Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving

So today is our Thanksgiving. It is still in essence a workday around here, but we had part of the morning off. I was able to go to Thanksgiving mass followed by the obligatory meeting. I got a chance to run my clothes over to Sadish the laundry guy. Then it was time for football.

Yes we got this idea in our heads that there needed to be a staff NCO and officer football game. I was ‘volunteered’ to play. I suppose it should be a complement that they wanted me to play. I showed them the error in their ability to judge talent by throwing the game deciding interception that was returned for a touchdown.

When we play football, or any other sport, on this field, you are just hoping to come out alive. We have had numerous strains from sliding along the gravel in running shoes as well as many skinned knees, hands, name your body part. I had the further disadvantage having participated in the Marine PFT the previous day which has left my back a little stiff.

I took the Marine physical fitness test yesterday as part of my FMF pin. The fleet Marine force pin consists of being attached with the Marines for a set amount of time, pistol qualification, PFT, 6 mile hump with all your gear on and an oral board about the Marine Corps. The PFT is actually waved while in a combat zone, but we decided to do it anyhow. The PFT is not that difficult. It consists of pull-ups (20 to max points), situps (100 to max points) and a 3 mile run (18 minutes to max points). You are judged on a 300 point total and there are 3 different categories. The most difficult part was the run because we are having some rather fierce winds currently and on certain legs of the run I felt as if I were running in place. You will be happy to know that I got a first class score. If I were to take the test 4 months from now, I would be in a different age category (40+) and would have had to put in a lot less work to get the same class score.

Things that I am thankful for today….

- My health
- My family
- My friends
- My ability to serve my fellow man and my country as both a Navy officer and as a physician
- My faith
- The Marines that keep me safe
- Skype
- Peanut Butter
- Warm clothes
- The fact that this deployment is finite and thus there will be a day soon where I will be able to see all your faces and share laughs with you once again.

May peace and happiness find you and your family. Happy Thanksgiving!




I am in this picture, can you tell which one?















Running a route.












Da Players.















The food resembled and tasted like a Thanksgiving dinner (despite the pumpkin pie being frozen).

2 comments:

  1. Have a great turkey day brother. We all miss you and will see you soon. By the way nice job on blowing the game. lol

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  2. Hey honey,
    Uncle Phillip was most impressed by the pumpkin pie in your picture. "Good job you!"

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