April 4th - Transfer from San Diego to Ft. Jackson, South Cakalaky

Another day, another dollar... This morning we transfered via C-9 to Ft. Jackson just outside of Columbia, SC. The flights were uneventful (Marine C-9 which meant no nonsense and wasting no time). We got to Columbia early after a stop in Kansas. I'd say Podunk, Kansas but that would be an insult to Podunk. I took a picture but have no way to load it up right now. Once in Columbia, it was finally green and beautiful. The drive from the airport to the base was about 30 miles on country roads lined with pine forest. No time to be existential but it was certainly nice to see. It's been a long time since I've seen country like this. It was a beautiful spring day here and the sunset (over an Army parking lot littered with army vehicles) was beautiful. After standing in yet another line, we were finally done with the check in and some chow (I passed on the stew....you just never know). So here I am in my palace (the four room "cottage" sure beats the open bay barracks. O5 women and O6 men get their own accomodations. If the other women don't show up, some JO's will jump in which would actually be preferable. Thye have a tendency to liven the place up. We're sharing a bathroom but it's clean enough and we were given towels. Not only that but we have a fridge and a coffee maker. Not that I will be drinking coffee. I had my last espresso for weeks yesterday. I tried to get one this morning but the shop was closed on Saturdays. This could potentially be worse that no booze. We were told that regardless, alcohol is off limits. Fuckin' great. Fuckin' army. Leave to the Army to entirely pull the fun out of everything. So my last beer and my last espresso. I'd trade all the cable TV (our cottage has DirecTV) for a morning espresso. Crap.