Chappy's Free Chicken

 Been a pretty good time thus far ... Arrived at Shawnee, KS to spend a few nights (27th & 28th) with my cousin, Mike T. Mike's a West Point grad, former All Army Rugby player, and a retired Colonel. He's been a target I've been chasing for many years while serving. Beyond all his accolades, he's been a great older cousin. Absolutely enjoy spending time with him. Mike fed me with various BBQ dishes which force me to double-down on my diet when I get a few days away from his house! hahaha. The last time we were together was when I was headed out to Fort Carson back in 2015 ... way too long. I was able to offload the trailer in the RV Lot at Leavenworth (28th) which has made driving around the area much easier. On the 29th, I was able to link up with an old buddy, Ryan VW, from our 1-66AR days back at Fort Carson. Ryan is one of the best leaders I've met in the Army. He genuinely cares, listens, leads, and laughs. Hard to top that, IMO. He's got a great family...

 Sooooo ... here I am in Wichita Falls, TX on my way to CGSC (that's the Army's Command and General Staff College) which I have had the good fortune to be selected to attend as a resident. Why is this a big deal? Because the majority of Chaplains don't get this opportunity. Sure, when we make Major, we're expected to complete the Intermediate Level Education requirement to be competitive for future rank and position but not all of us get to do it as a resident. Most will complete this requirement virtually ... so, yes, I'm humbled by the opportunity. Why am I blogging about it? Well ... to be honest ... I want my family and friends to know what's going on since I'll be at Fort Leavenworth as a geo-bachelor (without my family). Yes, it sucks, but as the kids have gotten older, they want less Permanent Changes of Station (PCS) and I'm coming around to understanding that although I wish they were with me on this adventure. I could be a lot of fun based on w...