Two Months Done (Still not dwelling on how long to go...)

The 28th brings another month since I rolled into San Angelo on June 28th. Two months are done. I have vastly less to report on since I haven't left town since my early July trip to Fredericksburg. What's been going on?

HF1 explores Schleicher County, Texas.

• I still miss my family terribly (duh).
• I miss the thought of preparing for the Shattuck school year with friends and colleagues.
• The weather is still very warm, although the hundreds have yielded to 95s and 97s mostly.
• I am still old compared to the embryos marching around here.
• The coursework in the intelligence operations course is getting more challenging. The sheer amounts data and concepts are a lot to take in and demonstrate competence.
• Anyone want to study radar or tactical theory? I could use the practice. Check out this nasty Russian SA-22. It's a whole bunch of hate and rage mounted atop a big truck.
• Shopping trips to the HEB grocery store are beginning to be exciting. My computer still occasionally streams that little country station KFAN. Send help.
• I’ve made a couple half-day Saturday morning trips around the county and discovered a Cold War PAVE PAW radar site, the Twin Buttes, and the odd desert compound of the Warren Jeffs religious sect that made headlines some years ago (Creepy factor level: INFINITY+VMAs).

Abandoned Eldorado AF Station, Texas. (1987-95)

• I am still trying to get a tour of an oilfield operation. I have several letters, phone calls, and personal contacts working that.
• Syria, it’s what’s for dinner. Here’s some cogent thought via Professor Schindler at the Naval War College.
• Another Air Force fitness test completed. 88.4. Remember, fitness rhymes with fun.
• I look forward to posting more as we get the 7th and 8th grade audiences back at Shatttuck.
Take care all and God bless you in travels this Labor Day weekend. HF1

Twenty-Three Years Ago...

Twenty-three years ago today, Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait. The actions spurred Operation DESERT SHIELD. Like today, I was in Air Force technical training in Texas. Back then, I was in training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls to be an air cargo specialist.

Airmen Tiwanak (Hawaii), Brunt (Colorado), and yours truly.

I remember making my bed early that morning before the march to class when the news broke into the music on my small clock radio. I knew enough about the Middle East to know things would not be the same after that. Here are a few photos from back then, including a short video about Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. HF1



My Air Cargo Journeyman class; Grad date 21 Aug 90. This photo was taken in late July 1990.
(Click to enlarge)

Kim Jong (Number) Un

From time to time it is healthy and fun to look to humor in the form of parody to get through the world of geopolitical analysis. One of my favorites is to make fun of North Korea's brutal dictator Kim Jong Un. This is not to understate the real anguish and true evil that the Kim thugocracy has brought upon a proud culture. However, here is my latest. There's also a great parody Twitter account called @KimJongNumberUn that'll make you chuckle (click either image to enlarge). HF1

 

Here's @KimJongNumberUn (click here).

 

 

One Month Done (I'm not thinking about how long to go)

 

2013: posing with a Russian MiG used for ID by intel students.

One month ago today I started coursework here at Goodfellow AFB, Texas. Time to take brief stock of what's gone on to date. (I put a countdown-o-meter-thingy along the right column of the blog for your reference.)

• I miss my family terribly. (duh)
• Teacher becomes student: Vocabulary, index cards, PowerPoints, ya know...school.
• I am old: Half of my classmates did not exist when I entered BMT at Lackland AFB, Texas in 1990.
• Texas = awesome: Texas' natural beauty of flora and fauna pleasantly surprised me. You've never seen such beautiful cacti, heard such haunting dove calls, or melted chocolate so rapidly (it was still in the wrapper so the car interior is fine).
• Raindance: The Lord brought four straight days of rain last week (3.1") in an unheard of July string of precipitation. And it's raining Sunday night as I type. The locals are pleased.
• Old friends (I mean, we've known each other for ten years...not that they're old, but I guess I misspoke, well, er, uh...) I got to see Rob & Karen in Fredericksburg over the Independence Day weekend.
• God is good: I enjoy the Protestant chapel services on base very much. It's comforting to have a solid message and worship far from home.

1990: Airman or Maytag repair man?

• Knat Knows: Natalie's advice to see Monsters University was spot-on. The movie elicited much laughter Friday and I am primed to discuss it with her.
• Send help: I'm developing an unhealthy ease with country music. Rob got me listening to a small independent station across the street from his Fredericksburg home and my computer keeps finding ways to stream it. I'm not sure how this is happening.
• Stuff in the works: I contacted the local school district to see if we can't arrange a partner class arrangement while I'm here. I'm waiting for the teachers to return in a few weeks. I've got multiple requests out to regional oil and oil service companies for tour possibilities. I've got to see a well operation in the Permian Basin before I leave here. I'll let you know when it comes to fruition.
• Hey roomie! I've been blessed with an excellent roommate named Jay. He's a reservist from Pennsylvania who is only two weeks ahead of me in coursework. This means he'll be here for 90% of my stay. More about him later.
• Time to sleep: If you have questions or comments, please write them on a $20 bill and send them to my snail mail address. Or you can go cheap and drop me a line, send an email, check fb, twitter, and the usual methods. Take care for now and Godspeed! HF1

Welcome to training for intel-geeks & firedogs (DoD firefighter school)

#PrayForZavier

Many of you may know incoming NHS 9th grader Zavier S. He's fighting back from sudden brain surgery required for an aggressive bacteria last week. His story and guestbook can be found by clicking here. Drop him a note if you've got a moment. HF1

Texas is HUGE!

I’ve often heard it stated that everything is bigger in Texas. Let’s leave the “everything” part of that alone and just focus on Texas itself. You need to know one thing about Texas: It’s HUUUUUUUUUGE! Let’s take a look at the dimensions. You may click on the map below to follow along. Hey! You in the back: Pay attention!

You’ll notice the extreme edges: El Paso in the west, Beaumont in the east, the state line north of Amarillo, and Brownsville way down south. Got it? Pretend you’re in El Paso. You’re closer to Los Angeles, California than Beaumont! Now pretend you’re in Beaumont… just DO it! You’re about the same distance to the Atlantic Ocean as you are to El Paso. I know, crazy isn't it?!

Now that I have your attention and undivided loyalty, pretend you’re standing along a dusty road along the Texas-Oklahoma border north of Amarillo (which means yellow is Spanish). You’re closer to the poor Air Force security cop counting the rivets of a B-52 at Minot Air ForceBase in North Dakota than you are to Brownsville! And now, you guessed it. Imagine you’re in Brownsville. You’re closer to--wait for it... the Pacific Ocean in Acapulco, Mexico where Gopher and Julie welcomed guests back aboard the Love Boat than you are to the Texas-Oklahoma border. (This post continues past the map and you'd better keep reading if you know what's good for you.)

Someone recently wrote to me suggesting I go to Houston to see some of the sights. It’s almost seven hours away. That’s one-third of my way back to Wisconsin! Now you can see, this place is HUUUUGE! Take a few minutes to check just how pretty this state can be (and see what’s #1!). Click Here. I’m exhausted from considering how big Texas is. I think I’ll take a nap. HF1

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Recently the website BuzzFeed posted a photo essay of "35 photos from deep in the heart of Texas." If you enjoy scenery, this is for you. #1 comes, incidentally, from Brady, Texas (see below). The last one is taken at Lake Nasworthy here in San Angelo. Enjoy! HF1

People Really Do Talk Like This

I've been here for three weeks and some of the Air Force verbiage is getting to me. It's all fine, but fun to muse about:

After 20+ years in the USAF Reserve, I am spending some active duty time retraining into a new specialty. I get to reside on a training base with classmates born after I enlisted and experiencing the edicts, exhortations, and other directives from those in charge of our training. AF leaders have a way of speaking that often--and I say this with all due respect--borders on the comical. Take a look at this officer explaining the new tanker plane under development...

Click here for the rest of my musings. HF1

San Angelo - A West Texas Oasis

The City of San Angelo offers an excellent little video to help you understand where I'm spending the next few months. Take a look! HF1

It's Hot and Dry, but Wait...

Greetings from hot and dry west central Texas! Think of western Texas as a giant wood-chipper for moisture. Idiocracy movie fans might even call it a meteorological moisture mutilator the likes of Brawndo. It's hot (103°)and dry, so get over it! That said, everyone is anticipating Monday, where we’ve got an 80% chance of rain, a flood watch through 7 pm, and—get this—a forecast high of 78°!!!

San Angelo lies at "+SJT" in west central Texas.

However, I’m a little less excited now after greeting a stoic elderly woman at the Goodfellow chapel this morning. When I asked if she was looking forward to the cooler temps tomorrow, she simply asked, “Where you from?” When I answered Wisconsin she continued by shaking her head and muttering, “Well I’m from Texas and I’ll believe it when it happens.” It wasn’t exactly Nathan laying the smack on David, but I adjusted my own happiness forecast (Still, I closed the car windows for the first time in two weeks, just for luck). HF1

Thanks to my mother, who posted this on my Facebook page.

A Weekend in Fredericksburg



Rob & I along "Hauptstraße."

After my fourth day of classes here at Goodfellow, we were presented with the four-day Independence Day weekend. I took the opportunity to drive a couple of hours southeast to visit friends in Fredericksburg. I enjoyed a thoroughly interesting, relaxing, and fellowship-friendly time with my hosts, Rob and Karen.

Fredericksburg, a town of about ten thousand residents, boasts a crossroads of historical material and tourists’ delight. For my Sconnie friends and family, think Door County with a little bit of the Dells. For my German-loving friends, think Maibaum, Straßenschilder auf Deutsch, und Schnitzel mit ein paar Liter Franzikaner. And don’t forget my military history brethren and sistren(?): The National Museum of the Pacific War, which grew from the Admiral Chester Nimitz Museum.


In a nutshell, Fredericksburg was settled in the 1840s by a large contingent of Germans who grew tired of rising land prices and warring among the many principalities and duchies of a disorganized German region. They arrived in Indianola along the Gulf Coast and settled New Braunfels before heading to Fredburg. They have several notable chapters which you can read about here and here.

The U.S. Naval commander in the Pacific during World War II, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz hailed from Fredericksburg. I found the original part of the museum, housed in the hotel his grandfather managed to ably paint a picture of a hard-working man who over and over looked to deflect praise to his men, his team of people.  You can learn more about the Admiral here.




Volunteers greet the audience after the re-enactment.

The George H.W. Bush Gallery of the Pacific takes you on a chronological path from the opening of Japan in the 1850s through unconditional surrender and the price of freedom. I was only able to get through the Nimitz Hotel and half of GHW Bush because I had attended the live demonstration of the Battle of Tarawa landings in their “Pacific Combat Zone” two blocks away. Anyone seriously interested in this war really needs to plan a trip to Texas down the line and make a 2-3 day stop in Fredericksburg. Explore what they have to offer at pacificwarmuseum.org

I the meantime, I hung out with Rob and Karen at their lovely home on the west side of town. I met Rob at USAF Historian School ten years ago at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Our class quickly jelled and many of our classmates are still in touch to this day. Rob and Karen hosted our entire family after Christmas 2006 in Del Rio,   


This modified grill just screams, "Murica!"

Texas where they lived then. We enjoyed their Texan hospitality and were able to enjoy some dinner across the Rio Grande in Acuna as well as other spots. Rob and Karen work in town and also run Westendhaus Fredericksburg, a one-unit B & B on the side of their property. I look forward to visiting again (and finishing the rest of the Bush Gallery!). HF1

I Have A Snail Mail Address Now

If you're inclined to drop a line, please note my new address:

MSgt Brady Kiel
161 Nuchols Street
Unit 6412
Goodfellow AFB, TX 76908-3303

Cheers!

HF1

Blincolnblog4488 is Active Again

After a three year hiatus, HerrForce1 is publishing Blincolnblog4488 again. I typically post when I am away performing military duty out of state or country. This time I am a student sent away to intelligence training in Texas. When I return, I will go back into reservist scheduling, traveling to Minneapolis, Minnesota once a month.  A few changes occurred since I last posted in April 2010.

Back then, I served as the wing historian for the 932nd Airlift Wing based at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Now I am assigned to U.S. Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Operations Center Detachment in Minneapolis. Our team is made up of sailors, airmen, soldiers, and marines and reports to commanders at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  

Why blog? Well, it provides me a way to keep in touch with family, friends, co-workers, and students back home. I will often share things I do off duty and provide links to assignments given by my substitute teacher at Shattuck.  Students may contact me through their FirstClass email account or directly at bkiel[at]Neenah[dot]K12[dot]wi[dot]us.  Friends can find me on email, facebook, and twitter.

Take care and come back often! -HF1

Cheesy Thumbs-Up

Scenes Around Kotzebue

The welcome sign lets you know where you are before your GPS even has time to acquire the satellites.

The text on the vehicle sounds like another reality series title. Or was it “Arkansas State Troopers…?”

The ubiquitous Capt Crabtree provided us many a ride and good company while in Kotz.

Upon arrival in Kotz, Shiho immediately began breaking regulations… Okay, we were invited inside the hangar. :-)

Manillaq Health Center. Along with the school, this is a hub of activity in Kotz. It is a very nice facility and serves as a regional center for procedures and checkups that cannot be done in the outlying villages. Transport to it is by air or “snow machine” (snowmobile for us in the lower 48).

An art mural greets you in the clinic’s main entrance.

Here’s your local message board in case you were looking to rent a vehicle or check out the next festival.

Need motor oil or a wrench? Check the local Napa/Ace affiliate. Snow machine parking available.

Here’s me outside the Nugallivik Hotel. The best one-star $189/night you’ve ever experienced. After one night, I returned voluntarily to the open bay at the armory. Nothing personal, it’s just that a cot in the bay, free wi-fi, 24 hour coffee, ground zero location for all mealtimes, and the camaraderie of the 914th Services Squadron seemed to be more appealing than this place.

Space is at a premium in Kotz. Here we see a playground in the fore and a graveyard behind it. Interesting dichotomy. A "plaveground," if you will. Can you imagine an entire playtime having to hold your breath?!

The University of Alaska center in Kotz.

You can’t fight it, but there’s Kotzebue City Hall.

These coils surround the larger buildings. Their piping runs deep beneath structures to diffuse warm air away from the foundation to avoid disturbing the permafrost.

The rear of the hotel and all its coils.

The Army National Guard armory where we ate, congregated and I slept on nights 1 & 3. It also served as the city’s courthouse several days of the week.

Aerial view of Kotz from the north as we returned via Blackhawk from Kiana. HF1

Back to School...in Kotzebue

After our artists flew out of Kotz this morning, I made my way to Kotzebue Middle High School to meet some of the faculty and students. Operation Arctic Care medics were also providing 2010-11 athletic physical screenings.

I like this place already. Can we ban 44 oz. drinks and Monster cans in the morning for students' breakfasts at home? Oh yeah, I'm sort of a limited government guy...oops.

School pride is evident everywhere you go in the schools.

The Huskies are reigning state wrestling champs.

This is one of the intersections in the middle school portion of the school.

Mr. Al Peacock, retired teacher and current special ed aide. He and his wife have been in Kotz for 40 years! They planned to work two years back in '68 and stayed.

Ms. Atkins' 8th grade social studies and language arts room. I was lucky enough to stay for a period of each and even read with them during an LA speed test.

The rooms are state of the art with a SmartBoard in each class.

Kotz Middle School Principal "Dr. B" and I exchanged shirts. She's a retired North Carolina administrator and has been in the Northwestern Arctic Borough District for five years. In speaking to her, I can tell her drive and dedication to improvement and innovation.

Again, I'm privileged to have been able to visit. HF1