My Coins - Bonus Coin Coverage

Okay, so I was cleaning out one of my bags from the deployment when I ran across this coin. It was given to me by the Battalion's Chaplain Assistant, SSG Renada Rozier. One of her missions during the deployment had been to clean out the chapel on COB Speicher and she found a whole roll of these coins. The coin is about the size of a United States 50-Cent piece. It is straight up silver in color with no other coloring on it. The outside edge is milled like a piece of currency. The obverse reads "AMERICAN DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM" and "BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS" with stars separating the word groups. There is an American eagle gracing the middle of the coin with a ribbon that reads LIBERTUS DONUM DEI and the words "PRAY, TRUST GOD, ISAIAH 41:10" appear above the eagle. The reverse of the coin is a little more ornate with the seal of the United States Army gracing the center surrounded by a circle of raised dots. The words "UNITED STATES ARMY" appear above the top of the seal. There are stars near the middle edge of the coin. The words "FAITH, COURAGE, STRENGTH, and VALOR encircle the bottom of the coin and are separated by dots.

SSG Rozier is a good friend of mine and when she gave me this coin, it meant a lot to me. I will always remember her dedication to duty and her ministry on my Battalion's Unit Ministry Team. Honestly, SSG Rozier made our Chaplain look really good. She was always hard at work doing something and she made a lot of things happen. She PCS'ed to Fort Gordon, Georgia not too long ago.

And now, I honestly have so many coins that I really need to get a new rack for all of my coins.

My Coins - Two New Ones

These are my latest two coins. Yes, they are the exact same coin, which is why I just chose to photograph them side-by-side showing the obverse of one and the reverse of the other. As they are the exact same coin, I am now no longer sure which one was given to me by my Battalion Commander and which one was given to me by my Battalion Command Sergeant Major.

CSM Moore gave me one of these coins one day when he took me out to lunch. He had one in the front seat of his car. When I got in, I naturally moved objects out of the way, picking up the coin in the process. Of course, since I have a fascination with coins, I briefly examined the coin. CSM Moore then asked me if I had one and I replied that I did not. He then took the coin out of its wrapper and shook my hand, handing the coin telling me that the coin was for all of my hard work that I've done in the Battalion.

The other coin was given to me by LTC Tedesco in an informal presentation in his office. LTC Tedesco informed SFC Cordero--the S-6 NCOIC that he wanted to give a coin to SGT Cuevas and me. So, both SGT Cuevas and I went into LTC Tedesco's office. He unwrapped two of the coins, told both of us that the coins were being presented for our hard work in helping to get the Battalion Headquarters up and running upon return from Iraq. LTC Tedesco shook both of our hands, giving us the coins in the exchange.

This coin is officially the last coin for LTC Tedesco as Commander of the Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. It is also the last coin that will be issued as a "DSTB coin," as the DSTB will be re-flagged upon LTC Tedesco's departure and become a Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion (HHBN). The front of the coin looks much like a national flag of sorts, as it is broken down into thirds. The top one-third is green and says "4TH INFANTRY DIVISION 'FIT FOR ANY TEST'." The words are inscribed in black letters. The middle one-third is white. On the left is the silver oak leaf denoting the rank of Lieutenant Colonel with the words "BATTALION COMMANDER" under neath. In the center is the DSTB crest, which I've described in other posts. On the right is the rank insignia of Command Sergeant Major with the words "BATTALION CSM" under neath. The lower one-third is also green in collor with the words "DIVISION SPECIAL TROOPS BATTALION AWARDED FOR EXCELLENCE" inscribed in black letters. The reverse of the coin has an all green background with a mountain peak and the 4ID patch in the center. LTC Tedesco and others think the peak is Pikes Peak, but the designer of the coin tells me that it is in fact not Pikes Peak. More on the coin's designer in a bit. Across the top of the coin are the insignia of Headquarters Support Company--the Havoc Hounds, Alpha Company--"Attack Company," and the Bravo Company Bison. I have described these insignia in another post. Beneath the mountain peak are the insignia of the Charlie Company Cobras. In a post describing a previous Battalion coin, Charlie Company was then known as the Coyotes. They have since changed mascots. The new insignia features the words "CHARLIE COMPANY" above the Signal Corps insignia (the famous "wig-wag" flags, one being white with an orange lozenge in the center and the second being orange with a white lozenge in the center, the flag staffs are crossed over a torch). The C Company insignia also has a cobra with hood flared, prepared to strike. Beneath this is the word "COBRAS." The bottom center of the coin has the insignia of the Delta Company Protective Services Detail, a logo that I have described in a previous post. The last insignia is that of the 4ID Band, which has the 4ID patch featuring a lyre in the center. "4ID" appears above the patch, while "IVY BAND" appears beneath it.

The coin was actually designed by SPC Robin Portwood, who now works in the Battalion S-4 Section. SPC Portwood used to work for me in the S-6.

This coin will actually feature very prominently in my coin collection. Actually, both of these coins will be prominently displayed. For one thing, these coins will be important in terms of historical significance. As mentioned above, the coin itself is the last of the "DSTB, 4ID" coins. From this point, any new coins will be from the HHBN, as the Battalion is being re-flagged and re-designated. There will no longer be a Division Special Troops Battalion in the 4th Infantry Division. The coin is also the last one that will be awarded by LTC Matthew T. Tedesco or CSM Keith Moore in their capacities as the DSTB Commander and Command Sergeant Major, respectively. These coins also hold the same sentimental significance as other coins given to me by these two men.

And so, there you have it. Barring any surprises, I figure these are the last two coins that I will collect before I report to the Netherlands in the spring. I suppose it is possible that I could get coins from the new Division Commanding General and/or Division Command Sergeant Major. It is also possible that the in-coming HHBN Commander and/or CSM may award a new HHBN coin to me. But, the likelihood of being awarded any of these coins is very small. For one thing, with a baby on the way and as busy as I'm about to be with clearing and getting ready for my PCS move, I doubt I'll have time to make enough of an impression on these leaders to merit the awarding of a coin for anything. What's more, my coin rack is already so full that I do not have room enough to display all of the coins I have. Frankly, I think that's a good problem to have.

Jeep Plans

So, the wife and I have two cars. Her car is a 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier. It is silver, four-door, and has an automatic transmission. It also has nearly 100K miles on it. We will likely sell this vehicle before we move to the Netherlands next spring.

The other vehicle--mine, is a 2008 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. Now, this ride is nice. Originally, it had a factory-installed soft top with a sun roof feature. All I had to do was unhook a couple of latches above the windshield and I could fold the top back to expose the front seats. This feature was nice, when I wanted some open-air driving, yet wanted the ability to close back up in short order, if the weather dictated such a need. The top was nice. I could zip out the back and side windows. The top itself was supported by a bow or frame system that allowed me to take the windows out and fold the top down to rest just inside the tail gate, thus making the Jeep a "convertible." Unfortunately, one night I decided to be dumb and I left my iPod sitting on my dash. Some inconsiderate thief decided to cut into one of the windows (as opposed to simply unzipping the window). Well, with it being November in Colorado, I needed a quick fix. At the time, I didn't know about the different options I had for repairing this damage. I could have simply ordered a new window or even a complete window kit. I probably should have done that. What ended up happening is that I ordered a completely new top for the Jeep. The top I got was a product made by Bestop. It was called the Trektop. This top was pretty nice. It didn't have all of the features of the original factory top, but it also didn't require all of the bows and frames, either. The top mounted to the windshield and rode right on the sport bar of the Jeep. I didn't like the tail gate retainer piece, though. The factory soft top had a couple of mounts that slid onto the top of the body on either side of the tail gate opening. There was a bar that ran between the mounts and hooked onto the bottom of the rear window. On the Trektop, the mounts and bar were one piece and you had to clip them onto the body. I was attempting to clip one of the mounts, when the thing broke. Well, despite minor frustration, this turned out not to be a big deal. The factory hardware worked just fine. In fact, I prefer the factory hardware because it is easier to work with. Anyway, the Trektop did have a sun roof feature, of sorts. I could unscrew the windshield mounts and roll the fabric back and expose the front seats. The top didn't fold back like the factory top did. Oh well. If I wanted a completely open air experience, the top was very easily removed and stored. After some time, I decided to upgrade my top to a factory style hard top. The hard top is nice. It is the "Freedom Top" from MOPAR. This top has a solid shell that encloses the back of the Jeep from the tail gate to just behind the front seats. There are two panels that cover the area above the front seats from about the sport bar to the windshield. I can remove one or both of these panels, if I desire open air driving. On warm days, I do just that. I can store the panels in the back, behind the rear seats.

Other features on this Jeep include factory-installed full steel doors with power windows and locks. I also have remote start on the Jeep--very useful in the winter months, when I want to get the Jeep warm before getting in on a cold morning. The Jeep also has a CD/DVD player, hook-ups for an MP3 player or iPod, and a GPS navigation system. It did come with a one year subscription to Sirius/XM satellite radio. Essentially, when I bought this Jeep, it had all of the "fancy bells and whistles" I could want. It has huge 32" tires on 18" wheels, so I get plenty of ground clearance, if I decide to go off road. I rarely go off road, though. For one thing, the Jeep is my primary mode of transportation so I cannot afford to break something and have the Jeep down for several days. Furthermore, even though I have a full-size spare tire mounted to the back of the Jeep, tires cost about $100 EACH, so flats get expensive to fix.

Now, we are moving to the Netherlands in the spring. I cannot afford to do any major modifying of the Jeep right now. For one thing, moving is expensive. For another, we're also expecting a baby in February and babies are expensive. But, these developments have not stopped me from dreaming. Since I don't go off road that much, I've decided that any modifications to the Jeep will be largely cosmetic. I'm not planning to put a lift on the Jeep. I'm not trying to do the huge mud tires. There are no plans to beef up the suspension or to put any armor on the Jeep. Instead, I'm looking at ways to customize the Jeep's appearance. My primary means of doing that involves setting the Jeep up to run different top/door combinations. Here are my grand plans. Keep in mind that almost none of these plans will come to fruition before we return from the Netherlands in 2015.

First, I want to remove the back seat. The back seat is just a two person bench seat. It folds up in such a way that it rests against the front seats, when I want more cargo room. Well, when we get back from the Netherlands, Regina will be getting a new car that will be easier to haul kids around in. Removing the back seat will allow me to put a spray in bed-liner in the back of the Jeep. Doing this will then allow me to maximize the cargo space behind the front seats. The back seat will then go in my "man cave" to be used as a gaming seat or just a place to sit and chill out.

Second, I am looking at the newest version of Bestop's Trektop--the TrektopNX. The big difference between the original Trektop and the TrektopNX is that the NX has removable side windows. The original Trektop did not sport this feature. I was only able to remove the back window. Also, the NX has a "Sundrider" feature that is similar to the original factory soft top. I will be able to unlatch the top from the windshield and fold it back to make a sun roof. The NX doesn't allow me to fold the entire top back to make a "convertible," but that is fine. If I want to go completely top-less, removing the top is actually very simple. When all of the windows (side and rear) are completely out, the TrektopNX becomes a "bikini top."

Third, I am looking at a set of soft upper and lower doors from Bestop. The lower doors essentially have a steel frame that is encased by the same type of fabric as the soft top. The upper doors attach to the lower doors and have a similar construction, but the windows are similar to the side windows on the soft top. The windows don't completely zip out, but they do unzip and fall in so that I can drive with the windows down. Removing the steel doors will require me to get a relocation kit for my side mirrors, but that's an easy and fairly inexpensive deal.

Fourth, I am also looking at getting a "wind jammer" and "duster." The "wind jammer" is essentially a piece of fabric with a clear, plastic window that mounts behind the front seats. The "duster" is a deck cover that mounts behind the front seats and covers the rear area of the Jeep. Both of these products are also made by Bestop. When using the Trektop as a bikini top, I can install the wind jammer behind the front seats and install the duster below and behind the jammer. Using this combination will keep the elements (wind, rain, dust, etc) out of the front of the Jeep and will essentially give it the appearance of a really short pick up truck.

The ultimate goal with all of these modifications is to a)maximize my cargo space and b)allow options for different weather conditions. Maximizing the cargo space is simple. With the back seat removed, I will have the entire back of the Jeep for cargo space. As far as creating the options I desire, that too is pretty simple. I can run a hard top/hard doors combo in the winter months--when I would have very little desire for open air driving. I can run a soft top/soft doors combo in the summer, when I might have several occasions for desiring the open air experience. I may also do some stuff with my external lights as well, but that isn't too high on the priority list.

So, let me know what you guys think. As I am able to start these modifications, I'll post pictures. Since I've got a while before I can even start, I want to do a bit of a poll. So, with the Jeep being black, should I go with a black soft top and soft doors or should I go with khaki?

David Versus Goliath

Most people are familiar with the Biblical account of "David and Goliath." For those of you who are not familiar with this story, I'll give you a brief rundown on it. The story is found in the Old Testament book of First Samuel, Chapter 17. Here we find the Philistine Army pitted against the Israelite Army. The armies are encamped on opposite mountains with a valley between them. Now, the Philistines were a "warrior culture." The Israelites, not so much.

In the Philistine Army was a man by the name of Goliath. Some historians estimate that he was as much as eight or nine feet tall, if not taller. By anybody's standards, this would make him a "giant." Well, for several days, Goliath went down into the valley and up on the Israelites' mountain. He would shout taunts and insults at the Israelites, including blaspheming God. He also issued a challenge to the Israelites. Goliath told them to send out a "champion" to engage him in a one-on-one duel to the death. None of the Israelite men were up to the challenge. In fact, they cowered at the presence of Goliath.

Meanwhile, a man by the name of Jesse had sent his youngest son to visit the camp of the Israelites. The son, David, was a shepherd. Many believe that David wasn't quite a teenager at this point in his life, much less of fighting age. He was in fact quite small, especially when compared to Goliath. David's mission from his father was to take a few provisions to his brothers who were Soldiers in the Israelite Army.

When David got to the Israelite camp, he was dismayed. He heard the taunts of Goliath and wondered why none of the Israelite men had risen to meet the giant's challenge. David was angered at the fact that this giant would dare say the things he was saying about Israel and about the God of the Israelites. He was further upset by the lack of courage being displayed by Israel's army. So, he decided that he would take it upon himself to answer the giant. David recalled experiences he had had as a shepherd. There were times when lions and bears attacked his flock, yet David was able to drive these beasts off and protect the flock. He truly believed that God had provided for him during those times and gave him the courage, strenght, and skill to fend off the predators. With these experiences in mind, David persuaded the king (Saul) to let him take a whack at Goliath.

At first, King Saul tried to put his own armor on David, but the armor was much too big and unwieldy for the youth. David protested that he hadn't "proved" the armor. That is to say that he was inexperienced with it and he didn't want to go into battle with equipment that he didn't trust. Instead, David had a sling that he had used to protect his flock.

So, David set out down into the valley to face the giant. On the way, he stopped by a brook and selected five smooth stones to use as ammunition for his sling. When Goliath saw David approach, he was insulted. He demanded to know why a mere boy was being sent out to face him. David answered him by saying that he had come in the name of the God whom Goliath had defied. Goliath taunted David and said that he would feed David's remains to the birds.

David placed a single stone into his sling and launched it at Goliath, penetrating the giant's helmet between his eyes and killing him instantly. At that point, Goliath's armor-bearer took off running and David unsheathed Goliath's sword and cut the giant's head off. David then raised the severed head in the air, prompting cheers from the Israelite army. The Philistine army took off running and the Israelites persued, wreaking a great deal of havoc and carnage among the Philistines.

Now, why am I writing all of this? Well, it's because I believe that God gives all of us giants to face. For some, the giant is a matter of finding a spouse. For others, it is an education thing. For many, it may be making a particular career decision. There are lots of giants in our lives. They manifest themselves in various ways. Having said that, these giants can be beat. It's just a question of whether or not you are willing to believe God and then go do something about the giants.

I hear lots of excuses from people. I know of girls who have met guys and been infatuated by them. Now, these girls would never admit to such infatuation. Instead, they make up some lame excuse about being "in love with Jesus" or waiting until God "brings the right man along." Well, being in love with Jesus is certainly a good thing. I'm not knocking that at all. Waiting on God is a good thing, as well. In fact, one of the most difficult things to do in life is to wait on God. Patience is difficult. But, when a guy comes along and he is a nice guy who is actually trying to make something of himself and not just looking to take every girl he can to bed with him, that might just be God "bringing the right one along." So, show the guy a little interest. It doesn't hurt, I promise. Now, I'm not suggesting that you stalk the guy, or anything. Stalking is never cool. I'm not telling you to blow up his cell phone with a hundred text messages or to post a million things on his Facebook wall. But, if you see him around, it's okay to initiate a little contact. Perhaps you can tell him "hi" and ask him how his day is going. That may sound a little lame, but at least it lets the guy know that you want to talk to him. Heck, you might even be really brave and ask him out for coffee or invite him over to watch a movie. Trust me on this one, nobody will die. This is, after all, the 21st Century. The old rules of courting went out the window a long time ago, for better or for worse.

But, enough about dating. Let's talk a little bit about that giant of getting more education. One excuse I've heard is that "I'm sick of having to meet man's requirements in order to do God's work." Well, yeh, I will admit that it is pretty sad when men place a lot more requirements on something than God does. For instance, there is nothing in the Bible that says that a man has to have a certain degree in order to become a preacher or pastor. I get that. I also get that God has used a lot of people over the centuries who had no formal education. But still, if you think that maybe an advanced degree may be useful, don't be afraid to go after it. Granted, it's going to take a little work, even if you do one of these "degree mills." It's going to require an investment of your time and money. You say that time is an issue because you have a family. Okay, got it. But remember my comment about the 21st Century earlier. Yeh, that one is valid here, too. In this day and age, we have this thing called the Internet. You know that because you're reading this. The Internet has allowed lots of schools to offer a wide selection of degrees in an on-line format. You can study and take classes while sitting at home in your underwear. It's freaking awesome. What's more, you can do it at your own pace, on your own schedule. So, you can go work your job, then go home and spend some quality time with the wife, kids, and dog, and then study for an hour or two. Now, you might have to give up watching your favorite college football team whip up on Podunk State on Pay Per View in order to get a test or two in, but that's okay. It's called sacrifice. That means you may have to give up something. Okay, so you're now telling me that money is the issue. Um, there are actually lots of financial aid options out there. You just have to look for them. Not all financial aid involves loans, either. There are lots of grants and scholarships available. What? You know about that already. Okay, good. So what's stopping you? Oh, I see, you're not a "distance learner type." Okay, so suck it up and enroll in night school. Many colleges and universities offer evening classes that only meet one, two, or three days a week. Oh, that doesn't work for you? Well then, you had better figure something out. I mean, you're telling me that you can't get that raise or promotion because your boss is telling you that your coworkers are out-competing you because they have degrees and you don't. They're better qualified and in this economy, only the most qualified are going to be competetive. You're telling me that your "dream job" is out there, but in order to get into that field, you must have a graduate degree. You feel that you have all of the qualifications to get into that field, but you lack the "stinking piece of paper" that those making the hiring decisions are looking for. So, do you want the job? Do you want the position? Do you want the raise? Do you want to take better care of your family? Okay then, do something about it! Get off your lazy behind and get in school. That may very well be God's way of telling you that He requires that you take that step.

Speaking of careers, let's talk about that for a while. I graduated from Tennessee Temple University in 2002. My goal was to become a missionary. The original plan was to pay off my student loans and then begin raising money to go do missions work in England. Only one problem: I had like $20,000 in student loans plus a little additional debt from where I had financed a computer. Okay, so financing a computer is a little dumb, but over all, I was still doing better than a lot of college grads. Even still, it was going to take me a very long time to pay off the student loans and most mission boards wouldn't even talk to me if I had any debt. One or two told me that they might be able to work with the student loan debt, if I got it below $10,000. Either way, it was going to take me a long time to get where I wanted to go in life. Now, one possible option was the military. You can make a lot of money very quickly in the military, if you know what you're doing. Now, I'm not saying that a man can get rich very quickly in the military. But, at the time, the Army was offering large enlistment bonuses. When you get deployed to a combat zone, your pay is not subject to Federal income tax and you get several entitlements. What's more, the Army has a great Student Loan Repayment Program. So Spurlock, why not join the Army? "Well, God has called me to be a missionary." Okay, so? "Well, I don't want to end up committed to the Army when God wants me committed to missions. Besides, I might get to Iraq and get killed, or something." Okay, so you're $20K in debt which is going to take you a lot longer than the average Army enlistment to pay off, but you're willing to spend all of those years paying that debt off? Does that really make any sense? "Eh, not really." Okay, you're afraid that you'll get to Iraq and get killed, yet you're sure that God wants you to go and do missions work. Do you not think that if God has really "called" you to go and do missions work, that He will preserve you and keep you safe until you can get there to do it? "Okay, you've got me here." Do you not realize that you can get killed right here in the United States just as easily as you can in a war zone? Have you not seen the way people drive around here? "True." Okay, you want to do missions work. Who's to say that you can't do that in the Army? Do you not realize that there are people in the Army who need God? "I've never thought about it that way before." Do you really think that you have to go to a foreign country to do missions work? Do you think that missions work just involves planting churches, passing out flyers, and doing Bible studies? "What's your point?" My point is that the Army actually provides lots of opportunities to go to foreign countries, take Iraq for instance. My point is that missions work is more than just planting churches, passing out flyers, and doing Bible studies. It is about ministering to people. It is about telling them about Christ. It is about showing them the difference God has made in your life. The funny thing is that it can be done in any country, even the United States. What's more, there are people you can minister to in the Army that the average pastor or missionary would never get the chance to minister to. There are people who will listen to you because you are going through the same things they are going through, who would never listen to a "Bible-thumping preacher." "Okay, okay." Anyway, I managed to put away my excuses and I finally did join the Army in 2006. The student loans are paid off and I'm considering making the Army a career. I may stay in until I retire. Way I figure, God has used me numerous times in just over five years. I even got to "preach" during a chapel service in Iraq. How many missionaries can say they've done that? Sure, it's not "traditional" missionary work, but it is something. Besides, when I retire, I'll only be 47 or 48. I'll still have lots of years to go and do "traditional" missionary work, if God wants me to do that then. For now, I've found something that I really love doing, that I'm good at, and that God has blessed me in. I've also got a wonderful wife and I'm expecting my first child in February. I'm right now living in Colorado, but moving to the Netherlands in the spring. I've been to Iraq twice and I'm still alive. Life is by no means perfect, but it is definitely better than I had it before I joined the Army. Now, I'm not trying to make a sales pitch for the Army, or even for the military in general here. I'm just trying to make the point that a career change can be a good thing. We do not have to get so stuck in our plans that we cost ourselves the opportunities and blessings that God has for us. It's good to have a plan, but it's also good to be flexible. The best plans are the plans that follow God's plans, rather than just our own goals and dreams.

So, why have I written all of this? Well, it's because there are things out there that mock us. There are events and circumstances out there that try to tell us that God is powerless to do anything for us. Sometimes we have to get a little upset about that. Sometimes we have to stand up and say "I'll go." Sometimes we have to put down the armor that we haven't tried and grab the weapons that we know will work. Then, we have to march down into the valley. Once there, grab a little ammunition and nail the giant between the eyes. To do this, we've first got to quit making excuses. Excuses will get us nowhere. Execution will get us to places we've never dreamed of going. That's why I'm saying all of this. Now, identify your giant and get your behind down into the valley to take him down!

The Rear-View vs the Windshield

I am 32 years old now and I will soon turn 33. If my favorite uncle is correct, I have lived longer than my father did. That thought is particularly interesting to me. I have seen more days on this earth than my father did. Why? How? Only God knows the answers to those questions, I suppose. What I do know is that in the automobile of life, I am now beginning to witness the rear-view mirror grow, while the windshield is shrinking. Now, don't get me wrong. The rear-view is still quite small, as compared to the windshield. I'm not at all suggesting that I'm some scenile geriatric, or anything. But, there is quite a bit for me to look back on.

I could talk about the birth of my brother Chris and how a baby brother was the first thing that I ever prayed for. I could talk about the first time I ever got sick at school. Then, there was the death of my best friend and grandfather, James (Jim) Franklin Lee on 10 August 1986. Now, that is a day I will never forget. It's too bad that Grandpa wasn't around to see the memories I would make later. I often wonder what he would think of my life now. Would he be proud of me? What would he say, knowing that he has a great-granddaughter on the way? What would he think of my Army career and of my wife? I hope I've made him proud.

I could talk of my mother's second divorce and then us having to live with my grandmother. There are lots of memories from this time in my life, as it carried through high school.

I suppose I could spend some time on the death of my father. That happened in October of 1990. I still remember my mother waking me up at like 4:30 in the morning to give me the news. The full impact of it didn't hit me at that moment. I'm not sure if it's because I really wasn't quite awake at that particular moment or if it's because I was really too young to comprehend the situation. I think it's probably the former because the full ramifications did hit me in waves over the next several days and weeks. The first big thing to come of this awful tragedy is that at my dad's funeral, my grandmother walked up to my mom and began the process of mending fences that had been in disrepair for way too long. You see, after my parents split up, I never had any contact with my father or his family until his funeral. It was several years before my sister and I would both learn that we were in fact "full siblings." For years, my mother and others had said that my first step-father was my sister's dad. Well, after my dad's death, that myth was completely shattered. That being said, it took Christy a lot of years to finally even begin to come to grips with it all. I'm not sure that she has fully come to grips with it even as I write this. I remember a few weeks after my dad's death, I had a nightmare of sorts. In that nightmare, my dad's ghost had come to visit me. He took me somewhere in a car. I woke up in the middle of this dream. I think it was at that point that I realized that I would never know what my dad's voice even sounded like or what he would have thought about me. Just as I wonder whether or not my grandfather would be proud of me and what I've done, I wonder the same of my father. What would he think about the coming of his new granddaughter in February? What would he think of Regina? What would he think of my Army career? Again, I hope he would be proud of me. It's also a bit ironic that the two people I am most concerned about what they would think of me are the two very individuals for whom I'm named. My full name is Robert Lee Spurlock. My dad's name was Robert Kevin Spurlock. So, I bear his first and last name. I already spoke of my grandfather's name and his last name is my middle name. My mother did this on purpose so that she could name me after both men. "Robert" was also a bit of a compromise with my dad because I think he wanted "Kevin" to be somewhere in my name, but my mom couldn't find anything in my grandfather's name that sounded good with that name. So, as a compromise, she came up with Robert Lee, in part because my dad admired General Robert E. Lee, thus I am also partially named for a famous Civil War General.

Anyway, back on track. My relationship with my dad's family grew over the years. At the same time, my life changed in a big way. I left the Knox County School System and went to a private school from the Seventh grade on. When I was in Seventh grade, I finally became a Christian on 27 March 1992. My life really changed after that point. I went from wondering aimlessly through a rebellious life to actually having some peace and direction. Now, don't get me wrong. To this day, I still haven't figured out perfection. But still, my life could've turned out a lot worse than it has. I was on a path that potentially led to drugs, violence, and jail. After that point, I was on the proverbial "straight and narrow" and I've never regretted the change of direction.

My teen years passed very much like those of other people. I played soccer and baseball, longed to drive cars, chased girls, and worked a part-time job. I used the money from one of my first jobs to buy my first car. I didn't get my license until I was 17 and I thought that day would never come. I have had my driver's license for over 15 years and I still get behind the wheel, look down, and have a hard time believing that I am actually old enough to drive. I have tried to never let the "little things" of life cease to amaze me. It's funny though because I've done a lot since even then.

I went to college on a partial scholarship. While in college, my mother remarried. It was her third, and I believe her final marriage. I love my pop to death and he has been there for a lot of the big events in my life. At least if God took my natural dad away from me, He provided an awesome step-dad to stand in his stead. Mom and Pop married in May of 1999. In November of that same year, my maternal grandmother died. I have now added a third person to my list of people who I wonder what they would think of me now. I'll say this much, Grandma would probably give me a swift kick in the behind if she knew that I was in the Army and that I've done two tours in Iraq. Of course, she'd have to kick my cousin, David, in the behind for that same reason. She'd probably give him two kicks because he's the one who talked me into joining up. Anyway, back to college. It wasn't all bad for me during those years. Like I said, my mom got married to a really cool dude. In 2001, I spent a month in England. I had to do it to fulfill an internship requirement for my Missions degree. I think that was probably the best month of my entire college career. Ironically, I came back exactly two weeks to the day before the horrific events of 9/11/01. The internship was supposed to have been a six-week affair, but the missionaries only needed me for four weeks. I have never failed to see God's hand in that scheduling, especially since one of the iteneraries I considered would have taken me through Boston, where the 9/11 flights originated.

I graduated college in 2002 and spent the summer in Chattanooga. As I had gone to Tennessee Temple University, I decided to work in their maintenance and housekeeping department for the summer. I was hoping to just bide a little time until something better opened up. Well, it didn't and I began to see the writing on the wall. I was making minimum wage and I knew that I couldn't keep living on that money, especially with my first student loan payment coming due. What's more, I needed a new vehicle. The only answer was to return to Knoxville and move in with my parents. I didn't like that answer, but I had no other choice. My paternal grandmother died during this summer, but I didn't find out until the day of her funeral and didn't make it to the funeral. That is one regret that I will carry for the rest of my life. What's more, now I have a fourth person on that list of people I wonder what they would think of me now. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that Mammaw wouldn't much like me galavanting around the Middle East, but I think she'd really love Regina and I think she'd be excited about the coming baby. As with the others, I just hope she'd be proud of me.

I landed a job with Alstom Power, an engineering firm who had contracts with the Tennessee Valley Authority and several other high-profile businesses and agencies. It was sort of a weird "three-way love triangle." You see, I went through a temp agency. The temp agency was contacted by the Xerox corporation because they needed someone to fill what was described as a data entry position over at Alstom Power. Alstom and Xerox had a contract that essentially stated that Xerox would provide a certain number of temporary employees, as well as company employees to fill various positions, mostly maintaining the large number of printers and copiers that Xerox supplied to Alstom. Anyway, however the paperwork was done didn't matter to me. What did matter was that I found a job making more than minimum wage and it was in an office setting. I loved it there. My tenure there wasn't without its learning experiences. I got some painful lessons on the harshness of office politics. But, my time there was great and I made some really awesome friends.

Unfortunately, I fell victim to the great job crunch of '03 and got the "pink slip." Now I had to swallow my pride once more. I went to work for Travis Meats, Incorporated. Travis Meats produces the hamburger patties that Krystal uses on their burgers. Members of my family have worked for this company since the early 1980's. I had to take a pretty big pay cut and initially started working 3rd shift. Part of me felt honored to be putting some time in what I jokingly referred to as the "family business." I actually figured the job would be a good opportunity for me. My mom still works there. My pop worked there, at the time. My Grandpa worked there until he got too sick to work. Two of his brothers worked there and one of my mom's cousins and his wife even worked there. My first step-dad worked there, as well as one of his brothers. My sister even worked there for a bit. With as many of my family members (whether family by blood or marriage) who had worked there, I figured it was only fair that I do my time there, as well.

Anyway, I hung on there from November of '03 until I joined the Army in May of '06. I had a lot of learning experiences while there, but eventually I got depressed. The job didn't pay very well and I really started feeling the urge to get out of my parents' house. Don't get me wrong, I love my parents and was thankful that they let me live with them. Still, I was in my mid-20's and I needed to get out on my own and establish myself. This depression led to a confrontation with my sister one morning. That led to spending a day in jail and a domestic assault charge. That led to a huge wake-up call for me. Thankfully, the domestic assault charge was dropped when my sister didn't show up to court and the District Attorney decided she had bigger fish to fry. That said, my life had taken a downward turn and I didn't like it. I realized that I had gotten away from the God who had preserved me and taken care of me. I was still going to church. I hadn't become a "party animal." It wasn't anything like that. I read my Bible and prayed. Essentially, I did everything a "typical Christian" was supposed to do. But, my heart was in the wrong place. Internally, I was rebelling against God. Well, God got my attention through the experience. I told Him that if He could still use me, in spite of me, then I was all in. I would go anywhere and do anything He wanted. Little did I know what was coming a year later... .

In November, 2005, I took a trip to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I had gone to see my cousin off. He was leaving for his first deployment to Iraq. It was during this trip that I again looked at the idea of joining the Army. I had briefly considered it back in 2003, when I was temporarily out of work due to another painful lesson that I had to learn. Anyway, I spent the next few months praying and researching.

In March of 2006, I talked to the recruiters. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted to join the National Guard or the "Regular Army." Well, the "Regular Army" guy convinced me. I went through the process and shipped out to Fort Benning, Georgia on the last day of May, 2006. I officially became Specialist Robert Lee Spurlock.

Basic Combat Training wasn't easy, but it wasn't too hard, either. I established a reputation with my Drill Sergeants for my work ethic. I graduated Basic on 10 August 2006, exactly 20 years after my grandfather had lost his fight with lung cancer. From Fort Benning, I was off to Fort Gordon, Georgia for Advanced Individual Training. This is where I learned how to be a Radio Operator-Maintainer, the job I had signed up for.

After AIT, I went home for some leave and then I reported to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. There, I was assigned to the prestigious F Company, 51st Infantry Regiment who, at the time, belonged to the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion and 525th Military Intellingence (later Battlefield Surveillance) Brigade. This company was a Long Range Surveillance Company, which had its origins in Vietnam as a Long Range Patrol (abbreviated LRP and pronounced "Lurp") unit. These dudes were "high speed," let me tell you.

My time in this unit was filled with good and bad moments. I deployed to Iraq for a 15-month tour with these guys from June 2007 to September 2008. During this time, an old friend from college hit me up on Facebook. Her name was Regina Thompson. Now, truth being told, I annoyed a lot of people during my college days. I figured that Regina was one of them, thus I couldn't figure out why she wanted to be my friend on Facebook. Oh well. No matter. I accepted the friend request. We began talking back and forth. During my tour in Iraq, I spent a good deal of my time manning a bank of radios in a Tactical Operations Center. My job was important because I was the one who answered the calls from our platoons who were "outside the wire." When I wasn't doing that, I went out as a platoon Radio-Telephone Operator (RTO). That job was even more important because I was the platoon's comms link back to the base. I enjoyed doing all of this work and I knew it counted for something. I also went to the E-5 board during this time. I went twice, but fell on my face the first time. The second time, I was better prepared and aced the stinking thing. I came away from that tour with an Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM), a few coins, an Iraqi Campaign Medal, and my first Overseas Service Ribbon.

Well, when I came home from that tour, I was a proud man. God had blessed me richly and I was feeling good. I was also facing the prospect of turning 30 and still single. Granted, I did date this one girl for a while, but that relationship wasn't good for either of us. I was also struggling with being in F Co. I didn't see eye-to-eye with a lot of the guys and I needed a change.

That change came in the form of orders to Fort Carson, Colorado. It also came in the form of a new relationship with Regina. She and I met up in Chattanooga on Valentine's Day of 2009. The whole purpose of the meeting was just to spend a day catching up and forgetting about life for a while. Well, what neither of us realized that day was that God had something bigger in store for the both of us. A few weeks after that little meeting, we finally started figuring things out and our relationship turned serious.

While I was on leave, en route to Fort Carson, I drove down to Georgia to spend the night with Regina and her family. We got engaged that night, which coincidentally was her brother and sister-in-law's wedding anniversary.

After that, I continued my journey west. When I got to Fort Carson, I was assigned to the Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. Now, I have told this story in other posts, so I'll just tell the condensed version here. The Division and Battalion were moving to Carson from Fort Hood, Texas. The Battalion had no S-6 (Communications Shop). Since I had a communications occupation specialty, I became the S-6. I stood up much of the Battalion's automations assets, while helping Regina plan our wedding.

In September, 2009, I not only got promoted, but I got married. Those were two of the happiest days of my life. From there, I continued to train and prepare for the Battalion's upcoming deployment to Iraq. At the same time, Regina and I began to establish our home.

In October, 2010, I deployed for the second time. During this last deployment, I eventually became the Noncommissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC) of the S-6 Shop, yes the very S-6 Shop that I had helped to establish. I also got very little time playing with radios. Unlike my previous deployment, this last deployment required me to focus primarily on Automations (computers, printers, phones, and related equipment). I didn't have as much fun and I still feel like I've wasted a year of my life, despite occupying a position normally reserved for those two pay-grades above my current pay-grade. There were quite a few bright spots, though. I came home on leave and conceived a child. Now, that is pretty awesome. I did earn several more coins of recognition, including one from a four-star General. I also passed the E-6 board. So, I don't suppose I can complain too much.

Anyway, that brings me to where I am today. I've written a lot here, but there is so much more that I could have written. I could probably spend whole posts on any one of the stories I've told and there are lots of stories I didn't tell, such as the births of my nieces and stories from when I played baseball and soccer. I could tell about adventures I've had with friends and memories from holidays. I still see a lot of those things very clearly, as I look back. But my point is that there is a lot to look back on. I don't suppose it does very much good to dwell too much on the past, but I don't think it hurts to look back once in a while. I think it's important to remember where you've been. Now, I have a lot to look forward to. My daughter is expected to be born in February of next year and our little family will be moving to the Netherlands a couple of months later. God has definitely blessed me over the years, but I don't think he's done yet. I think my story has quite a few more chapters yet to be written. It's just that I'm in one of those nostalgic moods, I suppose. I'll be 33 this December. I cannot believe that I will be that old. The Army is already taking its toll on my body. I have aches and pains. I'm also noticing that my metabolism is slowing down. I used to be known as the "human vacuum cleaner" because of the volumes of food that I could put away without gaining any weight. Now, I don't eat nearly as much, yet if I'm not careful, I'll get fat.

Though my rear-view mirror is a lot larger than it used to be, I'm thankful that my windshield hasn't shrunk too much.

Something Everyone Should Experience

At approximately 1740 local time, a plane lands at the airport. After a few brief announcements, somewhere around 350 Soldiers unass the plane. As they get to the bottom of the stairs, they are greeted by familiar faces. Among these familiar faces are friends who came back on earlier flights and some who stayed back on Rear Detachment. The Band is playing as they all file orderly off the plane.

The Soldiers pass through a throng of greeters composed of members of local Veterans' groups and a few civilians who just want to express their gratitude for the service of these Soldiers. After shaking hands with and hugging these folks, the Soldiers march inside a building where several stations are set up.

The first station is for scanning ID cards. This makes it "official." The Soldiers have now officially arrived in the United States. The Soldiers then proceed to other stations where they are allowed to turn in weapons and other "sensitive items," collect government-issued cell phones (if necessary), and get much needed information pertaining to housing, household goods and vehicle storage, meal cards, and leaves and passes as appropriate. The Soldiers then proceed into a briefing room where several kind-hearted civilians have set up a table with burgers, drinks, deserts, and courtesy cell phones.

Meanwhile, all over town there are family members who are getting anxious. Spouses are busy checking hair and makeup and ensuring that houses are "fit for a king." Some are busy making last-minute touch-ups on posters, banners, and signs. Friends and family members are arriving, some with food and other gifts. It won't be long now until cars are loaded up and people start making their way over to a large gymnasium on the Army post.

Back at the airport, Soldiers are starting to get restless. An impromptu promotion ceremony is taking place. Company First Sergeants are busy putting out information to keep their Soldiers informed and ensure that the Soldiers do not wreck the fun of the homecoming. The Soldiers have all earned the right to be happy and celebrate. They have just finished a hard-worked tour in Iraq. Some of the Soldiers were only there for about six months, while others were there for a year. The mood is quickly turning from excitement to impatience.

On the local Army post, families are arriving at the gymnasium. It has been about two hours since the plane landed. Many of the families have taken the advice that was put out and have shown up early. Military flights are strange animals. They can show up really early, really late, or right on time. It is often hard to tell exactly when the "bird" will arrive. Lots of conditions factor in, as with any other flight. The weather plays a part, as well as potential mechanical issues. Because of the nature of the flights, specific information about them is often not published for the security of those on board. If one piece of equipment or one person goes unaccounted for, the flight will be delayed. On the other hand, if everything goes smoothly, then the flight may arrive early. You never can tell. So, the unit leadership did the wise thing and told the families to show up well ahead of the posted schedule. This advice would ensure that if the flight did arrive early, then nobody would miss the big event of the evening.

Back at the airport, Rear Detachment leadership decided that they had published a plan and they were going to stick with the plan to the letter. Of course, this decision frustrated a lot of individuals, but it was made for the sake of those who might not have gotten the word or heeded the advice about showing up early. However, as 2000 approached, it was time to go ahead with the "safety brief." The Soldiers were seated and critical information regarding the events of the next few days, important contact numbers, and valuable safety tips was briefed. Slides were shown. A few other small bits of information were put out. After the brief, it was finally time to load the busses.

Meanwhile, duffle bags and ruck sacks are put on trucks and driven to the gym at the Army post. The bags are then downloaded in the parking lot for the Soldiers to pick up, once the festivities were over with.

At the gym, families are gathering. The Band is warming up. Activities to entertain the little ones are happening. The excitement is building. Families and friends are starting to get inpatient, but they keep themselves restrained. It is only a matter of time.

As the Soldiers load the busses, it takes three or four attempts to get an accurate head-count. Then, the convoy sets off for the Army post. Of course, because the leadership wanted to stick to the letter of the plan, the convoy takes the "scenic route" to get over to post. We can't have the busses arriving too early.

Inside the gym, the tension is building. The Band starts really going now. Kids are coralled. Last-minute signs and banners are hung. Everyone is getting excited. Then, someone hears busses pulling into the parking lot.

Outside the Soldiers get off the busses, drop their backpacks, and assemble into a formation. The Sergeant Major briefly explains how they are going to march in and execute a facing movement. He explains the "program" and then lets the Soldiers know that once they are released, they do not have to be at work until 0800 the following Tuesday.

Everyone is excited now. The music is really going. The doors open, smoke canisters are popped, and Toby Keith is being blasted over the PA! Here they come! The Soldiers come marching in as the music plays. They swing around and face the crowd. Cameras are snapping and flashing. The moment that everyone has waited so long for has finally arrived. Tears are forming in peoples' eyes. It is truly an emotional event.

The music is silenced. The Master of Ceremonies makes a few remarks. Then heads are bowed and the Chaplain prays. The Commander and Sergeant Major "uncase" the colors. What a spectacular ceremony. The unit has "officially" redeployed. The colors are now flying proudly here in the U.S. of A. Everyone rises for the National Anthem and the Army Song. The speaker is introduced. He makes a few very brief remarks. He knows that nobody is going to remember anything he says. He concludes and the Commander says the two words that everyone standing in the formation are longing to hear: "You're Dismissed!"

Soldiers fall out of formation and find their families. All kinds of hugging and kissing is going on. Pictures are being taken. Greetings of "welcome home" and "congratulations" are being expressed. The local news media is interviewing Soldiers and family members. The excitement of the moment slowly fades as the adrenaline rush subsides. Grown men are crying like little babies. The local chapter of the VFW is there shaking hands and handing out coins. The Band is packing up their instruments. No need to keep this thing going any longer. These Soldiers and their families just want to get out of here. The single Soldiers realize that the night is still young. It is only around 2130. A guy can drink lots of alcohol between now and closing time.

Soldiers and their families file out to the parking lot. Bags are collected and loaded into cars. Ah...finally, time to go home. Soldiers arrive at their houses to find them looking as spectacular as the wives who cleaned them. There is food and beer in the frige. Clean clothes are laid out. Time for a nice long hot shower to wash off the yuck of Iraq.
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What I have just described is the homecoming ceremony that I was part of, just a couple of weeks ago. If you have never personally witnessed such an event, I think you should make it a point to do so. We've all seen news clips of these events. They all look pretty much the same, especially on TV. For the most part, they are. Depending on the unit and other factors, some of the minor details are different. Still, you can have no idea what an emotional thing it is until you're part of one. From a TV screen, you will never feel the excitement and tension. You will never get the adrenaline rush. You will never quite know what it's like to be a wife, child, or friend who is anxiously awaiting the arrival of a loved one who has spent the last year voluntarily putting his life in harm's way to ensure that your freedoms remain protected and unmolested. You will never know what it's like to be that Soldier who has missed his wife, his children, and his friends for a year. You will never understand the feelings involved or the sacrifice that has been made. You will never know the joy of the long-anticipated reunion. You will never begin to understand these things simply by watching a segment on the nightly news. No, you will never truly begin to appreciate these things until you see them in person. Once you experience something like this in person, it will make you want to find the nearest Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Mariene, shake their hand, and thank them for their sacrifice. It will make you want to find the nearest military wife or child, hug them and cry with them over the sacrifice that they've made.

While I will not deny that it is a sacrifice on the part of the Service Member who gets on the plane and flies into harm's way, I will also not deny that it is just as much, if not more of a sacrifice for that wife, child, and friend who have to watch that SM get on that flight. Yes, the members of the United States Armed Forces are heroes. There is no doubt about that. We voluntarily raised our right hands and swore an oath to defend this nation. We sacrifice some of our rights and freedoms on a daily basis. We go to places where people will shoot at us and try to blow us up. We gladly do these things out of a deep love and regard for our country. However, let us never forget the wives who have to fill the roles of both "mommy and daddy." Let us not forget the children who often do not understand why Daddy didn't get to be there for Christmas and birthday celebrations. Let us not forget the people who keep the home running. Who keep the vehicles fixed. Who get the leaks in the roof taken care of. Who keep the finances straight. Who keep the bills paid. These folks are just as much heroes. For they sacrifice a lot more than the average individual will ever understand. They wait patiently, day in and day out, hoping and praying that they do not get a telegram or phone call bearing bad news.

Until you've had a chance to experience a deployment homecoming, you will never really begin to fathom the sacrifices that are made by those in and those not in uniform for your sakes on a daily basis.

My Coins - Conclusion...for Now.

Well, this post contains no photos. You have now seen all of the coins I've collected during my career, to date. Going through the stories behind these coins has brought back a ton of great memories and caused me to think about a lot of great men and women with whom I've had the honor of serving over the course of these five years.

I call this post a conclusion, but it is more like a pause or an interlude. I trust that as I spend more time in the Army, I will recieve more coins. I will update this series with the stories of those coins, as they are written. In the meantime, I hope that you have all enjoyed these stories and learned an interesting fact or two along the way.

Until next time... .