1-40 CAV Yellow Garter Event

We got to participate in a Yellow Garter event a few weeks ago. It was a blast! We got to see/do some of the things our husbands do every day. The hurry up and wait was annoying, but other than that it was awesome! For those of you that don't know, Aaron is the 1-40 CAV C-Troop Commander. It was the other C-Troop wives and I that made up Team 1 & 2. There were teams there from every troop (i.e. Alpha, Bravo, Delta & HHT).

The yellow garter is another great Cavalry tradition. It goes along with the solider and their spur ride. Below is a little explanation of the Order of the Yellow Garter:

"Around the late 1700's & early 1800's, wives, girlfriends and fiancées of the Cav Troopers who protected the wagon trains headed west, would often tie a yellow scarf or ribbon around their hat, arm, or parasol. This was to show that they anxiously awaited the return of "their soldiers." Some would tie the scarf or ribbon to their purse, or wear yellow ribbons in their hair to show support.

Over the years this idea has taken many forms, such as the wearing of yellow ribbons or tying yellow ribbons on trees and houses.

Cavalry tradition has it that when a new wife came to her first Hail and Farewell she was welcomed into the "Order of the Garter" by the most junior officer or non-commissioned officer. This Trooper would welcome each wife by placing a yellow garter on her leg and a kiss on her cheek for good luck at her new post. The wife was encouraged to wear her "yellow garter" to all Cavalry functions or when her Trooper was deployed."

Different soldiers and husbands caught the madness of our day...

 

 We ran about 1/2 mile. They would have done it in a lot less time if it wasn't for me! I hate running. I really hate running with Army gear on.We were still the fastest team that day.

 

 

  The previous 4 pictures were us at the jump tower. We were briefed on how to hurl yourself out  of the 34 foot tower. It sounded easy, then I climbed to the top! You were supposed to jump out from the platform, I just stepped off. Aaron said I was lucky I didn't hit my butt! He was up in the tower cheering me on. He was awesome and video taped everyone of the Chaos ladies jumping out of the tower. They kept telling us that jumping out of a 34 ft tower was no scarier than jumping out of a 100 ft tower. I'm not sure I believe that but they say it is a proven theory. I am just glad I got the 34 ft tower! It was scary and awesome at the same time. It only took me a few minutes to jump out. Once you jumped the scary part was over. After that you just enjoyed the ride! Oh, and prayed you didn't kick the soldier at the end who was trying to unhook you!

 

I learned how to drive a humvee. Not a comfortable ride at all! I went over the suggested speed limit. 

Shhh, don't tell anyone.

 We learned how to use the M4. I wasn't do great at keep the safety on. Oops! Also, we learned how to clear a room. And by room I mean, a fake room in a gravel parking lots with tape on the ground depicting the walls.

That is my friend Bridget in the foreground. I am in the back. Aaron is trying to help me practice for the shooting event. We got 15 rounds and a target to hit. I didn't go great. The solider counted that I hit 10. They were all together in one bunch right below the target. I think he counted generously! I wish I could do it again. Although, I would want to do it with no one else shooting. It was nerve wracking! I would get ready to shoot and everyone else started to shoot. Guns are just not my thing.

Chaos team #1 with our walker (soldier who took us from event to event and put up with our crap all day), SGT Walker. 

All in all it was a really fun day! I don't know how Aaron does it all the time. I was exhausted at the end of the day. And the next day my neck was killing me! But it was totally worth the experience! Thanks 1-40 soldiers for making such a great even for us!

The wives got their yellow garters at the ball. Me, getting mine. :)

My team minus one showing off our garters. Thanks for a great day ladies! Oh, I look classy with the beer right?! It wasn't even mine! I swear.

An Army Wife

A black hawk helicopter filled my windshield the other day driving onto post. I didn't bat an eye.

Soldiers run by me with all their gear + plus gun. It doesn't phase me.

I show my ID every time I want to get groceries, drive on post, pay for gas or receive medical care. Grasping for my ID is automatic.

Aaron has deployed twice to Afghanistan. I gladly hold down the fort till he gets back.

I am deafened for a moment when Air Force planes zoom by. I just turn up the radio.

I slow to 10mph when hoards of soldiers run by me in the morning. I look to see who is wearing what color PT belt. 

Aaron he gets saluted, he salutes back and vice versa. I always make sure I am on the left side when walking with him.


Just about everyone calls me ma'am. I just smile. (This makes me crazy.)

I can hear shots from the gunnery range from my living room. I'm not scared.

Aaron is sometimes required to attend mandatory fun.  I get in the car and then ask where we are going.

I have lived in 4 states in 6 years. I am excited to find out where we go next.

Wives leave and new wives arrive. We take them under our wing, no questions asked.

Aaron goes to the field for a week. I program all the sappy shows into the DVR.

I think nothing of these things. It's  life. But it occurred to me the other day, these things might not be normal. I don't care. I like being an Army wife.

Airborne

I helped out with a FRG fundraiser yesterday and was rewarded with a chance to go out to the dropzone to watch a jump. Aaron has jumped out of a plane many times. I believe he is up to 22 jumps or so but I have never seen him jump. And let's be honest, even if I saw the jump he was on, I would never be able to tell which one was him. Watching the jump was a pretty awesome sight! Aaron wasn't jumping yesterday because since he graduated JumpMaster class he was working safety on the plane. (Yes, I am bragging. I am really proud of him. I think he is pretty awesome!)

Sorry for the crappy quality. Once again I ran out of the house without my camera. But in my defense I did a have 6 month old, all her stuff, 100 brown bags filled with snacks and table!

He's Home!

And I couldn't be happier!

Where Men Win Glory

This video was brought to my attention and thought it would be an interesting piece to share. When Aaron's former unit at Fort Drum, 3-71 CAV, was deployed to Afghanistan the author Jon Krakauer, came along on some missions for research for his new book Where Men Win Glory. Krakauer has written Into the Wild and Into Thin Air. I have read them both and enjoyed them both.

The video doesn't involve Aaron's old troop but it does involve 3-71's Alpha Troop. It is interesting to see the conditions these guys had to fight in and the people they met along the way.

Click the link below to watch the video. It is about 20 mins but totally worth the time.

Jon Krakauer's Afghan Diary

It made me feel a little sick and definitely gave me goosebumps watching it. I am glad Aaron has a 'safer' job this deployment even if he doesn't really like it!

My Handsome Hubby

Aaron sent some pics today. Here is one during some PT. Even all sweaty, I still think he is the most handsome man alive! :o)

Some Gave All

Aaron served with SGT Monti in 3-71 CAV at Fort Drum, NY. SGT Monti was a true hero in every sense of the word.

---

Raynham’s Jared C. Monti posthumously awarded Congressional Medal of Honor

By Susan Parkou Weinstein
RAYNHAM —

Janet Monti was home nursing a cold when the call came in. At first, she thought it was a joke.A person who claimed to be a White House aide asked if she would be around for the next half hour. Ten minutes later, she was on the phone with the President.

“He said, ‘I hear you’re a little under the weather,’” she recalled of President Barack Obama’s first words to her. His next words made her swell with a mother’s pride.The president told her he had just signed a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor for her son and would be presenting it to the family in the fall.

Three years after his death, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, son of Paul Monti of Raynham and Janet Monti of Winterville, N.C., will receive the nation’s highest military honor for bravery.

He becomes only the sixth solider from Iraq and Afghanistan to be so recognized.For his mother, the moment was bittersweet.

“All I could think was ‘We’re going to meet the president, but it’s because my son died,’” she said.

Jared Monti was killed by enemy fire on June 21, 2006, while trying to rescue wounded comrades in the mountains of Afghanistan. He was 30.

He died as he lived, with heroism and compassion, those who knew him say.

“He was generous, respected and professional. Everyone in the Army will talk the same way about him,” said Master Sgt. Lee Power who served with Monti at Fort Drum. “He had a quiet confidence. Some people try to sell themselves, but that was not Jared. He knew his job inside and out.”

Jared dreamed of being in the military since he was a child, his mother recalled.And he had the adventurous spirit to match.

When he was 4, he disappeared while playing in the backyard and she found him dangling by the hood of his sweatshirt on the other side of the stockade fence.He once stayed home from school with a fierce migraine but was soon discovered climbing a tree. He seemed to have a guardian angel on his shoulder.

“He was just very lucky. He lived on the edge but he never got hurt,” Janet Monti said.

Jared wanted to be a pilot. When Janet Monti visited her sister in Virginia Beach, she would bring home photos of planes flying out of the Norfolk naval air force base. “That’s all he talked about.”

But chronic headaches kept him from flying. He enlisted in the Army in March 1993.By the time he graduated Bridgewater-Raynham High School in 1994, a star athlete and New England wrestling champion, Jared was ready to serve.

He trained at Fort Sill, Okla. and was one of the first soldiers to undergo forward observer training with the 86^th Airborne.

His generosity was as natural as his ability to lead, colleagues say.

At Fort Bragg, he gave away a $500 kitchen table to a fellow soldier whose children were eating on the floor. In Bosnia, he drove children to school in his Humvee. He gave away all the new clothes his family sent him.

He could have taken a medical discharge after Kosovo from injuries suffered in his numerous parachute jumps. But he signed up for another tour when he learned the men he trained were being deployed.

He arrived in Afghanistan with Task Force Spartan in February 2006. Four months later, his team was occupying a surveillance position when it was ambushed.

Power was in Iraq watching armed forces news when Monti’s face appeared on the screen.

“It took the wind out of me. All his colleagues will tell you it was a blow to them when he fell,” he said.

Janet Monti said she called her mother in Virginia Beach after she spoke to Obama. She was so excited, “I thought she was going to jump through the phone.”

Jared Monti will live on in his hometown where a street corner has been dedicated to him and a children’s park and college scholarship bear his name.

Power said a new building to train fire specialists at Fort Sill will also be named after him.But the medals and honors won’t erase a mother’s pain.

After the Fort Sill dedication and the medal ceremony in the fall, “that’s it,” Janet Monti said. ‘It’s just too hard and it doesn’t get any easier.”

It was emotional for Bob Crown to learn Jared had been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. It was his former son-in-law Derek who Jared saved that fateful day in June.

“Jared’s death tore this family apart. He was still a kid in my eyes,” Crown said. “He deserves this. He deserves this.”
___________________________________________________________________

SGT Monti, you will never be forgotten!

Pride and Prejudice

I feel like I have been going through a ton of different emotions since Aaron left. There are the obvious ones: lonely, scared, sad, stressed, anxious, blah, etc... But today when I was picking up some of his things I felt something different.

Aaron has a 3-ringed binder that he playfully calls his 'love me book'. (He didn't just make it to make it, he takes it with him when he has to prove he has been to a training or school.) It is filled with copies of all his awards, training certifications and his Officer Evaluation Records (OERs). And by going over all these documents a huge sense of pride came over me. Aaron has only been in the Army 5 years but all of his OERs have great reviews! All of his awards have been hard earned. We are lucky enough to be here in AK because a former Col. (now stationed here) did a by name request to get Aaron in his battalion. Now, maybe I am prejudice because he is my hubby (and I think he he is fantastic!) but that is really something special. Aaron works very hard at every job. Even if it isn't a job he likes, he still gives 100%.

And while he isn't sure what his job will be this time around, I know he will go at it with strength, courage and his can do attitude. I am excited and worried all at the same time about what this deployment will have in store for him. But I know he will be great! I am so proud of him! I am proud to be his wife and proud to stand beside him along this crazy military journey. I am truly grateful to God for bringing us together.

Aaron with his brother, Ryan, in Afghanistan 2006.

Our Last Day

Thursday, all of our worldly possessions were packed up by strangers. Friday morning our stuff was put into crates for shipping. And tomorrow we are headed out of Maine for good.

We have lived in Maine almost a year to the day exactly. And I must say, I have loved every second of it. Well, maybe not on the super snowy days but it was good practice for Alaska. ha ha! I enjoyed all the state parks, the beaches (aka rocky coastlines), lighthouses, fresh seafood and all the old New England homes. If you ever get a chance to come to Maine you should. It is a gorgeous place! You will not be disappointed.

I was able to find a good job with great co-workers. Who knew an Army wife could get along so well in the Navy world? I have made many good friends here who I will miss. I had a lot of fun with Becca, Catherine and her two little boys, Jase & Chipper. I will miss you guys!

Tomorrow we head off on the first leg of our journey seeing family and friends and the beginning of another great adventure!

Alaska Bound

Aaron finally got our orders and it is official (as official as anything can be in the Army), we are moving to Anchorage, Alaska! Aaron has to report by May 1st, so the next few weeks are going to be completely crazy!

Somewhere around the first week in April we are heading home to PA to spend some time with friends and family before we start to make our cross country trek. I am hoping it will be a fun adventure seeing the United States on a road trip. We could have flown but we are taking the Harley and some much needed household goods because it takes awhile to get your stuff moved when you are moving base somewhere outside of the continental United States.

Plus, we didn't feel right about making Boone fly. He has never done it and I think he would be terrified. Plus, how do we know how he would be treated? Does he get potty breaks? Water? It would have been a really long time for him to be in such a crazy environment.

We are really excited about our new adventure and before you ask yes, we will probably be up there awhile. So if anyone wants to vacation in Alaska, you now have a great excuse!

Keep us in your prayers and I will keep you posted!

Just the Beginning

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. Two Fridays ago, Aaron and I started out on a crazy week. I met up with him Friday night at the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel in Bartlett, NH. He was there for the Army ATC and Saturday night they had their Battalion ball. This was my 3rd ball so I knew what to expect. The best part is getting to dress up and see Aaron in his dress blue uniform.

For those of you that remember last years pics from the ball, I am wearing the same dress. I figured why buy another when none of these people have seen it? Plus, it helped the stress level not having to find a new dress, shoes and jewelry! I had lots of other things going on like wrapping all our Christmas presents. But that is for the next few posts.

See below for a few photos...

Isn't he handsome!?! And no, I have no idea why my arm is so stiff. :o)

Aaron and our friend, Garrett.

Catherine (Garrett's wife), me and Rebecca.

Sunday morning we headed out for a week with our families. There will be lots of pics to come of the trip. This is just the beginning! Right now I am just trying to sort through them all. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday!

Go Army! Beat Navy!

We got a new flag today. I plan on displaying it out front proudly! And maybe if we are lucky irritate our neighbors in the process (we live in Navy housing). Ha ha...just kidding...well, sort of!

(USMA Black Knight)

What?!?

Sometimes, I just don’t understand people. Actually, a lot of time I don’t understand people. And I learned something today that disturbed me and validated my confusion.

I don’t know much about the Navy. I actually think I could tell you everything I know in under a minute. It’s not that I don’t care to know, well, I guess I really don’t care to know. I have a hard enough time with Army stuff. But there is one big difference I have found. When I come through the Naval Air Station gate they salute me and in the Army they never did. I must say, I love the Army for not doing it. It makes me feel uncomfortable and weird.

Every morning, I call dispatch and request a fund escort so I can go around to the safes and retrieve the money. I have gotten to know the police that escort me around and they are all very nice. They probably think I am a pain because I ask them a lot of questions. Well, the other today I asked about the whole saluting thing. Here is how the conversation went:

Me: “Why are they saluting me? I don’t like it.”

Police: “They are saluting the sticker.”

Me: “I’m sorry…WHAT?!”

Police: “They are saluting your sticker.”

Now, for those of you not in the military let me explain the way the stickers work. In order to enter into a military base you must have a Dept. of Defense sticker. It shows you registered your car and are not a threat (I don’t know how they figure that but oh well). Enlisted get a red sticker with the base name and officers get a blue sticker on their car. All of our vehicles have a blue sticker.

I proceeded to tell my friend how dumb I thought that was and he explained the situation. Apparently, some officer’s wife complained one day that her car wasn’t being saluted so there was an e-mail sent around the fix the problem. And the gate guards were instructed to start saluting all officer vehicles.

Does anyone else think this is one of the most egotistical/moronic things you have ever heard? I don’t know who this lady was but apparently she thinks she is much more important than she is.
Aaron is in the military, I am not. I am a military wife but that is it. I didn’t put in all the man hours and hard work that went into becoming an officer. I haven’t put up with all the stress and responsibility that comes with being a leader. I haven’t earned the right or the respect that comes with being saluted.

I have come across a lot of great military wives! A LOT! But I have also come across quite a few who wear their husbands rank like their own. I have seen them strut around and talk down to those lower in rank. I am NOT one of these people and I never want to be one of these people. I think sometimes people get crazy when it comes to rank. But one thing I do know is that saluting wives is not right. OK, I know they said they were saluting the sticker but it seemed to me this lady wanted to be saluted herself. Don't you think?

I don’t want to be saluted….ever. I find it a little disrespectful to the soldiers who have earned that right. I don’t know what is wrong with people. I find it hard to swallow that someone could be that selfish. Aaron has his career and I will support him until the day he dies. And I have mine and I know he supports me. He would never walk into my cube and demand something just because I am the central cashier (I know how dumb that sounds but you get my point!).

I guess, I will chalk this experience up to one more thing that I don’t understand about people.

The Time Will Come Again

It has been a little over a year since Aaron touched down at Fort Drum, NY after being away for 16 months. I little over a year since the girls and I were waiting anxiously for all the pomp and circumstance to be over, just so we could get our arms around the men we loved.

Having Aaron home this past year has been amazing. We fell right back into our life together. It was hard not to want to hold onto him 24 hours a day. It was hard to give him his space at first. I am sure there were days he felt I was suffocating him. But I just couldn't help it. And those of you who have experienced a deployment (or had someone in your life gone for awhile) know what I am talking about.

The year since his return has been a little nuts to say the least. I don't know where the last year has gone. I really don't! We left Drum in August, lived at Knox for 7 months and now we are here in Maine. The funny thing about the madness is that I have loved every minute of it! No matter what happens we are together. It sure beats 16 months of worrying about Aaron, wondering when he will get to call me and hoping/praying that the car door you heard shut outside at 11:00 pm doesn't bring with it men in Class A uniforms.

The year he was gone I relied heavily on women I had only known a short time. Because of this deployment these women have become life-long friends and my family. Frannie, Karen, Erin and Briana are a remarkable set of ladies. I was lucky to find such outstanding, strong, loyal, courageous women to help me through. They all have since moved on from Fort Drum too. Frannie and Matt recently bought their first home (Yeah!) and are living in OH. Karen and Clay recently moved to NC, where they bought their first home (Yeah!) as well. Erin and John are still in the Army, living in AL with their two beautiful girls. Briana and Ryan were the first to leave the Army for OH. They too have bought their first home (Yeah!) and have added little Delaney to our family (double Yeah!).

Recently, 'Welcome Home' signs have been popping up all over the neighborhood. Living in Navy housing I would expect it. But I didn't realize how much it would affect me. I am a little embarrassed to say that I always tear up seeing them. Every time! I guess it is because I know the feeling. I know the feeling of counting down the days/hours/ minutes until you can see the one you love. It also makes me feel a little sick knowing that our time for deployment will come again and Aaron will be off to a far away place. I am not looking forward to it.

People always say 'I don't know how you did it'. And sometimes I wonder too. But I don't know how to explain it. I just did it. I did it because I love Aaron. I would rather spend a year without him then not be married to him at all. I chose to love him for the rest of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way, madness and all!

I can't wait to see what the next year together will bring.

Welcome Home Ceremony June 2007
(John, Erin, Karen, Clay, Aaron, Me, Matt & Frannie)

First Attempt

Aaron has asked me quite a few times (in the past) if I would consider cutting his hair. He gets frustrated that when he has time to go to a barber shop, it's closed. And he hates paying a lot for a hair cut that is so simple. He asked me again yesterday as we were looking for a barber and I finally said I would try.

I'm not a barber! I have never even cut bangs on a women before. I don't know what made me say yes. So there we were a little awhile later looking at clippers at Target. I started to panic a little. What if I mess up? What if I cut him? He had answers for all my worries. Mostly he kept saying "I will just shave my head if it doesn't work". And to be perfectly honest, I didn't want him to shave his head. I like what little hair he has!

Yesterday night was my first attempt at playing barber. Aaron had cut a lot of hair in Afghanistan, so he was great at showing me where to cut, how to hold the clippers, and what size guard to use. After about 1 hour and 1/2, I was finally done. Now, I know that is an excessive amount of time but I went really slow and had a few panic attacks along the way.

Aaron in the middle of the hair cutting process. I couldn't resist!

It turned out pretty well. Aaron was really supportive and he didn't end up shaving his head. I did really well on the front and sides. But shaving and blending the back of his head will take some practice. Hopefully sooner than later I will master the high skin fade!

One class down and one to go!

Yesterday, Aaron graduated from the Maneuver Captains Career Course. It was an hour of speakers, awards, diplomas, and propaganda videos (Fran, Karen and Erin, I know you know what I mean!)

The last six months have been preparing the soldiers to command Armor and other combined Army units. The course teaches tactics, maintenance, training methods, leaderships and staff function just to name a a few.

Here are a few pictures from before and during the ceremony:

Aaron receiving his diploma.

His small group class.

Isaac, Aaron and Titus (from Switzerland).

My buddy, Paul and I.

This one is obvious.

There were 13 of us last night who went out to 4th Street Live in Louisville to celebrate and say our goodbyes. It was the first time I had been there and we had a blast. We started with good food at The Pub and then headed to Felt where we played pool and talked for hours.

On Monday, Aaron starts the CAV Leader Course. This class will only be 3 weeks. Then we will be headed off to Maine!

16th CAV Regimental Ball

Last Thursday, Aaron and I attended the 16th Cavalry Regimental Ball at Caesars Indiana. The night was filled with toasts, speeches (Guest speaker: Major General Robert. M. Willams) , food (The steak and chicken were great!) marriage proposals and weird traditions. We had a good time but remarked that we missed our 3-71 friends. I guess things can't stay the same forever.

Here we are all dressed up. I know, I know my dress is red. I need to get a new color. But I really liked this dress!

Here you can see the dress from the back and my hair. My hair was falling out before I even left the house. But with the help of my neighbor, Christie, and Aaron a crisis was averted.

Paul, Isaac and Aaron.

This is Aaron's class. If you are wondering why some uniforms look different, it is because there are students from Switzerland, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Sylvania.

Oh, and if you are wondering about the proposal...the girl said yes!

Never Forget...

Happy Veteran's Day!