Mood:  caffeinated

Good morning!

First off, I got a text message from Sleeveman, his surgery went well and he is home and on “happy” pills. We are really glad all went well. =)

Okay, I am going to have us back up to Friday… Thursday night I was unable to sleep whatsoever and wound up doing flash cards all night. I took Flyboy to work and decided I would take a short nap from 1030 to 1230. Well that didn’t happen and Flyboy messaged me saying he needed me to take him his P.T. gear at lunch, 1130. Then about 5 minutes later he called me saying he needed me to take him his uniform (he was doing snack bar duty and therefore was in civi’s). Now of course I am worried because one, he called me while he was at work and two he needed his uniform when he supposed to be in civi’s. Then he proceeds to tell me that his First Sgt wanted him to “Pin” On his new rank during Hall Call, which apparently was at 1200 (it was now 1030, and I had sleepy blood shot eyes, smelled nasty and was very fatigued from the lack of sleep). Flyboy told his First Sgt that I was coming down to drop off his uniform at 1100 and his First Sgt wanted me to stay to help the Squadron Commander Pin On Flyboy’s new rank. (A tradition they have) So I am of course freaking out because once again last minute things and I am barely awake! So I get down there and am of course nervous as all get out. I mean Hall Call; I have to attend that… So anyway, my stomach is spinning and we head down to the designated hall (it really is what it is, Hall Call) and the WHOLE entire squadron lines up on either side of this gigantic hall and awaits the Squadron Commander. Finally the room gets called to attention (I thought I was going to puke. It was really claustrophobic in there. I just know we were breaking some kind of fire code lol. The hallway wasn’t wide enough for me to completely stretch out my arms both ways.) The Squadron Commander shows up and grabs a karaoke mic and addresses the squadron. (I don’t know how the guys at the end of the hall heard anything, I was up front and I could barely hear him) The first announcement was “I need Airman Flyboy to come up here and I heard his wife is here to so, she needs to come up as well. Now of course the rest of the Squadron is doing the “panic whisper” because they have no idea why Flyboy is being called out in front of everyone let alone me. (They did the same thing with Radar a few weeks ago; I will talk about it in a bit) He (Commander) proceeds to tell everyone that Flyboy has earned his next stripe and he hands me a Senior Airman BDU chevron (Flyboy was in his Flight suit) and the Commander kept the other one and on my count we punched the new stripes on Flyboy’s shoulders and that was that. Flyboy was handed a certificate of “hey good job you are now a new rank” and we got our picture taken with the Squadron Commander (my bloodshot sleepy eyes and all haha.) and then we awaited the rest of the announcements. A person from each flight of the Squadron had to make an announcement about well, whatever, and then there was an announcement about the upcoming volunteer event for Feed the Children. (That is where that came from.) After Hall Call I waited in the Snack Bar for Flyboy to get out of another safety brief, that I was more than welcome to attend, but I chose watching the news over “Don’t drink and drive” this weekend. I know that, I am the designated driver. Haha. So while I was waiting I was approached by a Master Sgt and we got to talking and come to find out his wife is a substitute teacher. She is only allowed to work like 70 days in a school year and gets paid around $25 for a half day $50 for a whole day. I asked him what degrees would be needed for that and was said, surprisingly just a high school diploma. (Well that is awesome and I am getting stoked) So his lunch finished cooking in the microwave and he told me that if I was interested that I should have Flyboy email him and he will pass on the information. AWESOME!!! You know that the kicker is…? I didn’t look at his name on his name tag. So now there is a mysterious MSgt walking around the squadron with the key to something I would enjoy. Grr. So I tried to describe the guy to Flyboy and Flyboy has no clue, and so now Flyboy is on a separate mission for me to find this guy. I feel so silly. Well it’s like I feel that if I’m not offered a name then I am not permitted to know their name. Silly huh? Plus I was really exhausted. So we are now looking for soon to retire (that is what he said) MSgt… odds are soo stacked against me. Haha. Flyboy assures me we will find him.

So in conclusion Flyboy is officially an E-4. Yay!

Now, testing for Staff…

I know, I know, he JUST made E-4, but his First Sgt is “pushing” him to take the test for Staff. I mean he isn’t saying, you WILL, but you know how it is. He knows that Flyboy, if he puts his mind to it can pass it, even though the odds are like 1000 to 1 that he can pass. But it won’t hurt him if he doesn’t pass, so, why not? Flyboy is up for it and is really excited about it, though not looking forward to all the cramming. Who would be? This is how it works… (at least how I understand it)

In order to qualify you have to complete your CDC’s (Career Development Course) (Which is all of these flash cards that I have been doing.) and you have to have a certain amount of Time and Grade and Time in Service. Flyboy meets the Time and Grade/Time in Service and he is two tests shy of completing the CDC requirement. The deadline, this year, too meet all of the requirements is the 31st of March. This is NO problem, cramming, but no problem. On a technical note, he has to complete his CDC’s AND have the paperwork ALL signed and filed stating by the 31 of March in order to qualify for taking the test for Staff. Okay… After that he has a whole month to study the Sergeant book, and of course continue reviewing his CDC’s so he can take the test in May. The Staff test is complied of a bunch of different things…

Test 1 – Staff book – max score 100pts

Test 2 – CDC’s      - max score 100pts

EPR’s               - max score 135pts

Awards (Medals)     - max score  25pts

Time in Grade       - max score  60pts

Time in Service     - max score  40pts

So all in all, total points you could get (which is so rare, it’s like finding a genie in a magic lamp that doesn’t have the voice of Robin Williams haha.)Is 460 points. Last year the minimum that was required was something like 267.4 points. (Now I know you need to attempt to achieve much higher to assure that you will make it, but this is just assuming that the statistics will be the same as last year. ((Just something to go by to give an idea)) Flyboy knows this too.)

Currently Flyboy has like 92.4 points which means to make last years cut off of 267.4 he needs 174.98. That would mean he aces both tests, or skims by with either both of them at 87.49 points or acing one with the on there one scoring 74.98 points. Either way the odds are horrible. This test was made to be a real test, as in NOT easy. There are lots, and lots of highly intelligent people who take this thing and don’t pass, and in all reality, with the odds that Flyboy has, it will be a serious shocker if he can make it. Flyboy knows it, and as much as it sounds like I am bashing him, I am not. We both know the odds and he is willing to throw his smarts against it. I think he has a chance, and even more so with the flash cards. They REALLY help. So now what? If he pulls a pass out of thin air, then he goes on a list and depending on what number they give him, is when I will have to go back down to the squadron to punch a new rank on his arm; so that could be anywhere from the end of this year to the end of next if not more. (I really don’t know that) But yeah, so we are going to be busy with studying.

This weekend, we invested in a desk from Target; it is actually pretty stable for having to assemble it yourself. I was quite surprised. We decided that since lots of studying is going to transpire with in the next few weeks, we might as well get a desk. It is a lot easier to focus on what you are doing at a desk rather than sitting o n the couch or that kitchen table. Oddly enough the desk matches our bed frame. I set the desk up in the bedroom and it fits quite nicely there. =)

Now to Monday… Yesterday was the Feed the Children volunteer event that apparently started off at the fairgrounds. We got there, a bunch of us, and after freezing for 20 minutes the gal in charge had us make boxes and pack all of the left over books from the book sale that weekend and then stack them on pallets. This building was HUGE and with all of us working we got it done in 20 minutes! Amazing! Then our squadron met the gal over at the warehouse to help her there. That was hectic! We were short handed but some how managed to pack over 800 boxes in 2.5 hours for Feed the Children!!!! Over 800 boxes!!! My job was to cut open all the wrapped cans and help everyone else. Jobs weren’t really assigned, it was totally un-organized and yet we had a system at the same time. Really weird. Flyboy was on the line and put stuffing mix ion the box as it flew by on the roller thing. No machines involved, all man power, well except for the fork lifts that would move the heavy pallets, that was it though. Flyboy told me that I was a blur I was moving around so fast, I had to we were doing 400 boxes an hour which is 200 boxes every 30 minutes, 100 every 15!!!! It was crazy. Needless to say I am beat, when we got home Flyboy rubbed my shoulders and he said within 15 minutes I was passed out. I woke up a few times and he said all he had to do was rub my back or something and I was out again. I honestly remember very little of last night. I do remember the first back rub, then next thing I know Flyboy was bringing me dinner (MacNCheese) and then the alarm went off for me to take my pills. Then I remember sometime later him rubbing my feet and then next thing I know it was 530 and I was starving. Not to mention my hamstrings were KILLING me! (And still are =/) I haven’t been in fast forward like that in ages! Oddly enough I was the only spouse there. (I have some issues with the spouse club, but I really don’t want to get into that right now)

What is going on? They are doing something outside and it’s really aggravating my ears. That low rumbling pitch. It’s almost like a jack hammer but So much LOUDER. Grr. I think I may investigate. We generally get notices on our doors if something like this will be going on, hmm… oh well. But I am definitely losing my concentration.

Flyboy is scheduler today so he won’t be off until really late. Since we missed Macho’s shindig this weekend, I am bringing apple crisp in on Friday. (apparently when Flyboy said I was coming up to the flight last Friday nothing but “Is she bringing apple crisp???” and non stop excitement was all he got from the moment he opened his mouth to when I showed up. I kind of feel bad, but at how last minute that was, there was no what I could have made apple crisp, taken a shower and grabbed all what I needed in time to punch the tar out of his arm in front of all his friends. =S so this Friday, I will make a batch and make his flight happy. Aren’t I sweet?

Well I better get to cleaning, as much as my aching muscles will allow. I need to fix the aura again, it is off once more. Blah. Take care! Love ya!

~NikiRose