What a week!!!!

Well hoooray for 3G connectivity in Hattiesburg! I'm sitting in the waiting room of an audiologist to try to get medically cleared for my hearing loss from the last deployment...but I am so happy to have Internet connectivity. AT&T's story is that the cold weather has caused some problems with their network AND that they are installing 3G on Camp Shelby, but right now we have very little service on Camp and that creates significant issues for the 7000 soldiers from Louisiana, Virginia, and Tennessee that are training here. But hopefully, if they were telling the truth, then we will have 3G service within another week or so.

Anyway. We have been sooooooo very busy lately. The first weeks of the mobilization are always the most difficult as we are doing inprocessing, medical checks, and administrative paperwork, all while trying to fire weapons, attend mandatory briefings, establish housing areas and command posts, and learn where everything is! It's like drinking from a firehose...

My job right now is to track current operations for the 3000 soldiers of the brigade and to coordinate training for our 7 battalions. I have been so busy that I think I am falling behind already... Hopefully after today I'll be able to focus on training and coordination after this hearing thing is cleared up. It's astonishing to me that this will be the third Hearing test that I have had since July! They (the Army Audiologists) provide excellent care but struggle with filing paperwork. This is the second time that my particular hearing test (a sprint test) has been lost and thus, I sit in a waiting room of a civilian provider here in Hattiesburg! Oh well, I'll get about 30 copies for myself this time and won't let this happen again!

So, my quartes are a shared 4 man room made of cinder block and being about 20x15 in size. I have a bed and a wall-locker and a small three drawer night stand. The latrine (showers, sinks, and toilets) are about 100 yards away, making for an invigorating experience when you have to go to the facilities in the morning or evening to take a shower when the wind chill is 9.... The Tactical Operations Center is only about 1/4 mile away (where I work) and I share use of a vehicle with the other officers and senior NCO's (Sergeants) of my section. The chow hall is about 2/3 of a mile away and serves two "meals" a day. We are on our own for lunch but since I work for a Lieutenant Colonel I normally eat lunch with him at the Officer's club after our daily meeting with 1st Army.

It has been cold...very cold here since we arrived. As most of you know. I LOVE cold weather so I have been fine. And when the army claims that we have the best equipment they are not kidding. I have more uniforms and cold weather gear than I know what to do with. I have been enjoying this weather quite a bit and lament our return to the 60's today!

So I now have 4 new uniforms, new body armor (that's even heavier) and a whole bunch of new miscellaneous equipment. I am definitely going to carry some of it home with me on my 4 day pass in March as I'll have no need for winter gear in Iraq!

My roommates couldn't be better guys. Master Sergeant's Damon Hebert, Paul Bordelon, and Kevin Daigle are all fine NCO's and I've known most for about 6 months now, having worked with them since July. Paul is actually Cecil Piazza's cousin and he trained me back when I was in OCS in 2000 and 2001. I am trully happy to be rooming with these guys and we all get along great.

I have only gotten to speak with Katherine briefly each of the past days as I have been so busy and the girls have been wearing Katherine out. But she seems to be doing quite well and Mrs. Anna Sanders has been over to the house to help her clean! What a sweet lady! Katherine's mom has also been by quite a bit too and I think that's helping out a lot. I sure do miss the girls! Katherine has been sending me pictures but I only get them on my phone occasionally. Maddy is such a beautiful girl and my heart aches at how much she is changing! I wish she could just stay right like she is until I get bCk! Julie is also growing and changing too fast! She is having some colic like symptoms now and I fear that she's keeping Momma up all night. That coupled with some constipation and she is quite a fussy baby at times. But to her credit, Katherine just keeps on trucking and doesn't complain. She's such a wonderfully sensitive person that she considers how I'll worry about them over her own discomfort so she tries not to tell me how tired she really is....but I can sense it even over the phone. I pray for her and the girls often and know that God will provide all that she needs...but I wish he'd do it instantaneously!!! LOL!

I have been keeping up with my daily devotional each night and hope that I won't waiver. My grandmother gave it to me before I left and it's very comforting to me! Having my bible on my iPhone is also really convenient! I guess that's all for now... I hope the connectivity gets better on post because if not, it may be a while before I get to update this again! I love you all and appreciate your thoughts and prayers as well as your interest in what we, your citizen soldiers, are doing. God Bless You All!

Pro Deo et Patria!

Love,

Will