fooling around in back of the ambulance 

an Apache at our FOB 

the "faux-hawk" 

A much needed update. . . .

Hello everyone,

I can't believe that it has been almost a full month since I left for Louisiana. We got back last night after the long bus ride home back here to Mississippi. I never thought I would actually be relieved to be back at Camp Shelby, but it has kind of become our home away from home.

We can finally say that we have finished all of our required training in the eyes of our battalion, brigade, and the Army standards. Most of our gear is already in it's way to meet us in Iraq. Since, we don't have hardly any equipment left there is not a whole lot we can do. I know people kind of want me to elaborate on the stuff we have done over the past month, but is the same thing we have already been doing. The only thing I will mention is that my preconceived notions of the south seem to have been slightly off (it actually gets a little chilly here, like 22 degrees at about 3 am one night). Now, I understand that it is cold at home in Minnesota. but we aren't exactly wearing parkas and snow boots either, followed by working for 12 hours outside at a time. Oh crap, I forgot to mention that it has been raining for the past month also, I still haven't seen sunlight since I started the night shifts.

My moral has been higher than most people would expect, probably more than I ever anticipated for myself. Some things are getting to me, or should I say some people. I get along with almost anyone, and very rarely does anyone have a problem with me, but when you eat, sleep, piss, and work the same people every day you are bound to run into somebody you can't get along with. Top that off with the fact that these people may be your superiors and you can't exactly say, "shove it" or "I quit". I did buy 20 frosties from Wendy's for people on the bus ride home and that helped to put a smile on those lucky individuals.

Other random things: I cut myself a "faux hawk" which is pretty sweet, I am reading "On Killing" which is really good, and we have decided to have a blindfolded teatherball tournament when we get to Iraq.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!!

Nicholas Robert Bope

AKA: Bope, Sgt Bope, Nick, Bopetastic, Boperah, Boppee, Bopey, or even the wild Bopealope
(I will probably have twenty more by the end of this deployment)

FYI: T minus one month approximately until beautiful sun sand beaches of Southwest Asia

Stuck at Fort Polk

Wow, it has been a while.

I am going to make this quick because I have limited time (don't ask). It is the 16th an we end the "war games" on the 19th, so that means we are almost done. I have been working the night shift from 7pm to 7am which isn't so bad, but makes for long days. We have been busy during the day, but not so much at night. Mostly I have been dealing with real world injuries and bringing them out of the "war zone" and out to the medical clinic on base. I have been living in a tent with 200 of my closest friends and sharing three cold showers with over 1000 other men.

As far as our medical assessment goes, we have been performing as smooth as possible and the observers mdon't even bother evaluating us anymore. We have perfected our procedures and nobody is better than us. It has been determined also that we have the number one rated brigade in the ARMY. This is a national guard brigade, but it is the top overall above any other brigade in the ARMY, just thought you should know.

I have to wrap this up but I will be in contact when this stuff is over and I am back in Mississippi on the 21st hopefully. Have a great week everyone!

SGT Bope