Apathy

If there is one thing the Army teaches you, it's time management. For each task you get, you are given a set block of time to complete that task. If you don't get it done within the set amount of time, you will receive 'corrective training' (pushups) to ensure that the violation does not occur again.

I have been using my time management skills to the fullest while home here on my Christmas leave. I have been using every moment of every day to practice my important video game skills, Guinness drinking skills, web surfing skills, and junk food eating skills, among others.

If it wasn't for the Army National Guard and this deployment, I'm not sure I wouldn't have these great time management skills.

Let's hope that during the next 3 months we get more than one f-ing day off (not that I didn't appreciate having Thanksgiving off).

Camp Shelby Training

The Star Tribune has done a few stories on our training in Camp Shelby. This one in particular is pretty good and details some of the training that we partake in. If you listen to the audio clip on the above link, you pretty much hear how chaotic our training can be at times. And yes, the language you hear people singing and chanting in is actually Arabic.

Minnesota Public Radio has a few stories as well. This one pretty much sums up what we're going through down there, and even includes pictures of our less than cozy barracks. It also has pictures and an interview with Col Elicerio, the Commander of the Minnesota Guard's First Brigade Combat Team. Col Elicerio walked up behind me during a little 4 mile road march and said, "Salzman? Didn't I see you and your sister on ESPN doing a lumberjack competition?" No kidding. He's in charge of thousands of soldiers and he recognizes me. So much for blending in.

Home For the Holidays

As many of you around the Minneapolis/St. Paul area may now know, over 2,000 Minnesota Army National Guard Soldiers are home for two weeks during the holidays, myself included. And as usual, I seem to have the best luck with the media. As I was standing by the baggage claim waiting for duffel to show up, I ended up on KSTP. Not an actual interview mind you, but a couple quick clips.

To view the clip and hear more about Minnesota Army National Guard Soldiers home for the holidays, click here. My fiancee is the one wearing the pink jacket in the clip. And of course in typical young lovers style, we're shown kissing both times. WCCO news has more about Minnesota Soldiers home for the holidays right here.

Cheaper By the Dozen 2

A lot of you have probably seen the commercials for the upcoming movie Cheaper By the Dozen 2 and watched the log rolling scene between Eugene Levy and Steve Martin. Well Steve Martin and Eugene Levy don't know how to log roll. That is why they called Darren Hudson and myself to play their parts in the movie. So when you see them log rolling, instead of Eugene Levy, you're actually seeing myself (red and white Nikes). Darren Hudson played Steve Martin.

If you want to view the scene in its entirety, go to www.cheaperbythedozen2movie.com, click on Clips, and then watch the third clip from the left. Oh, and at the end where Steve Martin falls, that's me standing on the log with him.

A big thank you to 20th Century Fox for giving us the opportunity to do the movie shoot and the opportunity to work with Eugene Levy and Steve Martin. It was definitely an experience I will not soon forget as I'm on my way to Iraq.

Training Time

Did I mention I got internet set up for my platoon? Well, I did. Better late than never I guess. So now you all can hear from me more often than once a month.

I cannot WAIT to get home on leave. Its not that the training sucks, its that it never ends. Since we started in October, we've had one complete day off, and that was Thanksgiving.

Anyway, we have a pseudo hurricane going on outside complete with 60 mph winds, so I'm gonna go before we lose internet or power.

Xmas

Hey all,

Sorry I haven't posted, but I honestly haven't had the time. I've been online about 2 times in the last month, which makes posting a little hard. I just want to let everyone know I'm ok, and training is going well. We still don't know where or when we are going (go figure). I will be home on Christmas leave for all my friends that want to see me. Anyway, 10:45 is late when you're up at 0600 so I gotta go. Thank you all who expressed support.