Catching up...

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: FOUO

So its been a little bit since I have written, or so I have been
reminded :) Thanks Laura!
Things have been a little hectic over here.. Both at work and outside of
work.

I returned from my Bagram trip and had a whole new team (here at
my office). My team, that I have been with for 4 months was redeploying
(heading home..) and so not only had I spent the previous two weeks
training a team to work on their own, I now had a team to train - to
relieve my guys. Its always a hard transition to go from the ones you
trust, the ones that know what they are doing, to a whole new team. I
have worked longer days, cleaning up the database, fixing the errors
that were being made. Needless to say the new team is not overly joyed
with me, because I am Anal Retentive about the Attention to Detail.
What they don't seem to understand is that for every block in the
database they DON'T fill in, I have to backtrack, and fill in the data
for my reports to General Petraeus. They may not see the requests, the
reports, and receive the phone calls I get, but soon, they will
understand, I hope? I have heard rumblings already that the two day
shift girls are talking about me behind my back, or sending emails to
each other thru the day (after I've corrected them on something)
bitching about me.

I do not want to work in that kind of environment. I refuse to
work with what seems to be high schoolish antics. I try to be patient,
I let them know they are doing a good job, but I also let them know the
errors I am seeing. Its constructive criticism. It's funny.... they
seem to like me, when I have their backs and get phone calls from
Department of Army (DA) or even our higher headquarters, requesting them
to do something - that is probably not necessary... they like me when I
get on the phone and tell the other end that we will not do what they
are asking, because it is redundant work, or purely not required. But,
when it comes to me correcting or putting out guidelines on how the data
is to be entered, they do not like it. It's simple, there are several
blocks to be filled in, all serve a purpose and all are self
explanatory, each block serves a purpose. Every bit of that data is
tracked, and - like I had once eluded to before, is put in a statistical
slide for General Petraeus. When the blocks are left blank, that causes
a lot of going back, research and needless time taken away.

Anyhow, so, the last couple weeks have been a little
frustrating. I am an impatient person, I know this - and because I know
this, I am trying very hard to not lose my patience.. But, There are
times, when I receive a call, and am told something was not done - that
was reported as being complete, I get a little mad.. This happened..
and this happened on a report to that is briefed not only to the Afghani
Ambassador - but to General Petraeus. Nothing like getting a phone call
5 minutes before that brief, that the report was not received.
Anyhow, so that is how my last couple weeks have been, since returning
from Bagram.

I have also been sick the last couple days, battling what seemed
to be a sinus infection - or simply the crud that seems to be going
around.. not sure just yet..

Other than that, work has been work. I am, once again, going to
Kandahar, to hold another seminar; Apparently, word got out, and those
that could not attend the last seminar, have requested for me to hold
another.. I am glad. It obviously makes me feel like what I am doing it
worthwhile.
I am also going to Camp Julien soon, I will take pictures and tell you
all about it, afterwards. For security reasons, I will wait on all that
information, but that time - should be fun. I am going with a few other
fellow LT's and it promises to be a good time. I am actually looking
forward to it.

Its funny, as time has gone on, although the thought of
traveling is still a bit scary, I look forward to getting off of here -
even if it's just a couple days. Traveling helps make the time go by
faster.

I also have been doing a lot of reading, which is taking away
from my online time, especially since my netbook broke.. I don't have
internet in my room now, which leaves me to read.. which, although it
sucks right now, I guess is a pretty good thing. I have been reading
some pretty good books (thanks to George, and Jamie!:))
I will be getting a new one, though, because I do miss being able to IM
with my friends there back home, in the evening time.

I will say that I have learned to leave my office a bit more. I
go and have dinner outside with some of the other O3s in my directorate.
I also leave a bit earlier than I used to, mostly out of selfish
reasons, but - it's still after a 14-15 hour day, so regardless of the
reason, it's still good.. ;)

okay, time to post...will write more soon as my travels continue next week...