The video from the last post that I just got to upload

I'm here and guess what? IT'S HOT!!

Greetings from Kuwait all you lucky statesiders. I just finally got enough time to find the internet hotspot to let you know that I am alive and well. As you can (hopefully) see by the video, I am all fine and dandy. I still have all 10 fingers and would show you the toes too but its sandy and hot therefore my feet smell like....well like everything else cause this place stinks, literally.



I know that most of you are asking yourself how hot it really is. My friends and I have come up with a few examples.



1)Go home and put a load of towels in the dryer. As soon as they are done open the door and stick your face in.

2) Find a bus or large truck and stand 2 feet from the exhaust pipe.

3) Grab the nearest hair dryer, put it on high and put it 1 foot infront of your face.



If you think I am exagerating, rest assured that I am not. I got up at 2 AM last night to use the laterine (all port-a-potties by the way) and it was still 90 degrees out. The only thing that is saving us is that this is a dry heat. there is absolutly no humidity here. In face I dont think I have seen a cloud in the sky yet.



It is flat as flat can be. Sand everywhere. There is absolutly no plant life here. I told myself that this deployment was just going to be like going to the beach for a year but I'll tell you what, I can't find the ocean for the life of me.



There really isnt that much to tell for right now other than the weather which I hate to talk about but this weather warrents explaining. We don't know when we will be heading into counrty yet (or are we say, going north) so untill that happens I will just be hanging out here playing Spades with the guys in my shop. So far my partner and I are down 2 games to 4. We plan on keeping a running tally throughout the whole deployment.



I love you all and be safe.

Frank

I finally did it

Hello All,

I have some big news for everyone that reads this. Your soldier is now MARRIED! Thats right folks, I got hitched. If you don't know, her name is Katie Fry, well now it's Katie Warnock (have fun with that, Mom) and she is from Missouri and currently working as a staff accountant for a local IT firm in St. Joseph, Missouri (about 30 minutes north of Fort Leavenworth). We got married during a very private ceremony on Aug. 6. We are both enjoying the married life for a short while before I have to leave and serve my counrty in Iraq. Contrary to popular belief, and no matter what any of my family has said, I have not yet, as of right now, Aug 12, left. While I can't tell you the exact date and time for security reasons, I can tell you the time is very near. It shouldn't be more than a few days. My next update should be from the sands of Iraq. Don't worry, I have already been working on my base tan (mostly on the golf course).

Just wanted to update you all on the latest news in your soldier. See you in the sandbox

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Warnock

Recent Pics

Texas sized training

I never knew how flat it was in Texas. The sky is so blue, the clouds are so magnificant and the mountains are so beautiful in the background. Just for clarification, those mountains are about 8-12 miles away. Yes that is a 9mm Beretta I'm holding. Most ecerybody else as the M4 Assult Rifle but I just got lucky and was issued a 9mm for this exercise. It sure is a lot lighter to be carrying around, thats for sure!

Just had to share so pics of where we are so you can see what I get to see. Word on the street is that we will be rolling out of here on Saturday and get back in Kansas sometime early Sunday morning (19 hour bus trip) so hopefully I should get some better reception and be able to call home and tell you guys all about it.

Thank God for WiFi,

Frank

Chicks dig my ride

So I have been spending alot of time thinking about what car I will buy when I get back from the sandbox next August. For those of you that dont know, I have not had a license for close to 4 years now. I won't get into details about why I dont have one but lets just say I was young, dumb and immature. These past 4 years have taught me alot about myself and the kind of person I want to be.

I have done my time and then some. I think about my new car and wicked long road trip i will take once I get it. I have narrowed it down to a few favorites. let me know what you think and which one you would have and why. Im looking for some feedback and help here people!

In no partiqular order:

Late 90's Dodge Viper GTS

2010 Chevy Camero

2009 Nissan 370Z

So what do you think?


Dazed and Confused
Knarf

My Future Self and Me

Good morning, OHIO!!! Actually, it's not morning, it's not good and I am definately not in Ohio. However, it was the first thing to come to my mind when I started typing so naturally, it went in the post. Thats pretty much how I write all of these things. First thing to invade the space between my ears gets typed and forever etched in this blog. I really can't wait for 10 years down the road when I go back and re-read all of these posts and think "what the hell was I thinking about??!" Well Future Frank, now you know.

I don't know if Mom has told any of you but the deployment is getting pushed back by about a month or so. I can't tell you the exact date or really the place we will be stationed because of OPSEC (Operation Security). Can't let the bad guys know when or where you are going. But I can tell you it will be in mid August. Also, prob more important to anyone that reads this, the block leave has been rescheduled to July 11-26 so pencil me into your calanders. I say pencil cause if you have learned anything from these posts in the past months, the Army is very unpredicable. Anything and everything can be changed at a moments notice. Well now you know.

Present Day Frank

The confusion of my noggin

This is a song by Stone Sour called "Zzyzx Rd." that I have been listening to alot lately. Its a very slow and methodical song, completely different from what I normally listen to. The words become clearer with every listen and always speak to me on a deep level. I thought you should read then to get a feel of whats going on in my head. Enjoy...

I don't know how else to put this

It's taken me so long to do this

I'm falling asleep and I can't see straight

My muscles feel like a melee

My body's curled in a U-shape

I put on my best but I'm still afraid

Propped up by lies and promises

Saving my place as life forgets

Maybe its time I saw the world

I'm only here for a while

But patience is not my style

And I'm so tired that I gotta go

What am I supposed to hide now?

What am I suppose to do?

Did you really think I wouldn't see this through

Tell me I should stick around for you

Tell me I could have it all

I'm still too tired to care and I gotta go

I get to go home in one week

But I leaving home in three weeks

They throw me a bone just to pick me dry

I'm following suit and directions

I crawl up inside for protection'

m told what to do and I don't know why

I'm over existing in limbo

I'm over the myths and placebos

I don't really mind if I just fade away

I'm ready to live with my family

I'm ready to die in obscurity

'Cause I'm so tired that I gotta go

Where am I supposed to hide now?

What am I suppose to do?

You still don't think I'm going see this through

Tell me I'm a part of history

Tell me I can have it all

I'm still to tired to care and I gotta go

Oh yeahOh yeah yeah yeah yeah.

Still too tired to care and I gotta go

Still too tired to care and I gotta go

Still too tired to care and I gotta go

Yeah, yeah

Still to tired to care and I gotta go

Go home

Still to tired to care and I gotta go

Yeah yeah

Still to tired to care and I gotta go

Random pics and Knapps wedding

Anthrax and smallpox and typhoid.....oh my!!!

Ok so I have some info to put out to anyone that still reads this anymore. In case you have been living under a rock and doesnt know, I will be deploying to Iraq sometime during the first week of July. We still dont have a definate date yet but we have a 2 week timeframe that seems to be solid. Regardless of what you heard on TV, Obama is not pulling everyone out of Iraq in 18 months. He is just pulling all the COMBAT troops out which means soldiers like me will still occupy Iraq for sometime. It will end up being like South Korea or Germany. My main mission during my 12 months (or longer) in the sandbox will be support to the Detainment Facility in Taji which is about 25 miles northwest of Bagdad. I will setting up and maintaining communication equipment and generally sleeping alot, playing video games and deciding on what car to buy when I get back.

Ok now that that is out of the way, I can tell you a little about what has been happening the past couple of weeks. Today, we turned over responsibility of the battalion to the new battalion that got stood up. Basically that means that I am no longer responsible for all the automation and daily tasks that I used to do. All I have to do now is train and prepare for the deployment. I started to get a taste of that the past 2 days. Both days we had formation at 0430 and rode buses to Ft Riley (about 2 hours away) to get issued gear and check that our medical and finances were in order. Monday, I had a mini Xmas, Army style. I got so much free stuff that it filled 2 duffel bags and a brand new ACU ruck sack. If I had to list it all, i would be here all day. But some of my favorites, A Gerber multitool, 2 pairs of shades, ACU backpack, hi speed gloves and lots of cold weather clothes that will completely useless in the Iraqi 120 degree summer. Tuesday, however, was not as pleasent. In one day, I got infected with smallpox, typhoid and anthrax and had to wait in amusment park length lines all day. Overall, it ended up being a 16 hour day and now my right arm is sore and my left arm will have to be covered for at least the next 3 weeks while the pox works its wonder after which it will leave a nice 1/2 inch scar. I guess I will have to get a tattoo to cover it up (haha Mom)

Ok well I guess that is about all for now. I plan to be coming home during the first week in June for about 2 weeks so plan wisely kids. Thank you to everyone who has sent me a card or a package recently. Trust me, they means more than you can fathom. I save everyone of them.

Your highly contageious soldier
Frank

OK well new post time. A few things to update on life here in Kansas. Me and Solita are no more. She made a trip up here a few weeks ago and it was after that visit that I realized that this relationship was not going to work. There are just too many things going on in my life that I can not put my full attention on a relationship. It was starting to unravel before I even realized it. The long distance, the deployment and my workload has been weighing heavy on me and I didnt think it would be fair to drag her thru all that so i decided to cut it off before anything got anymore serious and greater feelings would be hurt.

Now speaking of workloads, I have been busier than ever at work setting up for the new batallion to take over control so that my company can start dedicating our time solely to deployument training. We have to switch out 74 computer thruout the batallion so the batallion can be Vista complient by June as per the Army regulations. We are running wires to the new offices for network and phone connections that have to be done yesterday and a million other tiny things that now are suddenly so important. So that is why this post has been so long over due. Sorry for the wait guys but my life is going 100 mph and there is no end in sight.

Take care everyone and I will be home in a few months for soem well deserved rest and relaxation before I deploy in late June. Love you all!!

PFC Warnock

The Bucket List

Things I want to do before I die


1) Solo skydive from a ridiculous height
2) Drive childhood dream car – 1998 Dodge Viper GTS
3) Drink coffee from a café in Italy
4) Watch my son play football on Friday night under the lights
5) Learn a second language and use it in the native country
6) See zoo animals outside of a zoo in the wild
7) Make photography a serious hobby
8) Drive coast to coast solo Gumball Rally-style
9) Toboggan, aggressively down a massive hill like I did on snow days in 3rd grade
10) Learn the guitar enough to play the songs I like
11) Make the video “This Is Your Life” for Mom and Dad
12) Enter a World Series of Poker event
13) Watch a sunset/sunrise in a foreign country
14) Spend a week camping in a national park
15) Raise a dog and play fetch in my backyard
16) Drive my personal car on a track (or Autobahn) and hit insane speeds ie >150 mph
17) Watch the Cleveland Browns in a playoff game from the Dawgpound
18) Grow a beard
19) Bungee jump off a bridge
20) Shower in a waterfall
21) Attend a huge rock festival (ie Woodstock with an edge)
22) Catch a foul ball at a MLB game
23) Experience (firsthand) the birth of my child
24) See 4 out of the Seven Wonders of the World
25) Ride 100 roller coasters
26) Bench press more than my dad every could
27) Fast for 3 days….on purpose
28) Say I love you and mean it
29) Get paid for doing something I love to do
30) Spoil my grandchildren rotten
31) Throw paint on a canvas and call it art. Hang in my house and tell people I paid an enormous amount for it.
32) Drive on Zzyzx Rd. in California
33) Teach my nephews something that will get them in a bit of trouble at school but will make them heroes to their classmates
34) Have the body I always wanted (ie a six pack)
35) Throw a paper airplane off of a tall building
36) Steal a street sign
37) Burn the rubber off of my tires
38) Drop everything and go to the aid of a natural disaster
39) Graduate from college
40) Play a FULL game of Monopoly
41) Do something to change the life for someone that I don’t know and expect nothing but a hug in return
42) Go to a bar and buy a round of drinks for everyone in the house
43) Get all of my AIT friends in one place for the weekend.
44) Drink a pint in an Irish pub and talk about how amazing the NFL is
45) Compile a coffee table book of pictures from my travels and day to day life
46) Visit all 50 states and take a picture of every state’s welcome sign
47) Take a sledgehammer and destroy a car….legally
48) Get in a fight just to see if I have what it takes to defend myself

Everything is small in Texas

Well this post has been a long time coming and way past overdue. Lots of things I have to put out there for my rabid audience. First things first, one that I am sure Mom wants me to write about, I finally made it down to Texas to see the girl I have been raving about in past posts, Solita. I was able to squeeze a 4 day pass out of my unit for Presidents Day weekend. I flew out on Friday the 13th. Not exactly the best day in history to start a relationship but I will never forget it. I was waiting to get my bag from baggage claim and she snuck up on me. In all fairness, its not that hard for her to sneak around, being every bit of 4’11” she said she was. I probably was looking over her head when I was scanning the room but anyways she surprised me a little. I turned and there she was. As far as first dates, or first sight (we had been talking online and webcamming so I knew what she looked like) this one will go down in my record book. Once I got over the initial shock of the height, I got to take in all her beauty and I was at a loss for words. Just being able to finally see and hold her after talking and connecting for 4 months was awesome. It was as though I knew everything about her before I got to see her for the first time in the airport, but yet I had so much to learn. I may of thought I knew her but I really had only just begun to understand her. From there, the weekend was a blur of meeting family, dinners and shopping. I did, after all, have Christmas, Valentines Day and her birthday to make up for. Lucky for me (or her, however you choose to look at it) I got my tax returns back on that Friday. I think I did a good job restraining myself (and her) and came home with plenty of money. I am eagerally waiting the next time I get to see her. I see this forming into a great relationship. Now, if I could only get a way to see her without all the hassle of getting a pass, plane tickets and rides everywhere it would make it a ton easier. Then again, nothing in my life has been too easy especially when I have been in control. Relationships were never ment to be easy. Everything worth something is worth working and fighting for.

Frank

Boards and a lil sunbeam

As most of you know from Mom's email, I won the soldier of the month board for Janurary. I have to clear up a few things from her email that may be a little false. The way the board works, at least in my company, you can either volunteer or get volentold to go to the board. I volunteered to go because some people, mostly my platoon sgt and my 1st sgt, think that I am a slacker and just trying to skate by. They have told me before that I was unmotivated, which is a blanket term that the amry uses to say multiple things. So anyways, every since I have been trying to change that perception and going to the board is a great way to get out there and show them that I aint full of bs and that I want to inprove and grow as a soldier.

Here is now the board works. There is a collection of NCO's (Non Commisioned Officers) that sit on the board. For mine, there was the other platoon's plt sgt, 1st sgt and basically her right hand sgt. My plt sgt was susposed to be on there but he couldnt make it for some reason or another. So just to make it clear, there are no officers in the board. Thank God too because I would of been 20 times more nervous. You go in and report to the board, do some facing movements while they inspect your uniform and ask you about what you have on your uniform like medals, ribbons and various insignia. Then you sit down, in a military manner (you would be amazed at how any steps there are to sit down), and the board takes turns asking you questions. Every person going to the board gets a list of topics and you should expect at least 2 questions from each. Mom was right when she said I had 90 pages of study material. That was the most brutal part. Question after question about stuff that I had no clue about. The only good thing is that they dont really care all that much about getting the question correct as long as you are confident about your answer. Half the time I was making up numbers and answers and saying them with a straight face and a confident voice. See, Mom? At that lying and making things up I did when I was a kid did actually come in useful. And you said I would never get anywhere lying my way thru life HA! Little did you know. NAh you guys know I'm joking. After the questions, You have to give 3 local, 3 nation and 3 worldwide news events for the current week, recite the Soldiers Creed and give 3 short term goals and 3 long term goals. Thats it really.

Like Mom said, I was the only junior enlisted to go to the board so I kinda won by default. However, the 1st sgt told me that ust because I was the only one didnt mean I automatically got SOM, but that I earned it. While that is true, I told her that I wasnt satisfied my preformance at this board and that I wanted to attend the next one. This time I will have some competition and a little bit more time to study. The next board is on Feb 6 so wish me luck.

On an even happier note, I put in for a pass to go down to Texas over the upcoming 4 day weekend over Valentines Day to go see Solita for the first time. Its weird that we have never seen each other, as we say, in 3D because i know so much about her already. I am really looking foward to seeing her and taking her out to dinner and a movie like a normal couple.

Completely random thing that happened a few days ago that brought my childhood rushing back to me. Gma Walker called me up a few nights ago to tell me that school had been cancelled for the next day. Now I know what you are thinking, especially Dad, that she has finally gone senile and had forgotten that I had graduated high school 6 years ago (wow as it really been that long???) but no. How dare you people think that of Gma? You should all be ashamed of yourself. Ill take a quick break so you can offer a prayer of forgivness.

..................

.................

.................Amen

Gma just called because she remembered how she used to call us up the night before and let us know that school was cancelled for the next day and it always was her thing. I loved hearing the phone ring late at night when a blizzard was raging outside. So thank you Gma for reminding me of simplier times and it was great to hear your voice and it was great to know that you were no longer afraid of calling my phone after repeatedly telling you that it was a local number and wouldnt cost you long distance charges. haha sorry I had to say it. Ok its my turn to pause for forgivness.

.................

.................

.................Amen


Hope everyone is enjoying their day and enjoyed this procrastination from their work.

Your Soldier of the Month
Frank

E-girlfriend

Just a quick update one some developing things y'all should know.

There are rumors (confirmed by a meeting I was the Powerpoint slide clicker for) that our deployment might get pushed back till September. Not too stoked on that. I would much rather leave in July and get it over with faster then wait 2 more months. Not to mention that I am susposed to get my license back in Sept and that would really suck if I got it back just in time to leave the country for a year.

I am working on getting a pass approved to go down and see the girl I have been talking to online for a couple months now. I am really excited about that. She simply rocks. She is the best thing to happen to my life since I started my new life in the Army. I dont count anything before I joined. i feel like I was a different person then and like it was a different lifetime. I am ready to start fresh with the Army and hopefully this amazing woman. I just have to meet her face to face first haha. I call her my e-girlfriend.

I am also trying to get some tickets for a Slipknot concert on Saturday in Kansas City. Already got the mask as evidence by the pics below. Got it online from a dude that makes them in Australia.

Ok well I said it was just a Quick one today. Enjoy you week everybody and if you see Mom, ask her about the night she spent the night on the couch because she was too scared to walk upstaires after she finished reading a book. Its a good story. It had me rolling on the floor laughing imaging her curled on the couch afraid of a mythocal creature.

Frank

Update on the New Years Resolutions

I thought I would write a quick post to let you all know how the NYRs are coming. I havent smoked in a week, mostly due to a bad chest cold I have come down with. The Lord works in mysterious ways, I guess. I have been working out alot lately. I do morning PT with the company and then after work I spend about 35-45 minutes on the eliptical machine in the gym. My room is not quite inspection clean but it should only take about 15 minutes to straighten up when I get back tonight. To the shock and dismay of the soldiers in my shop, I havent had any fast food in over a week. Chinese and Chipolte dont count. Im talking about Burger King, McDonalds, Wendys, Taco Bell, things of that nature.

I have become a little more edgy cause of the lack of nicotine but I will make it. I just dont want to smell like that or have the shortness of breaths on the morning runs anymore. We run about 5 miles 3 times a week as a company and the smoking was catching up to me. Plus, to get the 250 PT score I want, I really need to improve my run time.

OK thats enough for now. I said it would be quick

The Nock of War

New Years Pass and Resolutions

So there has been alot that has happened since the last time I posted that I need to inform you all about. First off, I was able to make it home for New Years after way more hassle from my company than was necessary to come home for the last holidays before we deploy. The Army is always stressing family family family but then this run around with my pass comes up and kinda throws a wrench in all of that. But anyways I made it home safe and sound with my plane touching down a little before 11am new years eve. We crammed New Years, Christmas and enough food to make up for my absense at Thanksgiving into 3 and a half days. I was so concentrated on the next thing we were doing I lost track of time and didnt stop to see my friends. Krista and Amanda, I am truly sorry for snubbing you this time around. My whole family was home and that only happens every so often so I tried to focus most on enjoying their company. Next time I am home, you two can be sure that there is coffee and a dollar movie.



Well New Years was awesome. The kraut didnt dissappoint and having the whole family there at the same time made for good conversation. New Years has always been one of my favorite holidays because of the food and the family time. This year, like all the rest, I got my fill and then some.



On Friday, we had our Christmas. One of the best ones I can remember. I was really excited to give my presents to Mom, Dad and Katie. I was most proud of Katies present. I got her a mp3 player that she can use to take with her to the Holy Land with Mom. That should help the 14 hour plane ride over and back, I hope. Got Mom some jewlery that she wanted and Dad a "Support the Troops" tshirt. Dad is the hardest to buy anything for. Whatever he wants, he just gets himself so all we can really get him is shirts and DVDs. But I think I got a great idea for next year depending on when my R&R from Iraq comes. Not letting the cat out of the bag but it is definately right up Dad's alley. I, on the other hand, made out like a bandit this year. I have been hooked on the Harry Potter series, both books and movies alike. I got all the HP books in hardback and the 4th movie on DVD. I left books 1-3 at home for Mom to read after months of persuading her to give them a try. I just got an email today that she finished the first book in 4 days and is now a "Potter Addict." Glad to hear cause I think this is a series Mom would love and its long enough that by the time you finish the 7th, you want to go back and reread them to get the parts you missed and see how the whole story ties together. I also got a new coffee maker, an amazing book with hundreds of photos from a day in the life of a soldier (that was orginally my late Gpa's and was bequeathed to me. It will be a treasured possesion and hold a cherished place on my bookshelf), about 4 or 5 Mom picked tshirts that has become her niche in my closet (Some of my favorites: "Let me be FRANK with you", "I am the product of a secret government project" and a tank top that says "I have the right to bear arms"), nice dress up shirts and a sweater that goes overtop of them from my sister, Gift certificates to Best Buy that I used to get an external hard drive for Iraq and a $50 savings bond from my Gma that I will be using, along with all the others her and Gpa have given me, towards a down payment on a house when the time comes. I think that that would be the best way to use all those savings bonds. Like I said, I made out high school junior on Valentines Day. Great Christmas!



Also, thank you to all the people that sent me Christmas cards. I have saved everyone of them and like to look at them from time to time to remind me of the large support channel I have back home.



That night, Mom, Dad, Katie and I went to a japanese steakhouse, you know the kind of place that makes the food right in front of you. Great food and a great show but the best part was what we later referred to as the "Sake Shower." Sake is a type of korean liquer that is made from rice but its only 40 proof so its real easy to drink. That is unless the chef decides to squirt it into your mouth from 3 feet away! Which is of course what he did. My mother, the woman who does not drink at all, got sake squirted in her mouth but most of it went down the front of her as her lips clamped shut once the sake hit her lips. Probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Ever. You know, it mixes quite well with Diet Coke, Mom. Haha!



Then came Saturday and it was time to leave. I was sad to go after such a short time. Next time I will be home will probably be for my predeployment block leave which should be 2 weeks worth of home time. That will be nice and I hope to make it home Some time inbetween then and now for a weekend if my funds support such a decision.

Now for the real reason I started this post in the first place. I wanted to let you know of my New Years Resolutions I made this year. Actually, this is the first year I have ever tried, really tried, to make some that I would stick to. So here they are in perticular order.
1) Quit smoking
2) Keep room to inspection standards at all times
3) Work out everyday (not including morning PT)
4) No more fast food (chinese not included)
5) 250 PT score

I tried not to do the usual lose so and so many pounds. I figure if I stick to these 5 things, the pounds will come off naturally. A 6 pack would be nice too!

So there you have it. A post that should make my Mom happy and off my back for a week or so haha. If you see her, ask her how her new book is.

Your nicotine craving soldier,
Frank

PS I got promoted at Mondays End Of Month formation. I am now a PFC. Along with the raise in pay from E2 to E3, there is also a 3.9% across the board pay raise. What a better time to get promoted!