30 may 05: Memorial Day

Thank a Vet. Thanks a soldier or other service member. They will probably tell you I didn't do anything special. I know cause that is what I usually say. But the older I get I realize that these young soldiers sign for so many reasons but never realize that most of the free world is free because of the blood that their fellow soldiers have shed for others.

There is no greater later love than this that a man lay down his life for that of his friends.

Okay on a lighter note. Those of you out there tracking my fitness levels. I did something I have not done in a while. I went 5 3min rounds in a row. So I am almost back to where I need to be.

"Come home with your sheild or on it!"

19 May 05: Toby Keith, you the man!

Okay so on the 17th Toby Keith came to on his USO of the war zone. I got to help a little in the hopes of getting a picture for my wife of the Most famous sooner from her home town. I was priviliged to be there for the release of his new song "I was good once". So I go to be back stage when he arrived. Now for those of you who saw the CMA's might of noticed that Toby was wearing his sunglass for the whole show. I know why. Here is the secret. When he arrived and got off the bus to do the show. He was tired I mean beat. I am soldier I know tired/exhaustion. He stumbled in the gravel just ever so slightly but he recovered gracefully. The conditions were hot a miserable. But man did the army show up in support.
The conditions here are far from what most Famous people are accustomed to but he was gracious and nice I never heard him complain not once. Not about the heat the accomadations. Not one word. He had already done like 6 shows in the last 2 days or something ridiculous like that. He was so tired that if I could have given him all of my energy just to continue on his tour. I done it never complained about it. Not just cause he is an Okie. Just cause he was suffering to come and entertain us soldiers serving in this war torn land. He did it all with out complaining.

The CMA guys said he needed to do two takes of that new song. He simply responded "I ain't here for them I am here for them he said motioning toward soldiers. They can get it one take. Besides they don't much like me anyway."

That man has got my support forever.

Toby Keith,

Boomer Sooner.

You the Man.

"Don't go gentle into that good night. Rage, Rage, Against the dying of the light!"
Dylan Thomas

16 May 05: Excitement?

Okay for those of you who know me I am sure I don't have to tell you. But for any of you who don't know me I tend to be a little bit of a thrill seeker, adrenaline junkie. Just keep that in mind.

Do to a comedy of errors on the part of my little team which is minus two people at the moment we failed to pick up one of our guys that had come in from one of the more remote locations to go on leave.

I went to the work like I normally do. Relying on my trusty sidekick to deliver said soldier to BIAP. So you can imagine my surprise when said soldier walks up to me at 0720 and says "hey the ride did not show" Okay so I was alittle animated. But I must be starting to settle down in my later life cause I was like okay we just take the truck and take you down there.

1st Problem: NO key! The key was with the guy who was supposed to pick up the soldier going on leave in the first place. I now have 25 mins to get the guy to BIAP for his roll call so he can get his flight. I need a truck. Witness the fun of Vick's very own 24.

2nd Problem: NO Buddy aid! So I go to old realible buddy of mine named SSG Cundiff who is always capable of bailing you out in a jam. But to get to him I have to do the mad 71 step dash down stairs and 100m across the palace to the admin areas. At 6'5" and 220+ not to much a guy like him can't bail you out of to be honest. He is not in Yet. now I have 24 mins.

3rd problem: Still need a truck! Need to ask for more help. So then jog over to the ops center and talk to another guy who knows. Who wants to know why I need a truck. Explinations take time. But I get the keys to another vehicle. And we sprint like BAtman and Robin from the Batcave to the Batmobile (an explorere in our cases) it is now 21 mins and we still have 300m sprint through the palace down the road to the parking lot. Lucky for us the Local boys from the big Island (Hawaii) saw us running and opened the Gate to the palace road. Which made it easy since I had a duffle on my shoulder and the Soldier had his helmet and body armor and carry on.

4th problem: Find the truck! But I am thinking on my feet pushed the panic button. Explorer found. No sweat. I now have 20 mins.

5th problem: Time! It takes 20 minutes at 60 kph to get to the airport. The speed limit is 40 kph. So what is a guy like me gonna do.

Solution: I learned to drive in the District!!!!!!!!! So for my boys from high school and college that have been with me all this time and are thinking "hey Vick's getting old he has lost a step or two!" Don't let the miles on me fool ya. There is still some fight left in this old dog. Remember exeprience and treachery always beats youth and endurance.

So driving like I sotle it. We set a WR/Olympic/FOB (forward operationg base) record for getting from the palace to BIAP in 16 minutes. It would have been 13 but I got stuck for 3 mins behind a septic waste truck. That would have been the equivalent for Dan jansen's 1000m skate in his last Olympics.

We arrived with time to spare at the airport. The soldier I was transporting was happy and did not even turn green. That was such andraline rush for me. Ahh... the life of desk jockey.

So just remember Kifer ain't got nothing on Vick!

I hope this find you all well.

Vick

"Remeber the tree of liberty must be replenished from time to time with the blood of both dictators and patriots."

14 May 05: Ground Hog day

I have gotten alot of questions of what average day is like. To be honest the sad part of it is my life is alot like ground hog day. The only difference is the passage of time. In the movie Bill Murray continued to live the same day over and over. My situation is kind of a little worse. The days pass but every day is like every other day.

So average day looks a little like this.

0400-0430 wake up
0430-0500 move to workout site
0500-0600 workout (M,W,F) /train fighters (T,R)
0600-0700 shower/eat walk to work (this is a 2 mile circut)
0700-1100 work (referred to as cubicle life in the movie office space)
1100-1200 eat lunch (fight your way through the H.S. cafeteria)
1200-1400 work (see above)
1400-1600 Lift (stress release... its a godd thing)
1600-1800 work (see two above)
1800-1900 eat move to gym
1900-2000 Cardio workout
2000-2130 Boxing class (I instruct with a few others)
2130-2230 Train fighters
2230-2330 move to trailer/shower
So that is pretty much what mon-fri looks like.

Sunday through church and an apoligetics class into that mix.

So just like prison you do the same things everyday and occasionally the boss lets you out in the Yard to play with the other inmates.

Considering the 80 person strong boxing class I run with 4 instructors; I wonder if anyone is concerned I might be raising my own army? ;)
So hope all is well back in the States. The Greatest country in the world.

"Come home with your sheild or on it."

11 MAY 05: Built in Weather Alert

For those of you familiar with my multiple injuries over the course of my short 30 yrs I have found something new that makes my joint hurt. Never saw this one coming.

But dust storms have the same effect as rain and snow.

So I can accurately predict when there is a dust storm coming up. The funny thing is the dust storms make my shoulders hurt more than any of my other injuries not really sure why.

But man the last big sand storm got both shoulders, left knee, neck, and right ankle. I know some of you are thinking wow that is alot of previous injuries.

Train hard. "Remember you will get all the rest you need when you are dead." Alright movie buffs what movie was that in.

9 May 05: Basrah part III

Okay so I promised this like weeks ago. But here it is.

So we get back to the base that night and discover there is quite the active nightlife at this little camp. The british know how to work hard and play hard. There is farewell for the Dane Plans officer or the G3 for you military types. He has this ceremony which is very cool. He inductes everyone who is leaving into Val halla. So by now you have figured out this guys is a dane (viking) from denmark not to be confused with the Dutch from Holland.

So I discover there are two pubs ont he base. The brits have a strictly officers club. Which is quite tame and proper. Then on the back side of camp or the wrong side of the tracks if you ask me the brits have the all ranks club.

So those of you who know me have probably figured out where I ended up. If you guessed the all ranks club you are right. Now Young Berlin is walking around talking to every british lass he can find. So he mets one talks for a little bit then he is like okay sir come take the photo. I do. It was nice to just sit in the pub. Unlike foriegn soldiers US soldiers are not allowed to drink so we just drank lemonade and stuff and talked to the brits to see how it was in their country and army as opposed to ours.

Then we went to bed about 2200. Then we got up at 0500 to be over at the airport to get back on our flight to Baghdad. So we get to the airport and have to check in like we are at a civilian airport back stateside. Just like the airports back home you stand in line and the ticket guy does not call you to the counter until the exact boarding time. Doesn't even acknowledge your presence. I thought it was so funny. So we wait for like an hour sleeping on the floor of the gate just like in a real airport and then they call us over the loud speaker and we go board the plane.

Ah British pilots. I love these guys. So due to missle threats we have to do all this fancy flying right after we take off. So the pilot does all these hard banks and turns and stuff. Pulling G's in a C-130 wow it was like a wild rollercoaster ride that smells of diesel fuel.

I look left. A british officer blows chuncks into his little baggie. after and hour and a half I wake up cause we are just circling the airport in Baghdad. So typical. I am getting delayed in war zone. So we do the corkscrew on the way down. More Gs until just before we touch down. Same brit officer blows chunks again. He was obviously not a paratrooper cuase the 3 paratroopers on the plane all americans were like wow were actually gonna get to land in a plane. Not to mention we enjoyed the rollercoaster ride.

So that was it for basrah.

7 MAY 05

To my friends: Ben and Tracy,
Thanks for being in my life. You have truly made life more sweeter and me a better man because of it. Well today is the day! It is hard for me to be sure as the time difference really messes with my head. Kinda like the clapping in the adam sandler Thanksgiving song. Can'tell you how bad I wish I could be there / want to be at this wedding. But alas duty calls! Fear Not! Captain America is on duty. ;) So I hope you wedding is everything you dream it to be. I am so glad you found each other. Life is so much more fun when you have someone to share it with. I look for many more visits to see you guys up in the District when I get back from this other desert.

So take lots of pictures. I hope my girls are extra special good for you.

love you guys.

Wish I was there!!!!!!

1 MAY 05: Weigh In

Well again for those of you keeping tabs on me then you will be happy to know. I tipped the scale at 190. For those who don't remember I got here at 210. Which was very heavy for me. But in 3.5 months I have lost 20 lbs. So that is a good thing.
At this rate I should be at 180 by july. We will see.