DAY 92: 27 APR 08

Well it’s been a good weekend for me from the standpoint of my sports teams but a rocky one for me personally. I will start with the sports: I woke up and watched the Pens win a wild one and will watch them again tonight. I am really enjoying this young team we have. If only our Pirates would take a not from Mario and company and see how to run a franchise in Pittsburgh. I also watched the draft last night and am very happy with the Steelers draft thus far. They picked great players for a great value at positions we need. Now onto my work situation; Basically in the military you have a chain of command. I think in a non combat situation that the chain of command theory is out dated, inefficient, and bureaucratic. It’s freaking 2008 and we have technology, instant communication, and tons of resources yet we still MUST use the chain of command. Basically I got yelled at for emailing the E 7 in our shop instead of telling my E 5 supervisor and him telling his E 6 supervisor and then him telling the E 7. While I understand the idea it is undoubtedly inefficient. We are not in direct combat in our office and a suggestion for getting our stories on more platforms should not have to take so long and be so tedious. Anyway I have been writing emails that piss people off since I was 17. I am the type of person that if something needs done or said then damn it I am going get it done or say it. Life is too short for inefficient processes and lack of communication. Basically there is a person in our arena who is not in our office who should do more to help get the story out but instead impedes it. It is very hurting and upsetting to see a person whose job it is to communicate and get the story out do the exact opposite. Anyway if I ‘shoot my mouth off’ as my Dad would say, one more time I will get some paperwork and may not be able to test for E 5 when I get back. But that brings me to another point. Being deployed all I freaking here about is Non Commissioned Officers. That’s anyone Enlisted 5 or above (E 5 to E 9). Maybe I am nitpicking syntax here but who the hell wants to be a Non anything. Imagine being a non professional athlete, non certified/ licensed doctor, non trained school bus driver? It’s the biggest joke in the military. It should be called Enlisted Military Professional of EMP 1 through EMP 9. There is no doubt that the role these people fill is the backbone of our military, but being proud about being a non anything is crazy. And yes I do have my degree and could try to become a real commissioned officer but then I could not do broadcasting anymore and would probably face even more bureaucracy and get even more frustrated. With all of that being said I know I have to stay on the low key and just finish these last 3 or so months out. I do not have the patience, or luxury of wasting my abilities, capabilities, and potential on waiting 10 years to get the rank I need to say and do the things I want too. That probably means then I will get out in less than 2 years when I am done. I say that now and could change my mind but I cannot let rank and inefficient military processes limit me and what I want to do in this world. I signed up for what I got and have to obey orders regardless of what I think for now. In the end I work with great people, have a great job, and can’t complain too much. But I still have the mentality that if you are going to do something then do it your best and for me that makes it hard to depend on anyone else or go through a chain! Now onto more important information: The news piece I did on the humanitarian aid drop with all of the poor kids in Kabul is done through you guys. I got the information from the COL (Yes I emailed a full bird colonel without going through my chain of command and had no issues….see it is possible it’s called communications! Just joking because it was a simple request and not a request for change which the military obviously has major issues with) and he gave me the following. So with all of that being said I will end tonight’s sessions and get back to the Penguins game. I will post tomorrow and am wondering how work will be. I cannot wait to get this deployment under my let and back to Germany. Good night and lets go Pens!

The Camp Eggers Volunteer Community Relations (VCR) program enhances the partnership with the people of Afghanistan while providing a venue for US and Coalition troops to assist others. Through this program, Camp Eggers VCR volunteers interact with local nationals at various locations in the Kabul area, including schools, orphanages, medical centers and
Internally Displaced Persons camps. The Afghan people in these locations are not as fortunate as we are and could greatly benefit from your support to improve their quality of life. Conservative clothing for men, women, and children are most often needed. During winter months, items like gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, coats, and blankets are critical. Shoes, non-electronic toys, school supplies, and hygiene items are of great assistance too.

The VCR program is also involved with forwarding items to US service members located at smaller forward operating bases (FOBs) and other locations that may not have the PX facilities that most of the larger camps have. Donations of personal hygiene items, CD or DVD tapes,
magazines, and other items that service members would enjoy are welcome.


The U.S. Postal Service now offers a new, larger flat-rate box with a military discount for those mailing to APO and FPO addresses. Regardless of how much they weigh, the boxes will cost $12.95 to mail for the general public, and $10.95 if mailed to an APO or FPO address. Customers can begin using the new flat-rate box at the new mailing rates. The boxes are free and are available online at http://www.usps.com/supplies or by calling (800) 610-8734.

If you have any of the above mentioned items that are new or gently used and would like to donate them, please mail to:

VCR
CSTC-A, Pool House
APO, AE 09356

Unfortunately we can't give religious material to the Afghan people, so please refrain from including this in your donations. Camp Eggers VCR thanks you for your support. And so do the people of Afghanistan.
PS: I was only joking about my mother in law having a big mouth. It was truly a joke. I think I may have a future in Ann Coulter type writings as I seem to bother everyone in both my personal and professional writings. I am a firm believer in the truth hurts. Anyway the truth is I am in Afghanistan bending over for General Order number 1 while all you guys have the normal luxuries of life so I guess the truth is that I am the fool!