Good morning all

Image via WikipediaGood morning all, sorry I haven't posted in a while but I have been having bad headaches. I was in the hospital for several days after having a headache for 19 days straight. While in the hospital they were able to get the headache to go away on the last day I was there only to have it return intermittently after I got home. The Dr changed some of my meds and I have an appt to see a Neurologist in January.

My kids Cindy and John are doing well and are both out to sea with their ships, Cindy on the USS Abe Lincoln and John on the USS Doyle. I hear from them frequently through e-mail. :)

From what I have read in the news Cindy's ship should be back in port here in the states next month sometime. "The USS Abraham Lincoln from Naval Station Everett has been deployed since March with the Fifth Fleet as flagship of Carrier Strike Group 9. It's missions have involved deployments to support combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is slated to return to Everett next month." I'm not sure when John will be coming back from his stuff.

Cindy finally got her enlistment bonus this month so she is very happy. I have no idea what she is going to do with all that money. :) I asked Cindy how her birthday was while out to sea and asked what she did for fun and here was her response. Cindy is an FC on the Abe Lincoln.

"For birthdays underway we have every month a birthday party. Its usually held in the chiefs or first class mess for everyone who had a birthday that month. I have explored a little but the ship is huge so I haven't gone very many places. I don't usually have time for much. I work from 0730 to 2200 most days. In my lil bit of free time I check emails, read a book, play my gameboy or ds and watch tv."

John is done Cranking ( working in the ships mess ) now and back to his regular job. John is an OS on the Doyle.



John's ship in the news:

"Navy Ships Depart for Joint Warrior Exercise
Story Number: NNS080922-08
Release Date: 9/22/2008 6:18:00 AM


By Lt. j.g. Arlo Abrahamson, Commander, Destroyer Squadron 24 Public Affairs

USS DOYLE, At Sea (NNS) -- Ships led by Commander, Destroyer Squadron (COMDESRON) 24 left the U.S. East Coast for Scotland Sept. 19 to participate with allied navies in Joint Warrior, a coalition exercise designed and led by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) in the United Kingdom.

Sailors from USS Mitscher (DDG 57), USS Doyle (FFG 39), USS Klakring (FFG 42), USS Hawes (FFG 53) and USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195) will play a prominent role in the exercise intended to improve interoperability between coalition naval forces and prepare participants for upcoming deployments.

"Joint Warrior will provide our Sailors with an opportunity to engage in a variety of training scenarios that explore real-world challenges on a strategic, operational and tactical level – in a controlled environment," said Capt John Kersh, commander, DESRON 24. "We will focus our efforts on enhancing our ability to operate in a multinational, multi-platform environment."

The exercise supports the Navy's Maritime Strategy, which revolves around partnerships and a global maritime network of many countries' navies with the goal of patrolling the world's seas. The exercise also serves as a deployment certification event for the participating U.S. ships, preparing ready maritime forces for global assignment.

"The relationships we make during Joint Warrior are vital to ensure we are ready to engage in a host of global maritime security operations," said Lt. Cmdr. Gil Ayan, material officer for DESRON 24.

"We become more effective by operating with allied navies and leveraging our individual strengths. This builds trust and mutual cooperation, which will make us a more capable combined force in a real-time operational environment."

Joint Warrior will begin in early October and is expected to last approximately two weeks. It will involve air, sea and ground assets from participating allied and NATO forces.

"This exercise captures the essence of our teaming concept with allies and partners in the execution of the Maritime Strategy," said Kersh. "The bottom line is that five U.S. ships and a host of allied ships will come away from this exercise at the top of their game and ready to support joint maritime operations worldwide. The exercise is a win-win for everyone involved."

For more news from USS Doyle and other surface combatants, visit www.navy.mil/local/surflant/. "

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• The Kids are busy
• Picture of my daughter on the USS Abraham Lincoln
• More e-mails from my Daughter Cindy on the Abe Lincoln
• HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY CINDY

Meet Angelique. She only wanted to die with dignity.

Angelique Flowers had the debilitating Crohn's disease since she was 15. When her 31st birthday came, she was told that she only had months to live. She wanted her life to end peacefully on her own terms using euthanasia but was not allowed because it was banned in Australia. She died vomiting the content of her bowels.

I have personally suffered with Crohn's disease for over 15 years now. This is extremely sad and brought tears to my eyes. God Bless Her.

Read her story and watch the video.

read more | digg story

Good afternoon

Good afternoon all. Not much going on here in South East Kansas. I have been having some problems with my left knee for the last several days. Sunday it swelled up like a melon so I went to the ER and they tried to drain it and were unsuccessful. I got some pain medicine today and am seeing the Dr tomorrow morning. Oh what fun... :)

Yesterday we had the plumber here to replace our bathroom faucet. It had been leaking for several weeks and got real bad last week. I tried to fix it myself and ended up messing up the drain so that needed replaced too. We really didn't need the extra expense but what can you do? It's all fixed now and we are happy about that.

The kids called Vicki on Mothers day Sunday and they were doing well. John ordered Vicki a WalMart gift card that should be here in a few days. Thanks John. :)

John's roommate James got kicked out of the barracks for failing inspections. He was a good guy, just messy. He will now have to live on the Ship. John is renting a television from James so he can watch TV. John said that it could be a few months before he gets another roommate. John applied for a Car Loan through Navy Federal was pre-approved so now he can start shopping for a car. He looked at the Car Buying guide from Consumer Reports and had picked out either a Honda or Hyundai. We have a Hyundai Elantra and John is thinking about getting the same thing. It got great reviews in Consumer Reports.

I haven't really got to talk to Cindy much but I know that she is doing well. As I said before Cindy is in Petty Officers Indoc now, as well as attending her CIWS C-School on San Diego. I expect that Cindy will do very well, she has always been very smart.

NavyCS put together the proposed 3.9% raise for the military on their Blog. Go over and take a look when you get a chance.

That's about it for know. Hope everyone has a great day.

A Call from Navy OS "A" school. He has Shin Splints

My son John in the Navy just called from his OS "A" school at Naval Station Great Lakes. He has been having pain in his lower legs for about a week and finally went to Medical today. He could have went earlier but didn't want to. He found out that he has Shin Splints and was placed on LLD ( Limited Light Duty ) for the next week and given 800 milligrams ibuprofen tablets. He will go back to Medical next week to see how he is doing. Next Tuesday he has Dental and will have some molars removed and he will be SIQ ( Sick In Quarters ) and LLD that day. He laughed about that. He is going to get new soles for his boots and inserts for his boots and shoes to lessen the impact when he runs. That should all help. He said that this will give him more time to study... :) Oh and by the was he also has laryngitis. Poor guy. I have to say one thing about all this, he still loves being in the Navy.

Read Here: Great Lakes Has New Formula for Fitness

UPDATE: Allot of people come to this post to find out about OS-A School at Great Lakes. Here are some other post about that subject. My son is now on his Ship and loves his job in the Navy and is doing well.

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2008/02/last-day-at-great-lakes.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/12/more-pictures-from-great-lakes-navy.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/11/happy-thanksgiving.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/11/cindy-john-went-to-chicago-yesterday.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/11/my-son-john-went-to-chicago-again-today.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/11/john-went-to-chicago-again-yesterday.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/09/two-pictures-taken-sept-15th.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/09/chicago-for-dinner-navy.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/11/cindy-john-went-to-chicago-yesterday.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/11/my-two-kids-in-navy-spent-day-together.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/10/talked-to-my-son-today.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/10/my-son-john-got-started-on-his-own-blog.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/09/naval-station-great-lakes-school-and-my.html

http://kansasdad.blogspot.com/2007/09/naval-station-great-lakes-school-more.html

Publix supermarket chain said today it will make seven common prescription antibiotics available for free

Publix supermarket chain said today it will make seven common prescription antibiotics available for free, joining other major retailers in trying to lure customers to their stores with cheap medications.

The oral antibiotics, representing the most commonly filled at the chain's pharmacies, will be available at no cost to anyone with a prescription as often as they need them, Publix CEO Charlie Jenkins Jr. said. Fourteen-day supplies of the seven drugs will be available at all 684 of the chain's pharmacies in five Southern states.

The prescription antibiotics available under the program are amoxicillin, cephalexin, penicillin VK, erythromycin, ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and ciprofoxacin.

This along with Walmarts $4.00 perscriptions of over over 300 different drugs helps millions of people get the medicine they need and might otherwise go without. Also Kmart, a unit of Sears Holding Corp., began last month offering a 90-day supply of generic drugs for $15. Now, more than 300 drugs are included in that program as well.