Hey everybody!  Camp Shelby SUCKS!  Ok, maybe it's not that bad.  I have to say it's better than what I was expecting AND IT ACTUALLY GETS COLD HERE, but only at night, so that's kind of a drag. 

Just like every other time we go somewhere new in the army, we have to in-process.  That includes briefings, which took about twelve hours, medical and admin, that means six shots and filling out paperwork in case I get captured, and now that I'm in admin I have to file away everybody's files once they're done with them. 

I have to say living out in the field in our FOB, or forward opperating base, isn't too bad.  We are in tents, but there are wooden platforms and electricity with lights inside.  Some people think it gets too cold at night, but I kinda like it.  I sleep better when I'm warm and it's cold outside.  I'm still not totally used to my cot, but I'm getting there.  One big difference between this activation and basic training is the fact that I can use my phone anytime I want.  My phone plan just switched over so I can call from down here so I'll probably be calling all of you sometime in the near future.  The chow is good for being in the field, but the chow is the same quality on post, which is sad since you would expect it to be better from a building with a kitchen instead of a tent with some troughs. 

We all got sized for body armor the other day.  I'm a large, but so are most people.  The body armor has a huge plate in the front and the back so it's no wonder they save so many lives, it's like wearing a tank.  We also went on a road march the other day, nothing too crazy.  We didn't wear any packs and we don't have weapons yet, but it was about two miles and we ran the last quarter mile back into the FOB.  Once we get all this processing stuff done the training will be much more interesting. 

That's all I've got for now, I'll try and post another update when I can.

My Camp Shelby mailing address-

SPC Burnham, Jonathan
HHT, 1-167 RSTA
BLDG 2490, 25th Street
Camp SHELBY, MS 39407

My dad comes home tomorrow WOO HOO!  It'll be good to hang out for a few days before my ass belongs to the army 24/7.  Now we'll be able to watch the season premier of Smallville together and see Clark Kent kick some alien butt.  I also got an Iowa State ticket for him so he can actually see one game in person this season.  I found out that the band will be playing patriotic music during half-time.  With all this stuff happening at once it's gonna be hard for me not to get all choked up. 

This is officially my last week of class.  The University won't drop me till Oct 5, but there is no sense in going to class on Monday and Tuesday.  For some reason I was thinking I had two and a half weeks left, but it's only one and a half.  I was feeling really bummed a week or two ago, but I've been feeling pretty useless and unmotivated so it will be nice to be active all day everyday.  For some reason my unit seems to think it will take us three days to load up, they clearly underestimate how quickly we like to get things done.  At least those three days I'll be able to come home each night and sleep in my own bed.  My cloud actually has a silver linning, however.  My dad has been gone all month, but he's working in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  Fate would have it that Camp Shelby is a ten minute drive from Hattiesburg.  Hopefully the army will be kind enough to give me sundays off so my dad and I can hang out once a week.  That will make me look forward to the weekends much more than normal considering I would probably just sit on my ass and watch movies on my laptop.

That's all I can think of for now.  I'm in my usual spot sitting next to the front windows in the Union looking out on the plaza with all the people walking by fighting the wind and trying not to get sprayed by the fountain.