A lot of Old Grads (i.e. West Point alumni) tell me to start taking photos now, because Firstie year will be over before I know it. I'm really starting to believe them now. In a few days, I'll find out where I'll be stationed upon commissioning in May. This is really an exciting time. I've been talking to quite a few people, trying to get some advice into where I want to post. So far, it's been back and forth between Ft. Hood, TX and Ft. Bragg, NC. I'm not sure if I can get to Ft. Bragg based on my class rank within the Infantry order of merit, but we'll see. From what I've gathered, it's still a good match for what I want to do.
I'm also working hard (or hardly working) on my senior thesis. I'm going to write about how Operation Husky served as reality check for the airborne paratroopers. Really, I just love everything airborne, and thought writing about them would be cool. I guess it's kind of neat to read up on them, but I could do without the actually writing part of a thesis. Let's hope I can do well in this-- if I don't write a decent thesis, I may not graduate on time!
Yesterday, I drove to Connecticut and let me tell you, driving through there at night is quite the trip. With the state routes so secluded and winding through dense woods, it can be a little creepy and a little "Blair Witch"-esque. It is a nice drive though, especially at night with no other cars on the road. It almost makes you feel like you're a race car driver.
I got back to West Point pretty late last night (around 3:00am) and got "randomly" searched at the gates by the MPs. I'm sure the MP just saw the cadet base decals on my car and decided to snipe me. How do I know this? Well, there was a car right ahead of me and he didn't get randomly searched. I thought at first maybe because I was coming in so late they would search whoever would come in at that time, but again, I was searched and the person in front of me was not.
The MP was pretty cool about it though. As he filled in his paperwork, I used the portapotty right next to where I had my car parked during the search, and by the time I got out, he was almost done and I was on my way. It must suck working graveyard as an MP: it was cold out, no cars really coming through, and overall just boring. I hope those guys stay warm.
Today was a lazy day of watching episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, playing Final Fantasy VII, and watching "Surviving the Cut: Ranger School" on youtube.
I'm getting excited for things to come.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Doxycycline
It's 8:43am right now as I'm typing this, and though the day is not done just yet, I feel this day will be pretty slow, so I'm blogging now.
This morning (i.e. less than an hour ago) I threw up. Not in class or anything, but I wasn't feeling too hot, so I excused myself from class and was praising the porcelain god as it were. I'm on Doxycycline (look it up) right now for my mild acne, and that, coupled with Differin has been working a lot, and I think I'm getting better. I hope to finally grow out of this whole teenage acne thing, but we'll see.
Anyway, you're supposed to take Doxycycline with food, so this morning for breakfast, I had two pieces of sausage, a cup of tea, and a glass of water. I normally try to eat something in addition to my daily cup of tea and glass of water so I could meet the requirement for the Doxycycline. Something happened I guess and before you knew it, I was spilling my guts out.
I'm ok now in case you were wondering, but don't have me tell you all about constructivism and how it relates to International Relations (that's what we were learning in class at the time I threw up). I know nothing about it.
This morning (i.e. less than an hour ago) I threw up. Not in class or anything, but I wasn't feeling too hot, so I excused myself from class and was praising the porcelain god as it were. I'm on Doxycycline (look it up) right now for my mild acne, and that, coupled with Differin has been working a lot, and I think I'm getting better. I hope to finally grow out of this whole teenage acne thing, but we'll see.
Anyway, you're supposed to take Doxycycline with food, so this morning for breakfast, I had two pieces of sausage, a cup of tea, and a glass of water. I normally try to eat something in addition to my daily cup of tea and glass of water so I could meet the requirement for the Doxycycline. Something happened I guess and before you knew it, I was spilling my guts out.
I'm ok now in case you were wondering, but don't have me tell you all about constructivism and how it relates to International Relations (that's what we were learning in class at the time I threw up). I know nothing about it.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Priorities
These past few days, I've shifted my priorities a little bit. A big reason as to why this is all happening is because senioritis has hit, and it has hit hard. Like high school, being a second semester firstie here at West Point makes you kinda jaded and all you want to do is go out and have fun.
So with that said, my priorities have shifted a little bit.
For example, this past Thursday, the firsties in my company were scheduled to take their company photo for the Howitzer, our yearbook. Well, only a handful of firsties showed up (12 out of 33) and because we had less than half, we weren't allowed to take our photo until we got more people. We called some of our friends and told them to muster everyone they could and eventually they all came down, albeit a little bit late.
We also had a company wine tasting event that Thursday. Everyone showed up on time for that one. Needless to say, based on the culture within Company C-1, our priorities were just where we wanted them to be.
Last Friday, we had to wake up pretty early because they were doing something to commemorate the 30 year reunion of the Iranian Hostages that we (as in the best soldiers in the US Military) failed to rescue during Operation Eagle Claw. Apparently, after they were released back in the day, the first stop they visited after hitting stateside was West Point. Now I know if I were held in captivity for who knows how long, the first place I'd want to visit would be my hometown, not some random Military Academy. Because of their visit at 9 or so, we had to get up at 6 since we couldn't have classes going on during their little parade (cadets were forced to serve as a backdrop for it). As I had an Honor Board to help run, I didn't go, but from what I understand, sentiments were mixed about the whole thing. Some said that the event was very meaningful and kind of neat to be a part of while others saw it as a waste of time since the Iranian Hostages didn't even parade really, just rode in a fan down the aisle the cadets formed for them. Knowing me, I'd probably agree with the latter, only because I wouldn't even be able to take a photo of the hostages, only see them pass by in a random van.
I also had to speak with my Thesis Adviser on Friday afternoon. The night before, when I was tired and all, I had to muster together the energy/coherence to write together a thesis proposal for him. Couple that with waking up early that Friday afternoon, and it made for a rough Friday.
I had a date on Friday night, but since I was so tired from the day's events, I took a nap immediately after speaking with my adviser. The date I went on was pretty fun: we went roller skating, which I haven't done since senior year of high school. We also went to the diner that was right next door, and for what you pay for, you get a decent amount of decent quality food. I'd recommend it (it's Zagat rated too-- who knew?)
After eating, we went down to the river front to look at all the icebergs floating past when suddenly, we run into a wild fox! I've never seen a live fox before, and it was kind of neat seeing him, especially because my friend goes to Marist and their mascot is a fox.
I then took her back to her place, where we hung out a bit. I also got to meet her housemates. Nice folks and very welcoming.
As you can see, my priorities are not set either. I should've been working on the Law paper I have due on Wednesday or on my thesis, which I have 5 pages due on Thursday, but what can you do? You make your decisions, you live with the consequences and you just live.
PS
Oh, and I'm only going as friends with the girl I asked to 100th Night. We kind of had a falling out. Again, our priorities didn't match up. She was focusing on school. I was focusing on a relationship. Common knowledge would suggest she made the wiser decision, but only time will really tell.
So with that said, my priorities have shifted a little bit.
For example, this past Thursday, the firsties in my company were scheduled to take their company photo for the Howitzer, our yearbook. Well, only a handful of firsties showed up (12 out of 33) and because we had less than half, we weren't allowed to take our photo until we got more people. We called some of our friends and told them to muster everyone they could and eventually they all came down, albeit a little bit late.
We also had a company wine tasting event that Thursday. Everyone showed up on time for that one. Needless to say, based on the culture within Company C-1, our priorities were just where we wanted them to be.
Last Friday, we had to wake up pretty early because they were doing something to commemorate the 30 year reunion of the Iranian Hostages that we (as in the best soldiers in the US Military) failed to rescue during Operation Eagle Claw. Apparently, after they were released back in the day, the first stop they visited after hitting stateside was West Point. Now I know if I were held in captivity for who knows how long, the first place I'd want to visit would be my hometown, not some random Military Academy. Because of their visit at 9 or so, we had to get up at 6 since we couldn't have classes going on during their little parade (cadets were forced to serve as a backdrop for it). As I had an Honor Board to help run, I didn't go, but from what I understand, sentiments were mixed about the whole thing. Some said that the event was very meaningful and kind of neat to be a part of while others saw it as a waste of time since the Iranian Hostages didn't even parade really, just rode in a fan down the aisle the cadets formed for them. Knowing me, I'd probably agree with the latter, only because I wouldn't even be able to take a photo of the hostages, only see them pass by in a random van.
I also had to speak with my Thesis Adviser on Friday afternoon. The night before, when I was tired and all, I had to muster together the energy/coherence to write together a thesis proposal for him. Couple that with waking up early that Friday afternoon, and it made for a rough Friday.
I had a date on Friday night, but since I was so tired from the day's events, I took a nap immediately after speaking with my adviser. The date I went on was pretty fun: we went roller skating, which I haven't done since senior year of high school. We also went to the diner that was right next door, and for what you pay for, you get a decent amount of decent quality food. I'd recommend it (it's Zagat rated too-- who knew?)
After eating, we went down to the river front to look at all the icebergs floating past when suddenly, we run into a wild fox! I've never seen a live fox before, and it was kind of neat seeing him, especially because my friend goes to Marist and their mascot is a fox.
I then took her back to her place, where we hung out a bit. I also got to meet her housemates. Nice folks and very welcoming.
As you can see, my priorities are not set either. I should've been working on the Law paper I have due on Wednesday or on my thesis, which I have 5 pages due on Thursday, but what can you do? You make your decisions, you live with the consequences and you just live.
PS
Oh, and I'm only going as friends with the girl I asked to 100th Night. We kind of had a falling out. Again, our priorities didn't match up. She was focusing on school. I was focusing on a relationship. Common knowledge would suggest she made the wiser decision, but only time will really tell.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Cadets Always Win (?)
So today, I almost had a heart attack.
Not really. But I did almost lose my driver's license. Well, to be fair, I did, but someone found it. Apparently, it fell in the snow (probably on Sunday night when I used my car last) and someone found it. My iPod fell in the snow that day as well (don't worry-- it still works), and my driver's license must have been on my lap when it fell out (you have to show ID to get back on base). I only realized that I was missing my driver's license because I was actually in the library today doing work today for my senior thesis. When using WIFI here at West Point, you need to use your military ID to log into the system. I usually put my driver's license behind my military ID and today, I realized it wasn't there.
In any event, some guy messaged me saying he has it and I'm going to pick it up tomorrow. Cadets Always Win.
Or do they? I may have alienated a very good friend of mine today. I overreacted because of another past, romantic event, which we shouldn't delve too deep into here. We'll see if I can salvage this.
Oh and I just noticed I got five views from Denmark today. That's pretty neat. Hey, if you enjoy my blog, feel free to say hello, lest I consider you anonymous readers creepier than you already are, as all I do is just write my thoughts to end the day.
Not really. But I did almost lose my driver's license. Well, to be fair, I did, but someone found it. Apparently, it fell in the snow (probably on Sunday night when I used my car last) and someone found it. My iPod fell in the snow that day as well (don't worry-- it still works), and my driver's license must have been on my lap when it fell out (you have to show ID to get back on base). I only realized that I was missing my driver's license because I was actually in the library today doing work today for my senior thesis. When using WIFI here at West Point, you need to use your military ID to log into the system. I usually put my driver's license behind my military ID and today, I realized it wasn't there.
In any event, some guy messaged me saying he has it and I'm going to pick it up tomorrow. Cadets Always Win.
Or do they? I may have alienated a very good friend of mine today. I overreacted because of another past, romantic event, which we shouldn't delve too deep into here. We'll see if I can salvage this.
Oh and I just noticed I got five views from Denmark today. That's pretty neat. Hey, if you enjoy my blog, feel free to say hello, lest I consider you anonymous readers creepier than you already are, as all I do is just write my thoughts to end the day.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Decisions
The Army has a "Career Satisfaction Program" and it's broken down into three parts: ADSO (Active Duty Service Obligation) for Branch, ADSO for Post, and ADSO for Grad School. You can choose two of the three. Basically, with ADSO for branch and post, you can get your desired branch or post for an additional three years in the Army each. I already ADSO'ed for branch (I'm military intelligence, branch detailed into the infantry FYI), so that stretches my normal active duty service obligation from five years to eight years (coming out of West Point, you already owe the Army five years on active duty, three years in the reserves. Me ADSO'ing for branch just changes my three years of reserve time into active time.)
I don't think I'm going to ADSO for post though because I wouldn't be at that post for very long anyway, considering the whole War on Terror and everything. So basically, it's just not worth it to ADSO for post.
Now ADSO for Grad School, colloquially known as GRADSO. Basically, if I choose to stay in for three years past my normal service obligation, and elect to GRADSO now, while still a cadet, I can go to any graduate school program in the nation on the Army's dime. I'd just have to pay back 3 years for every year I'm in grad school, so basically, I'll tack on an additional 6 years to my Army service obligation.
A Visual Representation of what I'd owe if I GRADSO'ed:
5 years (because of West Point)
+ 3 Years (because of ADSO'ing for post)
+3 Years (to be eligible to GRADSO)
+2 Years (in Grad School, earning my normal Army salary, basically living as a civilian)
+6 Years (because of GRADSO commitment)
=19 years in the Army.
YIKES! 19 years in the Army is a lot to consider, and given that after 8 years, I'll have the Post-9/11 GI Bill anyway, where I can go to any state funded school for free, the GRADSO program is looking less and less appealing. To top it all off, I really want to join the FBI after my Army time is up, and because the FBI has an age limit of 37 when applying, if I do GRADSO, I'd be too old to apply.
So yeah, I don't think I'll be GRADSOing,
In other news, we select our first posts on February 3rd. I sort of have an idea of where I want to go, but am not entirely sure yet. Here's what I'm thinking so far:
1) Italy
2) Bragg
3) Richardson
As you can see, I want to go Airborne. We'll see what I can get though.
I don't think I'm going to ADSO for post though because I wouldn't be at that post for very long anyway, considering the whole War on Terror and everything. So basically, it's just not worth it to ADSO for post.
Now ADSO for Grad School, colloquially known as GRADSO. Basically, if I choose to stay in for three years past my normal service obligation, and elect to GRADSO now, while still a cadet, I can go to any graduate school program in the nation on the Army's dime. I'd just have to pay back 3 years for every year I'm in grad school, so basically, I'll tack on an additional 6 years to my Army service obligation.
A Visual Representation of what I'd owe if I GRADSO'ed:
5 years (because of West Point)
+ 3 Years (because of ADSO'ing for post)
+3 Years (to be eligible to GRADSO)
+2 Years (in Grad School, earning my normal Army salary, basically living as a civilian)
+6 Years (because of GRADSO commitment)
=19 years in the Army.
YIKES! 19 years in the Army is a lot to consider, and given that after 8 years, I'll have the Post-9/11 GI Bill anyway, where I can go to any state funded school for free, the GRADSO program is looking less and less appealing. To top it all off, I really want to join the FBI after my Army time is up, and because the FBI has an age limit of 37 when applying, if I do GRADSO, I'd be too old to apply.
So yeah, I don't think I'll be GRADSOing,
In other news, we select our first posts on February 3rd. I sort of have an idea of where I want to go, but am not entirely sure yet. Here's what I'm thinking so far:
1) Italy
2) Bragg
3) Richardson
As you can see, I want to go Airborne. We'll see what I can get though.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Mixes
So today was a pretty chill day: woke up at 10, had brunch, chilled in the room. I also made some new playlists for my iPod.
Workout Mix (25 Songs, About 1 Hour, 40 Minutes)
"Airplanes (Part II)" by B.o.B
"All I Do is Win" by DJ Khaled
"Black and Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa
"Bulletproof" by La Roux
"Clothes Off" by Gym Class Heroes
"Damnit" by Blick-182
"Day 'n' Nite (Nightmare)" by Kid Cudi
"Daylight (Remix)" by Ninjasonik
"Drop It Like It's Hot" by Snoop Dogg
"Feeling This" by Blink-182
"Forever" by Drake
"Forget About Dre" by Dr. Dre
"Gotta Get Thru This" by Daniel Bedingfield
"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk
"Headstrong" by Trapt
"Imma Be" by Black Eyed Peas
"Lose Yourself" by Eminem
"My Dick" by Mickey Avalon
"Not Afraid" by Eminem
"Remember the Name" by Fort Minor
"Run this Town" by Jay-Z
"Stronger" by Kanye West
"There's No Sympathy for the Dead" by Escape the Fate
"The Way I are" by Timbaland
"We R Who We R" by Ke$ha.
Driving Mix (20 Songs, About 1 Hour, 20 Minutes)
"Animal" by Miike Snow
"Black and Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa
"Bullet" by Rhymefest
"Cooler than Me" by Mike Posner
"Daylight" by Matt and Kim
"Electric Feel" by MGMT
"Embrace the Martian" by Kid Cudi
"Ghosts N Stuff" by Deadmau5
"Gimmie Shelter" by The Rolling Stones
"Good Day" by Nappy Roots
"Goodbye" by Wiz Khalifa
"Magic" by B.o.B
"Make Her Say" by Kid Cudi
"Moar Ghosts N Stuff" by Deadmau5
"Shots" by LMFAO
"Stereo Love" by Edward Maya
"Stronger" by Kanye West
"Take the Reins" by Tsunami Bomb
"You and I" by Deadmau5
"Your Woman" by White Town
Use them as you see fit.
Workout Mix (25 Songs, About 1 Hour, 40 Minutes)
"Airplanes (Part II)" by B.o.B
"All I Do is Win" by DJ Khaled
"Black and Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa
"Bulletproof" by La Roux
"Clothes Off" by Gym Class Heroes
"Damnit" by Blick-182
"Day 'n' Nite (Nightmare)" by Kid Cudi
"Daylight (Remix)" by Ninjasonik
"Drop It Like It's Hot" by Snoop Dogg
"Feeling This" by Blink-182
"Forever" by Drake
"Forget About Dre" by Dr. Dre
"Gotta Get Thru This" by Daniel Bedingfield
"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk
"Headstrong" by Trapt
"Imma Be" by Black Eyed Peas
"Lose Yourself" by Eminem
"My Dick" by Mickey Avalon
"Not Afraid" by Eminem
"Remember the Name" by Fort Minor
"Run this Town" by Jay-Z
"Stronger" by Kanye West
"There's No Sympathy for the Dead" by Escape the Fate
"The Way I are" by Timbaland
"We R Who We R" by Ke$ha.
Driving Mix (20 Songs, About 1 Hour, 20 Minutes)
"Animal" by Miike Snow
"Black and Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa
"Bullet" by Rhymefest
"Cooler than Me" by Mike Posner
"Daylight" by Matt and Kim
"Electric Feel" by MGMT
"Embrace the Martian" by Kid Cudi
"Ghosts N Stuff" by Deadmau5
"Gimmie Shelter" by The Rolling Stones
"Good Day" by Nappy Roots
"Goodbye" by Wiz Khalifa
"Magic" by B.o.B
"Make Her Say" by Kid Cudi
"Moar Ghosts N Stuff" by Deadmau5
"Shots" by LMFAO
"Stereo Love" by Edward Maya
"Stronger" by Kanye West
"Take the Reins" by Tsunami Bomb
"You and I" by Deadmau5
"Your Woman" by White Town
Use them as you see fit.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Little Things
So today, nothing big really happened to me, but a lot of Little Things did:
1) While I was sitting in the parking lot at church waiting for the lot to clear out, a family next to my car is loading up. I hear what I thought was a thud, so I look out my window to see what made the sound. Much to my horror, I see a little girl hit FEZ (my car) with her door. Little things man...
2) While getting FEZ's first car wash (since he survived two snowstorms without one and the salt was building up, I figured this brief respite we have now is the best time to wash him), I was pleasantly surprised to see some car wash workers wipe down the inside and outside of FEZ. Little things.
3) While driving to church this morning, the road was pretty clear, so I started dicking around with the different buttons inside of FEZ. I now know how to turn on the cruise control. Little things.
4) I find out that a friend had to cancel our play date today, but my best friend was there to quickly offer her place to hang out. I'll be headed over shortly after posting this. Little things.
5) Another friend said she'd love to hang out today if only she wasn't at home still instead of at school (her house is hours away versus her school which is just half an hour north of here). Still-- the little things.
Do all these little things amount to a Big Day? Not really, but I thought I'd just share.
::edit January 16, 2011 11:45PM EST::
So today, I actually got to hang out with the friend I mentioned in #5 above and it went surprisingly well. We'll be hanging out again this weekend, in Rhinebeck, New York. Yeah, I've never heard of it either, but apparently it's where Chelsea Clinton got married. Interesting.
Also: fun fact. I told the friends in #4 that I hung out with my friend in #5 in Greenwich, Connecticut and apparently it's the richest city in America. Sure seemed that way. To all my friends from back home, think Benicia on steroids. Holy cow I felt out of place.
Overall, a fun day. Cadets Always Win.
1) While I was sitting in the parking lot at church waiting for the lot to clear out, a family next to my car is loading up. I hear what I thought was a thud, so I look out my window to see what made the sound. Much to my horror, I see a little girl hit FEZ (my car) with her door. Little things man...
2) While getting FEZ's first car wash (since he survived two snowstorms without one and the salt was building up, I figured this brief respite we have now is the best time to wash him), I was pleasantly surprised to see some car wash workers wipe down the inside and outside of FEZ. Little things.
3) While driving to church this morning, the road was pretty clear, so I started dicking around with the different buttons inside of FEZ. I now know how to turn on the cruise control. Little things.
4) I find out that a friend had to cancel our play date today, but my best friend was there to quickly offer her place to hang out. I'll be headed over shortly after posting this. Little things.
5) Another friend said she'd love to hang out today if only she wasn't at home still instead of at school (her house is hours away versus her school which is just half an hour north of here). Still-- the little things.
Do all these little things amount to a Big Day? Not really, but I thought I'd just share.
::edit January 16, 2011 11:45PM EST::
So today, I actually got to hang out with the friend I mentioned in #5 above and it went surprisingly well. We'll be hanging out again this weekend, in Rhinebeck, New York. Yeah, I've never heard of it either, but apparently it's where Chelsea Clinton got married. Interesting.
Also: fun fact. I told the friends in #4 that I hung out with my friend in #5 in Greenwich, Connecticut and apparently it's the richest city in America. Sure seemed that way. To all my friends from back home, think Benicia on steroids. Holy cow I felt out of place.
Overall, a fun day. Cadets Always Win.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Bragg or Bust
So I know that it's only the afternoon and I have all day to come up with something more exciting to talk about, but given that I don't have anything planned for today, this is probably as exciting as it's going to get.
In my last post, I mentioned I emailed a plebe in the company's dad to ask for advice on what to branch and where to post since I want to work for the FBI later. I'll repost his (timely) response to me here, just in case any of you readers were wondering the same thing:
On Branching (Names Changed for Privacy Reasons)
Plebe's Dad."
On Posting
In my last post, I mentioned I emailed a plebe in the company's dad to ask for advice on what to branch and where to post since I want to work for the FBI later. I'll repost his (timely) response to me here, just in case any of you readers were wondering the same thing:
On Branching (Names Changed for Privacy Reasons)
"Citizen JEZ;
Regarding your decision on branching and a subsequent career with a federal agency.
I was branched MI, detailed infantry Recon Platoon leader, then had an MI command. Got a Masters degree in Intelligence from DIA. Following my military service I was a CIA operations officer.
INF or MI, depends your federal agency direction. If you believe you will pursue a career at FBI or US Secret Service, they are Federal Law enforcement agencies, both headquartered in DC, assignments in most major US cities, with limited assignments OCONUS. Their mission is Law Enforcement not intelligence. Despite what the FBI will tell you, they have limited terrorism intelligence focus and the path to promotion in the FBI is criminal or terrorism law enforcement not intel.
The US Secret Service primary mission is protection the President (POTUS) and the VP. Their intelligence work is to identify threats against POTUS. Their other mission is pursuit of financial crime, less counterfeiting these days with more focus on electronic crime.
Personally I liked and worked better with the US Secret Service. But have nothing against the FBI.
CIA has two major paths, one as intelligence analyst (Directorate of Intelligence) the other is operations officer (Directorate of Operations). The analyst job is classic analysis, graduate degree preferred, language skills a plus. Almost all jobs are in McLean VA. The other side (Operations) where I worked, is OCONUS focused...if you don't want to live overseas and don't like other cultures then Operations is not for you. They want graduate degrees, mid 20's at least older is better, if you have lived or were raised OCONUS it's a plus. Language skills of course.
So to your question, if you want to go
FBI- (law enforcement) Infantry
(Terrorism analysis) MI
US Secret Service - Infantry
CIA (Analyst) - MI
CIA (Operations) - Infantry, Special Forces is better, MI will do.
I can give better advice if you want to call me. I'm in San Francisco Cell phone is (XXX)XXX-XXXX.
I welcome a call or email anytime, glad to help.
Regards,
Plebe's Dad."
On Posting
"Citizen JEZ;
Congratulations on branching MI. My early Army career took the same course. I was detailed to infantry. In my case it was Mech infantry at Fort Hood (First Cav). I was the recon platoon leader which is the best LT platoon job in an infantry battalion.
I know you want jump, so if you are thinking 5 and fly, them you want to go to Fort Bragg. You will jump more, with a division and a Corps HQ on jump status. And there are always opportunities to meet other government agencies that periodically train at Bragg, like SWAT or other federal agency tactical teams. Also at Bragg, if you have interview opportunities later you can drive up to Washington DC. Likely you will deploy to combat from the Division, do well, be safe and having combat experience is good for a resume.
Also the XVIII Airborne Corps Commander is XXX XXXXX Class of 'XX and a good friend of mine. He and I were LTs together at Fort Hood.
MI job wise, try to get to the Corps Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (the MI brigade when I was at Bragg). If you do 82nd ABN MI battalion, it is honorable work, but you will not learn about national intelligence systems nor have contact the national intelligence community. So 525th Brigade is what you want. Or, harder to do, but even better to position yourself for Federal jobs would be to get in to the Special Operations Forces community on Bragg. The reason I say harder is that they usually want you to be SF qualified. But you can always try.
If you don't jump you could try to get an assignment straight to DC. There are MI HUMINT units in DC and mostly strategic intelligence jobs. But if you are detailing INF first, there are few INF jobs in DC for a new LT. So Bragg would be my suggestion. Also My Plebe was born at Bragg... so that makes it a great post!
I have contacts in most all federal agencies so when you want to talk more just call or email.
Best to you,
Plebe's Dad"
So I guess it's Bragg or Bust for me.
Friday, January 14, 2011
A Break
So today I got a Break. I was supposed to observe an Honor proceeding today, as it's part of my job description as a member of the Honor Committee, but a friend of mine decided to cover for me until I got done with class. In class, I was able to BS my way through it, despite not really having done the homework since I was sick last night and am still kind of sick. Once I finished classes, I went to Nininger Hall, where the Honor proceedings take place, and was told they were already done, so I didn't have to be there very long. Score! The weekend started at noon for me.
I also confirmed today that my hotel and restaurant reservations are in fact a go. Only a couple of weeks left before 100th Night!
In other news, Post Night is coming up. As of right now, I'm intending to post either to Italy, Bragg, or Richardson because I want to be part of an Airborne unit. We'll see though. As you may or may not know, I'm hoping to serve in the FBI after my Army obligation is fulfilled (I have to serve 8 years on active duty because I ADSOed for branch; I'm going to be MI branch detailed Infantry). As I was talking to my TAC the other day about posts, he said that government agencies such as the NSA and FBI actively recruit military members. With that in mind, I decided to try and find the posts where they recruit the most so I can tailor my military career to help me get hired by the FBI in the future. To do this, I contacted a plebe in my company's dad since he was in the Army as well and retired from the CIA not too long ago. I'm eager to hear his advice on this subject, as he was very helpful when I asked him for advice on branching.
It's also a three day weekend this weekend, but unfortunately my It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Seasons 1-5 DVDs plus the Christmas Special haven't arrived yet. I ordered them on December 17 too. Bah humbug.
I also confirmed today that my hotel and restaurant reservations are in fact a go. Only a couple of weeks left before 100th Night!
In other news, Post Night is coming up. As of right now, I'm intending to post either to Italy, Bragg, or Richardson because I want to be part of an Airborne unit. We'll see though. As you may or may not know, I'm hoping to serve in the FBI after my Army obligation is fulfilled (I have to serve 8 years on active duty because I ADSOed for branch; I'm going to be MI branch detailed Infantry). As I was talking to my TAC the other day about posts, he said that government agencies such as the NSA and FBI actively recruit military members. With that in mind, I decided to try and find the posts where they recruit the most so I can tailor my military career to help me get hired by the FBI in the future. To do this, I contacted a plebe in my company's dad since he was in the Army as well and retired from the CIA not too long ago. I'm eager to hear his advice on this subject, as he was very helpful when I asked him for advice on branching.
It's also a three day weekend this weekend, but unfortunately my It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Seasons 1-5 DVDs plus the Christmas Special haven't arrived yet. I ordered them on December 17 too. Bah humbug.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Busy
These past few days, I've been busy with:
Snowmageddon 2.0
Dicking around with my phone
Honor Stuff
Getting sick
So sorry for the lack of updates. I'm also in the process of listening to a brief I missed out on. Doesn't seem too interesting so even if I fall asleep soon, which I plan on doing because I have a cold, I should be ok.
Oh well-- three day weekend. Woot!
Snowmageddon 2.0
Dicking around with my phone
Honor Stuff
Getting sick
So sorry for the lack of updates. I'm also in the process of listening to a brief I missed out on. Doesn't seem too interesting so even if I fall asleep soon, which I plan on doing because I have a cold, I should be ok.
Oh well-- three day weekend. Woot!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Taxing
So this whole working out, going to school, staying up late thing is really Taxing on the body. I think my body is paying for it now.
Yes. You guessed it. I'm drinking my first Red Bull of the new year. I don't normally drink energy drinks, but I did the 300 workout today (half-assed and only did half of it really), sat on an Honor Preliminary Hearing with the most unprepared Cadet Under Investigation (CUI) ever, have to write a recommendation on another Honor case and have to write a history paper for tomorrow.
But in other news, I do feel really good. All this shall pass. And besides-- it's a three day weekend this weekend! Hopefully it'll be fun as last weekend was barely a weekend with Saturday classes and all.
Yes. You guessed it. I'm drinking my first Red Bull of the new year. I don't normally drink energy drinks, but I did the 300 workout today (half-assed and only did half of it really), sat on an Honor Preliminary Hearing with the most unprepared Cadet Under Investigation (CUI) ever, have to write a recommendation on another Honor case and have to write a history paper for tomorrow.
But in other news, I do feel really good. All this shall pass. And besides-- it's a three day weekend this weekend! Hopefully it'll be fun as last weekend was barely a weekend with Saturday classes and all.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Kids
So while at church today, I helped with the Children's Worship Service. A kid started crying so I took him out to try and calm him down. The kid (Ryan was his name) wanted to see his mom for no real reason. It reminded me of what we learned in psychology about kids his age getting upset when they're separated from their parents. As we started walking to where his mom was (we really couldn't see her since she was in the adult's worship service), Ryan turned off the water works and was fine, but when I told him that we couldn't see her just yet, he started crying again.
An adult, finally seeing the desperation in my situation, came in to save the day and gave Ryan a piece of a doughnut. The kid stopped crying again and seemed fine. I left.
With the Children's Worship Service done, the kids were now running around being really loud. I was so lost and confused. I guess I'm ok with older kids, but young kids, I just didn't know how to control them.
I leave that to the wife I guess.
An adult, finally seeing the desperation in my situation, came in to save the day and gave Ryan a piece of a doughnut. The kid stopped crying again and seemed fine. I left.
With the Children's Worship Service done, the kids were now running around being really loud. I was so lost and confused. I guess I'm ok with older kids, but young kids, I just didn't know how to control them.
I leave that to the wife I guess.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Mo Money, Mo Problems
Things I did today:
1) Funded my Roth IRA for the 2011 tax year
-but had to sell part of my mutual funds to do so.
2) Made restaurant reservations at a fancy schmancy restaurant for 100th Night
-but am questioning the worth of smaller portions versus the feeling of fullness
3) Researched hotels for 100th Night
-but was pleasantly surprised that what I saw were nightly rates, not total rates.
More to follow.
1) Funded my Roth IRA for the 2011 tax year
-but had to sell part of my mutual funds to do so.
2) Made restaurant reservations at a fancy schmancy restaurant for 100th Night
-but am questioning the worth of smaller portions versus the feeling of fullness
3) Researched hotels for 100th Night
-but was pleasantly surprised that what I saw were nightly rates, not total rates.
More to follow.
"It Helped"
No homo, but I totally had an "aww" moment today.
As I was walking back from my last class of the day (yes, I'm done for the day. With it snowing like the Ice Age outside and a free afternoon, there's no better situation in which to slug out), I ran into a yuk who was in the same Beast company I was attached to when I was a counselor. If you didn't know, they attach counselors to Beast companies nowadays to allow the new cadets someone to talk to as they go through that transition from high school kid to cadet. I was this particular yuk's counselor.
He told me that he recently applied to become a counselor and had an interview today for the job. I told him that was great to hear that he was doing that. We discussed the training process for a bit and I told him that if he's lucky, his job will be very easy and will take care of itself, allowing him to just interact with people. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: Yeah, if you're lucky like I was you'll be put into a good company that kinda took care of itself, so you won't really have any real work to do. You'll basically just be running around hanging out with people.
Him: Yeah, but it helped.
I made an impact. That's kinda cool.
As I was walking back from my last class of the day (yes, I'm done for the day. With it snowing like the Ice Age outside and a free afternoon, there's no better situation in which to slug out), I ran into a yuk who was in the same Beast company I was attached to when I was a counselor. If you didn't know, they attach counselors to Beast companies nowadays to allow the new cadets someone to talk to as they go through that transition from high school kid to cadet. I was this particular yuk's counselor.
He told me that he recently applied to become a counselor and had an interview today for the job. I told him that was great to hear that he was doing that. We discussed the training process for a bit and I told him that if he's lucky, his job will be very easy and will take care of itself, allowing him to just interact with people. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: Yeah, if you're lucky like I was you'll be put into a good company that kinda took care of itself, so you won't really have any real work to do. You'll basically just be running around hanging out with people.
Him: Yeah, but it helped.
I made an impact. That's kinda cool.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Spinach Dip
Don't get the Spinach Dip at the Firstie: it's a rip off ($6.50 and all you get is a handful of crushed nachos and two little containers of store bought spinach dip).
Yep. That was my lesson learned today. Thank you last First Day of Class ever (well, not including first day of IBOLC, Ranger, Grad School etc).
Oh and I tried to blog yesterday, but blogger was being lame and wouldn't work for me. I'd love to tell you my thoughts on yesterday, but I forgot. Whoops?
Yep. That was my lesson learned today. Thank you last First Day of Class ever (well, not including first day of IBOLC, Ranger, Grad School etc).
Oh and I tried to blog yesterday, but blogger was being lame and wouldn't work for me. I'd love to tell you my thoughts on yesterday, but I forgot. Whoops?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Work Ethic
In addition to working out consistently (and by that I mean working out for the past two days, this day included), I also was able to talk to my assistant today in a formal counseling and discuss what we wanted to do this semester. We have all these crazy ideas of what will happen, but only time will tell if it's actually implemented. I know I'm motivated for right now though.
I also got my DOD decals today (finally!) after a few months. Looks like I forgot one other sticker, so I have to go back to go pick up the missing piece. I'll pick it up sometime tomorrow.
I'm also planning on buying school supplies tomorrow. We start class on Thursday, so hopefully this reinvigorated Work Ethic lasts.
Oh-- I'll most likely be blogging after 12 midnight, so the dates from here on out will be off because I'll be talking about the previous day's thoughts but it will be posted on the current date. I hope that makes sense.
I also got my DOD decals today (finally!) after a few months. Looks like I forgot one other sticker, so I have to go back to go pick up the missing piece. I'll pick it up sometime tomorrow.
I'm also planning on buying school supplies tomorrow. We start class on Thursday, so hopefully this reinvigorated Work Ethic lasts.
Oh-- I'll most likely be blogging after 12 midnight, so the dates from here on out will be off because I'll be talking about the previous day's thoughts but it will be posted on the current date. I hope that makes sense.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Doing Too Much
Just to clarify, these thoughts you are about to read occurred on January 3, 2011. I missed the 12:00am deadline and couldn't publish it before the date changed. Whoops.
Anyway, over Christmas Break, I did not work out. At all. Realizing that I've gotten quite chubby, I, like many other individuals, decided to start working out as part of my New Years Resolution (we'll see how long this lasts). So I go to the gym and stupidly run at the same speed and intensity I was running when I was consistently working out (last November). Big mistake. 50 minutes into my hour long run, my shoes came undone, so I paused the treadmill to tie my shoe. However, when I resumed, my left leg was killing me, particularly my knee, so anything faster than 4.0mph was causing me to limp run. Wasn't worth it, so I just walked for 10 minutes. I was Doing Too Much.
Don't worry, I did get an ab workout in: always time for that.
Speaking of Doing Too Much, I was chatting with a friend about her experiences with West Point cadets. As a cadet myself, I have my own biases, so it was pleasant to hear hers. Many of her points were points I have heard said by others: that we're cocky and that we're stuck in the past. I tried to be a devil's advocate and offer a pro-West Point opinion, and offered my group of friends as a counter to her assertion that many of us are cocky, but until she meets them, she'll never know.
Good to know she's my 100th Night date right?
Speaking of 100th Night, I have to start planning for it. School starts up soon too, and I have a ton of other stuff to also work on (Honor Committee stuff-- I'm on the Honor Committee, setting up our room, getting jacked and tan, etc). Am I Doing Too Much? Only time will tell.
Anyway, over Christmas Break, I did not work out. At all. Realizing that I've gotten quite chubby, I, like many other individuals, decided to start working out as part of my New Years Resolution (we'll see how long this lasts). So I go to the gym and stupidly run at the same speed and intensity I was running when I was consistently working out (last November). Big mistake. 50 minutes into my hour long run, my shoes came undone, so I paused the treadmill to tie my shoe. However, when I resumed, my left leg was killing me, particularly my knee, so anything faster than 4.0mph was causing me to limp run. Wasn't worth it, so I just walked for 10 minutes. I was Doing Too Much.
Don't worry, I did get an ab workout in: always time for that.
Speaking of Doing Too Much, I was chatting with a friend about her experiences with West Point cadets. As a cadet myself, I have my own biases, so it was pleasant to hear hers. Many of her points were points I have heard said by others: that we're cocky and that we're stuck in the past. I tried to be a devil's advocate and offer a pro-West Point opinion, and offered my group of friends as a counter to her assertion that many of us are cocky, but until she meets them, she'll never know.
Good to know she's my 100th Night date right?
Speaking of 100th Night, I have to start planning for it. School starts up soon too, and I have a ton of other stuff to also work on (Honor Committee stuff-- I'm on the Honor Committee, setting up our room, getting jacked and tan, etc). Am I Doing Too Much? Only time will tell.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Cadets Always Win
I'm fond of the saying "Cadets Always Win." Why? Because they do. If there's one thing I think I've learned at West Point it's to be resourceful, to use what you have to get what you want (that sounded a lot better in my head I promise).
Today, I flew back to New York from San Francisco. An otherwise okay flight, though I didn't fall asleep as easily as I normally did. We were late about an hour as well, but it wasn't like I was in any rush or anything. I left the terminal, confident in the good things the year would bring. As I awaited for the bus back to school, I encountered a friend of mine and we started talking about how excited we were for the new school year, especially 100th Night (a formal event for the seniors at my school: more on that another time). He informed me that he recently got a nice suit to wear to the event.
DAMN!
At that moment, I just realized that I had left my suit and my new pair of shoes in a garment bag that was still inside the plane. As I boarded the bus, I started looking for the contact information for American Airlines and started thinking how best to resolve this. I called American Airlines Baggage Service and they advised me that since I was still at the airport, my best bet was to try and find it at the lost and found at the terminal myself, since me waiting and filing a report could result in my bag never being found. I was hesitant to do this at first because I was afraid I'd have to find another way back aside from the bus, but luckily later buses were scheduled to arrive.
So I hopped off the bus, told the bus supervisor to expect me later as I had a missing bag to find, and then bolted back to Terminal 8 to check in with American Airlines Lost and Found. My garment bag hadn't turned up yet, and since the buses weren't due to arrive at the airport for some time, I decided to just hang out at the Lost and Found. At first, there were no other customers in there, and so I got to know the agents pretty well as we just talked about how it was working at the airport, especially in customer service. They live tough lives and I totally respect them for all the crap they have to go through.
Soon, more customers came in looking for their bags. Many Brazilians were there as well, as a lot of them had to be diverted to Miami for some reason, and as a result, lost a few of their bags along the way. There was also an elderly man who only spoke Spanish who was trying to negotiate with the agents on how to handle his damaged bag-- he wanted them to pay $200 on the spot, but the agent could only offer a future reimbursement.
While people watching was great and all, I was pretty anxious to recover my lost bag. I checked hourly to no avail, when finally at around 1230, my bag finally showed up (I landed at 845). I was so happy and I'm sure the agent could tell in my voice.
I then walked with a little skip to my step triumphantly back to the buses, which conveniently arrived at an earlier time (I was under the impression they would come back at 3, but another bus came in at 1. Lucky me).
Cadets always win.
Well, except for the time I lost my passport. I just found it and had already canceled it and applied for a new one. Oh well-- I'm still going to Sicily for free (more on that at another time).
Yes. Cadets always win.
Today, I flew back to New York from San Francisco. An otherwise okay flight, though I didn't fall asleep as easily as I normally did. We were late about an hour as well, but it wasn't like I was in any rush or anything. I left the terminal, confident in the good things the year would bring. As I awaited for the bus back to school, I encountered a friend of mine and we started talking about how excited we were for the new school year, especially 100th Night (a formal event for the seniors at my school: more on that another time). He informed me that he recently got a nice suit to wear to the event.
DAMN!
At that moment, I just realized that I had left my suit and my new pair of shoes in a garment bag that was still inside the plane. As I boarded the bus, I started looking for the contact information for American Airlines and started thinking how best to resolve this. I called American Airlines Baggage Service and they advised me that since I was still at the airport, my best bet was to try and find it at the lost and found at the terminal myself, since me waiting and filing a report could result in my bag never being found. I was hesitant to do this at first because I was afraid I'd have to find another way back aside from the bus, but luckily later buses were scheduled to arrive.
So I hopped off the bus, told the bus supervisor to expect me later as I had a missing bag to find, and then bolted back to Terminal 8 to check in with American Airlines Lost and Found. My garment bag hadn't turned up yet, and since the buses weren't due to arrive at the airport for some time, I decided to just hang out at the Lost and Found. At first, there were no other customers in there, and so I got to know the agents pretty well as we just talked about how it was working at the airport, especially in customer service. They live tough lives and I totally respect them for all the crap they have to go through.
Soon, more customers came in looking for their bags. Many Brazilians were there as well, as a lot of them had to be diverted to Miami for some reason, and as a result, lost a few of their bags along the way. There was also an elderly man who only spoke Spanish who was trying to negotiate with the agents on how to handle his damaged bag-- he wanted them to pay $200 on the spot, but the agent could only offer a future reimbursement.
While people watching was great and all, I was pretty anxious to recover my lost bag. I checked hourly to no avail, when finally at around 1230, my bag finally showed up (I landed at 845). I was so happy and I'm sure the agent could tell in my voice.
I then walked with a little skip to my step triumphantly back to the buses, which conveniently arrived at an earlier time (I was under the impression they would come back at 3, but another bus came in at 1. Lucky me).
Cadets always win.
Well, except for the time I lost my passport. I just found it and had already canceled it and applied for a new one. Oh well-- I'm still going to Sicily for free (more on that at another time).
Yes. Cadets always win.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Clean Slate
"Citizen JEZ, you said you would write on your thoughts at the end of the day. Why are you writing now?"
Good question. Tonight, I have to fly back to West Point, so I'm not sure if I can blog tonight, as I'll be hanging around SFO. I did find out that SFO offers free wifi now, but I think my time would be better spent monitoring my flight status.
I just checked my schedule for next semester online. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with it. For those of you who are unfamiliar, unlike a normal school, at West Point, your schedule is pretty much picked for you. Sure, you have your academic major (I'm a history major myself), but there are a bunch of other classes you have to take (like international relations for example, which I'm taking this semester). The cool thing with having your schedule picked for you is you don't have to constantly refresh your browser hoping that you got in to that class you wanted.
Yeah, it's like high school. I get it.
However, my high school wasn't on the block system, and West Point is. With that said, I don't start until 3rd hour (9:50am) on Day 1's and I'm done by lunch (10:45am) on Day 2's. My Day 2's will be pretty full in the afternoon though because I have lab pretty much every day, but I guess it comes with the territory.
It is unfortunate though that I have to write the dreaded Sosh Paper and my Senior Thesis both in the same semester. The Sosh Paper is the 20 page paper we have to write for our International Relations class and there's a whole event catered to the event of just turning that in: more on that at another time.
I love the start of the school year, and the year in general. So much promise and so much potential in just having a Clean Slate. Hopefully I can capitalize on it all.
::Edit 5:41PM PST January 1, 2011::
My dad just woke me up in order to get ready for my flight back to New York tonight. My flight doesn't leave until 11:00pm, so I'm not sure why I had to be up so early-- I was planning on waking myself up at 6:00. Oh well.
I get so nervous the moments before I have to fly back. I'm not sure why. Maybe I get used to the fact that I'm "home." I sort of forget that life as I know it is different now: no more waking up in my own room, no more having my own bathroom, no more having to decide what to wear every day. Well, all in time I guess-- in five months, actually, I'll be done with school and will be out on my own. Weird.
It's just so weird that my room still has calendars from June 2007 up as if I never left the place. I wonder if I'll ever change them.
Oh, and don't think that I've just been lazy in changing calendars-- that's partially the reason why I haven't changed them, but not totally. But that's a story for another day too.
Lastly, for some weird reason, I have Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight" stuck in my head. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'd want to know that in the future when I reread all of this.
Good question. Tonight, I have to fly back to West Point, so I'm not sure if I can blog tonight, as I'll be hanging around SFO. I did find out that SFO offers free wifi now, but I think my time would be better spent monitoring my flight status.
I just checked my schedule for next semester online. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with it. For those of you who are unfamiliar, unlike a normal school, at West Point, your schedule is pretty much picked for you. Sure, you have your academic major (I'm a history major myself), but there are a bunch of other classes you have to take (like international relations for example, which I'm taking this semester). The cool thing with having your schedule picked for you is you don't have to constantly refresh your browser hoping that you got in to that class you wanted.
Yeah, it's like high school. I get it.
However, my high school wasn't on the block system, and West Point is. With that said, I don't start until 3rd hour (9:50am) on Day 1's and I'm done by lunch (10:45am) on Day 2's. My Day 2's will be pretty full in the afternoon though because I have lab pretty much every day, but I guess it comes with the territory.
It is unfortunate though that I have to write the dreaded Sosh Paper and my Senior Thesis both in the same semester. The Sosh Paper is the 20 page paper we have to write for our International Relations class and there's a whole event catered to the event of just turning that in: more on that at another time.
I love the start of the school year, and the year in general. So much promise and so much potential in just having a Clean Slate. Hopefully I can capitalize on it all.
::Edit 5:41PM PST January 1, 2011::
My dad just woke me up in order to get ready for my flight back to New York tonight. My flight doesn't leave until 11:00pm, so I'm not sure why I had to be up so early-- I was planning on waking myself up at 6:00. Oh well.
I get so nervous the moments before I have to fly back. I'm not sure why. Maybe I get used to the fact that I'm "home." I sort of forget that life as I know it is different now: no more waking up in my own room, no more having my own bathroom, no more having to decide what to wear every day. Well, all in time I guess-- in five months, actually, I'll be done with school and will be out on my own. Weird.
It's just so weird that my room still has calendars from June 2007 up as if I never left the place. I wonder if I'll ever change them.
Oh, and don't think that I've just been lazy in changing calendars-- that's partially the reason why I haven't changed them, but not totally. But that's a story for another day too.
Lastly, for some weird reason, I have Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight" stuck in my head. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'd want to know that in the future when I reread all of this.
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