The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same

Well, I  suppose it's time that I startied writing again.

Pam and I have been back in Germany since April now, and it's been an experience of extremes.  This seems to be a place that you alternately love and hate or even sometime simultaneously.  There seems to be no middle ground.  We love our house, but the neighbors are psychotic.  The weather went from 2 solid weeks of rain to 3 solid weeks of intense heat then back to rain.  We're ready to leave, but we want to stay.

We did get to experience the World Cup here in Germany, an experience to remember, culminated by a trip downtown where we joined tens of thousands of fans watching Germany take on Portugal for 3rd place.  Truly an experience to remember.

The 4th of July weekend found us in Bavaria checking the "I went to Germany" block of visiting Mad King Ludwig's castles followed by a short jaunt through Austria and a night in Garmisch.

We also made the journey back to Bastogne in Belgium and were able to walk the grounds of Foy, Noville, and Rachamps which were immortalized in "Band of Brothers" (watch episodes 7 and 8).

We have a number of things we are looking forward to in the next few months:

1. I have submitted all the applications to compete for a Professor of Military Science position beginning next summer.  The board meets near the end of this month with the results expected by the 1st of September.  We're waiting on pins and needles for this one as it will hopefully tell us where we will be for the next 3 years.
2. Simon and Schuster is set to release "The Blog of War" on September 5th.  Several of the posts from this blog are included in that book and we are looking forward to seeing them in print.  More importantly, most of the proceeds are being donated to the Fisher House.  Please take a few few minutes to order your copies.  They are very compelling stories, the nature of which you will not find in any other format and the proceeds will be doing worlds of good.
3. We received word last month that I had been selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and with any luck should be able to pin on the silver oak leaves by October.

So now I find myself back at the 21st Theater Support Command working the same job I was before my diversion to the 191st and Afghanistan.  it seems a little surreal now to think of all that has happened over the past 18 months and while the memories and heartache fade with time, I find myself making a concerted effort to keep them as a constant companion and reminder of our other comrades who are still there or headed that way.  Our Son in Law Alan is toughing out his last couple of months in Baghdad, as is Brian Moore who I worked with at 21st before.  My buddy Scott from the unit in Colorado Springs is set to head back that way soon, and Lance Corporal Daniel Wiesen who was with us in Salerno last year is now finishing up a subsequent tour to Haditha, Iraq.

These are just the ones that spring to mind immediately, but the chartered DC-10s that regularly fly overhead on their way in and out of Ramstein serve as constant reminders that there are still many of our comrades far from home and in harm's way who require our daily prayers.

Comments

[AFSister]

Hey! Good to see you writing again!

Congrats on the promotion. I hope everything works out for the new job. I'm really looking forward to the blog book!!

[Betty Scranton]

Thank you, Brian, for setting the record straight. I look forward to your challenging letters-to-the editor at the Post Independent here in Glenwood Springs!

Thanks again for your service to our country.

Betty Scranton

[Kelly]

Sir,
I salute you with the upmost respect. Thank you and your family so much for your service. Please be safe and this also goes for you son in law. Well actually for all of our Men and Women in our military.
You all are true HEROS in my eyes.
May God Bless all of our military.

Kelly

[Agnieszka O.]

Nice to hear from you.
Congrats on your promotion.
It's starting to feel like fall in CO...

[Steffen Caldwell]

Sir,

I am an American Veteran living and working in Germany. I found your blog through Blackfive.

Where (if you can answer) are you stationed in Germany.

Right now I am working in Köln ut I live in Erlangen about 20KM NE of Nürnberg.

I am also a member of the VFW and Department of Europe. Are you a member?

Please answer (COMSEC and OPSEC) to my mail address.

Steffen Caldwell

[Household6]

Welcome back to the blog world. Congrats on the promotion!

HH6

[JeanneD]

Woohoo! Good job -- you'd be the only LTC I'd want to follow to war!

Excellent deal on the PMS idea -- you would do great at that. Let me know what university you end up in -- can you choose? Princeton would be a fine place to go-- I'll come visit...

[MissBirdlegs in AL]

Hey there! Tickled to see you posting again. Great news on your promotion, Sir. Congrats!

I got my book on 28 Aug. There wasn't much in there I hadn't already read, but I loved re-reading. I thought Blackfive did a super job on the continuity.

Best to you & yours. Gotta go read your other posts :)

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