Karen is Germany Bound

On June 6th Karen will be heading for Ramstein Air Base. She will stay at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (http://www.landstuhl.healthcare.hqusareur.army.mil/ ) which you see pictured here. Karen's lodging will be a short distance from the medical center. This is the largest military hospital outside the continental United States. It is also the treatment center for wounded military members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. If you go to Google/maps and search "Landstuhl" it will key you into the German village, Landstuhl. Then search "Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and you can actually see the medical center. Lodging is just adjacent and is literally surrounded by woods. Unfortunately, the Incirlik commander, has just decided to change the leave policy and will only let father's take 30 days of leave. We figure that means I can only arrive about three weeks before the due date since it's possible we can be delayed trying to obtain Katie's passport before returning to Turkey. So I probably will flying to Germany around June 28th or July 4th.

Katie is now kicking and moving around a lot. Karen is excited to actually soon get to see the person who has been kicking her. They assigned Karen a "storknesting buddy" and she has offered to show Karen a little sight-seeing if Karen feels up to it. I know Karen is hoping to go to Peris for a meal also. Katie will be quite the world traveler before she is even born.

A lot of people coming and going at my job. Our friends Joe and Melissa Thompson left last week bound for Eilson AFB in Alaska. Canisha Carson showed up here to take Joe's place. When I return from Germany in August, our two officers will be getting ready to turn over their positions. After that's over, we will only have 10 months left!

I did great for my fitness test this year. Last year I weighed 225, measured a 38 inch waist, ran the 1.5 mile in 13:20, maxed out my 1-minute push ups at 42 and did 30-something for my 1-minute sit-ups. That's a barely passing 77 points for a 41-year old. This year, I increased my score 10 points to an 86: weight 209, waist 35, max push-ups at 42, max sit-ups at 47, and the one I am most proud of - I did the 1.5 mile run in 11 minutes and 15 seconds. I have to give all credit to Joe Thompson who motivated us all via the CrossFit program( http://www.crossfit.com/ ). Gotta go - they are closing the library.