A Letter to My Wife - Part 13

Well can you believe it? We made it through to Christmas Exodus. Only one week to go. I'm still hanging out in Ft. Sill, blowing shit up with the Artillery boys. But who gives a crap.

It's almost Christmas and they're letting me go home to see you guys! That's what it's all about!

Tomorrow is payday again. Don't forget that this is our last paycheck before Christmas, so you're going to want to use this one to get your Christmas shopping done. Make sure to either get some crap for my side of the fam, too, or at least save me some dough so I can get them shit.

But still, you deserve a little something special. You've got options this week:
Option A. Buy yourself a X-Mas gift, wrap it up, label it to and from yourself, and stick it under the tree.
Option B. Go to a salon and do girly stuff that chicks like to do like get your nails done or your hair done or whatever.

Just so you know, this will be the last one of these posts, the final "Letter to My Wife," because I expect to be home next week.

Thank you for sticking by me and taking such good care of yourself and the kiddies.

I love you very much.

See you soon.

Love,
Your Husband
Private 2nd Class
United States Army.

A Letter to My Kids - Part 13

Well kiddies, this is the last one of these posts that will appear.

This week we won't have one of our usual surprises. Instead, we will prepare for something different. Next week, I am coming home for Christmas!

Shooting guns and blowing shit up has been alot of fun, but I can't wait to get home and see you guys.

Thank you so much for being so good (you have been good right?!). Let's close out this last week before I return with some extra good behavior. Be extra nice to everyone and show eachother some extra love.

P.S. Don't forget to put out the trash tomorrow night!

I'll see you guys soon.

I love you all!

Love, Daddy.

A Letter to My Wife - Part 12

Hello again, my lovely.

So by this point I'm finally out of BCT and I have moved to O-o-o-oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plains...

Okay, so I'm just a little giddy with the idea of moving on from BCT to my next phase of training. I'd like to talk some more about what I'm doing here in AIT, but I really have no fucking idea what's supposed to happen here, so I won't even try to wing it. I'll just have to tell you about it in the handwritten letters home.

So we'll just go ahead and skip to the good stuff. This week's little surprise is.... drumroll please...... I've got nothing! lol. So this week it's a wildcard, The Wife's choice! Money permitting, do whatever the hell you would like to do. Buy yourself something nice, or go do something fun. Just do something to make yourself happy, and don't forget, I'll be home in a couple of weeks.

Sorry for the crappy surprise this week, but if you get creative, it could be really awesome!

OMG how exciting is this! I'm almost home!

I love you.

Love,
Your Husband

A Letter to My Kids - Part 12

Hello again, Kiddies.

Well, by now I ought to be living in Oklahoma.

We've got some special stuff coming up soon, so this will be the last week of your "surprises."

Christmas is coming, and with Christmas, I am coming home soon, too.

This week, for your surprise, you can do another camp-out in the living room one night this weekend. Be sure to bring lots of blankets, because it will probably get very cold on the floor at night. Also, if you build a fort, be sure to put everything away by 3:00 the next day. If you would like, you guys can go to target and get some snacks and watch movies on your campout night.

Ok, I'll write you guys again next week.

I love you guys.

Love,
Daddy.

A Letter to My Wife - Part 11

Well, this last week has been pretty "easy," at least by Army BCT standards. We have continued our PT and worked on our Drill and Ceremony in preparation for our graduation ceremony. I know that you guys probably wanted to come out and see, but since I'll be home in a few weeks anyways, we can celebrate my graduation when I return for Christmas.

And I'm not the only one graduating. You have been right here with me, in my heart, the whole time. As you have been carrying yourself and the Brats through the world without me, you have also carried me through training. I know this has not been easy on you, but still, you have stood by me. Therefore, for myself and on behalf of the United States Army, I would like to thank you for and recognize you for all that you have done.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Certificate of Recognition

Private 2nd Class "Delta"
of the United States Army

hereby recognizes

A Loving and Beautiful Wife

for exceptional bravery in time of separation,
and outstanding performance in fulfilling all duties
and responsibilities of two parents in the absence of one.

Your proud service to Private "Delta,"
to the Army Brats,
and to the United States Army is greatly appreciated.

Just know that you have still been on my mind, every single day. I love you and miss you very much. Some may think that over time, it gets easier to miss someone, but that really hasn't been the case for me. I miss you just as much now as I always have when we're apart.

Tomorrow is Payday again. This week I think you ought to get yourself some Art-type things. What do you think? I know you've been wanting that storage thingy for your art supplies, and now would be a good time to get it. While your at it, go ahead and replenish any of your art supplies you may need for upcoming projects. No sense in having an empty storage unit. :)

Okay, well I'll be home soon. Can't wait to see you again.

I love you.

Love,
Your Husband.

A Letter to My Kids - Part 11

Well, it's that time again folks.

Check and make sure you guys have been on good behavior, because this one's a biggy.

Is the answer yes?

If so, today is your lucky day. Well actually, tomorrow, because we don't get paid until tomorrow. You each get.... drumroll please.......... $20! Holy crap, that's alot of money! Buy whatever you would like with the money, and be good and nice and helpful to earn next week's surprise.

I love you guys.

Love,
Daddy.

A Letter to My Wife - Part 10

Holy freakin' crap. I made it through the most intense week of my life and I survived (I hope... hopefully these posts aren't coming from "beyo-o-o-ond the gra-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ave." Ha ha ha). I spent the last week surviving off of very little sleep (which was done outdoors in the dead of winter), and crappy "food." Actually, I'm not sure if this stuff can legally be called food. That's probably why they're called MRE's. I have decided that MRE means "Might Regurgitate Everything." It's alot like eating neatly packaged shit out of a plastic bag. Never thought I'd say it, but boy is that chow in the Mess Hall DELICIOUS! But we spent the last week many miles from the Mess Hall, so we ate what we got. This phase of our training was crazy intense, and also alot work and alot of fun.

Our platoon worked together as a team to overcome some seemingly impossible obstacles in the midst of a full-scale battle simulation. Some of the other platoons tried to kill us by day, while our drill sergeants had a little fun trying to kill us on those rare occasions when we dared to sleep.

After spending the last week and all of our energy fighting our way through Victory Forge, we all felt like real god-damned soldiers. On the 9 mile march in the middle of the night back to base, we really looked like a bunch of veterans fresh out of battle!

And when we returned to base, the Battalion Commander and a whole slew of Drill Sergeants were there to greet us. As it turns out, it wasn't just in our heads that we felt like soldiers. Our drill sergeants, who have mistreated us and pushed us to our breaking points in every which way possible were there to recognize us as real-deal US Army Soldiers. Even the Commander recognized us no longer as recruits, but as American Soldiers.

As it turns out, our drill sergeants really are human after all. The crazy realization after all this is not only are they human, but the actually love us and regard us as Brothers. Everything that they have done over the last couple of months has not been done to us, but done for us, to make us stronger, to make us better, and to help us become the best damned soldiers we can possibly be. After all that we have been through, we owe them a huge debt of gratitude for all that they have done for us. Cheers to the United States Army Drill Sergeants, the baddest and best instructors in the world!

To celebrate our achievement, I would like for you and the kids to go out to dinner this week at the Olive Garden or a restaurant of your choosing. While you're there, raise your glasses and toast the fact that I am now officially an American Soldier!

And when you are done with your toast, raise your glasses again. Salute yourselves for your own outstanding courage in making it through each and every day on your own. These last couple of months have been a true test of your own will and determination, and you have passed with flying colors!

I love you all. And I'll see you soon.

Love,
Your Husband.