Scattered Thoughts

What's happening back in Indiana? Texas fuckin' sucks. One day it will be 80 and sunny and then the next week will be 40 and raining. That's alright, it's still better than Indiana. San Antonio's a pretty cool city. Texas women are definitely the most beautiful in the country. Don't ask me why, they just are. There's actually a lot of stuff to do down here. About 20 minutes from Sea World; 30 from Six Flags. I haven't yet to go to either, but one weekend when I can wake up before 2pm, I will. All I do right now is sit around and listen to my CDs and play my guitar. Tell Trangenstein he's got me hooked on O.A.R. right now. Great friggin band. I'll be buying a new guitar here pretty soon. For those of you who don't know (i.e. everyone but Tom, Tim, Jimi, Murph and Will), in March, I move out to New Mexico to Kirtland AFB. What else is in New Mexico? Philmont of course. I'll be about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from Philmont. And the cool thing is, the base I'm moving to has a scout troop chartered on it. My first piece of business when I get out there is to hook up with the troop to get back involved with it.

Anyways, May as well update you on the training. Right now I'm assigned to the 343rd TRS, it's the Security Forces Academy. I could now go out and be a cop with no additional training in the civilian world. Right now I'm finishing up weapons training. I have another week and a half with that. I'm now an Expert Marksman on the M4A1 assault rifle. I missed Expert on the M9 Pistol by 4 shots. I'm still pretty pissed about that. Over the next week, I'll be qualified on the M203 grenade launcher, M249 automatic rifle and the M240B machine gun and the use of hand grenades. It's really weird. I've never wanted to shoot somebody in my life (and I still don't) but the training I'm getting right now doesn't bother me. We keep hearing "2 in the chest, 1 in the head: and it doesn't phase me. I guess it's because that's what's going to save my life in "the Sandbox". Oh, well. From this part of training, I go to an Army post for 3 weeks to learn small team tactics, light infantry training, urban warfare, ambushes, and how to protect against ambushes. And the scariest part of our training, convoys. They keep beating conveys into our heads even though we're not supposed to see convoy duty ever. The guys from the 820th SF Group are the ones who do that. They're like our Special Forces unit.

Life here in tech school is pretty cool. It's almost like college, but far from it. Wake up at 0530 every day, training starts at 0700, break for lunch, finish up around 1600 every day. Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays are PRT days, so one workout from 1600 to 1700. Do a good 300 flutter kicks, 200 pushups, 200 sit-ups, and run about 5-6 miles. That's typically an easy day. We get the weekends off. Friday nights are spent at the base bowling alley (cheaper and no smoke) and at a somewhat nice restaurant off-base. Saturdays are spent off-base at the mall or movie theater. Sundays are laundry and homework days. Yes, I have homework still, but this stuff's easy as hell. I've got a test coming up on all the weapons. Arguably the hardest test I'll have to take while here. I aced the first test, 2nd test passed pretty easily, but the third one's gonna suck. I'm on track for the Distinguished Graduate Award. That'll look good for when I get to New Mexico. Make my new commander like me and be on his good side right from the start.

This might sound odd, maybe, I don't know. But my anti-war stance is only being strengthened and reinforced while I'm here. I don't know how and I don't know why, but it is. Everybody keeps asking me why I joined up if I don't want anything to do with it, and I just kind of shrug my shoulders and give them a blank stare. I've got a whole bunch of political cartoons and pictures in my wall locker in my room, I don't even try to hide it. My squadron commander inspected my room one night and saw them, read them, then stared at them. He didn't say anything, he just kind of looked at them for a while then went on to say that my room and my wall locker were "the best he'd seen all night." Good ol' Lt. Col. Kelley.

Being at "home" for Christmas was pretty cool, even though I got sick for half of it. Seeing everybody was great. I still have some unfinished business with a certain someone, but she's in Ecuador right now, so I'll have to wait until she gets back to school. I finally met the lovely Tabby, Jimi's woman. Even though she spit in my beverage. I think I can forgive her. Murph needs to get a damn haircut. Tim is well… yea… Tim. Tom is well… yea… you know. Didn't get to see Erin, unfortunately, nor did Will come down to hang out. YOU PEOPLE SUCK!!! Just kidding. We'll hang out next Christmas. I may not be back until then. I won't get to come home in March when I graduate. My leave was all burned up at Christmas, so I have to build it back up again. Three months I get Eight days of paid vacation. Thirty days in a year. I might take two weeks this summer so I can get down to Ransburg, but if no one is working this summer like I keep hearing, maybe I won't. OR… You people could come out to New Mexico and go climbing in Colorado for a week or so. That would be awesome. No. I won't pay for your gas or plane ticket. Anyways, that's all for now. I have an ass-load of laundry I have to get done. So. I'll talk to you guys later. My e-mail is mmojennier@sprintpcs.com and my cell phone number is 317.833.4943. Give me a call sometime, let me know what's going on. Monday through Friday after 1800 and any time on the weekends.

-Mojo-

Amn. Michael C. Mojonnier
PSC #3
Shaw Dr. Unit 366792
Lackland AFB, TX 78236-6352

I am writing this Saturday of my 1 WOT (week of training). I can't tell you right now how good it feels to finally be able to write you guys.

There's so much to tell you right now. I have no idea where to start. The guys in my flight are all really great. The MTIs (military training instructors) are all hard-asses, and the food is friggin' awesome (when I actually get to sit down and enjoy it).

The MTIs down here are the best of the best, and mine is the best of the MTIs. He graduated as a BMT Honor Graduate in a flight that earned Honor Flight. Not only that, but he graduated top of his class from the MTI school here at Lackland AFB. And earned NCD of the year a couple years back (ask Murph to translate).

The bottom line is: This guy is the pickiest son-of-a-bitch who can yell at you without using a single profanity and make you stop breathing when he stares. Nothing is up to his standards, but that's normal for a bunch of first-weekers like us.

Good ol' TSgt. Micklewright. Not only that but his assistant is also a damn good TI, TSgt. Lindsay. This guy is the funniest damn guy on the planet when he yells at you. All he ever says is "Why you bein' silly?!" and "That's OK" right before he drops you. I personally haven't been dropped for anything, YET, and I hope to keep it that way.

Nothing fills a person with more pride than knowing that what they are doing is going to better their country and make the world a safer place. With all my rants about the war and what's going on in the election, I know that what I am doing is right. It's a truly humbling experience down here and know that I will never forget. I miss civilian life already, but the change is for the better. I wish I had a picture to send you of me in my ID card, but unfortunately access to photocopiers is slightly limited in boot camp. Needless to say, it's hot. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is, even though times are tough right now, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Mine is getting to see all of you again. I miss every last one of you a great deal.

It's almost lights out and I have limited time here. Hopefully I'll be able to come home for X-mas. If not, I'll see you guys in March when I graduate from my Tech School. Good luck to all of you in school. Stay out of trouble.

With all the love the MTIs haven't stolen from me,

-Mojo-
WOLFPACK!!!
Amn. Michael C. Mojonnier
331 TRS
FLT008

PS – Tell Murph that I guarantee BMT is harder than Field Training.

MTI: What is 331st Trainee???"
FLT: "Sir, a 331st Trainee is: Motivated, Dedicated, Can't-be-Stopped,
Untouchable, Invincible, Rising-to-the-top,
Truly dedicated, Highly Educated,
Members of the 331st,
Release the Beats… HOWL!!!!!"