SoldierMedic's blog

Greetings from South of the Equator! Screw fall, I'm going to enjoy a little bit of spring.

I've been on the move for about the past month, eating tibbs at this city, purchasing a Rungu in another (or almost any Maasai type of weapon I can). Anyways, there is a lot of Obama merchandise here. I knew that the American president was popular in Africa, but I really wasn't aware that so many saw him as a merchandising opportunity. I don't plan on purchasing any Obama merchandise, but I did find it interesting.

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I've currently got non-crappy internet service, so I figured I would update everybody on my African adventures. I can't think of anything in particular to say, so here is a Jackson Pollack-like blog on Africa.

Except for my doxy, I'm doing fine. I say except for my doxy because the anti-malarial has the quirky side-effect of giving you strange dreams. I have no idea why this happens, but it does.

The food is very "blah", but you get used to it. Every Tuesday is "Taco Tuesday", and it is the highlight of my week.

I've lost about 20 pounds, in part because I have to walk everywhere, but also because we have a nice gym on a base with nothing to do. If you have never heard of "cross-fit", I recommend you do so.

Sorry, but I really have nothing to say about the book "Starship Troopers", it was just the best title I could think of right now. I'm sweaty and tired, so my brain doesn't want to work at 100%.

My previous skirt with possible deployment actually panned out 1 week after my last blog. For those curious about my disappearance, it was due to pre-deployment training. A couple of weeks of medical training followed by a couple of weeks of training with my deploying unit, and on to now were I am receiving all my hooah-hooah equipment and additional deployment training. It's 91 Degrees today, and with the weight of body armor it feels like I'm standing on the sun. Add in my combat load, and the we are talking about a pretty shitty situation. But I'm still liking this experience.

For almost three years I have been on a quest. And for three years I have been denied, even when the prize of my conquest seems so attainable. But this was the closest I have ever come to it.

I have been waiting for almost 3 years after volunteering online for a deployment through the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) website. And nothing has yet to happen from that. I have tried to get deployed in another method as well; keeping my feelers out for intel, I came across a unit setting up for a deployment to Iraq that needed a medic. But my unit would not release me to them.

A million apologies, but I need to get on my soapbox for a moment.

With the holidays approaching I would like to implore everybody who is eligable to donate blood. The revelry of Christmas and the New Year produce quite a bit of drunken accidents, and cold and icy conditions do a lot of damage on their own. I saw recently in the Seattle PI that it takes 900 donors A DAY to keep the blood centers adaquately stocked in Puget Sound. I hope that that many people donate, but the realist in me believes that that many do not.

Now, if you have Type O blood (45% of the US does), it becomes even more critical that you donate. Why? Two main reasons:

1) You are a universal donor. It does not matter of the recipient is A, B, AB, or O, your blood will be accepted by the person receiving it.