8/0 down - 412/350 to go - or Great Expectations exceeded

Gas mask leak checks (3 working machines....)

Uniform Issue... more lines

Another Exciting Lecture

Week one is done. Have completed the grueling first week here at NMPS, and am packed up for the flight to the next duty station.

Title part 1 refers to the day counter - have officially 8 days done total, albeit ZERO in the Middle East; my orders say 420 days max / 350 days 'boots on ground' (i.e. in the Middle East) required. So, though am getting stuff done and counting down on the 'max' counter, still on ZERO on the one that matters...

This week was spent with the Navy transitioning from the reserve world to full-on active duty. In a nutshell, a bunch of lectures, some admin (mostly getting switched from the reserve to the active pay system...), medical review, and uniform issue. A few pics above capture the excitement... I am now the proud owner of four sets of desert cammies, plus all of the claptrap that goes with it. Came here with one full seabag (duffel bag) plus a backpack, leave with two full seabags (and I shipped some stuff home) and the backpack.

A mildly frustrating week - lots and lots of wasted time (e.g. finished Tues at 1:30 pm and did not start until 10am Wed). Frankly, they could knock this out in one day if they wanted to - and if it was a civilian company, it would be one day MAX. However... it is a government org, and that never ever leads to efficiency.

One 'cool' thing was a smallpox shot today - it came with a 10 minute lecture and a home care kit that includes rubber gloves and zip lock bags. Basically, they poke you 15 times with this virus-laced needle and after a couple of days, it oozes pus then scabs over. The ooze and the gunk under the scab contains live virus, and it is bad stuff - do not want to touch it and then touch other parts of the body - esp the eyes. The gloves are for a reason, and you just can't dump dirty band-aids in the trash - need to go in the zip lock bags. Only a few weeks of that...

Finally, have been swapping notes with my sponsor, and sounds like my living conditions at my final location will be pretty nice. So, 1) don't think I am bopping about in the desert, living in a tent - am not and 2) please do not send me care packages - I will NOT need them. Should you feel the need, I have a USO link on the blog - please send to the folks who actually need it.