ELDP TX National Guard

For our National Guard/Border Patrol trip we went to Laredo, Camp Swift and Camp Mabry and Navy Ft Worth

 The TX Jt Counterdrug TF was impressive

 At a run-down drug house that was identified for destruction, you can see one of the articles that fell and grew at the entrance.

 the guard partners with Border Patrol and the city to remove these houses

 they made quick work of it

 all gone

 this is the road on the border

 the Laredo rail bridge across the Rio Grande

 Our southern border

 we commuted around Texas in vans

 Beautiful Camp Swift

 our barracks

 we got to shoot a 50 Cal and an M240 machine gun, ammo behind us

 then we got an HH60 ride

 waiting for our ride

 the birds

loading

 the cockpit

 sitting by the open door

 following lead

 my boot by the edge

 Austin

 counter-drug drone

 static displays at Camp Mabry

 impressive tail flash

 we set up a traveling Vietnam memorial wall

 it was an excellent experience, though we had to race the inbound thunderstorms

 dinner at an Indian restaurant

 goat curry

 we had a C-130 ride with the TX ANG

as everyone was strapping in, the Nav came back and recognized me; he was friend from flight school and the Academy, so he had me come up and ride in the cockpit with him

 we got to see the mobile emergency operations center, which I'm sure is getting plenty of work with the current flooding

 from this trip I brought the kids candy apples

 they were a hit

 oh yeah

 then it was farewell to TX until the following month when I returned to San Antonio

ELDP Ft Benning

To learn about the army we went to Ft Benning, and my sister and her husband just happen to be stationed there for training.

Several in the class threw a baby shower for me and the others whose significant others are expecting and it was great to take my Sis and brother-in-law

At the school of infantry 

 The tank simulator bay

 taking it for a drive

 sims are always a good time

 full motion, I took it off jumps and tried to roll it

 on a simulated mission

 the counter-IED training center

 definitely a learning organization

 Then we met the Army marksmanship team

 impressive world champions

 they let us shoot their air pistols and air rifles

 they are really good teachers

 shooting in the bulls eye, if you get it it's a ten and then how centered you get it is a higher decimal point

 this is their olympic outfit

 come with me if you want to live

 this was our escort's car...very nice

 then it was on to the Humvee rollover trainer

 this thing would totally tip upside-down and then you practice getting out

 real tanks...we did not get to drive those around, unfortunately

 then we went to the ranger school to repel and run on their obstacle course

 part of the course

 some of the Squad 3 amigos

 the tower

 We did not go down Aussie style, but it was impressive to see

 Then we went to the Infantry Museum

 displays of all of our nations conflicts

 it was an impressive set up

 down to the current conflicts

 I was most impressed with what soldiers had acquired that they had donated to the museum

 like Goering's baton

 Japanese swords

 

 a soldier took that bust of Hitler and turned it upside down and used it as a waste basket

 Saddam's sword

 such a blessing to get to learn more about the Army and to visit with family

pretty nice base housing