In Country ... Week One

We finally got a phone call after 9 days of silence. It was terrific to say the least. As it turns out, he has been at the FOB he told us about for a week. It seems that there was supposed to be a company of US troops that were to replace the coalition troops from another country currently at that sight. In fact, there is a full brigade of US troops at the FOB, meaning that it is REALLY crowded. Kyle said that they are packed into their living quarters like sardines and living out of their Ruck sacks. His words were, "This is going to be a LONG year."

Because their are so many soldiers, there is little to do. He talked with some soldiers who have been there for nearly a year who have been on a total of ONE mission. On that one mission, however, they did encounter some combatants who placed a sticky bomb to the side of their MRAP. The damage was negligible, but the stories were vivid.

Since there is so little word to do, Kyle said that the average day consists of eating, PT, eating, working out at the gym, eating and then sleeping. He did say, however, that he is getting bigger and stronger. He said that, since it is such a small FOB, they are responsible for EVERYTHING, including burning their own waste (no, I'm not talking about trash). There were some things about military service I would have been fine NOT knowing.

Someone in our congregation asked me the other day if their are laundry facilities. We got the answer today ... YES. It consists of a bucket, some powder soap and a sand hill outside for a dryer. He did say, though, that the D-Fac is AMAZING!

The FOB is equipped with all the necessities for combat: A running track, volleyball court, soccer/football field, gym, video games, computers and phone system. He mentioned that the communications (computer and phone) are really poor and VERY crowded. It is over a 30 min. wait for a phone and you are limited to a 30 min. call. They can also have a 30 min time slot on the computer, but it took 30 minutes for the chat screen to load on facebook, so he has determined that he won't be doing a lot of e-mail.

I'll write more of his trip to Iraq in the next post ...

While We Are Waiting ...

Today marks a week since we have heard from Kyle by phone. He did communicate a couple lines via another web resource that he was still in transit and that communications "suck" (his word). We actually heard more from him while in Kuwait than we did from Ft. Carson. In Colorado there is a lot more to do in your spare time than there is in Kuwait, where all you have is spare time. We received phone calls nearly every other day for the two week wait in Kuwait. This long a period with little word is reminiscent of the BCT (Basic Combat Training). For that reason, I thought I would take a few paragraphs to recap some of Kyle's boot camp experiences.

Our first word from Kyle in BCT was a phone message on my cell phone after service one Sunday - about 3 weeks after his arrival at Ft. Benning, GA. He was a little choked up (that is a family trait) on the phone but was able to choke out that he had won a contest and had received permission to make a 15 min. call home. As it would happen, that was right in the middle of morning worship at home. It turns out that the contest was to disassemble, reassemble and fire your weapon (an M-4) in the least amount of time. That didn't surprise me that he would have this kind of aptitude - he's been taking stuff apart since he started playing with Legos as a kid. Needless to say, when I played the sad message from the rest of the family - we all teared up a bit at the thought of missing his call.

We were not surprised also, to hear him say that he loved the rigor of BCT. Both he and Brandon were wrestlers in Junior and Senior high school. They were acquainted with the practice of pushing yourself and being pushed to do more than they thought physically possible. To this day Kyle will regularly push himself until he gets sick. He says something like, "When I'm hurlin' I know I'm workin'". So it was not a surprise to read in his letters that he was having the time of his life. His phone calls from BCT often started with "This is SOOOO much fun." He would then go on to speak of Ruck marches that would cause massive blisters on his feet and result in bloody patches worn through the hide on his back from an ill-fitting Ruck sack.

We were, however, a little surprised to find that he is a crack shot with fire arms and ranked "expert" with hand grenades. The latter I can understand as it is similar to horseshoes - you only have to get close. But the rifle marksmanship surprised us. I shouldn't have been surprised when I recounted the 3 or 4 times that we played paint ball together. I always ended up whatever color Kyle was shooting, plus the colors black and blue (those little paint balls HURT). To date, he has qualified "sharp shooter" or "marksmen" on nearly every firing range he has experienced. He has fired some amazing weapons, but his personal favorite happens to be the one that he is assigned, the M-4 Carbine.

One of the great and somewhat unexpected outcomes from BCT was the imprint this time would have on Kyle's faith. He fell in with a group of believers right away. They encouraged each other and challenged each other in faith as well as physically. His letters home were filled with quotes from scripture that were particularly powerful to him. In one letter home he wrote, "I think that BCT has been about me figuring out who I am as a man of God." As you might imagine, these were welcome and wonderful words. Who would have known that the Army would provide a defining moment for faith. I truly didn't see that one coming.

(BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE SLIDE SHOW AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG)

That leads me to list a few prayer requests for those readers who believe in the power of prayer. If I can figure out how to post a prayer list in the side bar of this blog, I will do so. For now, please pray for the following:
- Obviously pray for protection for Kyle and all our troops who are in harms way.
- Pray that the COB (Combat Operations Base) to which he is assigned has a chaplain.
- Pray for him to find close friends of similar faith at that location.
- Pray for his quiet times with the Lord to be fruitful and regular (sorry - I can't help but see the similarity between that last prayer request and my doctors prescription for middle-aged irregularity ... hmmmm).
- Pray that Kyle will have opportunity to share his faith with soldiers who do not have a Rock on which to place their trust.

Silence is not so golden ...

I've heard people say, "silence is golden" - most often from parents who have small - LOUD - children. This parents perspective, however, is that silence is a little unnerving. It has been 5 days since we have heard from Kyle. The last word (or NEXT to last word) was that he would be heading for Iraq in late September or early October. The next morning - Thursday last - we received a message on Facebook informing us that he could not tell us where he was going, but that he was in deed going and would call us as soon as he was able. As yet, not a word.

In the mean time, we pray and wait. As soon as we get some word, we will bring you more. It is probably good that he is out of Kuwait. Kyle was telling us that, in the boring times in the tent, he and the other soldiers would snack on "Chips Ahoy". This combined with 24hr Starbucks is not exactly a recipe for health. So much for that "Soldiers Creed" part about keeping fit ... blah ... blah. They were in Kuwait for 2 weeks which was all it took to turn finely tuned warriors into Junk-food junkies.

Oh yeah, Kyle did give us an address to which we/you can mail items. If you are a friend or family member, then you know how to reach us directly. We will give you that information. More to come ...

Days in waiting ...

The latest news includes some less than exciting information. Again, everything is subject to change and undoubtedly will change before it becomes actuality. As it turns out, most of Kyle's squad is shipping out to their FOB this week. Kyle, however, will be staying back for a couple more weeks to accompany his partner - Josh. In a moment of administrative amnesia, Josh's name was left off the list of soldiers to ship out this week. Therefore, since Josh and Kyle travel as a team, they will BOTH remain in Kuwait a little longer. From a parents perspective, this is just fine. From a soldiers perspective, this is not great. Our soldier was excited, however, about the news that he and Josh would likely travel to their FOB by C-130 (cargo plane) rather than lumbering across the desert in a mechanized convoy.



Of a more unhappy nature (from parents viewpoint) is the news that the MRAP (Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected) vehicles Kyle and his team will be patrolling in are not equipped with the CROWS (Camera Remote Operated Weapons System). If you are interested in knowing what these acronyms mean, you can find them demonstrated on Youtube. In a nutshell, that simply means that the gunner on the top of the vehicle is actually a human being, not a piece of robotically operated equipment. Kyle further informed us that the most junior members of the squad (Josh and Kyle) will be performing the functions of driver and gunner. Therefore, Kyle and Josh will split time in the 50 caliber gun touret atop the MRAP vehicle. Can you say, "sitting duck?" For those readers who have an active prayer life, this is a clear point of prayer support.



Yesterday was a good day for Kyle. Any time he gets to shoot is a good day. He and the rest of his squad got up at 0230 hrs. (the most comfortable time in a desert) to "zero" their weapons. This means that you shoot your weapon to see that it is properly sighted in. He was able to perform this in relatively short order. Then he and other Infantrymen went back to their vehicle to nap while the POG's (a derogatory term for all military "Professions Other than Grunt", i.e. non-Infantry) tried to find the target. For PFC Infantrymen, the great equalizer is the firing line. It is on that line that you demonstrate your worth as a warrior.

Kyle added one bit of information that was even more sobering than the above. As he and some friends were in the D-Fac (Dining Facility), they noticed a commotion in the courtyard outside. As they listened, they discovered that a Lt. Col. (not Kyle's) had dropped dead of an apparent heart attack. What a powerful reminder that life is a momentary and precious gift. We want to live it well, and might I add, to the glory of God. More to come ...

Too Much Time On Their Hands ...

It is ALWAYS a dangerous thing to combine young men and too much spare time. Such is the case of Kyle and his platoon as they await departure to their COB (Combat Operations Base).

After 3 days of maneuvers and training (Kyle's favorite aspect of the Army), the last couple days have been spent sitting around, eating, sleeping and trying to stay cool (temps over 120). This leaves too much time to create things to do - usually involving spending money - and food ... which is what they spend their money on. A typical day in this holding facility begins with a 3am Starbucks run, followed by a little sleep and iPod time before chow at 5:30am. After a hearty meal of Army breakfast, they return to their air conditioned tent for some more sleep. On these really hot days their activity is limited and dictated by an Army scale that determines how many minutes/hour they can work based on temperature and humidity. After a morning nap they head out for Starbucks or lunch at their choice of Chili's, Taco Bell, KFC or Burger King. After lunch it is probably time for a nap. You get the picture ...

So today one of Kyles NCO's (Non-Commissioned Officer ... in this case a Sgt.) said, "Egghead, lets take a Starbucks run." Never wanting to disappoint a ranking officer Kyle obliged the Sgt. After coffee the Sgt. said, "I've always wanted a pedicure- go with me." Again, Kyle did as he was told. After 3 hours waiting at the Spa, watching the Sgt. get his toe nails done, Kyle said, "If you are going to make me sit and watch this, then you are going to have to get a tummy wax." The Sgt. (possibly not the sharpest tool in the shed), thought it sounded interesting. A little hot wax later, both Kyle and the Sgt. were fighting back tears - Kyle from laughter and the Sgt. for obvious reasons. As the Sgt. screamed at the departure of each follicle, the entire spa - filled with nothing but Army personnel - roared with laughter. At the end of the ordeal, the Sgt. grabbed his uniform and bolted from the Spa, only to be caught out of uniform by some ranking officers. Needless to say - Kyle is probably looking at more push ups as a result of his "good" idea. He did suggest that this would have been a great time for a camera.

Can I just tell you, Soldiers with nice toe nails and a smooth torso, is not exactly my picture of "Army Strong." Oh well, what do I know? It does seem, however, that these soldiers better get to their COB before they all look like a cover models for GQ (or a Vogue Magazine).

Kyle thinks that he is beginning to get acclimated. He said it was 85 degrees at 10pm last night and he was cold. Can you imagine?

Learning to drive ... Humvee style

Today we received another call from the our favorite warrior. His platoon just concluded three days of training maneuvers in Kuwait.

Day one was a class on counter IED (Improvised Explosive Device) training. They were learning to identify tell tale signs of IED on or near the road. If you have been watching the news, you know that this has been one of the most effective weapons against US military personnel.

Day two was a mock convoy. They were being transported in an "up-armored Humvee". On their way back from their training convoy they encountered a herd (do you call a flock of camels a herd?) of camels. He said that the herdsmen looked exactly like the desert dwellers in "Star Wars" -- right down to the brown robes and goggles. Several of the men in the platoon took a brief camel ride. Time ran out before Kyle and his buddy Josh were able to cruise on the "Camel-lack" (yes, this is a play on words - Camel-lack ... Cadillac ... get it?).

Day three was the best from Kyle's perspective. The driver from the previous two days was replaced. Apparently he had gotten their vehicle stuck twice. So they decided to give Kyle a chance. What Kyle had noticed in the previous "sticking" incidents is that a 12,000 lbs. vehicle has a tendency to bog down if you go slower than 30 mph. So he determined not to get stuck. With a chuckle he said, "Ya know, you can get 12,000 lbs airborne if you hit a sand berm going fast enough." He explained that after Kyle had bounced the Sgt. off the roof twice, he decided to put his seat belt on. Good idea!

He said that they have figured a way to pass the long hours between training exercises. Someone in his platoon brought a wireless router so they have been playing strategy games on their computers. After beating the Sgt., Kyle was overcome with joy. He paraded around the platoon tent doing the happy dance. The Sgt. was NOT amused and promised to "smoke" Kyle sometime. So, it looks like Kyle's exuberance will insure that he doesn't forget how to do push-ups (the usual disciplinary tool for "smoking").

A Bit of History

Since Kyle is currently on training maneuvers in Kuwait, and will not be calling with new information, I thought I would take this opportunity to give you a bit of history in answer to the question you might be asking, "Why the Army ... why now?


In August of 2005, Kyle began talking to an Army recruiter. A profound sense of Patriotism has always run strong in him, and to say that he is truly grateful for the privilege of growing up in the free land is a huge understatement. While we were truly concerned, we tried not to step on his heart. So we stayed a quiet as we could and tried to support him as he was growing into manhood.


September of that same year, he met a really sweet girl who stole his heart and, gratefully, his interest in going to war. This relationship lasted over 2 years and gave Kyle an opportunity to do some growing up. But come November of 2007, the itch to serve returned with a vengence and he made the decision to break off the relationship, quit his job and enlist in the Army. From our perspective as parental onlookers, all this happened in about 5 days and was a HUGE life change. For Kyle, however, it was a dream he had embraced years earlier and was now ready to be realized.

So here were the events in our lives for the months of December and January.
- Dec. 9 ... major meeting in preparation for a new ministry at church.
- Dec. 10 ... loan documents signing for our first home ownership in 25 years; final walk through on our home; deliver our family dog to a new home.
- Dec. 11 ... Fly to San Diego in preparation for Brandon & Sarah's wedding.
- Dec. 15 ... Wedding (it was a beautiful wedding and ALL our kids were/are fabulous).
- Dec. 16 ... Wedding clean-up in SD.
- Dec. 17 ... Fly home.
- Dec. 18-20 ... paint much of the interior of our new home.
- Dec. 21-22 ... move in and make preparations for Christmas.
- Dec. 25 ... Family Christmas (a little tearful with the event looning on the horizon).
- Dec. 26-28 ... Out of state guests arrive for a reception in Brandon and Sarah's honor.
- Dec. 29 ... Wedding reception.
- Dec. 30 ... Sunday events at our church.
- Jan. 1-3 ... Family time with guests from out of town.
- Jan. 3 ... Kyle flies out to Basic Combat Training (LOTS of tears).

We have had several conversations about our young soldier's dramatic sense of timing. Despite all the "crisis" of that passage in time, however, we are all proud of Kyle and glad for his willingness to pursue his dream.

So there you have it. To quote a song ... "He's in the Army now."

Finally there ...

For the past several months Kyle has been stationed in the beautiful state of Colorado. He thoroughly enjoyed his time there and has fished, climbed and camped many of the natural wonders of the area near Colorado Springs. As his relationships with platoon mates grew, so did the stories of camping, rodeo attendance, garage BBQ's, and family outings. With the exception of a "reckless swimming" from a park ranger, the outings were without incident. Deep friendships have been formed, and as the months grew, so has his commitment to his fellow soldiers and their families. As his family we are grateful for those who adopted him into their families.

Kyle arrived in Kuwait last week and is adjusting to the culture and climate. When he exited the bus at their temporary duty station, he said the temperature was 120 degrees. He said, "You sweat constantly, but it doesn't seem that hot." Figure that out ???

He is 10 hours ahead of us so calling at times that work for both of us is a challenge. His 2 calls home thus far have been a great relief to mom and dad. We did discover, however, after 5 or 6 disconnections, that we were using words that are designated "sensitive". Each time we would use any words that were specifically location or military specific, a computer would disconnect our call. We know better now.

As we get photos and news we will try to keep this blog up to date. Check back often. We do know that this week will include some training exercises in Kuwait preparing them for the climate, terrain and equipment they will be using. To say the least, Kyle was excited. In fact, his last call was at 3:15am his time - he couldn't sleep out of anticipation of getting back into a training environment. More to come ...