The packing list…

As I sit here eating my box of chicken mcbites, it hit me that since my registration fees are now paid, all that’s left is travel and lodging…and putting together my packing list for the Baltimore festivities known as EMS Today. What am I going to pack for my weekend?

I know for a fact that I have to take at least one complete uniform with me in case I fly either my civilian or military means. I just ordered a RETIRED patch for my uniform—then found out the place I ordered it from is about 10 minutes away. I need to try to get back my $6.00 shipping and handling (and put it in my gas tank).

I believe a new kilt is in order.  After all, it is a new year. The fine folks at Sport kilt.com have a nice ACU one that’s on sale.  I do believe it’s a must buy. So for the ACU kilt, I believe I will have to get some new nametapes for my uniform shirt (now that I’m retired.) I won’t get away with wearing my rank, but #CoEMS and my twitter name should suffice—just long enough to get told otherwise.

I have to remember my now adorned 5.11 Tactical shirt and regular jeans or EMS pants. Still deciding if I’m going to put my NREMT patch on the right sleeve or not.

Have to also remember my business cards…although they’ll direly need to be changed. I’m not the “68W Coordinator/Trainer”. Now I’m the “Easy chair holding coffee cup lifter”.

A lot to do and get in the next 31 days…damn, I’m going to be busy.

MY Top 10 of ‘11

1. The people I have met in 2011 This should go without saying. I finally got the privilege to meet the folks behind the keyboards and @ signs that I have spoken to in 140 character blocks. It was worth being called an “ass” when I met Ted Setla, as much as it was worth watching @THEGrinderMedic order someone a drink called “uh…” in Vegas. Hope to meet more next year.

2. EMS Today 2011 Well, yeah, the first real conference I went to would make the #2 spot. It had its own set of adventures (to include a missed flight). When is the pre-party for next year’s at Pratt St.?

3. EMSWorld Expo 2011  Wow…the one thing I bitched the loudest about getting my travel approved for only made #3. The strip and the Las Vegas Convention Center will never be the same after the #CoEMS crew was done with it. Will NOLA be the same?

4. FDIC 2011 The biggest Fire Department conference of the year made the Number 4 spot on this year’s top 10. Finally meeting The Fire Critic, Capt. Willie Wines, and a few others.  Same place in 2012—the week before my 41st celebration of being alive.

5. My unit returning home from Iraq The 801st Combat Support Hospital (Detachment 10) was in Iraq for 10 months providing Detainee Health Care. All but two of my Soldiers are now home.

6. 21 seconds at FDIC The Globe Firefighter Challenge only took me 21 seconds to complete at FDIC in Indianapolis.  It would have been faster if I had known that the “rescue dummy” weighed about three pounds (I was expecting much heavier).

just crawl between the cones to take less time

7. Participating in #KiltedtoKickCancer The idea of a couple of friends not only increased awareness for the male specific cancers, but also ended up with a pretty penny being donated to LiveStrong and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. It also got the biggest reading from this headquarters while trying to make my kilt (which is now hanging in the closet and a 3rd one is being planned on for purchase eventually). I will say, though, that they’re nice in the summer…but one wintertime word:  SHRINKAGE. (Though they make life easier with the TSA)
 

8. Making the “Medic’s Mecca” The only reason this is not higher in the countdown is because 1) the LACoFD Museum was closed and 2) the crew from LACoFD Station 127 were out on a run when I arrived. It was still a nice retirement present from my unit given to me the day before Thanksgiving.
 

9. Attending the 9th Annual US Army EMS Conference I wasn’t expecting to go, but I got my first glimpse of the Alamo and Durty Nelly’s in San Antonio. This trip was much better than phase 2 of my BNCOC.
 

10. My Retirement Orders It took over a year to get them, and that included re-submitting the packet exactly one year after I first put it in. But getting them puts a chapter to a close that I am very thankful to have written in history. It had its high points and low points, and I actually got to see some beautiful parts of the country while I was in the Army Reserve, but now I get to watch the younger Soldiers fill in my place as I sit and watch from my rocking chair.

Police Shot My Dog

I figured I’d take a few moments to take a break from bitching about the Army, bitching about work, bitching about whether or not I’ll get my P to wish everyone a

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

from me and the @avatarpenguin

 

Now to return to the normal griping, already in progress—with the Highlights from this Headquarters in 2011 coming next week.

 

Until next time…

That time of year

This should say it all

Til next time…

Wednesday fun

The traffic going down there was all right. I had a mission to visit a few places.

The first location was closed and couldn't make it to the third, but #2 made me feel like a kid in a candy store.

I parked the rental car and walked onto the apron. It almost felt like I was visiting a normal firehouse until I looked down on the concrete next to the flagpole. In the right stall, the number was faded almost unreadable. The left's paint job was slightly better.

I was there. I had actually made the trip. I rang the doorbell and got no answer. I assume the crew had to be on a run, especially when I saw the ambulance turn the corner.

These 3 pics were not downloaded. They were taken with my cell phone camera.

Until next time…

Little White Crosses

I finally got out of LAX and flew in a puddle jumper to an airport that was small—and I do mean SMALL.

120 miles into my rental car journey to Ft. Irwin, I saw quite a few white crosses on the road going to post. Each had a date stenciled from a fatal accident involving a Soldier from Ft. Irwin. All the while I had the cruise control set at 55 watching traffic blast past me on the hilly road.

The sights were quite humbling. A reminder to pay attention to the road. No one wants another cross on that road with 21 NOV 11 stenciled on it.

Until next time…

Annual Training Adventures...the start

Even though I retire on New Year's Day, I still have one final annual training to do before I can switch my nice ID card for one of those fancy red ones that say RETIRED. Only one day in and it's one complete adventure already...

Leaving Peoria was ok, nothing major there.  Got to O'Hare and was real close to the small USO that was inside security. Actually, it was half of their employee lounge that was donated to the USO for Soldiers and their families. Watched some of the packers game and got on big plane going to LAX.

Got off the plane at LAX and was hit with my first WTF of my trip.  Why for they have VERY LARGE Christmas tree in concourse already decorated?  We happen to forget about a holiday there??  One involving a turkey and all the trimmings--one that cause a large nationwide triptophan OD??????

My connecting flight--on a completely different airline--was delayed. No problem, it's the nature of the beast sometimes.  Finally got on that little rubber band puddle jumper and started toward the final airport where my rental car was waiting for me.

SURPRISE

"This is your first officer, we're unable to land due to the weather and are turning around and heading back to LAX."

WTF

So we turned around and headed back to LAX. We hit the ground and I got a phone call from a pretty well understanding OIC wondering where the hell I was at. When I told him that my plane had just returned to LAX from ALMOST landing in Inyokern, he asked "why the hell were you flying into Inyokern instead of Ontario?"

Shit, I don't know.  I'm just going by the itinerary that the fine travel folks had set for me.  Again, reaffirming my absolute LOVE for DTS .

I got off the plane and got my boarding pass for the RESCHEDULED flight that I am on. I was also offered a hotel coupon for a discounted stay. With traffic snarled and the express  lane backed up all the way to ground beef, I decided to use the map app on my phone and plotted a course to my final bed down place for the night.

I walked my tired little Soldiering for the last time ass to the the Bob Hope USO at LAX. Although, it had me going about four blocks up one street TURNING AROUND (as in Rear MARCH) and coming RIGHT BACK DOWN THE SAME STREET before turning and going about two more blocks to my destination.  I could have (and did) avoided that step and went the two blocks after the left turn and walked through the door.

I have to give props to these folks.  This USO facility is nicely laid out, comfortable, and the coffee was free flowing.  It is DECIDEDLY one of the better USO facilities that I have been in! I crashed out on one of the couches and was out cold until my first alarm went off at 4 (PST). I killed it, went for a smoke and crashed again until about 6:30.

While I'm thinking about it, there's a nice little link in the corner of my blog page. I normally don't ask for people to go out of their way to donate money or time, but these are some fine folks and what they do for Soldiers and their families is nothing short of outstanding.

Now to get my jacket and laptop bag and start back toward the terminal.  I should be through security by the final boarding call.

Until next time...