Back From Vacation - Happy Hollow Zoo

Didn't run much over the past week, but I was able to get in four miles over the weekend, then three miles today in 31:24, but unfortunately my knee still hurts when I run. 

I had such a GREAT time at home.  I took the children to Happy Hollow Zoo, which the kids loved so very much.  I will really miss this age and my heart aches when I have to leave and come back to AZ.  There is no amount of distraction that can relieve the emptiness that is ever present in my heart.  I try to find comfort in running and racing, but I can hear my childrens laughter repeated in my ears, which makes my heart feel like it is weighted down in my chest.  Sometimes I can almost feel the tugging of my heart, and I wonder if it is my childrens spirit of just the weight of the loneliness.  It will be a long six more years before I am done with this Army tour and I can return as a retired man and establish my new life/job at home where I belong. 

I'm back to work now and I had to send my boss a list of accomplishments over the last three years.  This should be for him to write up an award for me.  Maybe I'll get out of here with a new award that I do not have yet, which would be nice, but to tell you the truth I'd be happy with anything, especially based on the amount of work I've been doing in the past six months.  I can probably expect a MSM or ARCOM, but I'm not emotionally vested either way or even if it doesn't come through.  I'm happy with what I have already and think anything else throughout my career is gravy.  I really love my two BSM's and thankful I had the opportunity to earn them and only wish I could be called up again to serve overseas in battle.  I'll keep my fingers crossed and do my best to make friends along the way and just maybe I'll find myself in Afghanistan.  My heart is really in combat; never have I felt more alive and useful. 

Here is the list of accomplishments that I sent my boss.  Notice the use of third person.  Am I a geek or just a bad writer?  I probably should work more on my english skills so I don't look like a such a dolt that my GRE scores proved. 


* Responsible for over three years without a security violation, and keeping the DIA Accreditation for the WARISC DET 1 SCIF. During three separate practices dangerous to security, CPT Bott was responsible for insuring local policies and procedures were updated to capture lessons learned which led to an even more secure posture throughout the SCIF.

* Sought out opportunities for professional development which led to securing an additional duty working with the Combat Support Agency Support Command Operation section. During that time, CPT Bott provided over 1,800 hours of support in 2008.

* Responsible for over 10,000 mandays of production over three years at the DET 1 SCIF. CPT Bott insured there were no scheduling conflicts which insured the DET 1 automated information platforms were appropriately utilized.

* Was recognized by the MIRC Commanding General and the Combat Service Support Agency Support Commander (Commanders Coins) for excellence while supporting the yearly Battle Focused Readiness Review in 2009.

* Was recognized by receiving the Knowlton Award in 2008. 

* Was recognized by the 500th Bde Commander (Commanders Coin) for excellence while supporting the 301st MI Bn and the 500th MI Bde's production mission in 2007.

* Was recognized by the 301st MI Bn Commander (AAM) for leading the 2008, 301st MI Bn Bataan Death March Team, to a victory the full marathon mixed military heavy division.

* Was recognized by the WARISC Commander (AAM) for leading the Ft. Hunter-Liggett Army 10 Mile team to victory in the 2009 Army Ten Miler Reserve Mixed Team Division.

* Established a physical fitness program/atmosphere that resulted in a constant DET 1 APFT average score to stay above 240 points for over three years.

* Over the three years 2007-2010, CPT Bott became a subject matter expert on several DNI support social network platforms and used them as a platform to produce finished intelligence products in support of USARPAC's priority intelligence requirements. In 2007-8, CPT Bott co-authored several products on JWICS and SIPRNET that were selected as Intellipedia Articles of the day and one product that was selected as the number two article of the year.