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07-18-2013, 06:47 PM   #31
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Congratulations Heie...a well deserved promotion.
Never been to Germany, but as I'm into WW11 "History", I've read a bit about it.
There are still some very interesting WW11 "Nazi" relics about.....bunkers/buildings/battle sites etc, do you have any interest in that sort of stuff, 'cause if you do, some pics would be good.
Cheers, Pickles.

07-18-2013, 09:47 PM   #32
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Smashing news! Well deserved too.
07-19-2013, 12:25 AM   #33
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I could see that you had the talent for writing, and so could they obviously. Congratulations
07-20-2013, 03:15 AM   #34
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Thank you everyone - you guys are the best

QuoteOriginally posted by Rupert Quote
Congratulations!!, and it is good to see you back on safer soil! If it had been a couple of years ago you could have met with my youngest son, he spent the last 6 of his 22 Army years assigned to the top NATO Command in Germany. He did Afghanistan a couple of times, damn near got blown up once.
Germany is his favorite place, he was there for near 12 years off and on, and learned to love it. Plenty to see, plenty to do, lots of interesting nearby nations to visit when off duty. I hope you get to do all you desire.

Best Regards!

BTW....He got hooked on those "Volksmarches"...you familiar with those? In his new home in San Antonio, he has over 200 of those fancy beer steins from all the marches he went on. Must be a worthwhile venture? Never sounded all that good to my old legs!
Actually, I have only done one, and it was when I just arrived to Germany, otherwise the partnership stuff stopped because the entire main body of the Battalion was deployed to Afghanistan and my company didn't deploy until when they returned. But, now I am coordinating more of them. We just had the Grenadier Competition, which is the annual Austrian multiday competition pitting teams of 3 from all over Europe against eachother. Unfortunately it was when my family was here, so I chose to spend my leave with them as opposed to ruck marching (and drinking....apparently every night is a massive party lol) in the Austrian Alps. I have a few friends that went and they said it was an absolute blast despite the sheer physical intensity of it (about 50+ km ruck marching and running in total over 3-ish days plus a little of military events such as land navigation, marksmanship, medical, etc). But yes, your son is right - they are AWESOME. A great event with great atmosphere, usually about 5-10 miles of casual hiking (as the Germans I saw at that one event were reservists that seemed more intent on trading uniform items and drinking than winning lol). International partnership events seriously are amazing. Unfortunately a lot of soldiers don't take advantage of them these days, and we kind of have to push it pretty hard. I personally think my generation has become pretty disconnected with venturing away from the xbox in their room and the local bar. Disheartening really...

The way the Army is going these days, I don't know if I will ever be back in Germany. They are really cutting back units here. In fact, my company that I went to Afghanistan with is in the process of relocating to a base in the United States next month. The base I am on in Bamberg is closing down by summer of 2014, and that is happening all over the place. And then, when it comes to where you want to get stationed, they are scrutinizing more heavily that if you already have an overseas assignment, the rumor is you will most likely get turned down for another so someone else could get the opportunity. BUT, I just found out yesterday that I have at least two more months here in Germany since my DEROS (Date of Estimated Return from Overseas Service) got extended into February. So I guess this year it is Christmas with Jenny's family

And regarding Afghanistan...yea... I'll leave it at that

QuoteOriginally posted by Docrwm Quote
Congratulations. One duty that I did not see listed for a PAO is dealing with media requests and coordinating with visiting VIPs. That can be a good experience too. Best wishes.

BTW - it's weird to see the Army actually put a round peg in a round hole for once
If it is dignitaries from the U.S., most likely what they will do is assign an escort officer (or NCO if the dignitary is a very high ranking Command Sergeant Major), and then they are responsible for coordinating with that visitor's aides. If it is a multinational visitor, then yes, most likely that will be given to me. Regardless, I will have to document both. And regarding the media, I forgot to mention that, but yes, that is also part of my job. Usually, though, it isn't mainstream media (CBS, FOX, CNN, etc. for the Americans), but rather AFN (Armed Forces Network). If we have a huge training event, then I need to try to coordinate with them to get someone to make a 2-3min commercial to throw on the network. For that reason, I have considered dabbling in video to make my own commercials.

QuoteOriginally posted by Jonathan Mac Quote
Well done on the new position. I think your photos and writing have taught a lot of people here a bit about how service in Afghanistan is, and that can only be a good thing.
Thank you very much Honestly that was the intent of the entire project from the beginning.

QuoteOriginally posted by atupdate Quote
Congratulations. I assume they are providing you with camera equipment. What brand are you using in your official capacity.

Tim
Actually, no, they aren't. When I got to the office, it was a DISASTER. I was pretty livid with the state of it, and the nonchalance of my predecessor about that. Opening the closets, they were FILLED to the brim with papers and pictures and CD's and binders and stationary supplies. "Yea you can just get to it whenever - that was how I received it. I still don't know what's in there, but I'm sure there's some good stuff." "Dude, you've been here for 8 months! What the hell have you been doing?!" Needless to say, despite saying I wasn't going to accept the office in the condition it was, he didn't get what I was referring to, and the assistant he had never cleaned it when I gave him that as his only task to do. "Go through it, and if there is something you think I would like to see or you just don't know, save it. The rest to the trash." Well he blew that task off (which honestly isn't a surprise - the assistant, despite being only a private, was picked because they were buddies) and I spent the first two weeks going through the entire office and clearing it out. By the end of it, I cleared over 150 lbs (70kg) of paper, including documents 15 years old with no historical significance (memo's, personal data, etc). There's about 300 CD's that I still haven't gotten to to see what pictures and videos they contain, and I also returned three crates worth of office supplies to our supply center. "Dude, don't turn that stuff in, you never know when you will need it and it's so hard to get!" The way our supply system works, I just walk to the supply office and take what I need. Why do I need to stockpile it in my own office when I won't use it all, and the entire rest of the battalion might need it?

With that said, comes the equipment. There was a large tripod in the corner, and upon closer inspection, several of the legs' snaplocks were missing and it was held together with duct tape. Apparently watching me, when I moved it to the (massive) trash pile he said "Why are you throwing that out? We use that to take pictures." "It's broken." "Yea but you can still use it, and you never know when you can use a tripod. For example when taking portraits you can just leave the camera on the tripod and not have to move it and change the settings between people - it's much faster that way." I stood there absolutely baffled by his need to tell me that recommendation. Oh, and it was missing any form of a tripod head, so they just screwed the camera on the 1/4" screw.

For cameras, there were four on the property book. A Sony Alpha 55 with 18-200mm (ish...don't remember) that was his primary camera, and D5100 w/ 18-55 kit lens that was DESTROYED to pieces. But that was in a box buried in the closet. Apparently it had been in a vehicle that sustained an IED strike. In Afghanistan. Over two years ago. "Oh, that's where that went."

Another was a Sony camcorder that...brace yourselves...RECORDED ON VHS TAPES! V. H. S. ! ! ! The last was a small Sony P&S (6mpx in case you wanted to date the camera), that I only found because I emptied the entire office and found it buried in a small camera bag that was in a box. And in another box in the back of a closet.

So to make a long story short, I turned everything in so I wasn't responsible for losing any of it since I refused to use it (could I? still not sure if any of it worked) and I am using all my own gear - cameras, lenses, flashes, umbrellas, tripods, etc. I will keep the A55 though since it still works, and while I personally won't use it, it will be kept as a last resort or for another project if I am not going to be there and a camera is needed. For instance it was taken to an undisclosed location on a reconnaissance exercise still going on that I was unable to participate in.

Oh, but the best find was $1,500 USD cash. Apparently there was an issue with unit t-shirt money being lost and the commander having to foot the bill because he was never repaid. The wrinkled envelope was in a box in one of the closets.

I was telling my supervisor (who recommended replacing my predecessor with me to the commander), that I honestly think I am the first person to clean out that office in 10-15 years.

QuoteOriginally posted by usn ret Quote
Congratulations Alex. What is next? Promotion to Captain soon!! Cliff
Actually I should have already been promoted, but they have pushed back the timeline for my year group from 36 months (which I passed in May) to 42, then 44, and now 48 months. So hopefully I finally make captain by Christmas

QuoteOriginally posted by panoguy Quote
No kidding - some inspired and informed hiring at the 54th! Congratulations, and apparently I should end this post with "Daggers In!"
I see what you did there Daggers In!

QuoteOriginally posted by pickles Quote
Congratulations Heie...a well deserved promotion.
Never been to Germany, but as I'm into WW11 "History", I've read a bit about it.
There are still some very interesting WW11 "Nazi" relics about.....bunkers/buildings/battle sites etc, do you have any interest in that sort of stuff, 'cause if you do, some pics would be good.
Cheers, Pickles.
Thanks Pickles. To be honest I haven't explored them as much as I thought I would or would like. But, there are a few battle sites that we have visited. I didn't go, but we did a staff ride to Remagen, which was where the Ludendorf Bridge was located that allowed for the first Allied passage into Nazi Germany over the Rhein. Hitler had ordered the destruction of all the bridges over the river, and when that was discovered as still standing, and being a railroad bridge (and thus able to sustain heavy vehicle movements), the Americans rushed to capture it. I heard it was a great trip, which made me smile since I planned the entire thing

If anything comes up, you can rest assured I will take pictures of it

Thanks again for the incredibly warm regards everyone!

-Heie

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