Shipping Out!

[ArmyofOne]

Becuase im shipping to Basic Training/Active Duty Rotation on the 21st! Im currently Inactive Reserve/Delayed Enlistment. I (re) swore in today as a member of the Active Duty Army. My car will probably be stored until i get back, but i may just sell it to my brother. just wanted to let you all know. i will be backavailable on the flrums again in 6 months, so please dont delete me!

i recieved a $14,000 enlistment bonus, which i will take delivery of after Basic Training and AIT. ($4,000 taxable, but will be returned in next years tax return).

[Lexls]

Army, first and foremost, thank you for your service. I appreciate it, everyone I know appreicates it, and I'm sure everyone else does too.

One of my best friends is also in the military, reserve actually. He served over a year in Iraq, got a purple heart (he's ok), and is now home safe. He told me today that he's going out again.

Anyway....sounds like you're just starting if you need to go to basic.

[amf1932]

Good luck Army. Come back safe.....I enjoyed reading your posts.

Signed, SFC Alan - US Army (Korean War)

[ford212.809]

Army,

THANK YOU for your service to our country. It is because of you and millions like you that I can sit in the comfort of my home and search this cool site with FREEDOM. Again, a truly heart-felt thanks. :) ;)

[denslexusgx470]

Good luck Army! I wanna see you back in these forums in 6 months! lol

[Matthew_McNally]

You take care Josh ;)

your membership will still be here waiting for you

[blake918]

I too want to thank you for your service to our country! Freedom is not free, so we are all very thankful for what you are doing for us. I'm sure basic will be a lot of hard work but fun at the same time. All of us here at LOC will miss you and your posts. I look foward to see what Lexus model that $14k will go to! :whistles: Be very proud of yourself for all of the hard work and stress you've endured getting through all of the requirements...very inspirational! Take care of yourself and have fun!

Best Regards,

Blake

[ArmyofOne]

I too want to thank you for your service to our country! Freedom is not free, so we are all very thankful for what you are doing for us. I'm sure basic will be a lot of hard work but fun at the same time. All of us here at LOC will miss you and your posts. I look foward to see what Lexus model that $14k will go to! :whistles:  Be very proud of yourself for all of the hard work and stress you've endured getting through all of the requirements...very inspirational! Take care of yourself and have fun!

 

Best Regards,

Blake

←

Thanks guys for your wishes, and your prayers, they are wanted and needed.

Serving my country is the least I can do. I feel I have to give back at least some of what was given to me so willingly. Anyone who wants to get a letter from me while in basic can PM me there address and name.

Lexls:

I enlisted in the DEP program and was listed Inactive reserve for a little over a year Yes, i am just starting out, in the military...but I have had a small amount of hand to hand combat training and have had to work out to lose the weight I needed too.

I was 324lbs, with 48% body fat in Dec. 2001 when this endevour started (the first day i went to speak to a recruiter). In ~1.5 years, i had dropped to 200lbs. Eating right and biking 20 miles a day were the 2 things i had to do. It took a long time, but when I stepped on that scale for the physical at MEPS (military Entrance and Processing Station) for DEP (Delayed Enlistment Program), I almost cried. It read 199.7lbs. I was over on weight (max was 179) so they took a body fat measurement: 23.9% (24% was the max). So i passed, but barely. I was admitted to the DEP on the condition that i lose 2% body fat before coming back for ADR (Active Duty Rotation). I was 19 at the time (april 2004), and the last time I had seen a scale with a 1 in the first slot, was 1997. I kept excrecising, but I toned down the routine to 20 miles 3 x a week. enough to maintain my weight. I went and took this physical for ADR (april 2005), and it reads the same, but my body fat had dropped to 18.7%, with a lean muscle mass of 163.7lbs. That means that for the first time in many years, I was more muscle than fat...but not just that, I was WAY more muscle than fat. There are 3 thinsg that kept me going through all of this: Family, Friends, and Faith (i call them the "3 F's"). You are all y friends, and its important that you know that.

For, me this has been more than a way to get into shape, to give me a reason to get off my lazy !Removed!. But the more I thought about it, the more I decided it was something that I was meant for. Every road i took lead me back here. Every scenario of my life I worked through in my head took me back to the same place: Serving My country, and being able to be a part of something so endearing, so special, that i would remember it all my days.

I still live at home... so im not just starting out in the army, im just starting out in life. Wish me luck fellas.

BTW, the job i chose was 63B, Light Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic.

[SW03ES]

Wow Army, you are braver than I no question, undoubtedly. I am impressed.

Best of luck to you in all your endeavors, and come back in 6 mos! Like Matt said your membership will be here waiting for you, Lexus or not, I promise.

[ArmyofOne]

Wow Army, you are braver than I no question, undoubtedly. I am impressed.

Best of luck to you in all your endeavors, and come back in 6 mos! Like Matt said your membership will be here waiting for you, Lexus or not, I promise.

←

Steve, you should call before i go, so we can chat.

and thank you very much, you have no idea what it means to me to hear these kind words from people.

*sniff* y'all are gonna make me cry.... :cries:

[SW03ES]

I will call!

[ArmyofOne]

I will call!

←

OK, leave a message with your name and # if i dont pick up.

[steviej]

I wish you safe return. Thank you for your service here and over seas.

Until the next time you post, God bless!

steviej

[Lexusfreak]

Be safe Army! We will see you when you return!

[VMF]

hey Army, thats a brave thing you are doing, i was in the russian army (leitenant first rank) and i'm thinking of going to officer school in american army. I'm workin on my masters now and once i'm done i might do that:) good luck and have fun in basic, since you have been training a lot its going to be ez for ya:)

[vcv10guy]

hey Josh, wanted to wish you good luck and be safe. Like the others, I thank you for serving. You undoubtly love this country and are brave. I will see you in 6 months, until then you will be missed. Take care Josh!