Excerpts from a Military Journal

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: Trouble in Iwakuni

Day 13 We made the trip to Iwakuni with only a small delay, but there are a couple of problems. Due to the nature of the port, we have to perform what is called a ‘medmoor’ which stands for Mediterranean mooring. I won’t waste space describing the maneuver; I’ll just say that the current wind... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: Hung Out to Dry

The trip back was uneventful, and we arrived in Subic the next afternoon. We were worried that they wouldn’t refuel us until the following morning, but we were out of there before 1900 that evening. I let some of the guys get off the ship to go pick us up a mess of pizzas from a local company called... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: The Missing Round

"No plan survives first contact with the enemy." This is a well known adage in the Marine Corps and can accurately be described as part of our ethos. We Marines tend to be effective, because we don't hang all of our hopes and dreams on our plans. When the plan goes to shit, we adjust and re-attack.... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: Kota Kinabalu

My memories of Malaysia are pretty spot-on below. It's an absolutely gorgeous eco-tourist destination with tons of things to do. It has remained in my mind as one of the places I'd like to take my wife back to visit. Additionally, I didn't realize at the time how significant our visit to Borneo was.... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, August 15, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: Late Night Mathematician

During that last night in Subic Bay, I was making the rounds checking on the Marines. I went up to the bow station at about 0200, and I was approached by PFC Tovar, who looked a little agitated. Tovar’s a good kid, but he seems a little nervous and unsure of himself when speaking to superiors. He... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: Subic Bay

Day 5-6 Stuck in Subic Bay… We got a few hotel rooms at the Subic Bay International Hotel to shift sleep in, and it was great to be able to get off the ship and go take a hot shower. They also had a laundry service that we utilized once we realized that we might be delayed even further. Almost... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire

What followed were some of the longest days in my recent memory. The uncomfortable quarters, large numbers of personnel, inadequate food and stormy seas made for a difficult trip. Then… Days 3-4 We had been out of port for about 29 hours before being filled in on the bad news: we were headed back to... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, August 11, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: Potency

As soon as the ramp came down on the docks in Subic Bay, the first person that I ran into was a Lieutenant Colonel who just happened to be the Force Protection Officer for all of IIIMEF. I introduced myself: "How are you doing Lieutenant? Everything going well aboard the ship?" "Things are fine on... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

The HSV Odyssey: Departure

I learned later that afternoon that I was being volunteered by my new unit as the team leader for the security detail onboard the High-Speed Vessel (HSV) Westpac Express. Did I know anything about being on a security detail? Not specifically, but since every officer has received basic training as an... Sign in to see full entry.

Hello, Don't Bother Unpacking...

Okay, so enough about my impressions of Japanese culture and society. Yes, I'm sure you'll hear more about them later on. For now, let's focus on what's actually going on during this period... I arrived on Okinawa on October 24th. On November 3rd (a Friday afternoon, I might add), the XO (Executive... Sign in to see full entry.

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