Getting to Korea

Here is the quick version - VERY long.

We got a direct flight from Dulles to Inchon Airport. The flight was just about 15 hours. That is an awfully long time to be stuck in an aluminum tube. It is hard to say to your kids "We've been here for 7 hours and we are almost half way." We flew KAL and they did a great job with service, etc. We had individual entertainment systems for every seat so we could watch movies, play video games etc. at our leisure. Th dogs flew in the same plan with us, but down below. They don't let you take 70 pound dogs into the cabin with you.
Once we got to Inchon everyone was very helpful to the point of pushing our luggage and dogs around so that we could go through immigration, animal import and customs. They has free luggage carts and did not expect any kind of tip. What a change from the states.
The we started to drive and ran into the Seoul traffic that we had heard about. It was bad. it took us about 3 hours to get to the base. It made for a very long day, but all in all it went as smoothly as it could have.

Bringing You Up To Date

OK - I know that it has been a long time since I have been on here - I am sorry, but much has happened in my life since then.

First, we found out that we were being transfered to Osan AB, Korea and had to be there by the end of Sep. Second, we had my daughter's Bat Mitzvah before we moved, but after we moved out of our house. Third, we actually have moved to Korea. I will get to Korea in a little bit.

My daughter's Bat Mitzvah went VERY WELL. She did great. The whole family from both sides came in along with many dear friends. It was great. We had already moved out of our house so we stayed in the Hotel with everyone. It worked out fine. Fantastic friends of ours helped store stuff, move stuff, decorate stuff and even have a family party at their house. It was a great life event for our entire family.

Now back to Korea -- This assignment came completely out of the blue, but for a variety of reasons we decided to take this assignment. Things happened very fast - we sold our mini-van, packed up our household goods and rented our house. Everything got done, but some of it waited until the very last minutes - good that it got done, but hard on the nerves.

We have been in Korea for just over two weeks. I will post future blogs shortly about my impressions and the things that we are doing.

Thanks for staying with me.

C&O Canal National Park

My daughters and I went out to the C&O Canal National Park this morning and did the Billy Goat Section A hike. It was a beautiful day and a great hike. They advertise it as strenuous. Sometimes the NPS overstates this in an effort to dissuade those that are not in shape or prepared from trying hikes that are too much for them. They did not overstate this one. It was great fun bouldering and climbing over the rock like a true Mountain Goat.

Highly recommended!

F-22 Raptor

I am finally glad to see the Air Force starting to get over the F-22. The CSAF and SECAF wrote a letter to Congress asking them to not fund more F-22s. They are concerned that if Congress funds the extra F-22s, then something else is going to fall out of the Air Force budget. Do not get me wrong. The F-22 is a fantastic aircraft with capabilities that are unequaled anywhere else in the world and all things being equal I would strongly advocate fore more F-22, but things aren't equal. The world is a strange different place with threats that we would not have imagined in a war that we would not have chosen. There are many other areas that the Air Force needs to start focusing on and getting off of the F-22 is a great first step. Now let's see if the contractors and Air Force pundits can make the shift.

Family and Friends

I know that it has been awhile. I have been on vacation for the last few weeks on and off. It has gotten me thinking and family and friends. Sometimes I find myself being very isolated - I want to do what I want to do with my family and don't really care to be with others. Then there is some reason for us to get together with family and friends and I once again realize how I could not truly live without them. For me it is a constant struggle to balance these two feelings.

I go to go to my Sister-in-laws wedding. It is so great to see them just starting out together. I envy them discovering things together. Having been married over 16 years, my life is so intertwined with my wifes that I can't imagine living without her. They are only starting to be this way. I wish them many happy years together.

High Water Marks

A few years ago when we were moving out the Virginia, my wife and I stopped at the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA. Although there was only a temporary memorial, it was still a very moving experience. As an aside, I have been to all three locations that were attacks on 9/11 and can not help but get emotional all over again at each one. It occurred to me at the time that we were just about 100 miles from Gettysburg, PA. When I visited Gettysburg as a kid, I remember standing at eh "High Water Mark" -- the furthest advance that the Confederacy made into the North. it was at that point that the Union began to fight and win against the Confederacy in what was a long and bloody struggle. I hearken Shanksville a "High Water Mark." It is the point where we atarted to fight back against the terrorists and win. it to was the start to a long and bloody struggle with many fits and starts similar to the Civil War. Much like the Civil War it is a struggle worth fighting.

Bat Mitzvah

We are just over 5 months from my oldest daughter's Bat Mitzvah. We are in the heat of the battle between balancing the spiritual with the party. I think that she is actually doing a better job than me. Although she complains whenever I tell her she has to study, she is doing great. As part of her service she has to write three different "speeches." Again she has floored me with the insight and maturity that she has shown in the drafts that she has put together.
I am sure that the anxiety will only ramp up as we get closer. It is nice to know that she is well grounded and hopefully that will help us all.

As an aside, we went to one of her friend's Bar Mitzvah last weekend. He had invited some of his friends that attend a different synagogue. These kids were the rudest kids I have every seen at a religious service. They were talking, playing grab ass, etc. I finally had enough and told them to be quiet twice. The third time, I told the "ring leader" to move over by me. He said "no". I could have killed him. My thoughts were how to subdue him without making a scene or any more noise. It was awful. Of course then I felt even worse because of how mad I got during a service. I could not enjoy it until I forced myself to focus and get something out of it.
It was the old "He made me fell that way," but i chose to feel differently.