be attending school because I had not completed the necessary prerequisites. I knew that soldiers had to complete a 12 mile road march within a few months prior to school. I hadnt done that but it is usually is overlooked by command. Our commander, however, is new and wanted to play things by the book.

Since I am not going to Air Assault and not flying, I am doing odd jobs and taking care of administrative matters. I went and got all of my new digital pattern ACUs (army combat uniforms). The best part about these uniforms is that the boots are brown suede and do not get polished. I have helped in the maintainance shop with odd jobs also. The rest of my time is spent studying and convicing the other pilots to quiz me on subjects that I will need to know when I fly again.

There is a good chance I will fly in about two weeks. I hope so. It looks like my progression training will be conducted by a relatively new female Instructor Pilot. She seems like she will be a good teacher. She has already started helping me with my studying so the flying might progres a little bit faster.

I am attaching two photos of the new airfield. Each of the three companies has 10 aircraft. You might also see that we share the airfield with some Apaches. I am sure you will notice that there are no orange doors. These helicopters are the real deal. Note the horse head on the nose. That is my company symbol. We are "The Lancers".

I dont even know where to begin. When I last wrote I was still at Fort Rucker. I am now at Fort Campbell. During the intervening month a was in Alabama, Washington State, Colorado, New York, and Washington, DC visiting friends and family. I was fortunate to get to see very many of you. I had a wonderful time reconnecting with the people who are important in my life and pretending to be a civilian. Check out this picture from the beach. Notice the facial hair.

Since arriving at Fort Campbell I have found an apartment and started to buy some furnishings. I sincerely hope that everyone within the range of this message will eventually come and see my place. As an added incentive, Nashville (a really fun city) is nearby and you have a place to stay while you explore "music city."

I have just finished in-processing for the installation and will report to my unit tomorrow. It turns out that Maltby and I will NOT be in the same unit. He will be doing "general support". I will be doing "air assault." We will fly out of different air fields, do different missions, and in effect, never work together. Oh well, at least we are still neighbors.

I am also getting used to the culture here at Fort Campbell. I like it so far. Unlike Rucker, it is not swamped with flight students of approximately the same age, experience, and mentality. There is great diversity here and that is much more fun. It also means that I am getting used to saluting, and being saluted.

That brings up a funny story. Warrant officers think of themselves as a fraternity and wont acknowledge the official rank structure among them. We are collegues. Nonetheless, I was taught at Rucker to salute senior warrants just like any other officer. I tried that today. I saw a CW4 and saluted. He litterally pushed me away and told me to never do that again. He had a smile on his face and his point was well taken. "Thanks sir", I said, "I am glad we got that out of the way."

I just finished my first week of the six week ALSE (Aviation Life Support Equipment) class. The higher-ups at Fort Campbell must have decided that they needed more people trained in this area so I was assigned the class. ALSE is comprised of all the equipment an aviator needs to survive during flight, an unanticipated landing, and an extended stay on the ground or in the water. This includes oxygen masks, helmets, night vision goggles, life rafts, emergency scuba bottles, survival kits, survival vests, etc. The intent of the course is to teach the students how to care for, distribute, use, and repair all of this equipment.

The first two weeks is primarily focused on teaching us how to sew with industrial machines so that we can repair and fabricate survival equipment. Our practical exercise is to build a tool bag. I am in the process of building a very ugly bag. It is going to have some crazy stiching and some very misaligned grommets, seams, zippers, and buttons. Nonetheless, I am improving my previously non-existant sewing skills.

I am attaching a photo of the class. In the forground you will see my friend and classmate, a former Ranger (note the tab on his shoulder). He earned his combat jump wings and combat infantry badge in iraq before signing up for flight school. You can probably imagine how he feels having gone from hardcore infantryman to seamstress.