salience
July 8, 2003
So, a few things:
1. Michelle has posted on her livejournal!! :)
2. The familia went down to Ft. Walton beach for the 4th. El papa, la mama and the twins drove down Wednesday, but my brother and I didn't leave until Friday morning, as I didn't want to miss work and he couldn't miss football practices. There was a huge dilemma surrounding transportation to the airport: no one could take us, even just to the MARTA station off 400. You know it's a busy time when one can't even find a ride to MARTA. Fortunately, my querido dragged himself out of bed to get us down there. (Thank you.) He showed up at my door at a quarter to 6, and we were at the MARTA station before 6:30.
Some highlights of our second beach escapade:
-the eternal rains which blocked out the sun
-all 6 of us sharing one bathroom
-all 6 of us reading before bed
-deep sea fishing
-el papa dancing in his seat during Legally Blonde II.
3. This afternoon woman triumphed over technology, once again. I was able to bypass the GE firewall and get AIM up and running on my work machine. Watch out, folks!! :)
4. Now, in the hopes of letting go, and further proving what a nerd I am:
::clears throat::
THE AIR FORCE HAS LOWERED ITS STANDARDS ONCE AGAIN!! Why do I care? you might be asking. More specifically why do I care if the Air Force has lowered its requirement to a 1.5 mile run/walk on the AFPFT (Air Force Physical Fitness Test)? Allow me to explain.
I am no longer in ROTC. This is obvious. However, I still train daily: a habit only emphasized by my brother, as he is busting is ass for the start of football season. ROTC training is not that strenous on the body. To be honest, it is just the repetitive schedule that is taxing. Yet, the entire point of the Reserved Officers Training Corps is to prepare students for active duty. Although technology has advanced warfare significantly, it is still necessary to be physically ready for the demands of combat. That being said, allow me to make a distinction:
The primary function of the Army is to obtain and secure grounds necessary to advancing the mission of the Commander In Chief. The primary mission of the Air Force is not air warfare (that is the navy's job), but to maintain aviation equipment and to deliver humanitarian aide.
Regardless of a service's mission, servicemen should be physically fit.
How then, is the Air Force helping its future officers by decresing the physical requirements? How demeaning is it to the cadets, assuming that 2 miles is too strenous a standard? It is insulting to all current AFROTC cadets, further proving the laziness of the service. As if being able to bike the two miles in the first place wasn't bad enough...
So you're saying, "Let it go, it doesn't affect you, anymore."
Well, you must understand. The military is all I know, I can't help but feel ashamed. Add to it the fact that my best childhood friend is currently at Air Force ROTC summer camp, and maybe you will begin to understand my frustration.
Just picture it:
Erin is running her first summer camp AFPFT, a fitness exam which will affect her commissioning and placement in two years. She is nervous, but confident that she will score well. As she rounds the track to start her 7th lap, a young, newly-commissioned second lieutenant will yell, "Gaberlavage! That's enough, stop running!!" She will instantly think she has broken some Air Force rule and her mind will reel, "What? Did I not tie my shoe laces according to Air Force regulation and the proctor just noticed?? What am I doing wrong?" The second lieutenant will calmly explain that the Air Force no longer expects its cadets to be able to run 2 miles, especially after Operation Enduring Freedom. He will go on to say, "You understand. We were the last to be deployed overseas and the first to return stateside. Endurance is no longer a concern."
1. Michelle has posted on her livejournal!! :)
2. The familia went down to Ft. Walton beach for the 4th. El papa, la mama and the twins drove down Wednesday, but my brother and I didn't leave until Friday morning, as I didn't want to miss work and he couldn't miss football practices. There was a huge dilemma surrounding transportation to the airport: no one could take us, even just to the MARTA station off 400. You know it's a busy time when one can't even find a ride to MARTA. Fortunately, my querido dragged himself out of bed to get us down there. (Thank you.) He showed up at my door at a quarter to 6, and we were at the MARTA station before 6:30.
Some highlights of our second beach escapade:
-the eternal rains which blocked out the sun
-all 6 of us sharing one bathroom
-all 6 of us reading before bed
-deep sea fishing
-el papa dancing in his seat during Legally Blonde II.
3. This afternoon woman triumphed over technology, once again. I was able to bypass the GE firewall and get AIM up and running on my work machine. Watch out, folks!! :)
4. Now, in the hopes of letting go, and further proving what a nerd I am:
::clears throat::
THE AIR FORCE HAS LOWERED ITS STANDARDS ONCE AGAIN!! Why do I care? you might be asking. More specifically why do I care if the Air Force has lowered its requirement to a 1.5 mile run/walk on the AFPFT (Air Force Physical Fitness Test)? Allow me to explain.
I am no longer in ROTC. This is obvious. However, I still train daily: a habit only emphasized by my brother, as he is busting is ass for the start of football season. ROTC training is not that strenous on the body. To be honest, it is just the repetitive schedule that is taxing. Yet, the entire point of the Reserved Officers Training Corps is to prepare students for active duty. Although technology has advanced warfare significantly, it is still necessary to be physically ready for the demands of combat. That being said, allow me to make a distinction:
The primary function of the Army is to obtain and secure grounds necessary to advancing the mission of the Commander In Chief. The primary mission of the Air Force is not air warfare (that is the navy's job), but to maintain aviation equipment and to deliver humanitarian aide.
Regardless of a service's mission, servicemen should be physically fit.
How then, is the Air Force helping its future officers by decresing the physical requirements? How demeaning is it to the cadets, assuming that 2 miles is too strenous a standard? It is insulting to all current AFROTC cadets, further proving the laziness of the service. As if being able to bike the two miles in the first place wasn't bad enough...
So you're saying, "Let it go, it doesn't affect you, anymore."
Well, you must understand. The military is all I know, I can't help but feel ashamed. Add to it the fact that my best childhood friend is currently at Air Force ROTC summer camp, and maybe you will begin to understand my frustration.
Just picture it:
Erin is running her first summer camp AFPFT, a fitness exam which will affect her commissioning and placement in two years. She is nervous, but confident that she will score well. As she rounds the track to start her 7th lap, a young, newly-commissioned second lieutenant will yell, "Gaberlavage! That's enough, stop running!!" She will instantly think she has broken some Air Force rule and her mind will reel, "What? Did I not tie my shoe laces according to Air Force regulation and the proctor just noticed?? What am I doing wrong?" The second lieutenant will calmly explain that the Air Force no longer expects its cadets to be able to run 2 miles, especially after Operation Enduring Freedom. He will go on to say, "You understand. We were the last to be deployed overseas and the first to return stateside. Endurance is no longer a concern."
lasaliente, 16:08
