HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THINGS

Since November’s Monthly Blog, I have been out to a few different locations in Afghanistan and have made a temporary move for my unit to complete a mission. At the beginning of the travel and move, I watched the movie Soul Surfer. If you haven’t seen the movie (I highly suggest it), I won’t spoil it for you, but in one of the scenes of this movie, it talked about perspective – by showing a zoomed in portion of a picture, the audience guessed what it was; then it zoomed out and revealed what the picture actually was. The point to this scene was to show the audience that seeing a picture was all about the perspective that you looked at it from. This scene stuck with me (and still does) throughout my current operations.

It is not about you

Throughout my travels this past month I have been fortunate to see different locations of Afghanistan (some better than others – perspective) and meet and work with soldiers from different parts of America and with different backgrounds. Everywhere I have been the soldiers and leadership of these areas has been very helpful and always wants to make sure that the troops were taken care of. You never know who you will work with, but always doing the right thing and doing your best work, will allow you and your fellow soldiers (or co-workers) to successfully complete the task/mission no matter what you are given to work with. The experiences this past month, and working together with many different people have allowed the soldiers to complete task that we would not been able to complete on our own. Remember that it is not always about “you” – and most of the time it never is.

Dealing with technology (or lack of) has also been a challenge. When you or the people that you work with are used to you always having technology at the tip of your fingers, then all of a sudden you are without it, it is hard to relay that message that you are unable to communicate with them because you do not have the technology to do so. You cannot let technology control how you operate. When you don’t have it, you can’t use it – so you just continue to work to complete the mission. Personally not having technology (for work) it has given me the opportunity to get out and work with some of the soldiers that I typically would not have the opportunity to.

The living conditions of the different locations are not what I had at the location that I am based out of. As I mentioned before, some places are nicer than others, but that depends on your perspective. Nonetheless, the soldiers make it work. One of these locations (I will call the mountain top) soldiers lived in wood building and sleep on the floor. The only way in and out was by helicopter, so the food and water had to be air dropped to them. This meant that the food they ate were mostly MRE and occasionally hot food that was brought in by air. Fortunately, these soldiers go do a mission, then go back to a bigger location with better amenities. The location that I am at now is different than mountain top, but still doesn’t have as many of the luxuries as the location I am based out of. Still here, the soldiers make it work and have learned to live without many of the luxuries that we are used to having (and sometimes take it for granted). Living in tent, with a heater that works most of the time, at a location where there is no shops (PX) to buy things, but the ability to eat hot meals at a dining facility sounds better than the mountain top – but at all locations the people that you are with are what make the different places unique and worth the stay.

Just a little description of our current living conditions: We live in a tent with roughly 15 other people. Soldiers have to walk about 200-300 yards to take a shower and use the bathroom. The dining facility is about a half a mile (but it is food). It think of it as one long camping trip. Although these conditions might sound bad – I am blessed to have them compared to how many people in the United States have to live.

Throughout the travels, I have also realized even more how much I enjoy living in Texas with its 2 day a year winters and how much I do not like the cold. The most recent move has placed us in a location that is already cold (highs in lower 40’s and soon to be where it doesn’t get over 32 degrees during the day). The weather has begun to hit single digits at night and will last this way for the next couple of months. Yes, the soldiers that I live with think I am crazy for sleeping under 3 blankets (one of them being a heated blanket – thanks Dad and Birdie).

Perspective / Blessings

After thinking back this past month on the places I have been and how the soldiers have to live (at times), I realize that not everybody is fortunate to have all of the luxuries that others sometime have. I also realized that sometime you do not need those luxuries, as many times they can simply be distractions.

Regardless of our location and the luxuries of life, I am blessed to be with soldiers that work hard and do whatever it takes to make things work. They all have great attitudes and enjoy doing what they do. It is blessing to get to work and interact with each of them.

At home, I am blessed to have a nice house to live in and wonderful family and friends. Just like over here, most things in life, without my family and friends I would be unable to do many things that I do.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years

As the Christmas season is upon us, I simply ask that you not only think about the men and women that are away from home during these holidays season, but you also think about their families that are celebrating at home without them. Even though I will not be home with my family, I am blessed to have a great group of friends, that I consider part of my family, over here that I will be celebrating Christmas and New Years with. I pray that you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

I am planning on writing this blog once a month (and maybe a few words in between) during my deployment to provide update on what is going on with me. This blog is solely meant for my family and friend and all who have support me and the fellow men and women that serve the United State Military (Past and Present).

Brief Background – OIF to OEF

As many of you know, I am on my second combat tour of duty of my military career. My first one was to Iraq in 2005, as a Sergeant. When I returned I went to Officer Candidate School to become a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army. I am currently a First Lieutenant. I am the Executive Officer (which is 2^nd in Command) of the 236^th Engineer Company (Texas Army National Guard) out of Denton, Texas, which is currently deployed to Afghanistan.

Comparison of Civilian Job and Military Job

When I am not deployed with the Army, my civilian job is a Teacher and a Coach. I am a certified to teach 6-12 Business and 4-8 Generalists. I have taught Business and Math in my previous teaching positions. The one thing that I find similar in Teaching and being an Officer in the Army is the Leadership and Planning that is involved. In each position, you are the first to show and the last to leave. (This will make my fellow educators proud) In addition to being a Leader, I also find myself being an Educator, as I am always being asked how to do things on the computer, as well as always looking to teach my fellow soldiers a new way, the right way, or a better way on how to accomplish different task. I guess that the “Educator” in me remains alive. Thank you to my fellow educators for the patience and time that you give to teach this country’s future.

It is what you do that matters

During my training for this deployment, I heard a quote that went something like “Be not worried about how long you will be on ground, but it is what you do while you are on ground that matters”. This quote hit me as I realize that although I have an idea how long I will be here, but if all I do is look for the light at the end of the tunnel (the time that I am to return home), then what I do here will not matter. If I take each day and do the things that I need to do to make a difference that I will be successful here, no matter how long I am here. I relate this to the way I feel that we need to live our lives for Christ. If we go out each day to make a difference, then time means nothing on this earth.

ACU

As I write this blog, I also think about the tragic events that occurred involving an ACU bus accident, which resulted in many people injured – some critically – and ended the life of one young lady. This group of people were on their way to take part in a mission trip that had been an annual thing for over 20 years. I think about the earlier quote I mentioned above, and how I know that these people were not worried about the time they lived on this earth, but looked everyday to make a difference for Christ on this earth. Involved in the accident, are two wonderful people and who adopted my wife and me as their kids while we were attending ACU. Emmett and Pat Miller looked everyday to make a difference in our lives, as well as everybody else’s lives. I also think about all of the professors, coaches, and staff at ACU that focused each day on how to make a positive impact in all they were involved with, regardless how long they might be at ACU. I take pride in ACU and the difference they made in my life. Although I am proud of the accomplishments that I had on the football field and my two BBA degrees, I am more proud to say that I am an alumni of ACU and I wear and sport my ACU items with pride. ACU truly does educate, minister, and lead people to go out in the world to make a difference (even when people – meaning myself – do not realize where and how they will be sent throughout the world).

Making a Difference (I hope)

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, I am the Executive Officer for the 236^th Engineer Company (Texas Army National Guard) from Denton, Texas. This makes me 2^nd in Charge of this unit. Part of my duties as Executive Officers is to make decisions and lead. Many of these decisions have a direct effect on the lives of the soldiers in the unit. – In the middle of writing this month’s blog, something came up and I had to stop writing and go make decisions. Although the decision meant staying up to the early hours of the morning, but working those hours is sometimes the cost to make the best decision to place the soldiers in the best position to complete their mission. – My goal is to not worry about how long I will be here, but that the things that I am lead to do while I am here, I pray that I do the things or make the decisions that will have a positive effect and make a difference in lives of my fellow soldiers and all others involved.

I finish with the hope that each day you will not worry about getting through the day, but be concerned with how you are going to make a difference.