Visiting Little Round Top

Marker for the 20th Maine

The hill where the Johnny Rebs came up attacking Colonel Chamberlain

Another approach of attacking forces

Looking over the battlefield to Seminary Hill from Little Round Top

Big Round Top...pretty (I know MrsBlue loves leave colors)

Big Round Top

Farm house out on the battle field

A GREAT afternoon again discussing leadership and visiting the Little Round Top. The 20th Maine was an amazing group of soldiers.

Even though it was a little wet on the field trip, it was awesome to see the exact location where this battle happened. Face to face...the Union Army and the Confederate Army! You could just picture them coming up the hit...facing a determined foe.

We looked over the hill that the Confederate Army tried to climb and attack. However, even low on ammunition, Colonel Chamberlain would not be moved. His orders were to keep the line. If they passed him, the Johnny Rebs would flank the Potomac Army and would surely have the advantage.

However, Colonel Chamberlain stayed his ground and even attacked when he had no more ammunition. In the face of danger and death, he had his men ATTACK! Now that there is LEADERSHIP!!!!

I think of the battles many of our Airmen are in today...very similar battles. So close to the enemy and they stay and fight! The cost of life during the Battle at Gettysburg was very costly, face to face, hand to hand combat is brutal.

Coming to Gettysburg is eye opening and inspiring! While we are talking about leaders, we are also taking an introspective look into our own lives!

Do we measure up? I think NOT...

Gburg Day 2

Looking back to Gettysburg where Brig Gen Buford first started the fight with the Confederate Army

Farm house

Looking at Gettysburg

Our Group overlooking the battlefield

Battlefield

Great day talking leadership at TGLE (The Gettysburg Leadership Experience). After discussing specific topics, we then headed to the battlefield.

All I can say is...WOW!

Standing on the battlefield is awe inspiring! I can't imagine going eyeball to eyeball with the enemy. This type of battle is what we are experiencing in Afghanistan nowadays.

These pictures are from this mornings trip...

Pennsylvania Photos along the way to Gettysburg

The sign says it all

Coming into PA

Church along the way to PA

Another picture of that church

MrsBlue likes trees that change colors...Fall is in the air up in PA

Beautiful PA

Gettysburg

The adventure at Gettysburg Leadership Experience has begun. Twenty-five CMSgts from around the globe are here and learning to be better leaders (followers).

Tonight. We visited the Gettysburg Visitor Center and I was very impressed with the Cyclorama which depicted Gettysburg battle from a painting over 100 years old which was in the round. Amazing I must say.

We ended the evening at Hickory Ridge Farms for some home cooking. Apples were on the menu because PA has lots of apple orchards. Can you say YUM! Just check our my plate of food. During dinner we even had President Lincoln talk with us...very interesting since we couldn't stump him about Lincoln's life.

Now it's off to the hotel to get some work done and do some more reading for the course since I didn't ever receive my books.

Pennsylvania is beautiful :). The trees are turning colors and the rolling hills...why I love America. This may not be a place of retirement, it will be a place visit during retirement. I think we need to plan of family vaca here!

Bombs -- big ones

What a day learning from the Department of Energy (DoE). I can now say I'm VERY impressed with the nuclear mission.

My head officially hurts from all of the information crammed into it on the 1st day of the trip. I'm not sure how the trip to DTRA (Defense Threat Reduction Agency) tomorrow can even compare. But we'll see what they have to "educate" me...

It's nice to be America!!!

Dang :(

Dang...as I was heading to the airport this morning, I realized that DC isn't too far from the coast and then thought to myself, do I have time to hit the surf!

Now, as I sit on my commuter flight listening to Jack Johnson (thanks to theJudge for cutting the tracks), I am reading my Surfer mag (brought to me this weekend by visiting family from Missouri -- thanks J&T) and thinking how I blew this trip for a chance to catch a wave or two. Especially in light of the planned hurricane heading up the East Coast again, it could have been Epic! While this may not be hitting the coast straight on like a week or so ago, it still has the potential of providing a ride able swell.

Well, MrsBlue wasn't too amused with my thoughts and wasn't willing to turn around to get my spring suit since my wet suit and board are still in Missouri. At 0430, I can understand her frustration with my request....but I just thought of it as a Dawn Patrol mind set...getting ready for an early morning session.

However, I have another trip to DC next week and may need to plan for a little excursion to the coast to "check out the waves"! We'll see since I don't know my flight plans.

Reminders to myself:
1) Always pack board shorts and a rash guard! You never know when an opportunity may arise.
2) Make room for a spring suit or wet suit even if that means some of the uniform items won't fit!
3) Plan BEFORE you leave on the trip. Watch swellinfo.com more closely.
4) Every trip is a Surf Trip...I just have to find the local spots!
5) Don't lose focus on surfing just because I'm landlocked (for now).

\m/
MiB
(Man in Blue -- This has a whole new meaning when you think of it in surfing terms! I LOVE being the Man in Blue [Moana])...

Life's a gamble

With family visiting us in LA, we have decided to do a little exploring. In fact, we have explored the inside of all of the local gaming establishments.

Let me tell you this, I mayo not make a lot gambling with penny slots, but I also ain't losing much. :)

The one game that caught my attention was Roulette. I couldn't take my eye off the ball. There were lost of people dropping C notes. Boy, I didn't realize that people had so much disposable income in this economy.

Then it was off to the races to watch the ponies run for race 9 and 10! That was fun on a muddy track.

Love those ponies :)

You are under arrest...

Just lock me up I say to you!  Never thought I would be joking about this, but tonight it almost happened and I was on base.  

So I have a question for you...what happens when you're in the middle of an exercise and you decide to visit the dorms to hand out candy and some paranoid Airman calls in a Helping Hand.

The COPS show up!

Yes, tonight MrsBlue and I decided to go around the dorms and knock on the doors of the Airmen and offer them some candy.  No strings attached, just a friendly HELLO!  So off we went to the dorm with our wicker basket of Skittles and Starburst...enough to feed a least a few Airmen (I think we could have fed all of the dorms with the amount of candy we had.  

When we arrive, the first dorm we arrived at was "closed" for remodeling.  Not a way to start the visit to the dorms off, but off we headed to the next dorm.  It wasn't a far walk, so we moved on over.  Then it was hit on every door that had a light on to offer some candy.  Yeah, I know...maybe candy is NOT what we should be offering the FAT Boys in today's Air Force in light of the number of discharge packages I see for people failing the fitness tests.   But, candy is always EASY to hand out!

So we made the rounds on the ground floor and had several "takers" for our candy.  As we made our way around the 2nd floor, we look down and see the COPS!  Of course I think they know who I am so I keep on going knocking on doors and having fun when they arrive and ask for my ID Card!  I was surprised to be questioned, but offered up my ID Card when the Alpha notices MrsBlue for who she is and say on the Radio..."we're all clear, it's the 'big guy and his wife".  

As we talk to the COPS on the scene and the BDOC, we find out that some young Airmen in the dorms reported us via a Helping Hand with a perfect description of our clothing.  However, he was a little off on the age...something about two 50 year olds handing out candy.

I think I'll make the blotter for sure!  Way to go...guess I need to get clearance before heading to the dorms!  Who what have thought that?

A "threatening" basket of candy...scared the Airmen!!!!

 

Milam...

 

 

We have been driving around the town of late just to check things out.  Some of the sites are interesting and the roads are so disorganized with too many one way streets!

However, today we drove past this street again and it made me smile thinking about a great friend!  Every time we drive by this road I think of my deployed surfing partner.  While we never surfed together (not yet) he helped keep me stoked during the year away from family and surfing!

So here's to YOU!!!  A street in your honor!

Winnie the Pooh

Today was a great day hanging out with MrsBlue :)  In fact, I really enjoyed just being together...OH how I love weekends to spend some time with her!

Today was a day of watching movies.  The first movie was "the Help".  WOW, what a great movie and the story line interesting.  As I sit in the movie theater in the Heart of Dixie, I had to wonder how many of these people in the theater were on the "other side" of this topic!  You know life hasn't changed in some parts of the south and I think it may be very evident in this part of the country.   That concerns me greatly since we have to deal with this issue even in today's world.  

However, later in the afternoon, MrsBlue asked if I wanted to go see Winnie the Pooh!  Of course I said yes and we headed out to watch the animated movie.  

As I sat through the movie, I began to think about each of the characters (Pooh, CR, Tigger, Eeyor, Pigglet, Owl, Rabbit, Kango and Roo).  It's very interesting how in some way or another each one of them is ME!  You may feel the same way, but let me explain...

CR (Christopher Robin) - he's the one who seems to understand what's going on.  Even when everyone else is running around and confused, he clears it up with a few simple words.  I too feel like this in the office at times.  You have people who are just "all over the place" and a few words or direction seems to get things back on track.  


Pooh - He's always hunting for Hunny!  Why?  Because it's always on his mind.  I too am hunting for "Hunny", but my Hunny is success.  Why can't I be happy with where I am instead of where I am going.  For Pooh, this fills every waking moment of his life and he sometimes misses the important things because he's searching.  


Tigger - He's bouncing, bouncing, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce.  This is what people think about me!  I'm always bouncing around.  I think this is important to not get caught into a rut and stay doing something that has no meaning in life.  However, the other side of this is that we bounce around a lot and don't stay fixated on what's important.  


Eeyor - He's get's down on everything.  Sometimes I do too!  Why I'm not sure, but you take things personally and it gets you down!  However, his ability to deal with this "the glass is half empty" keeps him moving in the right direction.  What a leader even when you get down and people are piling on top of you.  I too keep going even when the chips are down.  


Pigglet - He's a "fraidy cat"!  Think about when he had to walk across the forest and was afraid the whole way...  Aren't we all this way at times?  I mean, we are afraid of what will come next.  But in the end Pigglet overcomes his fears and moves on.


Owl - He's the "brainiac"!  He shows his superiority by spouting off words no one else understands.  It's like he is so superior to everyone and knows the right answers.   I find myself doing this as well...I know the RIGHT answer (or at least I think I do).  But just like Owl, events usually show that we aren't all that smart in the end.


Rabbit - Well what can you say about Rabbit.  He's a hard worker and wants to be the leader of the pack.  However, he gets lost in handling all of his focus!  


Kango and Roo - It's all about family!  They keep the focus and are their to help their friends out no matter what!  However, they believe Family is IMPORTANT!  I too believe in my family and appreciate them everyday.  Without them, none of this matters.


It's amazing how a animated film can teach you a little about yourself.  Who would have thought that Walt Disney had the forethought of talking to people about what makes the world go around.  I know I'm not perfect, but depending on the situation I find myself being just like Winnie the Pooh and his cast of characters.