1 Week Left!

Thursday, September 23rd

Hey Everybody!

With everything winding down and Turning Blue and Graduation just a few days away, I wanted to take the time to THANK YOU ALL for the support, prayers, letters, and cards, jokes, articles, pictures and anything else I may have forgotten over the past 13 weeks.

It goes without saying that this has been a difficult 3 1/2 months. There have been days of anticipation, days of regret, of questioning, motivation, accomplishment, despair, frustration, heartache, anxiety, suspense and jubilation. It's safe to say that I have felt a lot of different emotions, but I always kept my eye on the future and reminded myself what I had to lose if I didn't finish. You have no idea how many times I have flipped through the pictures you all sent to remind myself of better times and as motivation to move past what's dragging me down.

Many of you went out of your way to write consistently to me which I really appreciated. It was great to know that on a normal Wednesday I could expect a letter. It was also amazing on the days when it just seemed that everyone wrote. I think my record was 11 or 12 letters in one night! Needless to say, you made a lot of the guys here jealous with how much mail I received. You all helped keep me sane and motivated, Oh.... and actually feel like a real person HAHA!

With that being said, this past week of recovery (so far...) hasn't been that bad. We clean weapons pretty much all day, go to chow, PT in the morning, and clean some more. So as you can see.....very exciting days!

Other than that, not much is going on. We're all counting the days down until we are finally free of Ft. Benning and our Drill Sergeants! I'm just waiting for the first ice cold beer....that's when I'll know that I'm really free HAHA! Well at least for 12 days until I report to Alaska. Has that thrown anyone else for a loop? I really wasn't expecting that assignment, but it should be cool.

Alright, Take Care Everyone! Hopefully this makes it before Tuesday.

SPC Martin

PS You should probably stop sending mail because I probably won't get it.....