End of Week 9 Saturday

Well it almost done.  This time next week I will be sitting in my chair, in my house, with my wife and kids, watching something on TV, thinking about my experiences at the NA.  And I will not be hurting like I do right now!!!!

The Yellow Brick Road Challenge...it was supposed to be this past Wednesday.  The YBR is the granddaddy of challenges and the culmination of past challenges.  We found out a couple weeks ago the Marine Corp would be using it on that date so we needed to reschedule.  Our Yellow Brick Road is their E (endurance) course and it belongs to them so as far as rescheduling for Tuesday no big deal right?  Well then last week it snowed...that threw off their schedule.  So that meant we got rescheduled...again.  Session 252 ran the YBR yesterday...it was a blast!

For those that don't know...the YBR is a 6+ mile course.  The first three miles are obstacles and the last three is just a straight up run.  And I when mean straight up I mean straight up...at least that how it starts.  I'll come back to that in a minute.

A quick run down of the obstacles...a 6 foot wall to go over, a couple different windows to go through, down a bank on a rope, then up a rock face on a rope, then down another bank on a rope, then down another bank on a rope, then up yet another bank on a rope, then to a couple obstacles that have 6x6s attached to trees that you climb up and over (guys beware...use your chest to cross over the top, have you ever straddled a 6x6 with your feet not touching the ground?), then we have our first "slick" log that's about 5 feet off the ground.  This log is parallel to the earth and if you don't hit it just right your body is going under it instead of over it and you're landing on your back.  Then there's the bear pit, it's basically a small pond under some teepee looking logs...have I mentioned yet that it was 28 degrees when we started?  Then we come to great cargo net...climb up one side on the net, reach the top, grab the other side over the top and flip yourself over to land on your back...that was cool!  Then there's a couple different sets of walls that you have to wind yourself through in a serpentine type run.  Then a set of 5 parallel, slick logs that start off about 3 feet off the ground and they are about 3 feet apart, the ground slowly drops off as you move further into the obstacle, watch out for the last one.  Then there are a couple more 6x6 walls to climb up and over.  This is the only place that I heard where someone got hurt.  Last I heard they completed the challenge and then went to the hospital to be checked out.  Good job to whoever that was and I hope you recover quickly!!

After the climb over the 6x6s there's another parallel log to clear.  It's 4.5 feet or so off the ground.  I jumped it first and cleared it.  My running partner this morning, Steve...well let's just say he doesn't have much of a vertical jump...Sorry Steve, but I'm glad you didn't get hurt!  Then there's the low crawl under barbwire...again, another small pond.  That pretty much finishes it up for the first three miles.

Remember the straight up run?  Welcome to "Cardiac Hill."  I will say, at least for Georgia, the law would probably not allow you to run radar on this section of the roadway because of the steep grade and it's not a very short hill either.  From there it's a nice little run through the countryside, with a few rolling hills here and there back to where we started just outside the Academy.

Everyone was glad to have completed this last challenge.  Just 9 weeks ago it seemed like it was so far away it would never get here.  I heard it in several voices afterwards..."Hey!!, we did it, we finished it!!!"  But at the same time I heard some voice inflections saying "hey, it's over, we're done, we don't have that to look forward to anymore, our time here is almost up."  I'm not really sure how to describe it other than it was a joyous celebration, but also a somber reminder that our time here is almost over.  Don't get me wrong...I am definitely ready to get out of here, but at the same time I'm going to miss a lot of the people that I have gotten to know and have come to call friends.  I wish them all great success in whatever they choose to do in their life and in their career!!

The coming Monday and Tuesday will finish up our classes with finals and whatever presentations some of us may have left to complete.  Wednesday and Thursday will be various administrative functions, graduation practice, etc.  Then Friday morning at 10am Graduation ceremonies will begin.  By noontime I should be on the road headed back to my babies.

I'll probably check back in with you one last time on Thursday, but till then...Be Safe!

                                                                           

                                                          

 

                                                                                        

 

Week 8 Wednesday

Woke up this morning to about 6 inches of snow, continuing snowfall, and an email telling us that the base was closed and to report to our homerooms at 9am.  So far so good...an extra hour of sleep.  Reported to the homerooms where our FBI NA 252 golf shirts were handed out along with a few other small things, discussion about upcoming section events and we're done for the day right? 

Somebody in the session, in their infinite wisdom, decided that there needed to be a volunteer Challenge run of the 5 miles.  We were supposed to do that anyway this morning, but with the base closing we were told that there would not be an "official" challenge and we would need to do it on our own.  About this time I'm thinking these folks are crazy...not only is there 6 inches of snow on the ground, it's continuing to fall very heavily!!!  I see a few folks headed toward the locker room with their running gear.  "Harry, you coming?"  "NO!" was my response with a few other words added for effect.  Until I see my roommate and one of my suitemates headed in that direction and they are asking.  At this point I'm in a dilemna...do I go back to my nice cozy, warm room and wait out the snow and get my 5 miles in later?  And suffer the wrath of my roommate and suitemate for the remaining 2.5 weeks?  Or do I join the knuckleheads and get it done...well just call me a knuckle head I guess.  That was the first and quite possibly the last time I will ever run 5 miles at one time.  Oh, and did I mention it was snowing a blizzard? and it was uphill both ways?  After the first three miles I guess my body became numb and it couldnt tell I was still running!  Everyone was done in about 60 minutes!

Anyway, I'm sitting here in my dorm room thinking about how bad my body is going to hurting.  But at the same time thinking...I'm glad I went.  I came here for a once in a lifetime experience and as far as I'm concerned that will be a once in a lifetime experience!! 

Week 8 and I'm still meeting new people.  For anyone that may be in the position to experience the National Academy, push yourself and make it happen.  Eight weeks away from family and friends has been quite difficult and I have no plans of doing anything like it in the future, but I will not trade the experience for anything!!

I think I'm going back to bed now!

Till next time...Be Safe!

Week 8 Sunday

Well this weekend has been busy!  I completed my 34 mile swim on Friday!!!! Looks like there are about 65 people that are working on their bluebrick.  I was the 27th person to complete the 34 miles.  I am so glad to be done with that.  I will admit though my freestyle stroke has greatly improved.  I started the first night I was here.  I think it took me about an hour and 15 minutes to swim that half mile.  And as I reached each end of the pool I would end up walking the last 10-15 feet.  I finished Friday with my last mile.  That mile took me about 45 minutes.  Several 1.5 miles were done in that 34 and those would take me about a hour and 15 minutes.  Now I just need to put in a pool when I get home!

It has been fairly quiet around here this weekend.  Just about everyone that I have talked with has been busy trying to finish up all their papers, projects and presentations; me included.  I have spent pretty much the entire weekend working on my stuff.  I am just about done with everything.  I have a one page paper to do for PT class and a group presentation powerpoint to finish; my part is done and I'm just waiting for everyone else's info.  Tom on the other hand, still has several things to complete...poor guy. 

Three weeks to go....can't get done fast enough!

Till next time...Be Safe!

Week 7 Wednesday

We experienced the Winged Monkey Assault this morning!!!  It actually worked out better than I thought it was going to.  From the description I was given by a couple different people I was expecting something along the lines of a middle-of-the-night drill experienced by Gunny Highway (Clint Eastwood) in Heartbreak Ridge (if ya know what I mean).  This took place on the track.  We had Steelbells, Kettle bells, jump ropes, TRX straps, Rubber bands, rubber straps, dumbbells, pullup bars, dip bars, hills, agility ladders and cones, sandbags, and of course the track itself.  The only instruction was to stay busy for 30 minutes!!!  And I did!  It was a good workout.  I sweated a lot but didn't feel like a trip to the morgue when I was done (like last week!!!!).  And for the first time since we started I forgot my camera!!  It's just as well, I don't know that it would have fared well with this circuit!

This past weekend was the trip to Philadelphia.  I actually used to live not to far away from Philadelphia, of course that was 40 years ago (man I'm getting old...I did something over 40 years ago!).  I still have family there...A shout-out to the McCann's in West Chester and surrounding area!!!!  And I will apologize now for not making contact...we had a pretty tight and very busy schedule.

We left out Saturday morning and went straight to Philadelphia PD where we were supposed to meet with Commissioner Ramsey.  Unfortunately, he had other business that had to be attended to.  We met with one of his Deputy Commissioners.  After a quick talk with him and tour of the facility we headed out to Northeast Philly to the new FOP Lodge #5.  This was a brand new building and our class was the first NA class to visit.  It was a beautiful building and great lunch...philly cheesesteaks!!!!  Thanks to the FOP members for their hospitality.  We then went to I guess what could be considered Philadelphia PD's special ops.  We were given a bomb demo; it's always great to see stuff get blown up!  then a short K9 and a SWAT demo.  Philadelphia PD has some cool toys!  Another thank you to the guys of Philadelphia PD.  From here we finally checked into our hotels and then went for dinner.

The next day we started about 8:30 and went to Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell, and the National Constitution Center.  From there we went for lunch at Tony Lukes...Philly cheesesteak and fries!!!  After lunch we were given a tour of the Phillies stadium.  And of course you can't take a trip like this to Philly and not stop by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  Some of you may be thinking "ART?"  Don't think art...Think Rocky!!!!  Yes, we all ran up the steps while someone was playing the theme to Rocky through a small, but fairly loud external speaker for their iphone!  We finished up the trip with dinner at Table 31 at the Comcast Center.  I was about as impressed with their dinner as I am with the prices of their cable service!

Overall it was great trip to Philadelphia and I'm glad I went.  I have visited family up there several times and have never seen some of the stuff that I saw while I was there this weekend.  Thanks to Tom Fitzpatrick of our class and Philadelphia PD...you did a great job putting this together!

We've only got about 3.5 weeks left with only the next 2.5 weeks being solid classwork.  From some of the rumblings I have heard I think I'm doing pretty good with the classwork I have left to complete (which I plan on doing this weekend!!!).  And I am down to 3.5 miles left in my swim!!!! I will be done Friday!  Bring on the blue brick!!!!

Tonight is International night.  We have 27 students in our class that are from other countries.  In week 7 of each class the International students get together and provide the rest of us with a sample of their country; food, drink, uniform, and culture.  We are all looking forward to this evening!

Till next time...Be Safe!

Week 6 Wednesday

Holy Smokes!!!!  And that's what I am right now....smoked!  Somebody had said that our challenge from a couple weeks ago with the bands, hills and stairs was going to be the worse challenge we had....they just flat out lied!!!

Today we started out with a short run, 3/4 of a mile or so.  At that point we were to do 50 walking lunges...I might have got twenty before my hamstring started screaming at me to stop!  Then we ran a little more.  Oh, I forgot to mention that I almost killed a couple people trying to get to the outside of the group to take some pictures.  I was in the middle of the pack and tried to move to the outside and as I started for the gap lo and behold a leg was in front of me...Sorry Savannah!!! 

Anyway, we ran to the next station which was a small hill that we had to bear crawl up AND down three times.  Then we ran to the parking garage were we ran up the stairs to another station that was a set of 20 burpees!  From there it was across and down another set of stairs.  We ran down the road a little further to the next station...a set of 20 4-count mountain climbers.  After that small bit of torture...er...exercise we ran to the next station, pushups!  And of course another of our great PT instructors, VanVorst, is manning this station and inviting us to do these pushups...DOWNHILL!

Then we ran to the last station.  Do you remember the hill from a couple weeks ago that we were running up?  Well this time we had to crabwalk up it....backwards!  But it still wasn't over, sadistic trainers!   We crabwalked down the other side and finished up with a set of 20 divebombers or downward dogs!!!  Then ran the last 200 yards or so to the finish line.

You know...this was the first time I noticed the EMS vehicles on our challenge.  I should have known!  I usually get my swim in after our challenge so that it's done for the day...not today!  I will also mention that last week the pool was packed after the challenge with swimmers, again, not the case today.  I think everyone got a good workout in today.  Overall it was a little over 2 miles and somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 minutes.  I am just glad "The Wicked Witch Hunt" is over.

Till next time...Be Safe!

Week 5 Thursday

Well we had our 4th challenge yesterday; Lion's Leap, 3.1 mile run.  Because of the way I was feeling I did NOT want to get out of the bed yesterday.  But, I did it anyway.  I ran the entire route and felt pretty good after doing it.  I could tell the batteries ran down as the day went on though.  I think I finished somewhere around 32 minutes.  I didn't realize there was a clock there until several minutes after finishing, go figure!  My brain was depleted of a little oxygen at the time!

I had my first mid-term this morning in Labor Law.  A whole bunch of first amendment rights in the work place (religion, speech), Garrity issues, privacy rights issues, Due process rights, etc.  I think I did ok on it, I'll find out later this afternoon for sure.

I knew I forgot something in the last post.  On Monday I received my first "care package" from the great folks I work with at the college.  Thanks to all that participated it was very much appreciated.  And thank you Terri for the purple rooster.  He's hanging out in the dorm room.  As for the ton of chocolate that was sent...several of my classmates are enjoying it (I haven't given it ALL away, but I am trying to be good!).  Besides, they got kind of jealous when they saw all the stuff I got from folks at work!

I'll add a couple pics to the post later on.  Till next time...Be Safe!

Week 5 Tuesday

It's been almost two weeks...I can't believe that it has gone by so fast.  At the same time I haven't had a chance to slow down.  That may be why I ended up at the doctor today.  Prednisone and Z-pack...I should be on my way back to good health.

I got to go home for the weekend (Feb 1st)...my son turned 10 and I was not going to miss that for anything.  He had a lot of friends at his birthday party and he had a great time with all of them.  I was glad to be home with my family and can't wait to get back home again!

Last week's challenge..."The Cyclone!" Six stage circuit inside the gym...yes, all 270 of us doing a circuit in the gym. The entire circuit runs at 35 seconds on and 15 seconds off (just enough time to get to the next stage). Resistance band flyes, air squats with sandbags, burpees, "hip unders" (basically in a one arm push up position rotating one side of your hips to the floor, switching arms and rotating the other hip to the floor, and just continuing back and forth for the time period), knee to elbow pushups, and finally a squat - lunge each leg - jump. Each one of these are done 4 times. I was glad to see that circuit end!

This past weekend was the trip to New York.  During each session there is an officer in the session from New York PD.  They are able to organize a weekend trip to NY for 100 members of the session.  I was lucky enough to get chosen in the lottery to attend this trip.  This was the first time I have ever been to New York and it was awesome!  Even though we pulled into NY under a threat of 35 inch blizzard I was looking forward to it!  The main purpose behind this trip is visiting the various operations of the NYPD, learning about those operations and the equipment utilized by officers within the PD.  And we ended up with about 12 inches of snow on the ground!

Entrance to Central Park at the end of 7th Avenue

Another learning aspect of this trip was a visit to Ground Zero.  Just thinking about what I saw while I was there conjures up emotion.  If you ever have the opportunity to visit the memorial don't miss it.  They are still in the process of building a permanent memorial building, but the two pools and small memorial building is still something to see.  They are still in the process of constructing the Freedom Tower, but we have connections!!!!  The group was able to don hardhats and orange vests and go up to the 90th floor.  The site of New York City at that height is simply amazing!  There is no other word or words to describe it.

We also had the opportunity to visit with the NYFD.  On this visit we were able to see one of two fireboats that were recently purchased.  This "boat" cost 34 million dollars.  The name of the boat "Three Forty Three" was so named to represent the 343 firefighters that were lost in the collapse of the two towers.  The name on the side and rear of the boat was made from steel salvaged from the towers.  Not only were we able to view this boat and speak with the firefighters, they were kind enough to give us a tour of the Hudson River.  First we went by the Statute of Liberty, then we went down and visited the Brooklyn Bridge.  They were great sites to see. 

 

The best part of the trip though....the continued camaraderie built amongst the members of Session 252.  We had been here for a solid four weeks at the time we left going on this trip.  Prior to that, I had the opportunity to meet many new people and make many new friends.  However, in just a two day trip I think I doubled that number of new friends.  I look forward to continuing those relationships and building new ones in the continued weeks here.

I'm sure I have forgotten something that has occurred here in the last two weeks.  I hope it didn't drag on too much.  I will try to update a little more often so it isn't quite so long next time.  Till next time...Be Safe!

Wk 3 Wednesday Challenge

Well I made it back!!!  This one was called "Not in Kansas Anymore" Stairs, Hills, & Bands (resistance).  Section 4 and 5 ran together today.  We started with resistance bands and I will probably not live this one down for a while...It's one of those things where you hope somebody else screws up quickly so yours is forgotten about! 

With the bands, we started out in the field in the middle of the track area.  You partner up with someone, they wear the band around their waist while you run behind them adding resistance.  When you get to the other side of the field you switch out and run back while your partner is holding the band for you.  I partnered up with our section counselor, Marty.  Each of the section counselors carries a small radio with them in case something happens and they can hear when its time to switch objectives.  On our very first run across I was holding the band for Marty as he ran.  About halfway across the field his radio fell off.  I switched the band to my left hand and bent down to grab the radio as we were running (see where this is going yet?).  Anyway, I slipped and fell, Marty kept running (adding yet more resistance) and YES...the band came out of my hand!  Now imagine getting popped with a rubberband that's about 2 inches wide, 4 foot long, and stretched out about ten feet!  Again, Marty I am so sorry!!!  When we got back to the locker room I found out the guys next to me caught the end of the band as it took off...he had a nice big welp on his calf.

That's Marty on the left...BEFORE he got popped!

After 8 minutes of this torture we ran 2 or 300 hundred yards to a parking deck.  The parking deck has a set of stairs on each corner and there were 4 or 5 decks...I was to busy trying to remember to breath rather than count flights of stairs.  We ran up one corner, across and down another corner, across and up another corner, across and down another corner and so on until our 8 minutes were up.  Then back to were we started.

Ok...so there's 4 levels and 6 flights of stairs

The last phase of this tortur...eh...challenge run was the hill.  This hill is situated on the side of the running track.  It's probably about 60 degrees.  We ran up the hill, along the ridge, back to the bottom of the hill and back up again.  And of course our PT instructor, O'Malley was at the bottom of the hill making sure that we ran up as opposed to crawled up...Thanks O'Malley!

The entire Session was supposed to be going to the Law Enforcement Memorial tonight, but because of the bad weather moving in it was canceled.  I'm not too terribly disappointed.  Tom and I went into DC on Sunday.  Spent a little bit of time in the American history museum before it closed.  We went late because I wanted to be in the city after it got dark so that I could get some night time pictures of some of the monuments; part of that included the Law Enforcement Memorial.

(this is a nighttime picture)

Classes are going fine.  I've actually gotten a little ahead on some of my papers that are due.  This is a good thing as I am flying out of here Friday evening to go home for the weekend.  I have to come back on Sunday, but at least I'm not driving!  I can't wait to see my family again!!!!!

Till next time...Be Safe!

Week 3 Wednesday

Good Morning...I'm sitting here waiting for our weekly challenge.  Each week we have a "challenge" on Wednesday morning.  Last week it was the "Tin Man Trot."  Basically it was a 1.8ish mile run around the campus.  It wasn't bad unless you consider the fact it was 12 degrees!  My lungs were screaming.  This week I have heard mention of stairs and hills.  I guess I'll find out in just a bit....

Week Two - Saturday

A couple things I have forgotten to mention...

At the end of the first week, Thursday I believe, there were about 15 people that suddenly became ill.  A couple of them went to the hospital for fluids.  At first they thought it might be food poisoning.  Everyone was glad to hear about that (sarcasm intended).  They sent food for testing and everything came back good so now they are thinking it was just a 24 hour bug.  One of the guys went home over the weekend and came back on Monday.  He started having stomach cramps and went back to the hospital.  They ended up keeping him for about 3 days with a blockage in his colon; he finally made it back to the campus on Friday.

There was something else that had happened....maybe I'll remember it later.

This past Wednesday one of the two elevators went down.  They finally got it back up and running sometime Friday morning...YAY!!!!  then sometime Friday evening it went down again.  We can deal with it, we're used to things happening.  Get up this morning to go to breakfast...BOTH elevators are down...I'm on the 7th floor!!!!  Going down wasn't too bad, coming back up was another story.  I'm ordering room service for lunch!

Week Two - Thursday

Wasn't planning on being back quite so quick, but......

Woke up this morning to this strange covering on the earth.  Everyone say hi to Tom...my roomie.

This is a small 9/11 memorial in a courtyard here between some of the buildings.  Obviously, the two columns represent the twin towers.  If you can see the base that surrounds the towers it is representative of the Pentagon and then etched into the two towers is the state of Pennsylvania where the third plane went down.  The pieces on the ground there in front of memorial are actual pieces from each site.

Classes went fine...there wasn't enough snow to shut anything down so all our instructors were able to get here.  Speaking of classes...today was Labor Law issues, Managing Organizational change and Development, Behavioral Science, and PT!!! 

Behavioral Science will probably be the most interesting class.  Today we had a retired Behavioral Service Unit guy come in (retired in 1993).  He was here when the BSU started and gave us a run down of the history of the unit and discussed some of the cases that got the unit started and how research into serial offenders got started.

Finished up the day with PT and then hit the pool; got another mile in.  I'm up to 10.5 miles only 23.5 to go!

Till next time....Be Safe!

Week One

I left my home in Georgia (sounds like a song, thanks Otis!) at about 4am on Saturday.  I was deadset on that time because I knew it would be hard if I waited until after the kids were awake.  Of course I was planning on being in the bed long before 11pm.  Anyway...everything was packed in the truck and I was pulling out of the driveway at 0352hrs.  Stopped at the QT, filled up with gas and hit the Interstate.  By the time I got into North Carolina it was time for a nap; scared myself a couple times before that.  An hour later I was on the road again.   Overall, not a bad trip.  The traffic was decent and it only took me about 8.5 - 9 hours of drive time.

I arrived at Quantico about 1430hrs.  I found my way to the registration desk and got checked in.  From there I went to have my ID made and then returned to the parking lot to get my stuff.  There were some nice FBI agents-in-training there at the door to help us get everything in and find our way to our rooms.  (And the trainers here must have put the fear of God into these kids...everything was sir this and sir that and it has continued through this first week and half.)  I made it to my room and my roommate had already arrived...dang it...I wanted my choice of beds.  Worked out though, I like my corner of the room. 

After getting settled into our room my roommate and I headed to the PX for uniforms.  Boxes here, Boxes there, clothes racks everywhere!!  I can only imagine the ladies working in there were probably thinking that they thought they had left their children at home.  We had no idea what we needed to get or exactly where it was we were getting it from, but the ladies were great and patient in helping us out.  I think I got what I needed, although a few things they had run out of various sizes.

At 1700hrs there were several of us that met up downstairs for a tour with a counselor.  The counselor then took us around and showed us a large portion of the National Academy complex.  We learned very quickly that it would be easy to get lost, but they assured us that we would be moving around fine after a couple days (a week and half later and we are still getting turned around inside this building).  The counselors are FBI agents from various field offices throughout the States.  Our Section counselor, Marty, is from Detroit.  Has told us that his tour was one of the things on his "bucket list" he wanted to do before he retired.  They come in for one class session and then it's back to the field office.

On day one we had several "Welcome" meetings.  So there wasn't a whole lot accomplished on day one.  Day two, Tuesday, we followed our class schedule for Monday and started attending classes.  There wasn't a whole lot that got accomplished in those classes either.  For the most part the instructors covered the syllabus with us and then it was off to find the next class that was feat in and of itself.

Also on Tuesday was Section 4's first PT class.  This is when they get your height, weight, waist measurment, etc., etc.  Then it was off to do our run.  What I haven't mentioned up this point is the fact that right after we got here the rain and fog rolled in.  Yes...it was still raining when we went to do our run.  The good thing about it was we only had to run a mile.  I think the rain finally quit on Thursday and we saw the sun for the first time on Friday.

On Saturday, Tom and I went to the Marine Corp Museum located right outside the gate of the base.  Just about everything you ever wanted to know about the Marine Corp and its history in the world is located in this one building.  We spent about three hours in there walking and reading.  It was a great site to see.

One other thing that I haven't mentioned is my determination to obtain my blue brick.  Blue brick?  Yes, since as far back as I know the NA has had a challenge called the yellow brick road (I know I was talking about a blue brick and now I'm talking about a yellow brick...I'll get there).  The yellow brick road is the Marine Corps endurance track.  It is somewhere just over 6 miles long and it's littered with various obstacles.  Near the end of the session everyone that completes the course is given a yellow brick with their session number on it.  At some point in the history of the NA the attendees decided that it would be a good idea to start a swimming challenge.  So, those that complete 34 miles in the olympic size swimming pool here over the ten week period earns a blue brick.  Two close friends of mine have returned with their blue brick so I'm kind of stuck.  My first night here I was a 1/2 mile into the challenge.  Since that time I have completed 8.5 miles...I'm getting my blue brick!!! (and the yellow brick).

This past Tuesday (holiday on Monday) everyone started their regular class schedule.  Things have started to calm a bit and folks are trying to get into the routine.  I think things will go fine I'm looking forward to settling into a routine of things myself and getting back home to my babies!

I think I have caught everything up to date, so until next time...Be Safe!

The Beginning

I've decided that I needed to go back to the beginning.  I'm brand new at this blogging and it may take a couple days to get it figured out.  (I said I was new...when you viewed this page I think it does start at the beginning, then this is thrown in the middle...oh well hope you enjoy)

I found out back in July 2012 that I would actually be coming to the FBI National Academy.  This is something I have been trying to do since 2004; for one reason or another I haven't been able to get here until now.  I am very proud to have finally been nominated and selected to attend.

When the kids were told that daddy would be gone for 10 weeks they didn't seem to like it a whole lot, but they were troopers and didn't push the subject a whole lot.  My wife wasn't very happy about it either, but she knew how much this opportunity would mean to me so she put on her happy face.  I am very thankful for my family, they are the best.  I truly appreciate the sacrifices they are having to make so that I can make this goal a reality.

Thank you to those that I work with.  While they made a big fuss about handling business while I was gone, I know they will be truly fine without me; I have trained them well :)

Week two

Well it's Wednesday of week two and we just finished our first challenge run...the Tin Man Trot.  Not sure why it is called that other than maybe it's our first and there may have been a lot of people running a little stiff this morning.  Not to mention that it was 15 degrees!!!!

Our first week went kind of the way I expected...total confusion.  Not on the part of the NA staff, just the 269 people (from 49 states and 27 foreign Countries) that filtered in over a two day period that first weekend trying to find their way around.  This place is like a maze, just trying to figure out how to get back and forth to the pool took about 3 days.  I still haven't exactly figured how the classrooms are laid out on floor two of building something-or-another.  Couple more days and I should be good though.

I don't think I could have asked for a better roommate; Tom D'Intino, Chief from Sea Isle City, New Jersey.  Obviously, that was one of the major worries coming here is you have no idea who you will be roomed with.  I think it worked out though.  I have overheard a few things here and there about snoring roommates but I believe overall everyone is fairly satisfied with the way things turned out.

The dorm rooms are pretty decent; kind of small, but overall not bad.  A lot of that also depends on the way you set up the room.  There are many different ways they can be set up; just walk the halls when you get here and you can see the different arrangements.  Which leads to another topic...suitemates.  Two rooms are connected with the bathroom in the middle so you have 4 guys (or girls) sharing one bathroom.  Our suitemates are great guys too; Jud from Alabama and Ralph from LA County.  Took us about a day to work out an arrangement on shower times and the rest has just fallen into place.

Upon arrival we were divided into sections; shout out to Section 4!!!  On the first Sunday evening we all met for the first time in our prospective homerooms.  Over the next couple days we met a few more times trying to get everything set up for our Session.  I happen to be the photogrpaher for Section 4.  We have several other areas that needed a rep; shirts, jewelry, social/athletic events, auction, yearbook, and I know there are a couple other areas that I am forgetting.

Anyway...it's about time to go eat lunch.  Till next time....Be Safe!