Kevin M. Fillebrown

An American BA

A CO 1-22 FA BN (BOLC2) 1st PLT 2nd SQD-------Im on the right

Summer Fun! what can I say. I have been with these soldiers for about 4 weeks so far and every minute of it has been wacky.  So a little about each person starting from right to left. (1 back)Jeremy Coviello went to Appalachian State University and is getting ready to have sex with the same woman for the rest of his life. (2 back) Brent Davis got his bachelors degree and a masters in accounting at University of South Carolina. (3 back) John Collier has a military background tradition for his family has sacrificed the oldest son in every major war since the Revolutionary War, he went to the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). (4back) Matt Eason played football for the Army at West Point. (5 back) Justin Figueredo went to school at the University of Notre Dame and I think he is somehow related to Scarface. (6 back) Karin Cleverley went to school in San Antonio Texas and likes her Makers Mark up! (7 back) Lisa Ernst was on the West Point Glee Club, BTW she sang at a Billy Joel concert, I am so jealous. (8 back) That’s Me. (9 front right) Jeffrey Dicky, aka Old Balls. He has been in the military for 19 years, part Navy, and part Infantry. I also think he has Alzheimer’s. (10 front left) Daniel Cosentino, aka Lieutenant Dan, he is also a West point Grad.

Well these are my boys. I would also like to add that our squad nickname is the Mightly Ducks!

This is my rifle, this is my gun, this one's for shooting and this one's for fun!

This is my life for the next 5 weeks. It goes with me to the bathroom, it goes to sleep with me, and basically never leaves my sight.

College World Series

My first publication. Thanks RJ and Mike! Jeez that was fun.

My First Publication

As an officer there are certain standards that a person must uphold. Its not like being a private; when they goof off, “no big deal, they’re privates.” Right now I am trying to figure out this transition from Army enlisted slash Army ROTC to Army officer. For instance, the other day when I was bored on desk duty I started spinning around on an office chair. After a minute I stopped and realized that hey, people could be watching this, “officer don’t do this.” The transition to officer is difficult because I am a natural goof-ball. Do I smile in public? When do become a hard ass? When is it okay for me to be myself? I have yet to figure this out yet, but I am sure I will in the near future.

My day to day routine consist of waking up at 0430 every morning for physical fitness, then I train and attend classes until 1730. These long days takes its tole on me, mentally and physically, but having one goal in mind helps me keep wanting to become a good officer. I do not know if I will ever become a gentleman, but the future will be the speaker of that story.

hey

Its strange being away from home, it has only been a couple of days and I already miss my old lifestyle in Fresno, California. I have been away from home for long periods many times before, but the initial impact never changes. In the past I have rarely appreciated Fresno and most often enough I took advantage of the times I spent with my friends. While I was living there I didn’t think about that so much for the reason that I have a living in the moment personality, which has its up and downs. While I was standing in line for dental x-rays I raised a question to myself; why do I never appreciate the value of something until its gone? I know I will get used to the idea of being away from home, but that doesn’t mean it will wont be hard. The friends I have at home will most certainly never be replaceable. They will always be my friends. After much thought, i keep coming back to the thought that I may be forgotten by them.

The one aspect of this portion of my life that I do like is the adventure. Being in new places and meeting new people. Being stuck in a group of 60 people who I have never met before is almost an adventure in itself.

So I decide to take a mental health week starting on 2 July 2009. It didn’t actually start on the 2nd though. A couple days prior, my good friend and long time colleague Brad Norris took me out for a night on the town. The place of choice was the Red Wave Inn. The night was filled with beer and laughter, I couldn’t see it going any other way. I spent the next day recovering with Janice and my parents at their beautiful shack in Mariposa.

On the day of my departure, I zip tied the grill back onto my car, checked my oil, and off I went. I drove approximately 8 hours until I reached my first destination in Bullhead City, Arizona. There, I slept for a bit and then proceeded to take the river boat into Nevada. After a night of drinking with a bunch of old guys who kept buying me pitchers of beer, I decided to venture off on to Flagstaff, Arizona. On the way I was harassed by an Arizona staty, he thought I was smuggling drugs. The town was nice, but the Motel6 had holes in the wall and smelled like rotten pomegranate. That evening I spent a few hours and dollars at the local bar. The bar tender(female) asked me if the gentleman three seats down was gay, so I turned on the old gaydar and threw him out of the closet. Albuquerque, New Mexico was pretty lame except for the fact that I did not see a single cop car in that town. Texas was great, the signs on the highway are classic, “Don’t Mess Wit Texas.” There was a baby hanging station in a truck stop bathroom, lol!.

I finally arrived safely to Fort Sill Oklahoma. Just 7 weeks and then I am off to Virgina.