Quick Update from Kelly

Hi Everyone! David is in Florida for some extra JAG training. He is getting to see a huge base which can offer the new JAG's the experience to see how the military handles criminal investigations. He has been very busy so we haven't been able to talk much but he is seeing some of the new military technology along with other resources that Maxwell does not currently have. Maxwell is a training base for the AF and David will be back there for more training and classes throughout his career. Schriever will not have the resources this base in FL does either since Schriever is a Space Warfare Center and the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization base.

I hope when he returns this weekend he'll have some more to share along with some pictures of the "field trip". As always we covet your prayers as we are apart and experiencing so many new things being a military family now! I haven't experienced quite as much as David :c) It's been very exciting so far but we cannot wait to get to Colorado and be together again.

Send David Mail!

Hi friends, David has been so encouraged by all your letters and packages... don't stop! His new address for letters is:
1st Lt Blomgren
550 E. Maxwell Blvd., P.O. #902
Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6024

and for packages:
1st Lt Blomgren
450 N. Lemay Plaza
Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6024

A Celebratory Weekend!

The weekend with David was awesome! I loved seeing David actively pursuing his goal of being an officer in the Air Force! It was a full and fun weekend. I landed late on Wednesday night and early Thursday made it to spousal orientation. I was able to meet some other wives going through the same things as me and I loved talking to them. After orientation, a spousal panel for questions and a bus tour around my first Air Force Base I saw my man!!! Look at him above in his blues all ready for the awards ceremony that afternoon.

After the awards ceremony we ate lunch together, the food was gross and I was glad that was my only meal there! I walked David to class and on our way two other airmen saluted him. I was caught off guard since I was busy talking. Once I realized they saluted him it I asked some questions about why and when and who salutes who and then I was like woah my husband is an officer in the Air Force! Go David for all your hard work these past five weeks.

That night David's dad Chuck arrived and the next morning was the graduation ceremony (video below). Chuck and I both enjoyed being shown around by 1st LT Blomgren and learning more about our lives in the Air Force family.

The rest of weekend I pretty much stayed in bed being very sick but when I was awake I enjoyed just talking to David and watching t.v. together. He was tired too so we just relaxed.

Here is David marching for graduation.

The proud father.

We ate at O'Charley's for old times sake!

Love him.

A few funny things other people told me about David...
1. He was called cookie monster a few times due to the many cookies he received in the mail during COT.
2. Some people had a hard time pronouncing Blomgren and started calling him "Dobson" instead and this became his "call name" (nickname) during COT.
3. He supposedly got more mail than anyone! I love that you all are so supportive and I know David appreciates it too.
Hooah!

Video of My 1st Lieutenant

This is my first attempt at making a video on iMovie, so give me some grace! Also, please excuse my trembling hand while recording. I love you David and I am so stinkin' proud of you. Thank you for going through all of this for us!

I also made a short one from our last day in Nepal, click HERE to see that one :-)

Dining In

This past week we also had our Dining In. It was fun, and I didn't get sent to the grog! Although, I did break some rules of the mess, like clapping instead of hitting my spoon on the table. The night started out with some socializing, since one of the rules is to attempt to talk to everyone at the party. That consisted primarily of walking around and saying, "Good evening Ma'am, Good evening Sir" and so on. We ate a nice dinner, watched a skit, and did a lot of toasting. Overall, it was an enjoyable evening. Here are some pictures of the night:

My Flight Commander and me.

Charlie Flight

My roommate and me.

The Staff trying to do some Karaoke.

AEF Weekend

This past week went on a mock AEF (deployment). It was actually a lot of fun...unlike real deployments. The first day we set up some tents, learned how to carry people properly on a litter (stretcher), did a MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital), and ate a lot of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). The MASH exercise was very interesting and fun. Interesting because it was amazing to see how efficient and effective the medical personnel can be in a deployed environment. Most of the medical officers here will be deployed within the next year, most likely to Balad Air Base in N. Iraq. If soldiers are injured and arrive at Balad safely, there is a 99% chance that they'll be airlifted to Germany and live. It was fun because I played a psycho patient and ran around with a gun until security took me down.

The second day we basically played on the high ropes course. We climbed walls, walked across poles 50 ft in the air, repelled down walls, and swung on a lot of ropes. It was quite fun. Thanks taxpayers!

"Hurry up and wait" outside the girls' tent during our mock deployment

By far the scariest obstacle in the course...me about 50 feet up

Here I am on the big obstacle course.


We had to walk across a beam and jump onto the ropes....only 2 people sprained their ankles.

F-22s doing some fly-bys...very cool, and very loud.

More Pics

Here are some pics of me in my blues, and a former Special Forces guy in my flight in one of our classrooms). And wait...there's another uniform to come! I'll be wearing my mess dress (tuxedo- a $400 get-up that I'll wear twice a year) this week for our Dining In (a fun night of eating, drinking, and being sent to the grog bowl-if you break a rule of the mess, you have to go say a rhyme and drink out of a toilet).

This week has been more relaxing, but still very busy. This upcoming week will be the best. We'll be doing our fake deployment, as well as a high ropes course. Unfortunately, I don't get to do my arms training until I get to my PCS (permanent duty station). Since the commissioned officers are only here for 5 weeks, we don't get to do a lot of the hardcore stuff. Most students that come through here come to Basic Officer Training....they are here for 12 weeks and don't get commissioned until they graduate. It is strange that I outrank all the BOT students, as well as a lot of the COT students that are 2nd Lts. And in June, I'll be promoted to a Captain, so I'll outrank 85-90% of the military....craziness.

I did just recently find out, though, that I get to ride and jump out of a Black Hawk when I go to JAG School. JAGs are line officers (meaning we can be combatants), while the medical personnel and chaplains are non-combatant officers....so that is why we don't do a lot of the arms training here. Chances are that I'll be deployed within the next 2 years, so they definitely want us to be prepared for anything.

I graduate on Friday! Kelly and my Dad are coming here, so I am very much looking forward to that.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support.

Daddy -Daughter Date!

Tonight my Dad and I went on a date! We started out going to a new restaurant in town called Mongo's Grill. We then headed to a local church that was hosting a father-daughter night with comedian Bill Arnold. He is one of the original Triple Espresso guys and is hilarious. We laughed a lot and really enjoyed each other's company! Love you Dad and am so thankful I'm in MN to enjoy nights like these!

Happy Feet!

While David's been roughing it at training, I've been shopping! I have to spend my free time now that David's out of the picture doing something fun!

One of my favorite new things is a pair of shoes. I know, I know girl and their shoes but, seriously these are special. Since I've had a lot of back issues in the past and started to have severe pain last year when I worked at Ryder I decided to used my birthday money and invest in some Dansko's. Shortly after I decided I was not going to be buying anymore shoes that didn't do their job of supporting my arches! Here's a picture of the Danko's that I wear everyday to work!
This year again I used all my birthday money again and bought some new clogs made by Haflinger in Germany. I have only been wearing them two weeks but again, I cannot tell you how much happier my feet are! We notice when our feet are in pain but when they aren't we tend to pass by the blessing of having pain free walking, standing and working feet. Praise God for smart people who know how to make good shoes!

Aren't they cute!?

P.S. I'll be in Alabama in 1 week watching David graduate from Commissioned Officer Training!!!!

Hooah!

During a field exercise with my flight group.

My roommate and I.

Sorry its taken so long to update everyone. Its been 3 long weeks, but the end is in sight! It has been very challenging, but also very rewarding. I don't have too much time to write now, but hopefully I'll have some more free time next week to update some more and to post some more pictures. But here's a quick rundown of my time so far:

The first week was crazy. I definitely found myself asking, "What the heck did I get myself into?" But that happened to everyone. The first few days were full of getting yelled at and adjusting to this new way of life. It has definitely become more routine. It was a very weird feeling putting on my uniform for the first time. On one hand, it was an honor to have the privilege to wear it. On the other hand, it was a reminder that I have relinquished control of my life to the US Air Force.

My typical day consists of getting up at 0400, marching to PT, PT until 0630, breakfast (you would think it would be enjoyable to sit down and eat....it's not), classes all day, some drill practice, dinner, and lots of homework. The lectures (or briefings as they call them in the military) consists mostly of leadership studies and military studies. We often have fun field exercises during the week, such as obtacle courses and land navigation games. Next week we'll do a 2 day deployment exercise. The hardest thing by far is the sleep deprivation. We usually don't go to be until 2300 or 2400, so its hard to stay awake during class.

There are 110 students here, although I spend most of my time with my flight (Charlie Flight -14 of us). All the flights compete with each other for awards and such....we're not that good. I've been surprised that most people here are older. I'm the youngest in Charlie Flight. Its been a challenging yet fun experience so far. Thanks for all the letters and packages....everyone in my flight thanks you as well! I'll update more next weekend.