Wishful SWR Meeting

[Eagle]

Ah, yeah! I can remember now. Yes of course, SOCL is a soldier. Even his name sais that.

 

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/3523/soclhu7.jpg

[SOCL]

Eagle, how did you know?!

 

Okay, okay, time to explain away the confusion.

 

At one point in time I was a regular grunt: a Soldier in the U.S. Army, and I served for a short time as an infantryman in a National Guard armored cavalry unit (makes sense, right?). When the Army reformed their units, I was able to fall into a strange little loophole where I got a chance to get out before they started their "back door draft" wherein the Army extends ones contract by anywhere from one to two years. I got out on a medical technicality, and got out just before my unit deployed to Iraq.

 

Whilst all this was happening, I also led an everyday life, studying in university and working on my undergraduate degree towards a BA. Now I've joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), which will commission me an officer (Second Lieutenant) at the end, though this means I'll have to extend my time in university by two semesters, graduating and commissioning in May 2009. In order to accomplish all of this, I have to attend something called Leadership Training Course (LTC) at Fort Knox, KY, which will give me the basic training to be an officer. After that I'll continue into the advanced portion of studies, attend an advanced form of LTC next summer, take two last semesters, and be commissioned.

 

As for the zoo: I don't actually work there. Well, I take that back, I conduct work and manual labor there, but I'm not an employee. The only way to work at the National Zoo is to either enter among the upper-brass in some sort of management or administrative capacity, or start as a volunteer and working your way up to an actual job. So, for right now, I am a volunteer at the National Zoo. I don't do much aside from Manual Labor, but what sets me apart from the paid people in the gift shops and food services is my motivation to work with animals that has me not being paid for picking up poo...

 

Because of my ROTC commitment, I seriously doubt I'll be able to continue volunteering at the National Zoo. Besides, the ROTC pays me a stipend for serving. So it's kind of like a job...I guess...

[Defender_16]

Wow. So, assuming you make it through officer training and that and get comissioned; Where do you think you'd be assigned / where would you preferr to be assigned?

[Paul]

We discussed this earlier SOCL when we talked about my Brothers unit/s (he has transferred a few times). I am proud of you. -Grand Moff Conway

[Jahled]

We discussed this earlier SOCL when we talked about my Brothers unit/s (he has transferred a few times). I am proud of you. -Grand Moff Conway

 

^Very much this fella

 

Shame about your efforts at that zoo. but duty comes first I guess

 

We've just re-opened the Clores building at London Zoo along with the Gorilla Kingdom you probably saw on the news, and it is breathtaking. A walk-through rain forest sort of thing. At the moment the tamarins are walking through the human bit alot which is lovely. But one of the keepers told me they will soon learn not to..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry I couldn't resist, these little guys make kittens look like dragons they are so fluffy. One sat on my shoe on Friday. Cheeky bugger!

 

@Paul, back in touch tomorrow fella!

[SOCL]

Wow. So, assuming you make it through officer training and that and get comissioned; Where do you think you'd be assigned / where would you preferr to be assigned?

Right now? Well, I'm hoping to be commissioned into the Infantry, but I'm not absolutely sure if I'll get that (since the Army gets the final word of your branch). If I do get my choice, though, I hope to go to Fort Drum to serve with the 10th Mountain Division, but I'm not very picky and might even volunteer for duty with the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea. Ideally, any infantry division specializing in light warfare: 1st Brigade (Air Assault), 2nd Infantry Division (South Korea); 10th Mountain Division (Fort Drum, NY); 4th Airborne Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Alaska); 82nd Airborne Division (Fort Bragg, NC); 101st Airborne Division (Fort Campbell, KY). Not very interested in doing the whole armored bit again.

 

@Paul: Thanks, man. Means a lot.

 

@Jahled: Oooh! Hopefully I'll get to London some day to see all of that!

Edited April 3, 2007 by SOCL

[Darth_Rob]

@SOCL: Good luck. I have a friend in the Navy, and he's stationed somewhere in the Middle East (though not Iraq).

 

@Everyone else: As for me, I would like to come to jolly olde England next summer to celebrate finally getting my BA (and because I'd have money by then...none this year). So if some people either cant go this year or wouldn't mind going back next year, it would be sweet to finally meet up with a few of ya!

[Mad78]

@SOCL: So does this all mean there is no chance of you making it to London this year?

 

@Rob: I could always come back next year. London ain't for from where i am.

[Darth_Rob]

I figured you would Mad. I figured that mentioning it now would enable people to have over a year to save up if they planned on going (people like me).

[SOCL]

@SOCL: So does this all mean there is no chance of you making it to London this year?

 

@Rob: I could always come back next year. London ain't for from where i am.

Likely not. Like I said, I'll be spending the majority of the summer at Fort Knox, training, so no study abroad this summer. Sadly, this also means I'll have to stick undergraduate out for two more whole semesters, which means I shan't graduate until the summer 2009... So there's still a chance of going at a later time, perhaps next summer (if they don't send me to Airborne School, that is).

[Darth_Rob]

Yes SOCL...plan for next year. The more the merrier!

[Mad78]

Its a date! Next summer we'll meet in London and have a big pissup!