Blake just called me from Fort Jackson, SC. He is finishing up his Basic Training and said it was Family Day and that he wanted to touch bases with me. I kinda got choked up cause he thought to call me on "Family Day"...
He's doing fine and is looking forward to heading over to Ft. "Useless" VA for his Advanced Individual Training. As I understand it, Blake is going to learn how to repair helicopters. I guess we all know what that really means.... Can you spell "Door Gunner"?
Blake is a fine young man and a great American. Takes real guts to enlist voluntarily while we are at war and I for one appreciate him. Y'all pray for him and all the rest of our heroes over there in Iraq and Afghanistan, please.
-------------------- The toughest thing I've found about deer hunting is getting them to hold still long enough for me to stick an orange spot on them and then step off the yardage... Posts: 1014 | From: Columbus, GA | Registered: Jul 2005
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Blake is a fine man, glad to hear he is doing well. Only fitting Donnie, you took him to raise at the club some time ago. Done good!
-------------------- "Being there was good enough..." Charlie Lamb reflecting on a hunt TGMM Brotherhood of the Bow Posts: 9537 | From: Ranger, GA | Registered: Mar 2003
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My boys and I have enjoyed shooting with Blake on a number of occasions and shared camp with him last year at the Cohutta hunt. If you speak with him again,tell him we all wish him well and he will be missed at the NGT shoots.
-------------------- John H.V. TBG, NGTA, TGMM, MK, LLC. "our hearts have heard the low whistle of the flying arrow and the sweet hum of the bowstring singing..." S. Pope Posts: 337 | From: Georgia | Registered: Sep 2006
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Hey guys just got on the internet today and saw this so I had to chime in. Thanks for the kind words and wishes of luck.
You all have been very kind to me and have been part of my family since I moved to GA and got back into archery.
I was fortunate to be classed this week and have already started on my training. Fortunate in the fact that some people have to wait as long as a month and a half before they get slotted into a class. Graduation day is scheduled for July 20 which also happens to be my 29 birthday so it has an almost surreal feeling of starting a new life because that is when my time in the army really starts. From the guys I've been talking to most are getting stationed in Korea, Alaska and Hawaii. Then a few are going to FT Drum and FT Cambell, thoose are the guys who are most likely to deploy to the sandbox.
As for that door gunner jab, they are considered the "lucky" ones because they go with thier helicopter everywhere it flys. So that means that if the pilot needs to go on a training flight across two or three states and have a nice steak dinner at the halfway point you are there with them, unfortunatley that also means if you are in a combat zone you man a door gun behind the pilots seat. This position is called a CrewChief and he is the Pilots right hand and when bad things happen no matter what they are he is the one expected to fix it or make the crash less likely to happen.
Well thats all for now I'll catch y'all next time I get on the net.
Glad you got your classes lined up and things are going smoothly for you. I hope this continues and you have a great graduation and birthday. Sounds like a nice new life coming ahead for you...at least an interesting and exciting one!
Take care, William
Posts: 169 | From: georgia | Registered: Sep 2003
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Hey guys been awhile since I spoke up and had some time so I figured I'd say hey. Lost my phone a while back so I lost a lot of y'alls numbers and probably missed some of your calls. I have a new number 417-989-0769 so give me a holler if you need to.
Graduation is right around the corner on July 20 and then I'll be back in Atlanta for as much as three weeks. My orders came in and I'm going to Ansbach, Germany and report day is August 27. So I have a lot of things to do when I get back home.
Sorry I haven't said hey in awhile hopefully I'll be able to shoot with y'all soon.
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TBG banquet is August 7, in Warner Robbins, Blake. Come visit with everybody before you leave for Germany if you have the chance.
Posts: 1075 | From: Crawfordville, Ga. | Registered: Jul 2005
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Blake, if you can make it your ticket's on me (Lord knows we owe our servicemen and women more than we can repay but it's a start).
I'll bet we can even get some folks to chime in and cover you some raffle tickets, too.
Thanks Blake, hope to see you there.
-------------------- "...some of it's magic, some of it's tragic, but I've had a good life all the way..." Jimmy Buffet from HE WENT TO PARIS Posts: 3135 | From: zebulon, georgia | Registered: Mar 2003
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The NGT shoot in Gainesville is (the Sun before the banquet) Aug 1st, so hopefully Dennis hasn't wrecked your truck and you can make it!!!!! Tomi Varnell
-------------------- TNGIRL.... >>>>>>>>------------>> Ye Olde Fartes and Sore Losers, NGTA, TBG, TGMM Family of The Bow, Compton's Traditional Bowhunters Posts: 1173 | From: S.E. Tenn. | Registered: May 2005
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