Had a nice ride today..... (Now Update on Kali's Army Career)

[Serk]

Nice day here today, mid 70's..... My favorite soldier is in town for Christmas, have her a few more days; one of her heroes is Audie Murphy. We tried to go to the Audie Murphy museum last year but just drove out there without checking their holiday scheduling, found it closed.

This year, we checked and made sure they were open...

We were walking to the car to head out and I offered, car, one motorcycle or two motorcycles.

She paused for a minute.

Her mom piped up "I think you should go on two bikes and take Serk Jr. as well"

Kali liked that idea...

So after we all got geared up we made the 40 mile ride to the Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum in Greenville Texas. Kali's confidence on the bike has gone WAY up, she'd almost be ready to take a real trip again, if only we didn't have to send her back into Uncle Sam's caring arms in just a few more days.....





(The sun was directly in their eyes, best I could get)



She still isn't a fan of riding on gravel, so at her request we walked the 150 or so yards from the memorial to the museum proper. To simulate a ruck she carried Serk Jr...



Not a huge museum, but nicely done, covering the history of the area, the history of cotton and its' importance to this region of Texas, and of course one of the regions' more famous sons...



Didn't take a LOT of pictures inside the museum, plenty can be googled up if that's an interest...

Back to the bikes, and discussions of acquisition of sustenance commenced...



We settled on a small hole in the wall (The best kind!) Mexican place down some back roads in the area I knew about...

Can't tell they're siblings, they ordered the exact same thing, but ordered it different ways (Serk Jr off the kid's menu, Kali ordered a chicken quesadilla and salad combo, but hold the chicken and instead of a salad, refried beans)



After which, we took meandering back roads vaguely towards home...

Little over 100 miles total. Dang if that wasn't some of the best miles I've had in a VERY long time!!!

On the way home I played a song from Sabaton about Audie Murphy through the bike's stereo, all three of us were loudly (And badly) singing along through the headsets...)

It was one of the most acoustically painful and beautiful things, at the same time, I'd ever experienced...

(If you're at all interested, this is the song. If you don't like rock and/or roll, you're not gonna care for it though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBz7MX2bLcM   )

Near home, for the first time that I can recall Kali asked if she could lead for a bit...



Anyway... a usual rambling Serk blurb, but wanted to share...

[Jess from VA]

Thanks for sharing that Brian.  Great post.   

I've been wondering how she's doing at quartermaster school.

That young lady is growing up (before our eyes).  Glad she was able to come home for Christmas.

When I was teaching my wife to ride, I always wanted her to lead so I could keep an eye on her (instead of unsafely living in my rear view mirrors all day).  But she never had any idea where we were or where we were going, so I had to lead.   

Except for the one time she took off at 90 on the freeway with the cops watching.  I caught up and reigned her in, then the cops pulled up along side and gave her the naughty sign (and laughed), and let us go.   

[carolinarider09]

Great story and I have always been a fan of Audie Murphy.  Was not aware of the museum.  Will put it on my list. 

Good pictures. 

[Farside]

  Looks like it was a great day all around! Kali looking all grown up and Little Serk getting better acclimated riding 2-up. Fun time for sure. 

[da prez]

  Good on you Brian.  Best wishes to Kali. We are planning on a cruise thru (cage) Texas early next year. Audy Murphy museum will be on the list.  Young Serk will be riding real soon. 

                                        da prez

[f6john]

I could of had a nice ride today, but I chose to do some much needed chores that the weather was permitting. Tomorrow looks good for a ride, so fingers crossed.

Loved the pictures and happy you guys had to good outing, gosh they grow up fast!

[Oss]

 

Happy family time on a motorcycle   way to go !

[Robert]

 

[Serk]

Thanks for the comments ya'll, loved having her while we did, made it even harder giving her back, not knowing when we'll get her back again. Could be in a month or two, could be in two to three years, just no way of knowing...

Anyway.... She's now back in Uncle Sam's loving embrace at Quartermaster School.... Funny story of perseverance and creative thinking about her return...

She arranged her flights "home" with a 23 hour layover in Denver to visit a friend from DLI. Got there, then realized he doesn't drive, and she has no where to stash her luggage for the day. Tried to rent a car. Under 25, and no credit card, only debit, won't rent to her.

She'd heard previously that U-Haul will rent to any active duty service member since so many move around the country so frequently. Gets an Uber to the nearest U-Haul place, and drives this around Denver all day.







...she said she only got stuck in the snow a few times, used dirty laundry to get it unstuck, otherwise handled driving it around Denver in the snow with no problem... Not too bad for a Texas kid not used to driving anything bigger than a Nissan Altima and not used to driving in winter weather, and smart thinking to get a U-Haul when Avis wouldn't help her!

[Jess from VA]

Good story.   

I got a ride today too.  65 in No VA.  First my truck, then my bike. 

[carolinarider09]

Just goes to support the notion that she was raised well and properly.   

I like the notion of finding a way.  It's sort of what life is all about.  If you can't do it the "normal" way, look for an "abnormal" way.  As long as its legal, it's ok.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Thanks for the comments ya'll, loved having her while we did, made it even harder giving her back, not knowing when we'll get her back again. Could be in a month or two, could be in two to three years, just no way of knowing...

Anyway.... She's now back in Uncle Sam's loving embrace at Quartermaster School.... Funny story of perseverance and creative thinking about her return...

She arranged her flights "home" with a 23 hour layover in Denver to visit a friend from DLI. Got there, then realized he doesn't drive, and she has no where to stash her luggage for the day. Tried to rent a car. Under 25, and no credit card, only debit, won't rent to her.

She'd heard previously that U-Haul will rent to any active duty service member since so many move around the country so frequently. Gets an Uber to the nearest U-Haul place, and drives this around Denver all day.







...she said she only got stuck in the snow a few times, used dirty laundry to get it unstuck, otherwise handled driving it around Denver in the snow with no problem... Not too bad for a Texas kid not used to driving anything bigger than a Nissan Altima and not used to driving in winter weather, and smart thinking to get a U-Haul when Avis wouldn't help her!

And only $19.95 a day 

[Serk]

Didn't wanna start yet another Serk humble-brag thread, but wanted to share so figured this is a good a place as any:

PFC Kali graduated from AIT Quartermaster School this morning, and is fully 100% a US Army Soldier, out of training and getting ready to head to her first duty station...



https://rumble.com/v26siu0-kalis-92y-graduation.html

[Jess from VA]

Brian, that is just great news.   

I see she's growing out some hair.  (lol)

Any idea where they send her?

[..]

 

Thanks Kali.

[f6gal]

Congrats Kali!!  Hope they send you somewhere fun (relatively).

[Serk]

Any idea where they send her?

Yup, we do.....

Initially she was told she'd be doing 2-3 years in Korea, and we were excited, but sad that it'd be difficult to see her much, if at all during that time, but loved the idea of her getting to get out, explore Asia and broaden her horizons.....

Just as we'd gotten used to the idea of that the Army, in it's infinite wisdom, changed it's mind, so instead of Korea, her initial duty station will be the exotic far away land of Fort Hood.....

In Killeen Texas.....

.....less than 200 miles from home.

So up side - We'll get to see her quite a bit, easily spend weekends at home or I/we could ride down and hang out with her too....

Down side - Killeen.... Not the Texas city with the best reputation, and Fort Hood isn't the Army base with the best reputation.

But, she'll deal with it and make the most of it.

[Jess from VA]

It is my experience that new military personnel are better off serving their first duty assignment stateside, before any overseas deployment.  Officer or enlisted.

Initial training is no substitute for learning the military way of life (and rules) at your first duty station, and overseas assignments always have a whole other level of challenges over and above that.

I had to represent a female JAG in Turkey on her first assignment.  She didn't mean to get in trouble, but she did enough to get a general court martial; which I talked them out of since the Turks (and any overseas country) has primary criminal jurisdiction over all our troops serving in that country (purely military offenses aside), and we work very hard to never let that happen if possible.  There was a chance the Turks could have demanded we turn her over to them, and we would have had no choice but to comply (under usual foreign status of forces agreements) if they did.

She had impeccable academic credentials but no common sense at all, and she should never have been sent overseas right out of school.  She got to resign her commission and return home at G expense, and she was damn lucky.  (An affair of the heart with a bad (local) man who had already done time in Turkish prisons.)  

So IMHO, she's better off at Ft Hood, despite it's reputation.  Better the devil you know.

Do a stateside tour, learn your job and the military way of life, then put in a volunteer statement for overseas next time.  Again, JMHO.  

[carolinarider09]

Good News.   And the fun is just starting.   

[Skinhead]

Good News and thanks for the update, I was wondering how she was doing, and what was Forest Whitaker doing at her graduation? 

I agree with your assessment of Ft. Hood and Killeen, having been both there and Korea, she probably would prefer the later.  But you should get to see her often.  Best wishes Kali.

[Rams]

Any idea where they send her?

Yup, we do.....

Initially she was told she'd be doing 2-3 years in Korea, and we were excited, but sad that it'd be difficult to see her much, if at all during that time, but loved the idea of her getting to get out, explore Asia and broaden her horizons.....

Things must have changed a bunch if Army enlisted are getting 2-3 year assignments in S. Korea.   13 months was the normal tour.   The only folks I ever heard of getting longer tours in S. Korea were on accompanied tours (family went with them).

Ft. Hood ain't all bad IMHO.   I assure you, there are worse places, I've been to several of them.

Rams

[Serk]

Do a stateside tour, learn your job and the military way of life, then put in a volunteer statement for overseas next time.  Again, JMHO.  

Yup... It's like taking your medicine, I know this is probably for the best, but........

And she already put in volunteer statements for overseas, every chance she gets...

Things must have changed a bunch if Army enlisted are getting 2-3 year assignments in S. Korea.   13 months was the normal tour.   The only folks I ever heard of getting longer tours in S. Korea were on accompanied tours (family went with them).

Korea tour normalization was a thing done in 2010...

"With tour normalization, assignments to South Korea will be more like assignments to Germany, Japan or other overseas installations. Single servicemembers typically will serve two-year tours, and troops who bring their Families will stay for three years."

https://www.army.mil/article/42904/korea_tour_normalization

I agree with your assessment of Ft. Hood and Killeen, having been both there and Korea, she probably would prefer the later.  But you should get to see her often.  Best wishes Kali.

Yeah... She's confident enough of being able to get up here often she bought her own pass to the local Renaissance Festival that she's basically grown up at... It's only 125ish miles from Fort Hood to the Ren Faire, so even closer than home...

[Rams]

Things must have changed a bunch if Army enlisted are getting 2-3 year assignments in S. Korea.   13 months was the normal tour.   The only folks I ever heard of getting longer tours in S. Korea were on accompanied tours (family went with them).

Korea tour normalization was a thing done in 2010...

"With tour normalization, assignments to South Korea will be more like assignments to Germany, Japan or other overseas installations. Single servicemembers typically will serve two-year tours, and troops who bring their Families will stay for three years."

https://www.army.mil/article/42904/korea_tour_normalization

I'm sure being assigned to S. Korea for a longer tour and enjoying it would be significantly more enjoyable down south.   My duty station was less than five miles from the Z.  Flew the line a couple times a month, I wasn't a mission pilot then.   Not the best assignment I ever had.   I wouldn't wish it on anyone.   Back then, Korea was considered a hardship tour, I can't imagine it being anything different.

Rams

[Serk]

Back then, Korea was considered a hardship tour, I can't imagine it being anything different.

It seems some time in the semi-recent past the big brains realized the majority of US military forces in South Korea were within artillery range of the North and decided to do something about it...

Where Kali was being assigned, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys is the result.

The newest, and currently the largest us overseas military installation (Of any branch).

Besides being 40 miles south of Seoul, it's also very.... America... If one doesn't want to experience Korea, they could easily live within the mini-USA that's on the base...

(Story from my dad when we were stationed in the UK, he had several Airmen tell him how much they hated it in England. He'd ask them when was the last time they left the base. "I haven't sir, why?".... "Then you haven't been to England, you're just in the USA with cruddy weather.)

Short video about the place if you're so inclined (I researched the snickers outta the place when that's where we thought she was going)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezSqDJ4bD9U

[Rams]

Back then, Korea was considered a hardship tour, I can't imagine it being anything different.

It seems some time in the semi-recent past the big brains realized the majority of US military forces in South Korea were within artillery range of the North and decided to do something about it...

Where Kali was being assigned, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys is the result.

The newest, and currently the largest us overseas military installation (Of any branch).

Besides being 40 miles south of Seoul, it's also very.... America... If one doesn't want to experience Korea, they could easily live within the mini-USA that's on the base...

(Story from my dad when we were stationed in the UK, he had several Airmen tell him how much they hated it in England. He'd ask them when was the last time they left the base. "I haven't sir, why?".... "Then you haven't been to England, you're just in the USA with cruddy weather.)

Short video about the place if you're so inclined (I researched the snickers outta the place when that's where we thought she was going)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezSqDJ4bD9U

Understood.    Things south of Seoul were different than where I was, I heard about it but never got to experience it.   I can see those south of Seoul having a "better" time than those of us close to the Z but, I can't imagine asking anyone to spend two years up north for that long.   Doesn't matter now, they wouldn't even consider letting me back in as a MTP.   Although I could see it as a target.  

Rams

[scooperhsd]

Definate plus to having first duty station in CONUS before going overseas. Not so much a problem in the Navy ON A SHIP.... but if you're going to a shore activity - very similar in concept on the CONUS first. But, you still have to have junior enlisteds at most military activities, so, I'm no personnel specialist about who to assign where.

[cookiedough]

congrats to Kali for being full military now.  Is not a bad gig for sure having her pretty darn close to home as well.  My brother's kid is in it for life been in 10 years now as a medic and likes being shipped around to here and there seeing the different places.  He was in Ukraine area during the bombing at a medic base and seen mostly civilians blown apart, not good.  

[Serk]

So Christmas a year ago she tried to surprise us with a visit, but I'd figured it out, she DID get me at Ren Faire this past spring, but Mom lamented "I haven't gotten a surprise"...

...took a few weeks of planning and some serious work, but we made that happen tonight...

https://rumble.com/v26w2ov-kali-surprising-mom-and-the-kiddos.html

[Oldfishguy]

Jess from VA, is pretty much spot on; a stateside assignment for six months to a year is best.  Learn the job, and more importantly learn the military way of life.  

Ft Hood was my first assignment enlisted as well.  It is a big city military area, including the large range and nearby Killeen.  Central Texas College is nearby and I would take evening classes there.  I spent a few weekends in Austin as well with the college kids at clubs; sometimes one needs to just escape the military life and be a normal kid again.  Because . . . Ft. Hood will play serious military in every thing they do, that will be clear.  I was there eight months and put my request in for overseas duty.  Two weeks later I had orders for West Germany and was shipped out a month after that.  

I would suggest once in the Ft Hood unit to find the battalion HQ to put in for overseas duty again.  The Army has a way of burying paperwork in personal files, especially when changing duty assignments. And keep it quite in doing so. E1-E4 promotions, once meeting minimum times, are pretty much at the discretion of the units.  No need to tell folks you want out already.  E5’s and above are on an entire Army point system.

I rode a Honda CM400T for my only transportation the entire time at Ft. Hood.  Fun little bike.  Probably still running and in that neighborhood . . . See if Kali can find it.  

[f6gal]

Mom didn't look all that surprised.     It didn't look like KK was ever going to let go.  And poor Serk Jr couldn't get in on the hugging, so just hugged KK.  LOL. 

How long will she be home?

[Serk]

We were having artificial drama getting Wifi working on my tablet for the video call (I was keeping the drama at an elevated level to keep Tarynn distracted) which had her on edge a bit.... I think she suspected something, but she claims she didn't...

If you look towards the beginning, KK looks at exiting her seat, and figures the quickest way is under, she just slips under the table and crawls over to Kali.... Loved her find a way approach!

And don't worry, Serk Jr. did get some hugs in eventually, of course...

We have her for a little over two weeks. And this isn't free time for her, she's working as her recruiter's flunky in this time. Tomorrow she gets to put on her uniform and go to her former high school to try to convince her former classmates to do the thing (Well, not ALL the thing) she did...

...one of her best friends has no idea she's here, and is at said high school, so that could be fun as well...

[f6gal]

If you look towards the beginning, KK looks at exiting her seat, and figures the quickest way is under, she just slips under the table and crawls over to Kali.... Loved her find a way approach!

Yep, saw that... she didn't think about it very long... just went for it.

[old2soon]

      Well I KNEW She'd eventually become "Property of The U S Army"!  And Agrre with all those stating C O N U S as First Best assignment. Tween my A School and R A G outfit time when I got to the Ship I had been Rather Quickly indoctrinated in Navy Life. When I was in Japan-early 60s-If we-U S Naval personnel broke Japanese law-theft rape murder-we went to a Japanese Court and Prison First. THEN upon release from Japanese Authorities U S Navy Prison Chasers would meet you and take you to a U S Military Court for further punishment. And More LIKELY than not a Dishonorable Discharge after Brig Time! Those here that have Served KNOW what a dishonorable does fer the rest of yer life. RIDE SAFE.

[3fan4life]

So after we all got geared up we made the 40 mile ride to the Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum in Greenville Texas. Kali's confidence on the bike has gone WAY up, she'd almost be ready to take a real trip again, if only we didn't have to send her back into Uncle Sam's caring arms in just a few more days.....

The Audie Murphy crash site is near Roanoke:



https://www.virginia.org/listing/audie-murphy-monument/4952/

I wouldn't recommend trying to get there on a Valk though:

[Serk]

I wouldn't recommend trying to get there on a Valk though:

...sure looks like you got there on a Valk, judging by the pic! Heheh...

Another reason I'm sad to miss IZ this year... Sure Kali would love to visit there... Thanks for the heads up, I'll keep it on my list for "next time"...

[3fan4life]

I wouldn't recommend trying to get there on a Valk though:

...sure looks like you got there on a Valk, judging by the pic! Heheh...

Another reason I'm sad to miss IZ this year... Sure Kali would love to visit there... Thanks for the heads up, I'll keep it on my list for "next time"...

I did, but I was cussing myself most of the way. Especially on the way back down.

[Serk]

Only found out this afternoon that Kali's patching ceremony for 1st Cav was open to family, so KK and I hightailed it down to Ft. Hood, made it just 2 minutes before the ceremony started. We were able to be there for it though, and loved seeing her and meet some of her new friends. She starts Doing the Things for real tomorrow....

(And I just wanted to brag a bit about her spiffy new hat! )







Few miles before exiting off the freeway the car started acting up. Turns out one of her best friends on base is a Stryker mechanic. Few trips to the PX and the culprit was found and corrected (Almost entirely out of transmission fluid. Oops!)

[Clarkcelt]

Hey! I just realized that you said Fort HOOD! Our son (my wife's son, my step-son) is stationed at Hood. I know that place is massive, but if Kali sees the skinniest 6'8" kid she has ever seen, that is very likely our Isaac!

[carolinarider09]

Thanks for the update and l do like her hat.

[f6gal]

Spiffy!