Is the summer over yet?
The good ol' google maps app says 4 hours and 40 ish minutes to West Point. With a Wes and a Molly in the back seat, our traveling range is about an hour, before someone requires something I can't reach or throw at them, and they suffer from a complete melt down.
So when the bro-squad came, my two brothers Kev and Matty, we decided to venture out and try it! They had never been to West Point, it had been years since I received my tour from a JMU friend, and we all wanted to do a little City site seeing.
So we found a place to take care of the dogs.
Packed the car.
Set the alarm.
And headed out at zero dark thirty.
The drive was pretty uneventful. Though, Matty did make a joke right as I was drinking my water, causing me to almost drown. Kev grabbed the wheel as I choked, gasped for air and yes, peed myself from the gagging, laughing and lack of control. These are the glamorous things that happen when you are pregnant with your third and have hilarious brothers.
Other than my near-death experience, we arrived at Camp Natural Bridge at just about 4 and a half hours later. We climbed the "lose-your-cellphone-reception" hill, and turned left seeing the Army's version of a very summer-camp-like sign welcoming us to my husbands home for these summer months.
Nik was walking up to greet us, excitement on his face as well as a smirk of "just wait till I show you were you are." We pull in towards the buildings and park; very ready at this point to get out of the car.
We look around and see: trees. Porto Potties. Trailer-like buildings. Dirt. and a bunch of soldiers wandering in and around the buildings (it was a Saturday, so not a lot to do.) Its camp though, training, its not supposed to be a fancy hotel. So its what I imagined. A little rugged.
And now the tour. First we walk into "the gym." Trailer #1. This buildings door was left open, because even though it was intensely humid and hot outside, when you walked in here it was like an oven (I was having Fort Benning flash backs!)There was one guy about to lift weights but no one else. I can only imagine how hot it gets when guys are actually working out. It was lined with exercise equipment. Weights, treadmills, even a couple elliptical. Some of the electrical systems still worked on the equipment, others just worked and a lot were covered in rust. But again, this is 'camp' so that makes it okay somehow...
We moved on to the living quarters. Trailer #2. This door was left shut because there was an a/c unit. The windows were all blacked out with blankets, it was wall-to-wall bunks. Most of the bunks had blankets tenting them off too. Nik quietly walked us up to his bunk because some of the bed had guys sleeping on their 'off time.' It was relatively comfortable in there. Crowded. Smelled like feet. But cool.
Next a trailer or two over, was the laundry facility. Trailer #3. This was the worst. The theme of wall-to-wall continued with washers and dryers, but the floor was completely warped and corroded due to the flooding of the machines. Water streamed out the through the floor boards and the machines were not lined up like you'd see at a laundromat, they were all in disarray like teeth that could use a good set of braces.
Walking by the trailer you could smell the mold from the dampness.
Since I'm a gal, I missed the bathroom part of the tour, but I'm pretty glad. Prison-style showers and upon the guys arrival of the place they had found stacks of moldy deteriorating toilet paper and had to requested to get it removed.
As we walked down past the few remaining trailers to the water, I was completely grossed out. Sure they are at camp. Sure they are here to train cadets and to semi-rough it, but is this the way West Point should be taking care of Army officers and NCO's who have been tasked to give their summers to helping coach and train cadets, and miss out on valuable training with their own units? I'm leaning towards no.
The water site was fun, and then we made our way back to the other side to see the basketball courts (slabs of cement) and the DFAC (where they eat.) I"m sure this place is great. I was thinking, of all the places here, I know they'll feed them well. Especially since they are taking out of our pay to make sure they get meals.... It had a nice screened in porch area. And a very nice man running it. He gave Wes a little box of Cheerios and offered drinks to us. But it was just as sad as the rest of the camp. On top of that sometimes the portions are so small enough for the guys to go out to eat again after dinner.
As we round the DFAC, Nik shows us his favorite pull up bars. Matty makes a joke about how even the playgrounds here are lame. "Only pull up bars!?" Ha.
This place is the pits. Its sad for me to see such a wealthy reputable academy, THE Army's academy, take actual soldiers away from their training and families and not at least put them up in a semi-decent building for the summer. The cadets are learning how to be hard, most of these guys have literally been to the war and back. How come this has gone so long without someone saying "enough." And this is all physical stuff, and just stuff I noticed on my tour.
Now when Nik calls and tells me what he's been up to I can picture it. And I love that. I love knowing faces and what things look like so I can imagine them as he tells stories. (And he has some great stories.) But now I can also understand how he's worn out, and ready to be home.
The other day I had a really tiring day with the kids. They weren't being really bad, just busy and so it was nonstop for me. Nik called and had a long day too. We were both just exhausted and needed sleep. The next day I appoligized for being so negative, and Nik said that this was like Ranger school, and how important it is for battle buddies to have each others back. When one is down the other one needs to be up, so that when its his turn to be down you can encourage him. He said this is the most fool proof way to keep going and not quit. If both are down, quitting is inevitable.
This has been a summer like no other. But people have gone through WAY longer times apart with WAY more taxing circumstances. Ours has been pretty intense (moving, pregnancy etc) but we are learning so much about our strengths and limits and how to encourage each other and be strong even when we have had it up to here with the annoyances of the day. In the end, even though I'm tired, I'm (trying to) stay positive and strong for my "Ranger Buddy" so we can get through this summer together (even though we are apart). And I know, every day, he does the same thing.
Its terribly romantic actually. Pushing away so much frustration and bad moods and listening to me rant and tear apart my exhausting day. He lives in a dump. Missing us. Missing out on the kids adorable new quirks. Not having his music (constantly.) Or be able to climb into his bed. He can't just come home and have a beer at the end of a long day. He hasn't even been able to fully unwind and settle into our new house. He is a walking sacrifice and he does it all because he is called to be in the Army and he adores me and our family.
I am beyond pissed that West Point is housing my incredible husband in such a disrespectful place. But I am honored that he continues to go through it day in and day out. And do it with all the characters and weak leaders and incredible friends he interacts with every day.
He inspires me. And for that, I am trying my hardest to make him a home he loves to return to, swallowing my anger and exhaustion that comes with single parenting and waiting these last few weeks till we are together again as a family!
#cantwait
So when the bro-squad came, my two brothers Kev and Matty, we decided to venture out and try it! They had never been to West Point, it had been years since I received my tour from a JMU friend, and we all wanted to do a little City site seeing.
So we found a place to take care of the dogs.
Packed the car.
Set the alarm.
And headed out at zero dark thirty.
The drive was pretty uneventful. Though, Matty did make a joke right as I was drinking my water, causing me to almost drown. Kev grabbed the wheel as I choked, gasped for air and yes, peed myself from the gagging, laughing and lack of control. These are the glamorous things that happen when you are pregnant with your third and have hilarious brothers.
Other than my near-death experience, we arrived at Camp Natural Bridge at just about 4 and a half hours later. We climbed the "lose-your-cellphone-reception" hill, and turned left seeing the Army's version of a very summer-camp-like sign welcoming us to my husbands home for these summer months.
Nik was walking up to greet us, excitement on his face as well as a smirk of "just wait till I show you were you are." We pull in towards the buildings and park; very ready at this point to get out of the car.
We look around and see: trees. Porto Potties. Trailer-like buildings. Dirt. and a bunch of soldiers wandering in and around the buildings (it was a Saturday, so not a lot to do.) Its camp though, training, its not supposed to be a fancy hotel. So its what I imagined. A little rugged.
And now the tour. First we walk into "the gym." Trailer #1. This buildings door was left open, because even though it was intensely humid and hot outside, when you walked in here it was like an oven (I was having Fort Benning flash backs!)There was one guy about to lift weights but no one else. I can only imagine how hot it gets when guys are actually working out. It was lined with exercise equipment. Weights, treadmills, even a couple elliptical. Some of the electrical systems still worked on the equipment, others just worked and a lot were covered in rust. But again, this is 'camp' so that makes it okay somehow...
We moved on to the living quarters. Trailer #2. This door was left shut because there was an a/c unit. The windows were all blacked out with blankets, it was wall-to-wall bunks. Most of the bunks had blankets tenting them off too. Nik quietly walked us up to his bunk because some of the bed had guys sleeping on their 'off time.' It was relatively comfortable in there. Crowded. Smelled like feet. But cool.
Next a trailer or two over, was the laundry facility. Trailer #3. This was the worst. The theme of wall-to-wall continued with washers and dryers, but the floor was completely warped and corroded due to the flooding of the machines. Water streamed out the through the floor boards and the machines were not lined up like you'd see at a laundromat, they were all in disarray like teeth that could use a good set of braces.
Walking by the trailer you could smell the mold from the dampness.
Since I'm a gal, I missed the bathroom part of the tour, but I'm pretty glad. Prison-style showers and upon the guys arrival of the place they had found stacks of moldy deteriorating toilet paper and had to requested to get it removed.
As we walked down past the few remaining trailers to the water, I was completely grossed out. Sure they are at camp. Sure they are here to train cadets and to semi-rough it, but is this the way West Point should be taking care of Army officers and NCO's who have been tasked to give their summers to helping coach and train cadets, and miss out on valuable training with their own units? I'm leaning towards no.
The water site was fun, and then we made our way back to the other side to see the basketball courts (slabs of cement) and the DFAC (where they eat.) I"m sure this place is great. I was thinking, of all the places here, I know they'll feed them well. Especially since they are taking out of our pay to make sure they get meals.... It had a nice screened in porch area. And a very nice man running it. He gave Wes a little box of Cheerios and offered drinks to us. But it was just as sad as the rest of the camp. On top of that sometimes the portions are so small enough for the guys to go out to eat again after dinner.
As we round the DFAC, Nik shows us his favorite pull up bars. Matty makes a joke about how even the playgrounds here are lame. "Only pull up bars!?" Ha.
This place is the pits. Its sad for me to see such a wealthy reputable academy, THE Army's academy, take actual soldiers away from their training and families and not at least put them up in a semi-decent building for the summer. The cadets are learning how to be hard, most of these guys have literally been to the war and back. How come this has gone so long without someone saying "enough." And this is all physical stuff, and just stuff I noticed on my tour.
Now when Nik calls and tells me what he's been up to I can picture it. And I love that. I love knowing faces and what things look like so I can imagine them as he tells stories. (And he has some great stories.) But now I can also understand how he's worn out, and ready to be home.
The other day I had a really tiring day with the kids. They weren't being really bad, just busy and so it was nonstop for me. Nik called and had a long day too. We were both just exhausted and needed sleep. The next day I appoligized for being so negative, and Nik said that this was like Ranger school, and how important it is for battle buddies to have each others back. When one is down the other one needs to be up, so that when its his turn to be down you can encourage him. He said this is the most fool proof way to keep going and not quit. If both are down, quitting is inevitable.
This has been a summer like no other. But people have gone through WAY longer times apart with WAY more taxing circumstances. Ours has been pretty intense (moving, pregnancy etc) but we are learning so much about our strengths and limits and how to encourage each other and be strong even when we have had it up to here with the annoyances of the day. In the end, even though I'm tired, I'm (trying to) stay positive and strong for my "Ranger Buddy" so we can get through this summer together (even though we are apart). And I know, every day, he does the same thing.
Its terribly romantic actually. Pushing away so much frustration and bad moods and listening to me rant and tear apart my exhausting day. He lives in a dump. Missing us. Missing out on the kids adorable new quirks. Not having his music (constantly.) Or be able to climb into his bed. He can't just come home and have a beer at the end of a long day. He hasn't even been able to fully unwind and settle into our new house. He is a walking sacrifice and he does it all because he is called to be in the Army and he adores me and our family.
I am beyond pissed that West Point is housing my incredible husband in such a disrespectful place. But I am honored that he continues to go through it day in and day out. And do it with all the characters and weak leaders and incredible friends he interacts with every day.
He inspires me. And for that, I am trying my hardest to make him a home he loves to return to, swallowing my anger and exhaustion that comes with single parenting and waiting these last few weeks till we are together again as a family!
#cantwait
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