Post date: Nov 12, 2011 2:15:00 AM
(Original Date: Tuesday, April 6, 2010)
These entries are from the letters that Brandon has mailed to me.
There is something about this hotel that keeps me from getting a good nights sleep. I thought having my wife stay with me would make it different, but I was wrong. I was tossing and turning all night, it was after midnight when I last checked and I had to get up at 4:45am. So I started the day off tired, then I had to say goodbye to my wife. After that I was not only tired, but sad and grumpy as well. I ate my free breakfast and then we were all shuttled off to MEPS for processing.
Processing consisted of reviewing all my paperwork and biometrically signing everything (a.k.a scanning my fingerprints). Six of us who were shipping out then all had to sit around in our underwear and wait. (This day we did a lot of that Army saying “Hurry and Wait”) Finally I got weighed (192 lbs…hmmm I gained a few pounds, maybe it was all that easter candy) and measured 73 3/4 inches tall (hmmm... I also grew 3/4 of an inch, maybe that is where the extra weight came from.) We watched the AWOL and desertion video again and then swore in. After that we were told that we were on the government payroll. It helped a little knowing that all this sitting around and waiting was now my job and I was getting paid for it. Ha!
Our sack lunches arrived and then I was able to catch the encore of the Duke vs. West Virginia Final Four match-up.
Finally, around 1:30pm we were given our travel instructions and meal vouchers. I’m the only one heading to Ft. Benning, but I am flying with another guy named Brandon to Denver before we separate. We watched a video on how to travel (i.e. don’t say “bomb” on the plane).
2:30pm the shuttle arrived to take us back to the hotel. Laying in bed felt so good. Tonight I’ll eat my free dinner and then watch the NCAA championship basketball game. After that I’ll talk with my wife for a bit then hopefully get a good nights sleep.