Just a little perch in the fish house. 

On the top of Granite Mountain, Prescott, AZ. 

Merry Christmas! 

Happy Holidays

It is New Years Eve and I am sitting in my Fathers house. I am finally back in Minnesota, if only for what seems to be a fleeting moment in time. The weather is everything I could have hoped for, plenty of snow falling and temp's below freezing. It is funny how what seems to be horrible weather to many, is the greatest thing I have felt in months.

The Update. . . .

I made it into Arizona safe and sound to see my Mother and Brother on the 22nd. We went to eat and enjoy the weather. Bryan and I climbed up Granite Mountain, a peak of 7,800 or so near the city. It was a pretty good work out, but it was worth it to make it to the top. The family had a good time together but it came to go our separate ways. Bryan left the morning of the 29th and I left a little later that day.

I drove from Minneapolis up to Dad's in about 4 hours, an hour longer than the usual time it takes to get there (maybe because I was driving through a snow storm). I went fishing with my dad yesterday morning but we only caught a half dozen Perch or so, we were hoping to get some Walleye. After we blew off the driveway we went snowmobiling towards Perham and stopped at the local watering hole on the way. After fishing again this morning with Dad, Kathy, and Kristi we gave up on the hope of getting a Walleye. Now I am packing up again to head down to Minneapolis to see some friends for New Years and the Vikings game tomorrow.

I hope everyone had a great time with their Family and friends and I will talk to you next year!

~Nick~

What the heck?

Hello everyone,

Apparently the audioblog that I left the other day didn't get posted so.. . . . I guess you are all wondering what is going on.

We have been really busy lately, or at least I have. We headed back to the FOB to do some more medical lanes etc. . . We received training on more weapons recently and I am now familiar with three more weapons systems.

I can't remember the last day that we had to rest. We received our new desert uniforms but we can't wear them yet and all of our old gear was turned in because we are receiving new stuff.

Let's just get to the point of how things are going. "I'm a little tired, I'm a little wired . . . " I can positively say that I am excited for the holiday leave that I am taking and it is most needed. I plan on relaxing as much as possible before I have to come back down here and go back to work.

The governor (Tim Pawlenty) stopped by the other day to talk with the troops and answer any questions they had about Minnesota etc. . . (does it seem like I use a lot of etc's or is it just me?).

This post is really more random abstract than usual, and for that I apologize. This will probably be my last post before Christmas when I'll be with my Mom and Brother in Prescott AZ. I will try to keep it updated during my leave, but I think that I will most likely just leave an audio message.

Congratulations to everyone who finished their finals already and for the rest, just keep pushing on. Congratulations to my brother Bryan who finished his associates degree last week!!!! Good work (and you thought it would never end)!!!

Have a splendid holiday break everyone!!!!

Bope out.

What got into the Vikings?

Hello everyone,
I know it has been a long time since updating but I think you can understand. We finished our field training (medical lanes) on Friday so we finally have a day off. Let me explain what we were doing:

1. We set up all of our equipment in our ambulances and aid bags.
2. We developed procedures on how to react to a call
3. We made plans on how to setup our ambulances and the different teams
4. We went through scenarios and practiced reacting to calls.

What would happen is that we would receive a call from our headquarters notifying us of a location for casualties. We would send out a team on an ambulance with a security force to the location. When we got there the lead medic would triage and then radio back if we needed assistance or a air-evac. But there were many twists. . . The Iraqi civilians in the town would be yelling and shouting at you. They would sometime get hostile with your team, and gunfire would erupt and had to return fire. Sometimes, explosions would take out your whole vehicle and you then you would only have one medic left to take over all of the patients. It was a lot of fun, but also very stressful because of all the adrenaline you have running through you and the decisions you have to make on the spot. After we picked up the patients we brought them back to the FOB to the treatment team who took care of them afterwards.

I can't believe the Vikings! What has gotten into them? You would think that somebody is threatening them with their lives to win. I haven't been able to watch the games but I can see the scores on the ticker on the screen. Well whatever is happening, let's hope it keeps happening. I am not too hopeful for the playoffs but it's nice not being in the same situation as the Packers (ouch. . . I don't mean it, really. . . .oh yes I do).

I bet everybody is getting anxious to finish classes and get home. So, to all you at school who have finals coming up I am praying for you (especially those of you who I know need it this semester).

I don't have much more to say today. Everyday I wake up and I count the days left until Christmas leave on the 22nd. I'll see everyone soon!

Nick

P.S. - I am really considering not doing a shoutout ever again, unless it is to a single person. I received too many phone calls and comments. Angela and Angela, I'm sorry that I you didn't get included so this is for you.

HELLO ANGELA AND ANGELA. CONSIDER THIS YOUR SHOUTOUT!!!!!!!!

Brrrr......it's cold in here (the tent that is)

Hello everyone,

So as I predicted we were sent to the field on tuesday to FOB Hurricane (forward operating base). The site is a mock representation of a base in Iraq complete with a local town called Trebil. It takes about thirty minutes to get there from our barracks here (I am back for the day for a class but will be back to the FOB for dinner).

FOB life wouldn't seem that pleasant to most of you reading this but I don't mind the setting. Let me explain: there isn't running water, we have light (electricity) sporadically, and it has been below freezing the past couple of nights. The food is even worse there then it is back at the barracks. Sounds like fun doesn't it? Oh, did I mention the mortar attacks we have a couple of times a day?

It's shout out time: Hello to Mom, Dad, Big Brother Byran, Carl, Emily, Nicole, Carrie, Jimmy, Kim, Lisa, Dave, Justin, Matt, Mike, Pam, Kristy, Kathy, Tura, Justin L., Christina, Tyler, Brian, Kirsten, Sally, Doheny, Matt Nygaard, T-Roy Fields, Eric, Patty, Lisa R., Alex, Mitch, Adam, Guy, Nick, Haas, Scotty, Max, Breanna, Justin M., Rachel, and Nick R. .

If I forgot anyone and they feel left out, just leave a comment and I will get you next time!

Happy December 1st Everyone,
Nick