The Headbanging continued...

Ok Ok I know I said I would finish this post some time ago but just imagine how the suspense building up will make this post worth it. I got a lot to cover because the past few weeks have been quite busy so grab your favorite beverage (Diet Coke for 75% of my family) and a comfy chair, sit back and enjoy.

I re-read the previous post and I think I left off at the Atlantic Ocean on the 4th of July. We preatty much spent the whole afternoon in the sun and trying to do as little as possible. Appartently I did the least because I fell asleep on my stomach and woke up to the smell of my back and shoulders sizzeling. I just wouldnt be a Warnock if I didnt go to the beach and get burnt. Oh well, I knew I would be peeling later so at least all the pain wouldnt be for nothing. (In case you didnt know, I am OCD about peeling...anything. Labels, skin, stickers, paint, wallpaper, everything that can be peeled will be peeled by me) We met up with some of Zupo's friends and ran into Thompson and Zawacki from Delta Co. so we took Thompson into the ocean, seeing that it was her first time in any ocean which was blatenly obvious when she took the first wave face first. We had to teach her to put her back to the wave and kinda jump into it. I think I had more fun picking her up after a wave washed her away than actually swimming myself. It was just plain funny, like watching a toddler walk for the first time. Anyways, the ocean rocked but we werent about to stay there all day. We went back to Thompson and zawacki's hotel to shower and get ready for fireworks in downtown Savannah. Made it downtown just in time for the finalle which is really the only cool part anyways. We dropped Thompson off at Outbacks so she could have dinner with her friends and then proceeded to this bar that Miranda has been saying we had to go to ever since we decided on going to Savannah. The band he toured with before the Army played a show at this bar and he was really impressed with it. To the rest of us, one bar is as good the next one so we headed for the Jinx. We got there and after getting our drinks, we found out a band was playing that night. Im in Savannah and have been to a few bars in this state where every live music act has been some redneck in a cowboy hat, boots and belt buckle butchering country musics worst songs. I expected more of the same that night so I started to pull out my iPod when the band came on. I pushed play and they did the same. A: I couldnt hear my iPod. B: It wasnt country. C: It was loud, fast, angry.....and not counrty! Do my ears decieve me? Did I find a hard rock show in the middle of the bible belt and home to the jacked up 4x4 pick up truck with a 12" lift and rebel flag in the back window? Why yes I did! Lucky for me, Miranda was there to headbang and enjoy the music because Zupo was going thru culture shock. I wish I could of taken a picture of his face when the started playing. "Why is it so loud? I cant understand what they are saying. They are just screaming. You actually like this stuff, Warnock?" haha priceless. Sweet, sweet revenge for all the counrty bars he has taken me to. I made sure he knew that and derived great pleasure watching him at the bar with that blank look on his face. I know that look all too well cause it was the same look I gave him at the last 3 bars. Well the first band played the last song and pulled up someone from the crowd to sing. He rocked and put on a better show then the whole band combined. Turned out he was the next band on so Miranda and I decided to stay and watch this guys band play. We released Zupo and Mitchell to leave and save their eardrums. It wasnt really their scene but it was right up me and Mirandas alley. The next band, A Girl, A Gun, A Ghost, got on and proceeded to blow my mind. I dont think I have had a better time at a concert or seen a better preformance out of a local band before. I was rocking as hard with those 25 people as I do with 5000 in a major show. We started the most pit, screamed with the lead singer and completly forgot I was in the Army untill I was headbanging so hard my dog tags almost came flying off my neck. Needless to say, an hour later we were spent. We rounded up Zupo and Mitchell and headed back to Thompsons hotel for another night on the floor cause we hadnt gotten a hotel room of our own yet. (Again, we guys only concern ourselves with the cooler and its safety) I awoke to a pain in my back and neck that a Advil quickly cured and we headed back for Zupos sisters to relax and watch tv, shower and be around non-military folks which i thourghly enjoyed. Its like I live in 2 worlds now. Military and cilivian. Its like I get to be two different people that share the same mindset. So after much channel surfing and long cat naps on the couch, we got ready for a house party at a friend of Zupos. It was just a lame garage party, typical of 20 somethings, and we all retired early so we could wake up early to head back to Ft. Gordon. We got back to Ft. 2 hours early and had time to shower shave and get ready for recall formation. Overall a weekend that I will never forget. It may be the last time I get to spend with these guys before we all scatter across the country.

Next up: Capstone. 4 days in the field (actually a parking lot with tents) and more sweating than actually learning. 98 degrees and full humidty will make you sweat a few pounds off. Really a great diet plan the army got going if you ask me. I thought it was a large waste of time and resources due to the poor planning. All we did was stand outside in formation with full battle rattle and do nothing. The only exciting part was the pinning ceremony on the last day when we got our signal crest to put on our class A uniforms. There was a lot of big wigs and saluting (my battalion commander, brigade commander who is a full bird conolel, and many majors and command sargeant majors) who all shook hands with each and everyone of us, 85 total, and made me feel real proud to be MOSQ (Military Occupational Speciality Qualified) and done with AIT. Just one more chapter done in my military career but it in no way means I am done training. I will go to my unit, after Airborne and RIP, and continue to train on equipment and combat skills. The training never stops. I really want to be the top dog in my MOS so that everyone comes to me with their questions and problems. I want to be the guy fixing the Sargeant Majors computer when it goes down or the radio guy for the commander when Iraq or Afghanistan comes. I want to be THAT guy.

Ok Mom said I should put this in my blog so you all would know and I am a little proud of it myself so its time to brag a bit. I graduated with the highest grade in my class, a 97%. I graduate with honors and its something I pushed myself to do. I was tired of just skating by like i did in high school and most of college. I am going to prove to everyone including myself the type of person I am and want to be.

Yesterday I went through the graduation ceremony. Dont worry mom, you didnt miss anything. we walked across the stage and got our "diplomas" whick was nothing more than a rolled up piece of paper with a ribbon tied around it. Why is it that when ever you walk to get a diploma they never actually give it to you? Its always just a fake and they end up mailing the real one or give it to you when you leave. Kinda cheapens the whole experience if you ask me.

I have been getting a few requests for more details on the girl I mentioned in earlier posts. I am sad to say that I have to leave her behind when I leave and it just wouldnt be fair to either of us to continue a relationship long distance. Long Distance relationships never work if you ask me because they are too hard to maintain. It puts tons of stress on both people and its just something I, and definately her, dont need at this time. Plus there were a few issues that were too big to work around. First of all, she is 18 and too young in my opinion to be tied down to a traveling Army guy. She needs someone who can be with her all the time and show her how a proper relationship is susposed to happen. Second, she is pregnant (not mine Mom. Someone in the office please pick my mother off the floor and help her to her chair. She will need a Diet Coke IV immediately to revive her) from her previous relationship and I am in no position to help raise a child now. I just cant be the person she needs right now. We both agreed on it (she took a little longer to see it my way though) and have gone our seperate ways. I still talk to her and will see her again this weekend to say goodbye. If there is one thing I hate about the Army, its how hard it is to have a relationship. Got to take the bad with the good, I guess.

This week is going to be especially hard on me. I have to say goodbye to many friends as they scatter across the country to their various duty stations. Some of these guys I have known since basic and some I met at AIT but either way I have spent everyday with, eating every meal together and sharing every gripe and complaint with. Woo, our little Korean, who was in my platoon in basic, leaves tomorrow. We have shared the same room for the past 6+ months. Wow I dont even want to think about it. Thompson, Mitchell, Alex. There are many more that would be just to hard to list. Please pray for them just as you do for me. We are all doing the same thing, fighting the same fight. Anytime to think of me, put them in the same sentence. I came up with a quote that I think fits well in this situation. "We are all different in the same way."

Well I think that does it for me for this update. I got some outprocessing (yeah!) to finish up so yall take care and I will be home shortly.

Much love from the newest Signal Soldier
Frank
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