Here are a few pictures from our Combat Action Badge presentation (and if you click the picture it will link to the rest of the album.)
We started out by also reenlisting and promoting my Gunnery Sergeant, SFC Houston. Thanks goes out to SSG Martinez for taking these pictures with my camera. Now I can actually be in a few! Then I simply worked my post processing magic.

This was my first time reenlisting a Soldier. It was definitely an honorable day, and I’m glad I didn’t screw up the oath.

Below our …

Lately there has not been much to write home about, so to speak. The soldiers have worn into a comfortable groove with their force protection duties. More and more of them are getting cross trained in different positions to create depth in our battle rosters. But they remain as frosty as ever.

The hardest thing to do right now is find new things to take pictures of.

Here is our COP “pet”. He is both the mangiest, and heartbreakingly sad dog I think I’ve ever seen. There’s a group of birds that …

Recently 1st Platoon did what is called a “calibration,” which is a fancy way to say we measured the speed that our new ammo travels at. This helps us fire as accurate as possible and maintain our first round steel-on-target reputation.

The best part about calibrating is that we get to shoot what’s called “direct fire.” Usually we fire “non-line-of-sight,” which means an observer tells us where to shoot, and once we fire we never see the rounds impact. With direct fire, we aim at the mountain side next to the …

On the final day before deploying to the Land of the Afghans, Britt and I went on one of our characteristic adventures. In the heart of Clarksville hides Dunbar Cave recreation area. Never missing a moment to snap a few pics, and needing an excuse to break in my new boots, I grabbed the Nikon and we hit the trail.
The flood line from last week’s disaster was visible throughout the park. Giant trees found their way up 25-foot hills and the stone walls were striped with dirt.
I can’t wait to …

Here are my pics from the Great Tennessee Flood of 2010!!
Some of you know that my townhouse is at the top of a hill, right above a Gary Matthews car dealership. Well, the road next to the dealership is also the only road accessible to our hilltop subdivision. That road entrance is also at low ground, about 100 meters from the Cumberland River. After more than 13 inches of rain in the last few days, the swollen river has continued to rise, trapping us like ants on a hill.

The Gateway to the New South, Clarks-Vegas, is showing signs of thawing. After Brittany doubled my heating bill in January (muahaha) while I was gone, my February bill is down 15 percent, with me here. What better way to celebrate than to shut off the heat, open up the windows and have a little walk in the park.
Every time I think Clarksville is boring I find something new that makes me wish I didn’t have to leave. Most of these discoveries come from my neighbor, Sara, who unfortunately just moved …