Some things just don’t turn out how they were intended. Well I suppose it all turned out well for us soldiers! It really started out quite innocently a few days ago. The sergeant in charge of the mail called and said, “Ma’am, you’ve got like 15 big heavy boxes here you need to pick up!” She was just about as excited as I was. So I ran over (okay, I walked quickly) and checked out my lucky delivery. The boxes were all lined up nice and neat along the counter and I was so excited to see so many at one time. The customs address label read “CANDY”, and as I looked at all the boxes, I realized that each and every one of them was filled with candy. Over 200 pounds of candy! Oh my ... read more

I can’t believe how busy I have been. After my arrival here it has been just one learning adventure after another. But I tried to meet new soldiers along the way and ask them questions about Camp Bondsteel and what our mission really is here in Kosovo. If you noticed all the pictures with me and my new friends it has been the greatest just to sit and talk with everyone. Davina has been busy doing her own thing. Apparently she has a real job and can’t always break free to take me on tours and just hang out. Hmmm…Hopefully that will change when she gets used to her new responsibilities. This Camp Bondsteel place is like totally huge. The base sits on 955 acres located by a small town called Ferizai which is in the ... read more

I have spoken many times about the emotions of a soldier. Trying to always keep the upper hand, I write about the good, the exciting and the normal. But it is the unexpected that can grab your heart and turn your world inside out and rock you on your heels. My friend left Kosovo today and has returned to his family. No matter how hard a soldier tries to remain strong there is always something that can put a chink in our armor. Sadly, while on deployment we cannot prevent the unexpected. Our lives go on without us back home, right up until the point we receive catastrophic news. It is at that moment in time that we are rendered helpless. No amount of strength can stop the vulnerability a heart feels. We can stop the ... read more

Those final moments before we got on the bus in Germany were bitter sweet. Last minute running around, shoving soldiers onto the buses, locking up buildings and briefing soldiers on the safety precautions kept a few of us busy. As I looked to the foothills that surrounded our training post I was swept up by the beautiful foliage and how the autumn leaves were glimmering in the sunlight. But then my eyes refocused and just below the tree lines was this Hogans Hero’s type post. This place had indeed been a concentration camp during WWII, and for the past month it had held us hostage behind the locked gates. I can say that I won’t miss much about the Germany experience. Yes, the training was realistic and quite intense at times, but it is usually the ... read more

“Dobie, Report to the Commanding General,” I heard yelled over the stir of the crowd. We were all standing in an impromptu formation and all of a sudden all the soldiers eyes went forward. Dobie looked at me, looked at the General and turned back at me to give me a small sheepish smile. I knew he was nervous when I saw his hands lightly shaking as he gave the General a very crisp salute. I knew something big was up yesterday when I had found a small package outside my room and it was labeled with Dobie’s name on it. Dobie grabbed it and asked me to leave the room. When he came out I was astonished at the sight of my little buddy. There he was dressed in a little uniform, complete with boots, ... read more