To New Adventures!

So...

You know how one minute you are a simple librarian in rural Nevada facing budget cuts...

and then you are about to move to LA to become a Unit Administrator...

and then you find yourself transferring from the Army Reserves to Active Duty?

That has been my last two months...

I auditioned for active duty at the beginning of April, was selected and shipped off to Fort Leonard Wood, MO for inprocessing just before Memorial Day.  I spent 3.5 weeks in Missouri with 1 day of actual inprocessing that included wading through lots of paperwork and getting arms full of immunizations such as small pox and anthrax.  The rest of my time included reading (alot!) and playing duty driver to malingering privates.

On June 17th, I started my journey to my first active duty duty station.  I took a greyhound bus from Fort Leonard Wood to the Saint Louis Airport early in the morning.  Then I sat around the airport all day until my flight to the Seattle Airport (that flight seemed extra long because I was wedged between a very large woman and a dirty hippie).  Once in Seattle, I dropped my gear at the USO and met up with my friend, JP, who took me out on the light rail to a local pub for drinks and last minute chats.

At 0230, I could check into my AMC flight, I was about the 60th person in line and ended up with a decent seat.  After I got my ticket and checked my bags, I went back to the USO, took a quick shower, got in my PJs, went through security and curled up on the floor to sleep for a few ours.  Around 0800 they started boarding our flight - I ended up in an aisle seat next to a skinny marine who was very quiet.  We ended up seating on the tarmac for about 1.5 hours before taking off.  I alternated between reading and sleeping for the 9 hours and 45 minute flight.  We got served a hot breakfast and a hot lunch on the flight.  I also chatted up some of the flight attendants in the back of the plane while I was doing my couple hour stretch.

 -- me on the airplane!

We landed first in Yokota Air Base, Japan where we were allowed to deplane but weren't allowed to go very far.  We were there a few hours before we loaded back up and flew to Osan Air Base, Korea.  We gathered all our bags, I had my beef jerky confiscated, and then boarded a bus to Yongsan in Seoul.  Once we were on base, they shoved us into the reception barracks, got us rooms and sheets and cut us loose.  I showered (happy dance!) and fell into bed.  Others went out for food, but I was too tired!

  -- all my worldly possessions

The morning on the 20th, we woke early and got breakfast at the local DFAC (ran into a friend I made at FLW!) and then headed for more inprocessing.  The morning consisted of lots of briefings including a 3 star who didn't remember to limit to only 20 minutes per star... There are 4 other band members who showed up with me - a tuba player, a drummer, a clarinetist, and a trombonist - all who are staying at 8th Army with me.  For lunch, some of the band members took us out to eat at a local buffet on post.

On the 21st, we packed up from the reception barracks, had more briefings and then were picked up by our unit at 1130.  They had barracks space for a few of us, but myself and the clarinetist are being put up in the Dragon Hill Lodge until a BEQ (bachelor enlisted quarters) becomes available.  I'm hoping it happens soon - I really want to settle in and have access to a real kitchen!

  -- the view from my room

 I got issued a bassoon (got to pick from 3 - a puchner (which I took) and 2 foxes) and got some music since I got asked to play on the concert on Monday!  A group of the band took the new people out to some place in Seoul called Rainbow Gobby (I don't believe that's its actual name - just what they call it) where we had a family style, cook your own meal where we sat on the floor.  We cooked up different types of meat and ate it in little lettuce wraps.  We also had kimchi, Cass beer and Soju.  Afterwards, we went to a place called WA Bar where they had a giant trouph of beer and ice and you just pulled out whatever you wanted to drink.

Saturday, the 22nd, I got up fairly early so I could have some breakfast and then walk over to the band hall. I practiced bassoon and worked on my reeds a bit before having a joint sectional with some of the other woodwinds.  I can't say I sounded good, but I wasn't horrible.  My reeds were not happy about the level of humidity!  Afterwards, we wandered over to the PX to check what all was over there and to buy some khakis (for the band's travel uniform).  I ran into 2 people I had inprocessed with at FLW - it's a fairly small post... Later, a group of us met outside Gate 1, got metro tickets and wandered Seoul until we found this chicken and beer place (surprisingly good!)  Then we went to Itaewon where we got fried calamari and then got a karaoke room for an hour.  I spent a good portion of my night making fun of the Ohio State fans in the group.  Then we went up Hooker Hill to a country bar, I did some dancing, almost lost my cell phone and after we sang the national anthem at midnight, we headed back to post so as not to get caught by curfew.

This morning, I slept in way late - finally paying off some of my sleep debt.  Then I went to go practice for a bit (reeds, reeds, reeds!)  Afterwards, I went to go for a run but managed to yank my ankle because I was too focused on figuring out what was around me and wasn't paying attention to the ground.  So, I spent most of the rest of the day with my compression socks on, ice attached and the whole thing elevated.  My clarinetist came over to help make sure my uniform was correct for tomorrow, but it's been a relatively relaxed day.