Lodging On Base
We plan to attend Paul's graduation from boot camp in a few months. There is "lodging on base" that fills up very quickly. We've been told to telephone one month to the day before we need our rooms, and that the call should be early in the day because the rooms go very fast.
The description of the lodging gives the number of units in the building: 1175!
Big Weekend
Yesterday, we celebrated Adam's 20th birthday. And tomorrow, Rachel graduates from high school. They are growing up.
Euphemism
In a letter from our high school:
If your child needs credit recovery (Summer School) . . . .
13 May 15 Conclusion
I think there are some pictures that I took with my uniform on so when I get them I will send them all to you. If you guys can send me some of all of you that would be great, so I can hang them in my locker. Also tomorrow I will be getting another haircut and I hate those haircuts. My head always gets sunburned because I have no hair. Well tell everyone I said Hi and that I'm thinking about everyone and missing everyone. I love you guys and can't wait to see you all.
- love Paul
13 May 15 Still Continued
Today we are in a classroom learning about first aid stuff, so is tomorrow. Friday we will get to go out to the field again and go to the obstacle course. That's about all I can tell you about this week, because that's about all I know . . . .
13 May 15 Continued
Yesterday we went to the field and did team building stuff. It's like a bunch of obstacles that you gotta get the whole team across . . . .
13 May 15
Hey everyone hope you guys are doing good I'm still having fun here at basic training just trying to stay motivated and sometimes it's really hard. Your guys letters really help, so don't feel bad that you might write too often or the letters are too long, I have 12 more weeks here, I will have time to read them. I also love reading them and responding to them. I don't get that much time in red phase, but I will be in white phase in about a week and I will have more time to write and read all your letters. I miss all of you and can't wait to see you . . . . To mom, thanks for the card, I love it. I'm really starting to miss Chicago too.
Note
The Facebook page for Paul's company contains some good photos. I haven't found Paul in any of the images, but they give an idea of what he's doing.
Today I've added photos to my previous posts, starting with May 14.
If you'd like to access the Facebook page yourself, log in to Facebook and search for:
Fox-Company-1-19-Class-5039
08 May 15 Still Continued
Sunday I will go to church. I'm actually really missing Trinity and everyone else. You guys should write me back when you can those letters really help me get through the rough parts of my days or when I have time to think because I'm on my second time reading that Bible you guys gave me. That was the only thing I was allowed to keep. My military ID looks like I just went through chemo, looks horrible but I have to have it on me at all times. Just like my dogtags, they get pretty uncomfortable at night. We also have a certain way of making beds. I'm having fun otherwise but I hope everyone is doing good and hope you guys write me back . . . .
Anyways I gotta get back to doing my usual stuff after the work day in the little amount of time I have. But I love you guys and can't wait to see you whenever that will be.
- love Paul
8 May 15 Continued
Today we got our gas masks for chemical and nuclear warfare got a long class on it like 3 hours long then had chow then went to weapons functions and fundamentals class which was like another 4 hours but it was fun because we basically learned everything about our weapons. The thing I hate about my weapon is that I gotta take it everywhere I go like even the bathroom. Tomorrow we are going to get gassed. We're going to the gas chamber and the way that works is you put on your mask walk into the room and take it off and the room is pumping out tear gas smoke which is pepper spray and we'll be in there for like 5 minutes, gotta say the solder's creed, 3 general orders, the army song, and our birthday and social security number and we will wait and do it all over again once we all recover back to normal.
Letter from Paul 8 May 15
Hey everyone hope you guys are ok and just letting you know that I'm still ok. We are finally having fun over here and it's all pretty easy kind of like football but either way I'm having fun. The 3 weeks or so that I've been here I've lost almost 20 lbs. Just tons of workouts but it's fun. We were out all day yesterday doing land navigation. We had to get up at 4 am as usual then we packed pretty much everything we owned into a rucksack and marched out like 3 miles and were looking for specific points on a map and out of our company my platoon destroyed everyone like every team got all the points during the day and at night. We finished that stuff like 11:30 and marched back and it was super dark and painful because I have blisters on both of my feet because I'm still trying to break all my boots in and it's taking a while.
Mother's Day Last Sunday
On Mother's Day, Paul wrote me a wonderful letter that arrived a few days later. It made my year! Here are some excerpts:
Hey mom Happy Mothers day Hope you have a good day. Sorry I couldn't be there I'm stuck here . . .
Wish I could have called you and told you this myself but we can't have phones. Right now I'm in red phase and we don't really get that much free time I get about an hour a day but I have time Sunday before I go go to church. But anyway Happy Mothers day hope you have a great day, I miss you and I love you!
- love Paul
Continued
05 May 15
. . . Anyway I miss you guys a lot and can't wait to see all of you and also let everyone know how to write back to me because letters really help with the stress and all those things.
- love Paul
Paul's First Letter from Boot Camp
05 May 15
"Hey guys Just writing to say I'm still doing good and having fun for the most part. We get into trouble here for every little thing and it's usually push ups. We are on our feet all day but I have managed to stay under the radar so I haven't gotten into trouble myself personally. We wake up at 4 am every morning and go work out till 7 then we go to chow (eat) then we have stuff scheduled for that day. I have gotten everything issued to me including my weapon. I have the M4 carbine and it's an assault rifle. We do not get that much free time it's like an hour before we go to bed if we haven't gotten into trouble, which for the last week we have been getting into trouble. I don't even have that much time now so I'm going to write as much as I can. Homesickness is getting better because I have no time to think."
to be continued
Paul at Boot Camp
Hi everyone!
We received our first two letters this past weekend--a form letter from Paul's commanding officer and a personal letter from Paul. Here is his address, if you'd like to write to him:
Stahlke, Paul, RN 421
Fox Co, 1-19th IN
9075 Holcomb Drive
Fort Benning, GA 31905
Translation:
RN=Roster Number
Co=Company
IN=Infantry
Paul's commanding officer also asked us to write the roster number on the back of the envelope and highlight it with Paul's platoon color, which is GREEN. This helps them sort the mail faster.
They also made clear that packages are NOT allowed--only letters. [So don't send him any chocolate chip cookies! Especially in Georgia in the summer!]
There is also a Facebook page for Paul's company, which gives some of their activities:
Use Facebook's "Search Groups" function to search for "Fox Company 1-19 CLASS 5039" Once you are a group member, you can view photos and descriptions of training and events. The commander made clear that this Facebook page is only for information, not for voicing personal issues or concerns.
Paul has mentioned in a voice mail to me that he would really enjoy mail, so if you can, please consider dropping him a line or two.
Thanks!
