Excerpts from a Military Journal

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Happy Birthday!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to say that I've been away for a few days due to the birth of our first child, a gorgeous baby girl! Alexandria Jade Nelson was born on the 26th; she was 7lbs 7oz and 20.5 inches long. It was a perfect pregnancy and birth. Mom and baby are both doing great and we're back... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Arrival on Okinawa: Part VI

Before I get off the subject of Japanese automobiles, I've got two more observations: 1) There are SO many different cars here that all manage to look pretty much alike, but still none of them get sent to the States. I'm guessing because none of them would survive US safety testing (no, I'm not... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Arrival on Okinawa: Part V

Any time you PCS (Permanent Change of Station), there's always a good couple weeks of checking in when you arrive at your new duty station. On Okinawa, the biggest pain is that all the places you need to go aren't on the same base. All four military services have a number of outposts, stations and... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Arrival on Okinawa: Part IV

Japanese Advertising: This is one of those true cultural differences that I really haven't figured out yet. How a given society or culture persuades and speaks to its masses is kind of like a window into their soul. It's almost as if you're being given a glimpse or a hint of how these people think... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Arrival on Okinawa: Part III

I don't like making gross generalizations about different cultures (particularly those I've come to love and respect), but we're still talking about my first few minutes here... I'm being totally honest; as soon as I got off the plane in Osaka to make my connection to Oki, I felt completely out of... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Arrival on Okinawa: Part II

Mopeds: They're everywhere, and they're short-lived proof that the Japanese are (sometimes) very, VERY strange. Let me illustrate this with a simple statement: In Japan, there are moped gangs. That's right...GANGS. I know what you're saying, "Chris, surely you exaggerate. I've been a member of the... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Arrival in Okinawa: Part I

So after I stopped flying, I got orders to arrive in Okinawa in October of that year for OJT (On the Job Training). What that really meant is that I couldn't yet be trained in my new MOS, so they had to do something with me. I would be assigned to my unit for a few months prior to being sent back to... Sign in to see full entry.

Introductions in Order

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Chris, and this blog is a chronicle of some of my adventures as a Marine officer stationed in Okinawa. I went through Officer Candidate's School (OCS) in 2003, The Basic School (TBS) in 2004, and began basic flight training that summer. I went to Pensacola... Sign in to see full entry.

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