About..

115. Number of days since move in day. Why the cliché Master Card-ish introduction? Because a count of days seems to be the only reliable measure in an otherwise confusing sense of time for the first semester college freshman like myself. Only last week seems like the first time 50 people filed in to a overcrowded common room for the first Floor Meeting, but at the same time, it feels like it’s been years, looking over to my roommate every morning to see if my 6am alarm has woken him up.

The idea of leaving high school, people I’ve known for almost a decade, my small 2 square mile town bubble (forget the WashU bubble), was unsettling: I was really going to miss them. But now the realities of a college student (never mind a cadet) have definitely set in and I’d like to report that so far it’s been amazing. Sure some aspects can always be better, but in general I couldn’t ask for a better 115 days. And now as the first semester comes to a close, I feel a familiar sense of nostalgia-like longing to remain here frozen in time.

From that little spiel I may seem afraid of change (or a girl; no, or procrastinating in the library; yes), but I welcome and look forward to change. It is even more memories from new experiences like this first semester that leaves me excited and unafraid of what’s to come.

-Dan

PS. On a totally unrelated note, I saw a prefrosh interviewing with LTC Griggs and I realized that there are two different kinds of LTC Griggs: Interviewer Griggs and Real Griggs. Interviewer Griggs (when I met him in the summer) had led me to believe ROTC would merely be a class and a half, but what a misunderstanding that was. None of my classes have me pull fire watch in an eerie barrack. And no, the thought that friends back on campus were drunk and merry did not help.

For your enjoyment, the class picture of the 2007 MSI class

There is more than one way to serve your country...

Via 1001 Rules for my unborn son

1. Decide your own life, don’t let another person run or rule you.

2. When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times.

3. Don’t take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hoboes.

4. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but insure employment should you return to that town.

5. When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts.

6. Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals treatment of other hoboes.

7. When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as bad, if not worse than you.

8. Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling.

9. If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.

10. Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible.

11. When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member.

12. Do not cause problems in a train yard. Another hobo will be coming along who will need passage thru that yard.

13. Do not allow other hoboes to molest children, expose to authorities all molesters, they are the worst garbage to infest any society.

14. Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home.

15. Help your fellow hoboes whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.

16. If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it, whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!

Hobo Code, Annual Convention Congress of the Hoboes of America, Chicago, 1894

Via The Barstool Romantic

Soldier Suicide

So I happened across this article, and as psychiatry is one of my main interests in the Army, it peaked my interest. Of course all of you have heard LTC Griggs talk about suicides, but this article provides a more cumulative look at what has been happening.
A brief summary is that suicide rates in the military are booming, much faster than civilian rates. Bloomberg report has discovered that current trends (if mental care remains as is) could cause the suicide deaths of Iraq/Afghanistan to exceed the combat death toll.
Overall, I'm not sure if the Army is going in the right direction. They have been setting up virtual buddies, which involve identifying a situation and then making the obvious choice between "notify a health professional" or "ignore the situation."
I think more statistics need to be analyzed on problems of suicidees. Were they unhappy with a relationship, being separated, having problems with the military, or substance abuse. Also it is important to discover whether the military drives people to depression and suicide, or whether depressed and suicidal people are more likely to join the military.
I'll just end with... Cadet Command has lost enough good cadets; watch out for your buddy.

A New Job

I had seen an ad in the local paper and the place was near my room.
“Need ambitious young man with an eye to the future. Exper. not necessary. Begin in delivery room and work up.”
I waited outside with 5 or 6 young men, all of them trying to look ambitious. We had filled out our employment applications and now we waited. I was the last to be called.
“Mr. Chinaski, what made you leave the railroad yards?”
“Well I don’t see any future in the railroads.”
“They have good unions, medical care, retirement.”
“At my age, retirement might almost be considered superfluous.”
“Why did you come to New Orleans?”
“I had too many friends in Los Angeles, friends I felt were hindering my career. I wanted to go where I could concentrate unmolested.”
“How do we know that you’ll remain with us any length of time?”
“I might not.”
“Why?”
“Your ad stated that there was a future for an ambitious man. If there isn’t any future here then I must leave.”
“Why haven’t you shaved your face? Did you lose a bet?”
“Not yet.”
“Not yet?”
“No; I bet my landlord that I could land a job in one day even with this beard.”
“All right we’ll let you know.”
“I don’t have a phone.”
“That’s all right, Mr. Chinaski.”
-Charles Bukowski, Factotum

This should be on the packing list for Airborne.

http://hypebeast.com/2009/04/bell-ross-instrument-br01-airborne/

I thought Deng would especially appreciate this.

IM HERE

Don't Tread On Me.

I just bought a Gadsden flag to hang in my room this summer and next year.  I think it's a much more potent reminder of our national identity and history than the kinda whitewashed stars and bars.  Reminds me that we went to war over a penny tax on tea.  Reminds me to never compromise your values.

This was the flag that Continental Congressman Christopher Gadsden gave to the first U.S. Marines to fly.   It's pretty cool.

Col. Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard, such as is to be used by the commander in chief of the American navy; being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattle-snake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and these words underneath, "Don't Tread on Me!"

Terror! Viruses! Bacteria!

Because people aren't worried enough, I have decided to post this article on the 10 Scariest Bioweapons. Its pretty interesting the United States has most of these on tap and ready to use. I think it's sad that develop nations have gotten to a point where they will equip contagious pathogens that cannot discriminate between military and civilians.
Thankfully, happiness is contagious too...