PreMob Pt 3 - 26 Feb 2009 - 1600

After returning back to Hastings, NE from Fort McCoy, WI we were able to go home for a short while before resuming training in Hastings. The problem now was how we were going to get paid from that point until the time we were scheduled to come on active duty orders, Nov 26. We had already used our Annual Training time up at McCoy as well as a bit of Active Duty Training Time. The only thing we had left as an option was Battle Assembly time. A BA is the official name for a weekend Drill. We are paid for each 4 hour block and each block is called a MUTA. Each soldier can only have 48 MUTAs per year. That meant we would only be able to get paid for 24 days from Oct 24 – Nov 26. As a result we were given a couple 3 and 4 day weekends during this time to go home and spend time with our families. The time spent in Hastings, this time, was spent mainly eating, working out, packing and staying out of sight/out of mind. The day before our Thanksgiving break we had a going away ceremony at Central Community College in Hastings. Some family members showed up as well as 3 or 4 news crews. Various Nebraska politicians sent representatives and we were also paid a visit by the 103rd Expeditionary Support Commands Commander, General Ledoux. (The 103rd is 3 echelons above our Company) After all the dignitaries had given their speeches and the ceremony was wrapping up, The General gave us a speech about how she knew we would be doing great things where ever we went and so on. She followed that up by telling us that shortly before she had arrived she received word that the 295th had been given a Stop Move Order and we would not be going anywhere. We were then ordered to stand up and sing the Army Song. Looks of shock, confusion and disgust were prominent on the faces of everyone in the crowed. We could not believe the manner in which we were given that information. A Stop Move means just what it sounds, we had a date we were supposed to leave, but we could not go. Until further order we would not be able to do anything else. This could have been resolved by the time we got off of our break, or we may not be getting mobilized at all. The news crews interviewed several soldiers and family members afterwards and the reactions were that of embarrassment and anger at the manner by which the whole situation was handled. I guess the punch and pie was supposed to ease our minds. The main problem with Army Reservist getting Stop Moved is that we had all told our employers that we would be gone a year. In my case they already had a temp in place. This meant we would be making no money until we found out something. We had a short meeting with our platoon in which it was put out that more than likely the reason was a switch between OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom) which meant Afghanistan, if we were leaving at all. We were told to go home and be ready, but basically just hang out and wait for a phone call. On my drive home I tried to decide how I was going to handle this with my wife. I decided that for the time being I wouldn’t say anything. I didn’t want to get her hopes up about me not going, and then get a call saying I was leaving again. If I got a call saying to report then it didn’t matter anyway. If I got one saying the whole deal was off, I could tell her then for sure. A couple days into the break I got a call from our Commander saying they still had no word. A day or so later I got another call saying we were back on and I need to report at the original time and date, they still were unsure whether it was Iraq or Afghanistan though. Since then I have spoken with my wife and told her that sometimes there are things about the Army that I don’t tell her, not because I don’t trust her or think she can handle it, but simply because most of the things we are told in the military are proven false within a reasonably short time. I told her if I really believe something to be true I won’t hold anything back but if it’s wishy-washy, she’d be better off in the dark then getting jerked around with us. So on the 29th of November we loaded up a chartered Air Force plane out of Grand Island and flew down to Fort Sill, OK. We were supposed to be there only until about 1 Jan ‘09. Guess what….

Side notes: Sorry about the gap in writing there. I was sick and slept for 36 hours! I guess that means my 400 day orders are now only 399…. Feel much better now. My body is just adjusting to this plague infested country. (p.s. Those 400 days are VERY subject to change FYI). Secondly, sorry for the lack of pictures in the last couple of posts. Don’t have any good pics of the feces pond, my favorite general or me eating O.K. Café. Again, check out my Facebook, I have nearly 500 pics from this MOB on there. Thirdly, thanks again for the comments, especially the ones letting me know what’s going on back home. It’s always nice to hear that someone out there is living a normal life. That’s not to exclude the other comments. It made my day to see that one post had 4 comments! (Even though 2 were from Nate, nice try) Also, I have Skype, although I’m not sure for how long I’ll have internet. If you want, Google Skype. The download and service are free. My ID is cody.christ. Once you log on and add me as a contact you can video chat with me whenever I am online as long as you have a webcam. If you don’t, we can still either voice chat or Instant message. Can’t figure it out? Have one of your kids hook ya up! (Old people burn) I’m usually on almost every morning and every night. The time difference here is 10.5 hours so it’s nearly the same as home, just subtract an hour and a half and switch AM to PM or vice versa to convert to my time. Nextly, (spell check disagreed with that word but I don’t care) there will probably be one more PreMob post covering Ft Sill. I may break it into 2 though as it was kind of a long time. Lastly, keep in mind; I’m not the only one that’s going through a hardship with this deployment. Be sure to send some support towards my parents and my wife. The hardest job in the military is that of the Soldier’s Wife. I’ll end this as SPC Hartwell say, 90 down, 310 to go.