For the past few weeks I have been battling a cold and cough that wouldn't go away.  Yesterday, the symptoms reached such a severity that I was finally told to go to sick call.  I was examined, given medicine and put on 24 hours quarters yesterday morning and was sent back to the barracks to rest.  I felt very bad that I had to leave my unit short one person while we were already working with a skeleton crew of five, but I was equally, if not more, overjoyed at the fact that I could just lay down and sleep..  After about six to eight hours of sleep I eventually got up and read more of copy of Stephen King's novel "Under the Dome".  The book was intoxicating to read, scary and riveting!  I finally finished it today.

Today I feel a little better now that I have an antibiotic, sudafed and other medicines to help me battle this sickness.  But I can tell you that it isn't going away without a fight.  My head aches throughout the day with any amount of strain on my body and I've been getting short of breath.  In fact, when I told the doctor (the lieutenant colonel) that I had shortness of breath, that is when he added the 24 hours quarters to my medical profile.  I'm still having trouble breathing, but I'm praying that it will a go away soon.

In a few days the FOB will be empty and my unit will be able to return our borrowed vehicles and equipment, and return to the contonement area to do recovery, clean, and pack to fly out by the end of next week.  I checked my LES (Leaves and Earnings Statement) and can't wait to get paid so that I my cover my bills.

Lastly, once I get home I plan to have a marathon movie day at the movie theater watching all the major films that I've been itching to see this month:  Harry Potter, Captain  America, Aliens & Cowboys, The Smurfs, Crazy Stupid Love and more.  Obviously, I won't be able to see all of these films in a day, but I definitely plan to start with Harry Potter! 

This is a short film on my first 12 months since I enlisted on February 5th, 2010.  While I have been enlisted for just little bit over a year, I've only been a soldier for two months of that time.  A lot has happened--more than I was able nor wanting to share in Chapter 1 of this film.  Chapter 2 may cover more of what I left out.  For now this is the first part of my story and the goal is to continue this film project until the end of my enlistment in 2018.  The vlogs and episodes that I make time to create will provide supplemental insight into what being a soldier has brought me.  

So far this process of sharing my experiences online has been extremely rewarding in terms of the community that has begun to surround it and the feedback.  All of you who have followed my journey and have even chosen to take up a similar journey, be it in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corp are amazing.  I am inspired and I hope to inspire more to take up the cause for a country--although not perfect-- that remains a great light in a very dark world.  America is my home and it is my country.  Who will defend it, it's people and it's Constitution if no one volunteers to do the hard work?  Many are called but few will answer.