Hello all, from lovely Montgomery, AL!  Weeks ago when I provided an update, I had no clue about what the following weeks would entail.  I was struggling with the early-early mornings combined with the late-late nights.  Well, I wish I could say that the sleep-deprivation situation has improved...but we've at least learned how to deal with it.  As our upper class always contested: "things don't get easier, but they do get better."  Now that we're at week 7 in the program, we're half way done!  WOOO!  I know y'all can't wait to have me back on here!  Right?

I'm able to check RTT pretty much daily now and I love the discussions that have taken place.  I just wish I could contribute a little more, but hey...such is life.  I've now got secured tix to the UT-Auburn game on 24 Sept., so let me know if you'll be there as well. 

See you all soon!

OT Aerobab

First things first...I am alive!  Not sure how, but I am!

Week 1 is complete and boy, was it a rollercoaster!  The "indoctrination to the military" week here at OTS would straight up kill the common man.  Wake up at 0445 (yes, I've learned the 24-hr clock now), get yelled at, eat a sub 3-min. breakfast, get yelled at, march around, get yelled at, sit through numerous 'welcome' lectures, forced to memorize numerous tidbits of info, get yelled at for not remembering the tidbits, ... well, you get the idea.  Oh, did I mention that lights-out is at 2300 and then having another 2 hours of work to do?  Yep...so sleep from 0100 to 0445.  You do the math...my brain is shot.

As odd as it sounds, I'm loving every minute of it.  No, seriously, I am.  Even the yelling part.  It's amazing to think that less than 700 of America's finest graduate from this program annually....and I'm one of them.  Right now, I'm working side by side with 1/7 of them.  Each, with very unique stories about how they got here.

Anyways, I'm tired, loopy and ready for dinner.  "That will be all, Sir."

Chest bumped to the front. We'll miss you, Aerobab.

-- Joel

A very short eight weeks ago, I revealed a mystery in the fact that I had achieved a career-goal, having been selected to join the U.S. Air Force as an Officer Trainee!  I'll be heading down to enemy territory in Montgomery, AL this coming Monday and will start Basic Officer Training on Tuesday.  While I can not be any more excited about the next 12 grueling weeks of military training in the southern Alabama sun (yay, humidity!), I'm certainly going to miss all of the daily banter and chit-chat that goes on at this site.  (Apologies for not contributing to much this past week -- been kinda busy.)  I likely won't have much (if any) "outside" web access during my training, so I hope to have LOTS of catching up later this fall! 

I'm slated to graduated Sept. 24...a mere 3 days prior to the game @ Auburn.  Depending on my orders that I receive, I'm going to try like heck to make that road game.  I'd love to meet up with any of you if you'll be down/up/over that way!  My email, if not posted on my profile thingy is aerobab [at] gmail.com.  Feel free to drop me a line and I'll write you back when able.  Have a great summer/fall, y'all!  Oh, and one more thing...please, please, PLEASE put up a win vs. Super Tebow!  That's all I ask of you!

Go Vols!

Aerobab OT, USAF