Life of a Mechanic

I'm back!!!!

Now for the rest of the story. This week I have been in a AGPU (Aviation Ground Power Unit) class. It is a four day class on how to operate it and maintain it while we are in Iraq. The teacher is cramming 2 weeks worth teaching into 4 days. It is going fast and furious bot I am learning a lot. We did get to do what we call a air start of the helicopter. It is something that we don't get to do normally so it was pretty cool. Next week it is back to helicopter maintenance and "normal" life.

Hope all is well with everyone and have a great weekend.

Dan

PS) I did start a Facebook at facebook.com if anybody wants to see more pictures from here and other things I have done.

http://www.facebook.com/p/Dan_Zirbes/693246576

Happy Memorial Day!

Hello campers and welcome back. I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. As you see, we had a day off!!!! They let us go to the mall for half the day to see a movie and shop. I saw Pirates 3 and I thought it was very good. I recomend it to everyone. I also walked around and looked at things I can't buy because I don't need them or can bring with to Iraq. I did buy some CD's though. I got "The Greatest Funk Hits of All Time". It has a lot of songs that make you want to grove and I like to grove. After we came back, I had someone buy me a stake at the grocery store her on post and I grilled it for dinner. The only thing missing was....you guessed it......a beer. Thats ok, I got a taste of civilian life for a little bit today. Tommarow, it's back to Army training and fixing aircraft.

Talk to you all later and I'll keep updating.

Dan

Dan, The Bad @$$

Hello all. Just a quick note to let you know whats up. I'm still training at the hanger for the time being. I am working days for now so it is like going to work each day. Just it's for 12 hours a day and 7 days a week not including PT and meetings. Hope you like the picture. This is my favorite one. you will see a different one later on eather on the guard website or thru the FRG (Family Readiness Group). Thats it for now, I'll talk to you all later.

Dan

A Day In The Life

Welcome back, I'm glad to have you visit again. As you see, our hero is just sitting around, again, and waiting, again. This is how I spent my day today. We were issued more stuff to take to Iraq like a new helmet, boots, uniforms, and many other items. One problem, they didn't take the old stuff! I'm in a room with 5 other guys and we are bursting at the seams with all of this army "stuff". Our leadership is talking about sending our old items back to Minnesota in a conex but that wont be for a couple of weeks. So as of now my wall locker is full, under my bunk is full, and behind our door is full.

I do want to say thank you to everybody that wished me a happy birthday. I was sent goodies from Sarah's Aunt and a puzzle book from Sarah's best friend Christina. Other people sent money that I spent on new DVD's to watch. All in all I had a good birthday. It only missed a steak and a beer to make it complete. I'll get that when i'm on leave.

Hope everybody had a good weekend and I'll talk to you all later.

Dan

My Birthday!!

Well you may or may not know but Saturday was my birthday. Yup, I'm 35 and all grown up. I just got a care package from the "Wife" and she included a picture of my birthday gift. I am posting the same picture here for you to see. Sarah knows I like time pieces like Tag Heuer, Omega, and others. I do own 1 Tag that Sarah got me when my mom passed away. Now I have 2!!! It is something I will cherish and hand down to my kids if we have any in the future. Just wanted to share this with you and thanks for tuning in to my BLOG.

Talk to you all later.

Dan

The FOB Days

I'm back!!!!!

It was a long 10 days but I made it through it. The training was good but the food wasn't. When we first started, we were in a classroom for a day learning what we would be doing out there. Then we moved out to the FOB. As you see in the picture, this is where I slept while we were out there. We went through a class on IED (improvised explosive device) training first. How to spot them and call them in. Then off to search and transport of an ECP (enemy combatant prisoner). We got to learn an class pressure points and how to handel them. It was quite a workout because we trained on each other. Next was the GAC (ground assualt course) and convoy training. I was the assistant convoy commander for the 4 days of training. My management skills came in handy in this area because for the snap decisions that have to be made if we come apon something in the convoy. It was hot and sweaty but, it was good training. Yesterday we did CQC (close quarters combat) techiques. We had to live fire on recognition targets and how to clear a room. It was very "In the moment" exciting but I hope to not ever use it. Then today we had our combatives class. It teaches us how to fight hand to hand and defend ourselves. Another good workout. Right now I am sitting with a icy-hot back wrap on to loosen my lower back up because I used parts of my body I didn't know I had.

Well, that was my last 10 days in a nutshell. If you look below, I added more pictures of my training that I thought were cool. Now my "Army" training is complete for now. I get tomorrow off as a "Reset"day and then back to aircraft maintaince and learning what I will do in country.

It's been great hearing from everybody, either by e-mail or by phone. I'm glad people think about me from time to time. Keep it coming and I will keep responding as soon as I can. Take it easy and I will talk to all of you later.

Dan

I lied, we had a picnic

Hello campers, hows it going. Well, as I said in my last post I wouldn't say anything till I'm back from the FOB. I lied. We had a BBQ today and we all had the day off from training. It was nice to get all of my laundry done and to catch up on my sleep. I also helped with the BBQ as you can see in the picture. We Had pork ribs, chicken, and chips. The only thing missing was the beer:(

Just thought I'd let you know whats going on to this point. I leave to the FOB on Sunday and come back on the 13th. I'll have lots of pictures to share with all of you.

Happy Mothers Day to all of you moms out there and remember, without moms, the dads would have to be the cranky ones. Just Kidding.

Later,

Dan

Wepons Qualifying

Hello again and welcome to my life. This weekend as I said, we were going through weapons training and it ended with qualifying and night firing yesterday. Needless to say it was a long weekend but it was a very long weekend. I did qualify in my first try on the range and about half of the company had to do it more than once. Then when it got dark we got to fire 30 rounds at a night target 50 meters away. It was tougher than it looked. I hope that I don't have to fire in the pitch black when I'm in country.

On Sunday, I get to go the the FOB (forward operating base) and live there for 10 days. I'll take lots of pictures and post them when I get back. We will be doing convoy training, FOB security, and warrior tasks. I bet I'll be tired after that also. So this will be the last post till I get back from the FOB because the rest of this week we are going to briefs and they are as interesting as a root canal. I'm not going to bore you with that junk.

You can always e-mail me and I will respond in kind so I'm not forgetting about anybody. Take care and I will talk to you all in 2 weeks.

Dan