Well, he's finally got a new address, which is posted on this blog in the right-hand sidebar. It's always fun to receive snail-mail, so I know he'll appreciate any postcards or notes you might send his way.
Sounds like his living conditions have greatly improved... he has a room to himself which opens onto a common area that he shares with one other room. He's getting internet and cable all set up, so it should feel like home soon.
The biggest change, other than location, is that when he's not working he's free to come and go like a "normal" working man! Ahhhhhhhhh, Kansas..... so many places to go..... so little time!
This base, according to Paul, is huge and everything is spread out... not good for a guy without a car! But good for exercise. Today was his first day "at work". Since he's the only "42-Fox" at Ft. Riley, his services will be in demand. He's even heard of some additional training (2 weeks) on new software, so if he gets accepted for the training, guess where that will be?? Ft. Jackson, where he just came from! Temps have been in the 50's already, so maybe he'll get to go when there a big blizzard in Kansas?
Thank you for keeping Paul in your thoughts and prayers. Hopefully he'll send pictures soon and I'll have something more interesting to post.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Ft. Riley bound
Well, we just enjoyed 3 weeks with Paul at home. He left this morning for Ft. Riley, Kansas, which is in Junction City, Kansas, just outside of Manhattan, Kansas. Here's a link to their website if you interested in knowing more about the home of "The Big Red One":
http://www.riley.army.mil/
He'll be there (until the Army changes their mind) for the remainder of his 3 years and is looking forward to seeing a state he's never seen before.
He was able to come home and work for the local recruiter for 2 weeks, then take 10 days leave and kick back before packing his bags for colder weather. He looked good and certainly
enjoyed his time at home, but I think he was ready to "get back on schedule" and apply all that computer training that he got in South Carolina. So, with two humongous duffle bags of army and civilian clothes, a hanging bag, a backpack "screaming at the seams", and a brown bag of brownies, granola bars, dry cereal, and juice he headed out the door with Harris at 5 a.m. to catch his flight to Kansas City.
Keep praying for all our soldiers and peace on earth! Thanks for caring for our soldier boy!
Love, Cyndi
http://www.riley.army.mil/
He'll be there (until the Army changes their mind) for the remainder of his 3 years and is looking forward to seeing a state he's never seen before.
He was able to come home and work for the local recruiter for 2 weeks, then take 10 days leave and kick back before packing his bags for colder weather. He looked good and certainly
enjoyed his time at home, but I think he was ready to "get back on schedule" and apply all that computer training that he got in South Carolina. So, with two humongous duffle bags of army and civilian clothes, a hanging bag, a backpack "screaming at the seams", and a brown bag of brownies, granola bars, dry cereal, and juice he headed out the door with Harris at 5 a.m. to catch his flight to Kansas City.
Keep praying for all our soldiers and peace on earth! Thanks for caring for our soldier boy!
Love, Cyndi
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Satellite Computers
Dear Friends,
Paul's training is going well with computers and graduation is finally set for July 30th! That's when he can truly wear the title of Human Resource Information Technology Systems Management Specialist. It's also known as a "42-Fox".... or you can just call him PFC Wheeler! :)
He's looking forward to graduation and being able to put all this new knowledge to work.
Before he does that, though, he's arranged to be able to come home for two weeks and work for the Army Recruiter's office... that way he can see friends at night and on the weekend before he has to report to his duty station, Ft. Riley, Kansas!!
Here's a picture of a huge, expensive, satellite powered computer that he's gotten to "play" with... it's called a VSAT which stands for Very Small Aperture Terminal. This is a picture of the antenna that I found on Wikipedia... don't know if Paul's was this large, but it gives you an idea of what they've been using:
and here's the "inside equipment" which is the satellite modem which works almost like our DSL modem, except for the fact that it dials a satellite instead of Bellsouth! It takes about 15 minutes to connect! Have you got room for that on your desk?? I'd have to clear a few things off to accommodate this! It comes in any color you'd like, as long as it's "army green".....
Even though the equipment is large, they can get reception from anywhere in the world.... and that is a computer nerd's dream.... NO Limits....
If you fall into that category of Computer Nerd, and wear the title proudly, you might want to know more about the VSAT... Paul sent these two links that tell you all you've ever wanted to know:
http://www.comsys.co.uk/vsatnets.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_small_aperture_terminal
We're looking forward to having our soldier home and enjoying his company for a while. If you plan to write him, it's probably best not to send anything after July 22nd, as it may not reach him before he graduates and leaves Ft. Jackson, SC.
Thanks for checking in!
Love, Cyndi
Paul's training is going well with computers and graduation is finally set for July 30th! That's when he can truly wear the title of Human Resource Information Technology Systems Management Specialist. It's also known as a "42-Fox".... or you can just call him PFC Wheeler! :)
He's looking forward to graduation and being able to put all this new knowledge to work.
Before he does that, though, he's arranged to be able to come home for two weeks and work for the Army Recruiter's office... that way he can see friends at night and on the weekend before he has to report to his duty station, Ft. Riley, Kansas!!
Here's a picture of a huge, expensive, satellite powered computer that he's gotten to "play" with... it's called a VSAT which stands for Very Small Aperture Terminal. This is a picture of the antenna that I found on Wikipedia... don't know if Paul's was this large, but it gives you an idea of what they've been using:
and here's the "inside equipment" which is the satellite modem which works almost like our DSL modem, except for the fact that it dials a satellite instead of Bellsouth! It takes about 15 minutes to connect! Have you got room for that on your desk?? I'd have to clear a few things off to accommodate this! It comes in any color you'd like, as long as it's "army green".....
Even though the equipment is large, they can get reception from anywhere in the world.... and that is a computer nerd's dream.... NO Limits....
If you fall into that category of Computer Nerd, and wear the title proudly, you might want to know more about the VSAT... Paul sent these two links that tell you all you've ever wanted to know:
http://www.comsys.co.uk/vsatnets.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_small_aperture_terminal
We're looking forward to having our soldier home and enjoying his company for a while. If you plan to write him, it's probably best not to send anything after July 22nd, as it may not reach him before he graduates and leaves Ft. Jackson, SC.
Thanks for checking in!
Love, Cyndi
Monday, June 22, 2009
Graduation from Boot Camp
I apologize for taking so long to fill you in on Paul's graduation. We no sooner returned from South Carolina than my mother fell ill and was hospitalized for 13 days. She is much better now and I'm getting caught up on all those things in life that "just had to wait".
We had a wonderful time at Paul's graduation from Boot Camp at Fort Jackson, SC. The Army has been a "good fit" for him. Family Day, May 28th, was spent on Base... seeing his "world", meeting new friends and sitting by the lake, relaxing.
The base is huge. From the look of the map on their website, it's about 10 miles square, with everything for their training on site. Those who successfully completed Boot Camp were easy to spot as they no longer wore the Army camouflage baseball-style hat, but the black wool beret. How sweet to get a hug from the GRADUATE !
Graduation Day May 29th was a moving ceremony outdoors, with all the soldiers marching in, separated into Companies. About 900 graduated that day. The most moving part was when all the soldiers recited the Army Soldier's Creed at full voice. Here are the words and video:
THE SOLDIER'S CREED
I am an American Soldier.
I am a Warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained
and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies
of the United States of American in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.
I am an American Soldier.
I am a Warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained
and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies
of the United States of American in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.
It makes a feeling of pride well up inside you for our soldiers and our country, and prayers come to the top of your heart for their safety, protection and integrity.
We were able to leave the base on Graduation day and see a little bit of Columbia, SC., eat "civilian" food, and shop for some things Paul needed. We even got to meet a friend's daughter (who lives in Columbia) for lunch.
Saturday, the 30th, he moved to his new barracks and received an "overnight" pass and was able to come stay with us in the hote
l. Imagine being in a "bubble" for 9 weeks and finally getting back your cell phone, laptop, seeing a movie, eating out, etc... it was fun and exhausting. We were thankful for the time together. Harris and Paul flexed their muscles for the camera... can you tell who has the "real" muscle?Paul is now in training for the work he'll be doing with computers. That will last about 8 weeks and then he is hoping to come home and work at the recruiter's office for 2 weeks before going to his "Duty Station". He should find out in the next few weeks where he'll be stationed.
If you want to drop him a note, his new address is in the sidebar at the upper right corner of this page... it should be good until the end of July. Thank you for your continued prayers for him! We appreciate it so much!
Cyndi & Harris
Friday, May 22, 2009
What is Victory Forge?
Just found this info on the Army website about what Paul and the other soldiers have been going through this week at Victory Forge as they meet their final requirements before passing from a "soldier in training" to being a Soldier in the United States Army. (No, that's not Paul in the picture, although the haircut looks familiar!) It seems unique that this group would be accomplishing this on Memorial Day Weekend. May we give thanks for all who have gone before, and all who will come after.
Cyndi
Victory Forge is a 7-day field training exercise combining all previously taught basic combat training skills. It is the culmination of basic training.
Soldiers are continuously challenged on all the skills learned throughout the nine-week training cycle.
Here is a general description each day during Victory Forge.
Day 1 - Pre-Combat Inspections (PCI), prepare and produce an operations order (OPORD)
Day 2 - 10-Kilometer foot march, quartering party procedures, occupy a position and establish a defensive perimeter, conduct tactical feeding, introduction to night operations and rest plans
Day 3 - Conduct "Stand-To", undergo Nuclear, Biological and Chemical training, issue a squad-level OPORD, defensive operations, conduct troop-leading-procedures, go through the Teamwork Reaction Course, conduct squad-sized tactical exercises and a night tactical exercise
Day 4 - Same as Day 3
Day 5 - Same as Day 4
Day 6 - Recover from the defense, conduct PCI/stretch, issue squad and platoon-level OPORD, move to and conduct the Night Infiltration Course, execute the
Live Fire Night Infiltration
Day 7 - Conduct PCI and ensure personnel and equipment accountability, 15-Kilometer foot march, participate in an After Action Review, and after-operations maintenance which culminates with the Rites of Passage Ceremony symbolizing the transition from Soldier-in-Training to Soldier in the United States Army.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Final Week
This is Victory Forge week... 7 days of field exercises. One detail I didn't need to know was that at night they do "Nick at Night", which is their Drill Sergeants firing live amo about 30' above them while they crawl on the ground. With all their training, I still can't imagine "my" son going into real combat, much less many of our soldiers facing real danger every day. It has really brought home to me the immense blessings we enjoy in this country, and the danger many face each day on our behalf. I know it's deepened my prayers and desire to do what I can to bring "peace on earth, good will toward all".
Boot Camp, for all it's hardship, has seemed to be a good experience for Paul. He'll have 8 weeks of training on computers before he assumes his responsibilities as Private First Class Paul Wheeler, Human Resource Information Technology Systems Management Specialist (I'd like to see them fit that on a name badge!!).
We're looking forward to seeing him at graduation, and hopefully a few days afterwards.... can't get any info out of the Army as to how much time he can spend with us... guess we'll just wait for our "orders" when we get there! :)
Next posting should have pictures of a leaner, buffer, tanner Paul! Thanks for your thoughts, prayers and letters. They have been such an encouragement to him the last 8 weeks!
Boot Camp, for all it's hardship, has seemed to be a good experience for Paul. He'll have 8 weeks of training on computers before he assumes his responsibilities as Private First Class Paul Wheeler, Human Resource Information Technology Systems Management Specialist (I'd like to see them fit that on a name badge!!).
We're looking forward to seeing him at graduation, and hopefully a few days afterwards.... can't get any info out of the Army as to how much time he can spend with us... guess we'll just wait for our "orders" when we get there! :)
Next posting should have pictures of a leaner, buffer, tanner Paul! Thanks for your thoughts, prayers and letters. They have been such an encouragement to him the last 8 weeks!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Phone Keeps Ringing
Well, this has been a great 3 days... we've heard from Paul 5 times! Amazing! With each conversation being only 10 minutes, we can't cover a lot of new subjects, but I thought I'd tell you the latest...
He had a few minutes yesterday to call and fill us in on their most recent physical fitness test. To pass they have to do 40 push ups, 50 sit ups and run 2 miles in less than 16 1/2 minutes. He was able to do 56 push ups, 57 sit ups and ran the 2 miles in 15 1/2 minutes! Our conversation kept getting interrupted because every time a drill sergeant passes by they have to stand at attention with their hands behind their back (hard to keep talking on the phone!) and stay quiet until the DS says, "Carry on", or something like that.
Time seems to be flying by now and soon we'll head to S.C. for graduation... I'm looking forward to having some new pictures to post. Have a blessed day and thanks for checking in.
He had a few minutes yesterday to call and fill us in on their most recent physical fitness test. To pass they have to do 40 push ups, 50 sit ups and run 2 miles in less than 16 1/2 minutes. He was able to do 56 push ups, 57 sit ups and ran the 2 miles in 15 1/2 minutes! Our conversation kept getting interrupted because every time a drill sergeant passes by they have to stand at attention with their hands behind their back (hard to keep talking on the phone!) and stay quiet until the DS says, "Carry on", or something like that.
Time seems to be flying by now and soon we'll head to S.C. for graduation... I'm looking forward to having some new pictures to post. Have a blessed day and thanks for checking in.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day
We heard from Paul 3 times today!! Guess the Drill Sergeant must have been talking on the phone to his own mom and lightened up on the soldiers for a day... in fact, he told them he didn't want to see their faces until 7 a.m.!!! That is unheard of, because usually they rise and shine at 4 a.m.!!! I guess drill sergeants get tired too!
Paul sounded great and counting the days until graduation (19 more!). They did a 3-day campout last week and operated out of a FOB (fixed operational base?) while doing all types of military scenarios. One of the funny stories he told us was one about marching down the road. Paul was near the back of the line and saw the drill sergeant drop something. Just as he was wondering what he dropped, BOOM! I guess they all wanted to have the right response, but weren't sure what to do, so they turned and asked the drill sergeant, "What should we do?". He screamed, THAT WAS A GRENADE!!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU DO??? RUN! (so much to learn!)
This week is more practice with firing, climbing, and crawling on your stomach under enemy fire, and then they'll do a 7-day campout the last week of Boot Camp, and then graduation! Hard to believe 9 1/2 weeks are almost up.
We're looking forward to seeing the new "buff" Paul... he said he's lost about 15 pounds, but gained lots of muscle and strength. He'll do his training in computers at the same base, but will be moving to another barracks on the base for that, so remember to stop sending letters after the 15th until we get a new address for him.
Aaron and Masayo called this afternoon.... seems Paul called and woke them up this morning. I think it took Aaron a moment to realize who was calling! "Paul who??" Aaron said they were finally getting some nice "bike riding" weather in San Fran. and trying to decide what to do for the day. My neice (Aaron's cousin) Jennifer and her boyfriend are out in San Fran. and hopefully the 4 of them will get together this week for fun, food and sight seeing. They get the prize for being the first family member to visit! One funny thing... when A & M called, my caller-i.d. said "Wheeler, Aaron", so I answered the phone saying, "Hey, hey, hey, boo boo" (like the cartoon Yogi Bear... if you're as old as me, you'll know what I'm talking about). Anyway, this sweet voice on the other end of the phone says, "How did you know your boo boo was calling?" Turns out they were using Masayo's cell phone, (but the caller id says "Aaron Wheeler")... and it was Masayo on the other end.
It was great hearing from my boys and sweet daughter-in-law. I'm truly blessed!!
P.S. Harris gets special kudos (sp??) for letting me sleep in a little later this morning, cleaning up the dishes after brunch (he cooked the bacon!), letting me and my mom watch a "chick flick" and baking up a "mean" pizza for me for supper!! What more could a girl want??
Paul sounded great and counting the days until graduation (19 more!). They did a 3-day campout last week and operated out of a FOB (fixed operational base?) while doing all types of military scenarios. One of the funny stories he told us was one about marching down the road. Paul was near the back of the line and saw the drill sergeant drop something. Just as he was wondering what he dropped, BOOM! I guess they all wanted to have the right response, but weren't sure what to do, so they turned and asked the drill sergeant, "What should we do?". He screamed, THAT WAS A GRENADE!!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU DO??? RUN! (so much to learn!)
This week is more practice with firing, climbing, and crawling on your stomach under enemy fire, and then they'll do a 7-day campout the last week of Boot Camp, and then graduation! Hard to believe 9 1/2 weeks are almost up.
We're looking forward to seeing the new "buff" Paul... he said he's lost about 15 pounds, but gained lots of muscle and strength. He'll do his training in computers at the same base, but will be moving to another barracks on the base for that, so remember to stop sending letters after the 15th until we get a new address for him.
Aaron and Masayo called this afternoon.... seems Paul called and woke them up this morning. I think it took Aaron a moment to realize who was calling! "Paul who??" Aaron said they were finally getting some nice "bike riding" weather in San Fran. and trying to decide what to do for the day. My neice (Aaron's cousin) Jennifer and her boyfriend are out in San Fran. and hopefully the 4 of them will get together this week for fun, food and sight seeing. They get the prize for being the first family member to visit! One funny thing... when A & M called, my caller-i.d. said "Wheeler, Aaron", so I answered the phone saying, "Hey, hey, hey, boo boo" (like the cartoon Yogi Bear... if you're as old as me, you'll know what I'm talking about). Anyway, this sweet voice on the other end of the phone says, "How did you know your boo boo was calling?" Turns out they were using Masayo's cell phone, (but the caller id says "Aaron Wheeler")... and it was Masayo on the other end.
It was great hearing from my boys and sweet daughter-in-law. I'm truly blessed!!
P.S. Harris gets special kudos (sp??) for letting me sleep in a little later this morning, cleaning up the dishes after brunch (he cooked the bacon!), letting me and my mom watch a "chick flick" and baking up a "mean" pizza for me for supper!! What more could a girl want??
Monday, May 4, 2009
Campouts & Tanks
Sunday Paul was able to call twice, for 10 minutes each time. It was great to hear his voice and he sounded like he was doing well and counting the days until graduation! They are in their third phase of Boot Camp and going on a 3-day campout this week to practice maneuvers from a FOB (forward operating base....guess I'm going to have to learn all the acronyms!). I know this is much more serious than Camp Cosby days or Boy Scout campouts, but being outdoors is right up his alley and if you have to learn army maneuvers, it might as well be outside for him! The only complaint he has is that his knees are still bothering him, but he was going to try and go to the doc again and see if they could either determine the source of his problems or give him something to ease the pain. He's determined to push through this as graduation is in sight now! We're proud of his attitude. Last week was every guy's dream... shoot a rocket launcher and destroy old tanks! I remember years ago that a Army recruiter called to talk to our older son, Aaron, but since he wasn't home, he talked with Paul. Paul had to be about 12 or 13, but the recruiter talked to him like he was a MAN and asked him if he'd ever considered the Army. Paul said, "No, but I always wanted to drive a tank!" Well, maybe his dream will come true one day, although I hope its on the showroom floor and not the battle field!!
PLEASE NOTE: Paul will be gettting a new address when he finishes Boot Camp at the end of May, so please stop using this current address by May 15th so that he'll be sure and receive the cards and letters you send. I'll post his new address in the sidebar once we know it. Thanks again for being such a wonderful encouragement to him.
PLEASE NOTE: Paul will be gettting a new address when he finishes Boot Camp at the end of May, so please stop using this current address by May 15th so that he'll be sure and receive the cards and letters you send. I'll post his new address in the sidebar once we know it. Thanks again for being such a wonderful encouragement to him.
My birthday celebration.
Well Friday was my 39th birthday....AGAIN....and it was a wonderful celebration. I got to talk with Aaron and Masayo... they are both back in San Fran. and sounded great. I'm really hoping that we'll be able to set plans to go visit them this summer! They are just too close to miss that opportunity! They've purchased a motorcycle (don't get me started!!), and are looking forward to being able to get around more often and see some of the many sites in their area. It was great to hear their voices and chat for a few minutes.
My mom started off the day by taking me and a friend to lunch at Bonefish, one of my favorites. Then Harris and I celebrated my birthday that afternoon by each using a gift certificate at a local SPA. I wish massages weren't so expensive, because they sure feel wonderful. Once I was totally relaxed, he took me to dinner at this restaurant that has a wonderful deck under a huge oak tree that must be 50 - 75 years old... the weather was great and the food delicious. Then we decided to go see a movie... I wanted to see The Soloist (too sentimental for him, even if it was MY birthday) and he wanted to see Wolverine (to much violence for me) , so we compromised and saw State of Play which was really good. Nice to end the day with everyone happy!!
My mom started off the day by taking me and a friend to lunch at Bonefish, one of my favorites. Then Harris and I celebrated my birthday that afternoon by each using a gift certificate at a local SPA. I wish massages weren't so expensive, because they sure feel wonderful. Once I was totally relaxed, he took me to dinner at this restaurant that has a wonderful deck under a huge oak tree that must be 50 - 75 years old... the weather was great and the food delicious. Then we decided to go see a movie... I wanted to see The Soloist (too sentimental for him, even if it was MY birthday) and he wanted to see Wolverine (to much violence for me) , so we compromised and saw State of Play which was really good. Nice to end the day with everyone happy!!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Battle Rattle
It had been three weeks since we'd been able to talk by phone to Paul, but he was able to call last Sunday. Evidently they have 3 phones the soldiers can use and they have to stand in line (for over an hour) for their turn, which can be no longer than 10 minutes. Paul stood in line 3 times so we got to talk to him for 3 ten-minute sessions! It was great to hear his voice. You could hear the confidence in his voice, and for the most part he is enjoying Boot Camp, if that is possible! The part that drives him crazy is the "hurry up and wait", like when they wake them at 4 a.m. and give them an hour to get ready for breakfast, then they have to stand at attention for 45 minutes before being allowed to go in for breakfast! This current phase has been about shooting guns... not my favorite activity, but I'm sure appeals to most guys!. His best record is hitting 35 out of 40 attempts, which gave him the second-highest rank of "sharpshooter". If he gets 36/40 he'll get the highest rank...that's his goal. The memorable story in his letter this week was normally they have 3 guys on "firewatch" which I think entails 3 guys keeping watch during the night hours. One guy fell asleep on his watch, so the consequence was that 20 guys had to do the next firewatch in full Battle Rattle = wearing IBA (bullet proof vest), LBV (Green vest with canteens), Kevlar helmet and Ruck Sack (Backpack)...all together this weighs about 40 - 50 pounds! Hopefully that won't happen again! He's now past the half-way mark of boot camp and we're counting down to graduation...Thank you again for your encouragement for him and the prayers and letters you've sent his way!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Lock it up or lose it
We've gotten 3 letters this week from Paul which sound like they've been written over a week's time period. This past week they have been learning how to "zero" their guns to their own sight and shoot accurately... on the shooting range Paul said he got 29/30, 28/30, and 36/40 right. If he gets a perfect 40/40 then he'll get an overnight pass for Graduation night! We're hoping and praying for that! I had to laugh at one incident that he wrote about. He said that this past weekend their drill sergeant woke them up at 2:40 a.m. and tossed any locker that was unlocked! Fortunately he didn't lose any of his stuff! But, it made me think that I should have employed similar tactics when I tried to get him to clean his room!!
They have finished the first 3-week phase of Basic (learning the 7 Army values & working out), and are well into their second phase (shooting and tactical movements) of training. In fact, this is week 5 of 9 1/2 weeks of Basic, so we're at the half-way mark! Week 6-9 they will work on their own and have to do a 7-day camp out where they run situations of real missions. Graduation will be the end of May, so we're looking forward to that milestone!
Thank you all for prayers for him and writing him...once he even said the letters help him forget about the knee pain he has! He greatly appreciates all the letters and even wrote Aaron that he got the most mail the first time they distributed it! One funny incident (at least to us) was that some of the drill sergeants make them do push-ups for mail depending on the postage on the package. The Sunday he received the package with his Bible that he'd requested, his package had the most postage out of 240 people, so he had to do 100 pushups to get the box! At least he was "suffering" for a good cause!
Thanks for checking in!
They have finished the first 3-week phase of Basic (learning the 7 Army values & working out), and are well into their second phase (shooting and tactical movements) of training. In fact, this is week 5 of 9 1/2 weeks of Basic, so we're at the half-way mark! Week 6-9 they will work on their own and have to do a 7-day camp out where they run situations of real missions. Graduation will be the end of May, so we're looking forward to that milestone!
Thank you all for prayers for him and writing him...once he even said the letters help him forget about the knee pain he has! He greatly appreciates all the letters and even wrote Aaron that he got the most mail the first time they distributed it! One funny incident (at least to us) was that some of the drill sergeants make them do push-ups for mail depending on the postage on the package. The Sunday he received the package with his Bible that he'd requested, his package had the most postage out of 240 people, so he had to do 100 pushups to get the box! At least he was "suffering" for a good cause!
Thanks for checking in!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Aaron at the Beach
We had a nice treat this past weekend... Aaron was down in Florida visiting some friends and we decided to go down and get a hug and spend some time together. He is doing great, loving his job with Yahoo, but glad to get away to visit with friends and unwind. He and Masayo have enjoyed learning their way around San Francisco...whether by mass-transit, bicycle, or foot. On the side Aaron has been refurbishing eclectic bicycles...evidently they are in demand in SF and he's enjoying learning how to do all that stuff...sorry, I don't know the technical words!The weather was cool in Florida and very windy... sand was blowing across the highway like snow!!! That x-ed out bike riding or reading on the beach....so we headed for Point Clear to see the Grand Hotel... gorgeous grounds (Harris and Aaron are posing by the lagoon)! Had a little lunch, then headed for Fairhope to wander the streets and drop into any art gallery that we could find. It was fun and relaxing, and after dinner at Tacky Jack's, and a group hug, we returned him to his friends. Harris got in a round of golf the next day...then over to where Aaron was staying to get another hug and meet all the friends, and then drove back to B'ham. Masayo is over in Japan visiting her family and friends, so we were sorry to miss her, but glad we got to see our "first born"! It was a fun get-away!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Protected
Dear Friends,
Another letter from Paul yesterday... he's counting the days until graduation in late May ....48 as of his writing! He sounded good and is doing everything to cross that "finish line" and graduate with his unit.
He said they were issued their bulletproof vests last week and now have to wear them all the time. That wouldn't be so bad if they didn't weigh about 25 pounds because of all the kevlar (sp?) and ceramic in them....but this is training, right??!! He said he is much stronger now than when he left a month ago, and I'm thankful that they issue them to all the soldiers ... just in case. Protection... just in case.
But you, friends, provide the best protection with your prayers! James 5:16 is one of my favorite verses: "The prayer of a righteous man (woman) is powerful and effective." So keep praying, not only for Paul, but for all our soldiers, and policemen, and firemen, and all those who put their lives on the line daily to protect the freedom, comfort and protection we all enjoy.
Have a blessed day, and be a blessing to someone who crosses your path today! Love, Cyndi
Another letter from Paul yesterday... he's counting the days until graduation in late May ....48 as of his writing! He sounded good and is doing everything to cross that "finish line" and graduate with his unit.
He said they were issued their bulletproof vests last week and now have to wear them all the time. That wouldn't be so bad if they didn't weigh about 25 pounds because of all the kevlar (sp?) and ceramic in them....but this is training, right??!! He said he is much stronger now than when he left a month ago, and I'm thankful that they issue them to all the soldiers ... just in case. Protection... just in case.
But you, friends, provide the best protection with your prayers! James 5:16 is one of my favorite verses: "The prayer of a righteous man (woman) is powerful and effective." So keep praying, not only for Paul, but for all our soldiers, and policemen, and firemen, and all those who put their lives on the line daily to protect the freedom, comfort and protection we all enjoy.
Have a blessed day, and be a blessing to someone who crosses your path today! Love, Cyndi
Thursday, April 9, 2009
How do you clear your sinuses?
Well, we got another letter from Paul today.... seems he's been suffering from clogged sinuses and hurting legs. The medicine the clinic was giving him for his nose was not too effective, so he's toughing it out. However, they did have one training experience that seemed to help.... they had to go into a gas chamber, remove their gas masks, say their name, rank and serial number, and breathe in, etc....by the time they exited the gas chamber, and quit coughing!!!...........his sinuses were clear!!
He sounded good and said he REALLY appreciates all the cards and letters he's received. They really boost his spirits and I know he looks forward to what might be in the mailbox each day. Thank you for taking time to write to him.
Well, he's almost got 3 weeks under his belt... only 6 1/2 to go. Graduation is May 29th and we'll be driving over for that.... I think he'll get a few days off, but probably won't be able to stray far from base, as his training will start the next week.
We're looking forward to seeing Aaron down at Gulf Shores, AL, next week. Some friends of his (who are from Alabama but currently live in England) are home for vacation and spending some time at the beach. Since Masayo is traveling soon to Japan to see her friends and family, Aaron decided to come see his friends at the beach. Harris and I will drive down for a day or two and hopefully get to spend some time with Aaron and catch up on all he's been up to. It is so nice having him and Masayo in the States again.... just being in similar time-zones is a welcome change!
They are loving California and Aaron loves his job with Yahoo! We hope to get out and visit them this summer.
Thanks for reading this post and for your prayers and concern and encouragement for my boys and their loved ones!!
Have a blessed Easter! Love, Cyndi
He sounded good and said he REALLY appreciates all the cards and letters he's received. They really boost his spirits and I know he looks forward to what might be in the mailbox each day. Thank you for taking time to write to him.
Well, he's almost got 3 weeks under his belt... only 6 1/2 to go. Graduation is May 29th and we'll be driving over for that.... I think he'll get a few days off, but probably won't be able to stray far from base, as his training will start the next week.
We're looking forward to seeing Aaron down at Gulf Shores, AL, next week. Some friends of his (who are from Alabama but currently live in England) are home for vacation and spending some time at the beach. Since Masayo is traveling soon to Japan to see her friends and family, Aaron decided to come see his friends at the beach. Harris and I will drive down for a day or two and hopefully get to spend some time with Aaron and catch up on all he's been up to. It is so nice having him and Masayo in the States again.... just being in similar time-zones is a welcome change!
They are loving California and Aaron loves his job with Yahoo! We hope to get out and visit them this summer.
Thanks for reading this post and for your prayers and concern and encouragement for my boys and their loved ones!!
Have a blessed Easter! Love, Cyndi
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
No Mail Yet
Dear Friends,
Well, we got a nice long letter from Paul yesterday. Seems his Drill Sergeant has not seen fit to give any of them their mail yet, so he has not been able to read anything he's received so far... the flip side is he'll be really happy to have a nice stack of mail to read when they let him!! He caught a cold, but is weathering it. Pray for his knees as they are aching with all the exercise, running and carrying around their packs, gear, etc. He's had bad knees since "band marching days". Fortunately, once boot camp is over, his job will not require a lot of running or carrying heavy gear while marching!!
My mom and I just got back from a visit with her sister in Memphis... it was a beautiful drive and fun time with family and cousins.
Hope you have all weathered April Fool's Day without someone tricking you!!
Have a blessed day... Cyndi
Well, we got a nice long letter from Paul yesterday. Seems his Drill Sergeant has not seen fit to give any of them their mail yet, so he has not been able to read anything he's received so far... the flip side is he'll be really happy to have a nice stack of mail to read when they let him!! He caught a cold, but is weathering it. Pray for his knees as they are aching with all the exercise, running and carrying around their packs, gear, etc. He's had bad knees since "band marching days". Fortunately, once boot camp is over, his job will not require a lot of running or carrying heavy gear while marching!!
My mom and I just got back from a visit with her sister in Memphis... it was a beautiful drive and fun time with family and cousins.
Hope you have all weathered April Fool's Day without someone tricking you!!
Have a blessed day... Cyndi
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Cherry Blossoms
The flowers and flowering trees are all in bloom... just had to post one of the pictures I took this week as I walked! Last night we had a huge rainstorm that knocked all the pollen out of the air... we've all been coughing and it looks like everyone drives a yellow car! So glad for the rain!
Have a blessed day! Cyndi
Pushing Past Limits
In searching around on the internet today, I found this page that tells more about Basic Training, which is what Paul will be in for 8 more weeks... it answered some of the questions I had. If you are wondering what they do, check out http://www.militarymoms.net/basicformoms.html
We got our first letter from him and he sounded good. He said the first week was "hard, but he was sticking with everything and looking forward to the coming weeks of Basic." He also said "I have been pushing myself past limits that I thought I had.".... good advice for all of us! We are proud of him and know this will be a good experience for him.
Thank you for your prayers for him... I know they are giving him strength.
We got our first letter from him and he sounded good. He said the first week was "hard, but he was sticking with everything and looking forward to the coming weeks of Basic." He also said "I have been pushing myself past limits that I thought I had.".... good advice for all of us! We are proud of him and know this will be a good experience for him.
Thank you for your prayers for him... I know they are giving him strength.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
My Favorite Pictures of Paul, Aaron & Masayo
This is my favorite picture of Paul, which hangs in our hallway... note the new sign under his picture, which is from our friends, The Frys...it says it all!
The picture was taken by our friend, Amanda Traywick, at Precious Memories here in Birmingham. I think he looks very cool, calm and collected!
Aaron and Masayo are very photogenic and are always taking pictures...this is one of my favorites of them taken almost 2 years ago at their wedding in Japan! They are living in San Francisco, CA, where Aaron is working for the "search" division of Yahoo, and Masayo is writing for local Japanese publications and teaching English to Japanese students. We hope to visit them this summer some time.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
He's In The Army Now
Well, he’s in the army now! Paul joined the Army and left 3/16/09 for Montgomery, AL, for processing. March 17th they bussed those going to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to the base there.
We’ve had 3 short messages from Paul on our answering machine, and Harris and I finally got to talk to him for about 5 minutes today. They have been “processing” since they arrived in SC and Boot Camp officially starts Monday, March 23rd!
He will only be able to receive and write “snail mail” for 9 1/2 weeks. It will be up to his drill sergeant whether or not he gets to call during that time. He’ll graduate late May and start his training at the same base to be a Human Resources information Technology Systems Management Specialist. In other words, he’ll be working on computers.
If you’d like to write to Paul, here’s his address:
Paul Wheeler
2nd Platoon
E Company, 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment
Fort Jackson, SC 29207
Thank you for your love, prayers and concern for him. We’ll keep you posted!
Cyndi
Fort Jackson is just about 6 1/2 hours due east of Birmingham... right outside Columbia, SC.
We’ve had 3 short messages from Paul on our answering machine, and Harris and I finally got to talk to him for about 5 minutes today. They have been “processing” since they arrived in SC and Boot Camp officially starts Monday, March 23rd!
He will only be able to receive and write “snail mail” for 9 1/2 weeks. It will be up to his drill sergeant whether or not he gets to call during that time. He’ll graduate late May and start his training at the same base to be a Human Resources information Technology Systems Management Specialist. In other words, he’ll be working on computers.
If you’d like to write to Paul, here’s his address:
Paul Wheeler
2nd Platoon
E Company, 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment
Fort Jackson, SC 29207
Thank you for your love, prayers and concern for him. We’ll keep you posted!
Cyndi
Fort Jackson is just about 6 1/2 hours due east of Birmingham... right outside Columbia, SC.
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