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smart? I don't know about that... 9 months into it would have been PERFECT.. but NOOOOOOO the only opening for me to go was right at the 12 month mark... I was the new guy in the shop just before we deployed... you know how that goes... *shrug* well when I get back from leave.. I won't have much left because I have been told I will be back for my Wifes birthday and that is towards the end of August... thanks for all the well wishes.. nothing makes you appreciate what you have until you don't have it for a year... I tell you... cherish the time you have with your family... they grow up so fast AL

Gene you need to get down to my neck of the woods this fall... we will fish for some lunkers on the ponds here... I think you will enjoy it... LBH it goes without saying you have an open invitation anytime... some of y'all though need to make reservations ;D AL

its not so much the getting shot at I have to worry about... they won't let me on the road because of my Job... its the indirect fire ie: rockets and Mortars that keeps me on my toes... AL

till I get an 18 day visit with my family... its been 327 days since I have seen them... *sigh* time is draggggggggingggggggggggggg thanks for humoring me for so long and helping to keep me sane.. AL

Well with my savings plan I have paid off 20K in debt over the last year... now the hard part is not putting it all back on when I get out of here... LOL new truck, new boat, new cap for truck, VACATION, hahaha I am going to have to come back here just to get BACK out of debt AL

What do you call a tanker? a DAT.. what does DAT mean? DUMB@SS TANKER now that we have the M1A2 what do we call them? EDATS.. what that mean? ELECTRONIC DUMB@SS TANKER What do you call in Infantry Soldier? a SPEED BUMP What do you call an Airborne Soldier? YARD DART what do you call an Air Assault Soldier? Dope on a rope... what do you call a Mechanic? Dog Faced Grease Monkey... and you call them EVERY time your stuff breaks We can fix everything from a broken heart to the crack of DAWN! PFFTTTTTT hehehehehe GOOD JOB on the Apology... shows you understand the BE , KNOW, DO AL

Does Sega Bass Fishing count? ;D 9.2 is the best REAL bass I have caught... after this 15 month hiatus I will be on the prowl BIG TIME.

that will certainly fix your desire to get outside... but seriously... some folks LIVE for that stuff... me not so much... I am a mechanic... I have fixed everything from a Hummer to an M1 if it rolls I have worked on it for the most part... I honestly can say the Army has been good to me... the deployments suck buttermilk but for the most part its a VERY rewarding choice for 4 years or 20... just remember you can't start out being a leader.. you have to be led first.. so yes you WILL get told what to do.. LOL AL

fortunately or unfortunately its the nature of the beast... a lot of folks are very PRO whatever... me I like Shimano over anything else but that is my preference. I have owned others but just always preferred this brand. If something falls in the price point that someone is asking about I will most certainly suggest it.. but I won't put anything down either... everyone want to put their "belly button" into the fray.. its just the nature of the beast. While I don't agree with the bashing... some folks have have thier minds set up... I do wish I had someone to suggest to me what to get when I first started out fishing... would have saves me a lot of money in the long run... by all means I don't think someone should start out with an MG50 and a G-LOOMIS... but I also would recommend someone spends a little more and got at least GOOD entry level equipment ie: a citica and a nice BPS rod... the reason for the brand name is becasue a lot of the big retailers will swich manufacturers from time to time and its hard to get work done on them after a period of time anyways... just my .02c worth AL

hasn't the ice melted YET???? while a photoshopped picture isn't visually as nice as one that isn't... I don't let it bother me... I have to "photoshop" my pictures all the time because of my job... OPSEC you know. cabin fever is in full bloom isn't it? AL

Fish, Thanks for the compliment on the Truck I absolutely love it, its weird how I came to get it... when I came over here to Iraq I told my wife that when I came home on my leave that we were going to look for a fishing truck for me... well one night I was searching on cars.com and there is was... the lights shone down from the heavens and the angels sang... ;D actually I sent the wife the link... she thought it was nice and since she had to go to Savannah anyways she stopped by there... she told them she would give them 17,500 for the truck AFTER they replaced a rim that had curb rash they said OK and that was it... its now in my driveway. I DID look at getting a truck like yours... but by time I got all the things on it I wanted I was up to 30K and you know... I can buy a WHOLE LOT OF GAS for the difference on what this bad boy would cost new... upwards of 35-38K I guess my view is if you want something with gas mileage stick with a subcompact car and leave the trucks alone. The main reason I wanted the quad cab is because this way I can still take my family with me whereever I go even in the truck.. this is the IDEAL truck for me and what I want... something I can take fishing and then later on wash her off and take her out to a fancy place to eat that SRT-10 truck is just INSANE.... LOVE the tires.. those would look AWESOME on your truck... they are 22's though I have seen the aftermarket version in the black in 20's As far as it getting up and going.. wife says its INSANE... but in about 39 days I will take a picture of the smile on my face that I will most likely have to have surgically removed from the GO factor of this truck. I have already given her specific instructions.. that when they come to pick up up at the Savannah airport on my leave.. they WILL be driving the truck... good luck picking out your truck.. that is always fun... AL

come on now... when your talking a Dodge/CHEVY/FORD whatever.. admit it...its ALL about preference.. mileage.. you will hear stories from ALL brands about how theirs is better... the HEMI isn't any worse than any other engine.. the only thing is you get ON the HEMI more because.. ummm ITS A HEMI!!! hahahahaha I went a couple years older model just so I wouldn't have to eat the depreciation on this thing... and I LOVE IT... OH YEAH... I haven't even driven it yet hehehe BUT.. my WIFE LOVES IT... and won't drive her JEEP anymore *sigh* NOW where else you going to get all this for less than 19K OUT THE DOOR.. this is MY dream truck.. when I envisioned a truck while day dreaming of my new truck THIS was it... and yes... it has less then 50K miles on it... the wife is NOTORIOUS for having a lead foot around town.. and she tells me it gets no worse gas mileage than her Jeep with the 4.7HO about 13 MPH on the Highway she says it gets 18.5... but like I said... she has a lead foot.. when I would drive her Jeep I would get consistanly 3-4MPH more because I don't do the jack rabbit starts she seems to love.. GO FIGURE HUH? ;D WHATEVER you get Chris... while yes Mileage can be a factor.. if you LOVE the vehicle and its what maybe 2 MPG less than something you will "settle for" its a no brainer in my book... just my opinion and good luck picking out YOUR truck... AL

good luck! when you get back shoot me a PM.. I will send you some "military mojo" AL

HONOR, RESPECT, TRADITION... yes a Military Funeral is something that is totally amazing to see if you ever saw one y9u would know what I am talking about... I hope I NEVER have to go to another one though Glad the funeral went off smoothly.. but I really wasn't worried about it. AL

its better to let others believe your an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt fitting saying I would think... come on young man, hike up your pants and take a deep breath... while you are more than free to have an opinion I think you more or less stepped on it WITH CLEATS an owe Mike D a BIG opology.. this guy is one stand up man and I would have his back any day of the week AL

I ran 4 miles today... I try and run 5-6 times a week... 3-5 miles at a pop... right now I have to do it ALL on a treadmill because we aren't allowed to run on our own and with my schedule I can't find anyone to run with me... SO I walk to the gym and get my sweat on there... I did just have a PT test and I ran the 2 miles in 13:38 I want to say... might have been 14:38 ... I have to check... but none the less.. that is pretty quick for a guy ALMOST 42... I am a gadget guy.. so I have the nike plus system AS WELL as a garmin forerunner 201 for when I do run outside.. help to MOTIVATE ME... over the last month I ran almost 60 miles.. my goal for next month is 70.... just don't start out too hard.. you can really hurt yourself if you push it too hard... I know from experience. AL

Well guys... its been 10 months.. and my count down calendar is showing 46 days and a wake up until I get my 18 day leave for my 15 month deployment... almost one year to the day since I have touched a fishing pole... *sigh* unfortunately I wasn't down south and not near any place I could safely fish... so I need some help... whats HOT????? what do I need to put on my wish list and start picking up bit by bit? I know I need new line.. anyone know where I can get yozuri ultra soft 12 and 10 pound on sale? green preferably... I also need some suffix Kbraid in 50#... I don't think BPS carries ultrasoft... what about new baits... I would LOVE to try out a swimbait ... come on help me out.. give me some ideas... *sigh* life is good folks.. I have a NEW FISHING TRUCK and BOAT to try out when I get home.. now I need to have the hot bait to help me land a hawg... thanks for any ideas in helping me day dream for the next 45 days... wife says I won't want to stop at BPS on my way home from the Savannah Airport when I land from that 16 hour flight from Iraq... I think she underestimates the power of the baitmonkey... OH and those of you down South.... Texas Roadhouse or Sticky fingers for the first meal????? I LOVE the ribs... but I haven't had a good steak in a year... ARGH.. this day dreaming stuff is taxing! Ms Wilkes Boarding house would be too much too soon I think .. if you been there you know what I am talking about... MMMMMMMMMM AL

HMMMM I wonder if the wife will give me a kitchen pass... I probably won't know for quite a while if I can make it.. but holy cow... won't that be cool if I could!

WELCOME!!!! Let me know if you need any assistance with the Military stuff ie a hat or boony cap or something like that... sorry you can't have my M16... but you can have my IBA... that stuff is HEAVY this sight is AWESOME in their support of the Military! SFC soon to be MSG AL

in real life.. Audie Murphy... goes to prove a brave man isn't always the biggest... movie personna though.. Clint Eastwood... made a career on being a tough guy that has spanned DECADES... started with the sketti westerns and goes all the way thru the dirty harry series...

I have been accosted, accused and generally abused over this war and my choice of profession.. as IF I make policy... I had a guy literally put his car ON the front bumper of my car because my car has bronze star license plates and I was in uniform... when I asked him why he did that he come up to me chest to chest and attempted to provoke me to hit him... I knew what he was doing... so I called 911 and told them they had 5 minutes to get to the walmart parking lot because if they took 1 minute longer than that I was going to defend myself... I told the dispatcher what was going on and that they had BETTER send a squad car... they did.. and the guy tried to get the cops to arrest me for assault.. LOL... luckily the lot kid (guy that collects the carts) at walmart came out and told the cops they have been watching the entire thing from their secuirty camera and they were all willing to testify that the guy assaulted ME... and then told the cop that if I had clocked the guy then they would have testified on my behalf too.. after they ran the guy off the cop told me next time he will wait for the 6th minute *sigh* I could just see the headlines "crazed war vet loses it at walmart and puts poor defenseless war protester in the hospital"... but once in a Bar in Norway... well that is another story.. lets just say I gave him a WHOLE new understanding in turning the other cheek... the guy literally told me we had no right to go into Afghanistan and that we shouldn't have done anything over the WTC. I just about had enough to drink to where I reached across the table.. pulled him within 4 inches of my face and I punched him in the forehead.. not TOO hard but enough to leave a NICE red mark... then I asked him... what you gonna do NOW? hehehehehee he got my point and left REAL quick... but that is why I don't drink LOL... I get in trouble... but this is just a couple of stories of the IDIOTS... I could tell you 100X more stories of the GOOD THINGS folks have done to show me appreciation for my choicees. but I have to say I do like this saying: I don't agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Voltaire

don't worry.. they aren't disgracing HIM.. they are disgracing themselves.. plus the Patriot riders or similar organization will ensure that this funeral is conducted with honor and dignity... that I have all the faith in the world in. AL

OK here I sit... in a metal box in Iraq called a CHU... its 8X18 and thank god its got air, I deal with violence EVERY SINGLE DAY I am here... I am the Battle NCO for a Brigade... so every IED, EVERY Small Arms event, EVERY Accident, Everything comes to me... I SEE IT ALL.. I have seen little girls shot because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time, I have seen miracles where my guys SHOULD be dead after an IED but walked away with a concussion and that is it. I have seen vehicles that got blown up and the soldier in it was FUSED TO THE FREAKING BODY OF THE VEHICLE... I haven't seen my family in going on a Year... I live EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY knowing that at ANY TIME they can mortar me.. right here.. in this metal box... or while I am walking to the latrine.. they can at ANY MINUTE drive a dump truck filled with home made explosives to my gate and blow the hell out of my camp.. and an explosion that size WILL effect the whole fob even if just to break windows... EVERY DAY I walk around with a weapon WITH ammunition in case they try and sneak in and I can "show them the way out"... Every night I go to sleep I do so knowing that there is someone less than a mile away from me that would love nothing better than for me to not wake up in the morning...so ask me if I think they have the right to protest these funerals? ABSOLUTELY!... so I think its the most low down nasty disgusting thing in the world? ABSOLUTELY... that is why I love the Patriot Riders... they have the right to protest the protesters.... I have been to too many funerals... too many... and what would I do if I went to one and they were protesting? .... nothing.. like I did at the last one... I will not lower myself to their level... I will remember my brother with respect and HONOR... not by kicking the crap out of some moron that doesn't understand ONE WORD of what I have just typed... thank god there are those that get it... AL

^^^^^^^^^ I don't care WHO you are.. that right there was FUNNY!! ;D come on folks... cabin fever is getting the best of y'all.. GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE... GO DO SOMETHING.... 46 and a WAKE UP!!!!

ME!