First of all, I have to say my feelings go out to the victims and families that have suffered at Virginia Tech. My ability to follow the news is limited to a choppy feed of Fox News without audio, but just the info scrolling in the ticker is enough to show how tragic the shooting was. Out here death and carnage is something you pray doesn’t happen, but come to expect. That should never even be the concern of students and professors in a classroom. Unfortunately the human element can bring pain to any location, and there is no real way to stop those willing to bring that pain on their peers.

Changing lanes, I’ve got to thank everyone that has read this, and sent items from my list. As of today, I’ve recieved enough weapons cleaning supplies to last my section at least three months, over 20 bars of soap (20 came in a box from Michigan today, along with two bags of Sweetarts), several sticks of deodorant, more gum than I could have imagined, a mega pack of toothbrushes and toothpaste, and a much needed box from my sister (Natalie) and brother-in-law (Tyler) with name tapes and even more cleaning supplies for my section’s weapons. Being located solidly in the middle of nowhere, and away from any MSR, our ability to recieve mail is highly dependent on conditions we can’t always control. That being the case, my mail may get to Iraq and sit at LSAA for 3 or 4 days before it can get put on a convoy to FOB Hammer. From there our mail staff get the pleasure of sorting a MILVAN full of mail for over 2500 soldiers in the heat of the day just so we can have it by dinner the same day it arrives.

Today I initiated the paperwork to enroll in the Army’s Savings Deposit Program. I should have done it during OIF3, and won’t be making the same mistake again. Basically, it’s an account the Army keeps for you during a deployment that returns 10%APR compounded quarterly, up to $10K. May as well make as much during this second (and final) deployment as I can, and interest is a good way to do that. I’ll be dumping in enough each month to hit the $10K ceiling before this deployment is done. Having far fewer bills this time around that I did in OIF3, I can do this while maintaining my normal savings allotment, and still having more cash from each paycheck left to burn than I normally do when not deployed. My intent is still to ETS when I get back, buy a house in Houston, and finish school. 15 months of combat pay should make that rather doable.

That’s about it for now.