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Good morning, Aeronaut and Otto, and thank you both for your dedication to the flyover of protection for our troops' Canteen, a place where we offer a "touch of home" for our troops, our veterans, their families, and our allies. Hope you have a wonderful weekend planned for you and Mrs Aeronaut and Luke and Otto.

Hi, Ma! You ain't cookin' today, are you?

You know, when I was a little kid, and I watched TV, my dad was totally into WWII movies and history. My dad used to bore me for hours on end with movies and documentaries on U-Boats, and other things. When I was a kid, I wanted to do anything but watch old movies about a war I enver knew.

When I got a little older, I rememeber while in school that I had to do a report on some aspect on the military. As if fate was screaming at me in the face, I ended up with submarines. I remember getting a C on that paper because once again, I wanted to do anything but anything related to submarines, or the military.

Now here I am, 26 years old, and a sonar technician on a submarine, and enriched in submarine history and tradition as one can get. And you know what the funny part is? I still would rather be doing anything than stuff related to submarines. Fresh air? Sunshine? TV? Reliable email? Who the hell needs that when you're surrounded by 8000 tons of high grade steel and spending time with 150 of your closest friends? What the hell was I thinking?

I was thinking, "$11,000? Hell sign me up!"

Kidding aside, I like my job. Don't neccesarily like who I work for half the time, but the job is rewarding. Now if I can just make second class. Perhaps then the re-enlistment option might sound a litle more viable.

People often ask me if I think the job is hard, or what is the hardest part of my job. You know what the hardest part of my job is? Staying the heck awake! Anyone ever wondered what sonar sounds like? You can find out for free. All you have to do is find someone who owns a C.B. radio, or if you own one, you're already ahead of the game.

Take the CB radio, and turn it on. Now make sure the squelch is turned down. You hear that static sound? Thats what the ocean sounds like 24 hours a day through a submarine sonar system. Add the occasional dolphin fart, or whale's mating, and there ya have it. Man I don't know about ya'll, but I never heard anything like that when I held a seashell up to my ear.

Heheh.

Everyone have a great weekend. I'll be leaving on deployment a week from today. If I don't happen to get on here before then, everyone take care and be well, and I will see you when I return.

God Bless the U.S.

Hi Kathy. Have a great week-end.