Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday.  After a good night of sleep, I arrived to work in time to catch the State of the Union Address.  I have nothing to do today at work however, so it has been a very slow day.  I have been away from my work station for most of the day for several reasons.  When I am comfortable, the rest of the office is too warm.  Unfortunately, the air conditioner they want to turn on is right above my work station.   To cool off the rest of the office, I must freeze.  Also, the new CPT needs to use my secret computer to work on his project until his secret computer starts working.  While he works on my computer and the office cools down, I have been roaming the halls and sitting in the entryway speaking with the COL’s driver.  He is a good guy when he is not busy being an asshole.  Currently he is writing the Command Sergeant Major’s deployment award and struggling to make it sound strong enough for the award the CSM believes he deserves.

The personnel NCOIC and I went to church together today at lunch to receive our ashes like good Catholics.  As we passed the dining facility in which the incident occurred yesterday, a chill went up my spine.  They never caught the individual who fired the shot.  The rumor floating around is that the shooter was a British Special Forces Soldier.  Whoever it was, I hope he is done firing rounds at friendly forces. 

According to the President’s speech this morning, 34 thousand American troops are to be out of Afghanistan by this time next year.  That is nearly half of the amount of Soldiers currently on ground.  It makes me wonder what kind of units will be leaving and which units are staying for the follow-up mission.  What are your thoughts?