Mother f***in' awesome news

From what I gather, Blitz, a significantly larger number will come home than will deploy, starting this summer.

 

Stay safe, Threebags. And thanks for your service.

 

I always knew you were so cool. Congrats on the good news, man.

 

Congrats, three_bags!

And great news on the shorter deployments.

I can't grab you a beer, but I know a reservist at the Bham News I could send on a mission.

And, of course, can't thank you and yours enough for keeping us safe.

 

Triple Bags,

Would that put you in the 3rd, the 10th, the 82nd or the 101st?

 

I'm in the 101st.

 

Well, tomorrow is the big day. Tomorrow and Tuesday, I should say. My evaluation begins tomorrow -- certainly the most important flights of my career that doesn't involve saving a life. I'm on the flight schedule tomorrow and Tuesday with my company's head instructor pilot. He's got me for four hours of flying Monday and Tuesday nights, which means a total of about eight hours each day, when you factor in all the planning, preflighting and briefing. Ugh.

I've been studying my ass off for about two weeks and have barely left the house all weekend.

Flight is meticulously planned. Paperwork almost done. Helicopter crap reviewed and reviewed and reviewed and reviewed. Scenarios rehearsed over and over in my head.

I'm sure I won't sleep tonight, so I might jump outside later and cut the grass to spend some energy, then drink a couple of drinks to put me to sleep. I've been OK with it all week, but as I type this I'm starting to get butterflies.

I really hate this feeling.

 

Wait, I thought you were covering 'bama ...

 

Well, I'll be there Saturday, but not in a writing capacity. Probably won't be in a standing or coherent speaking capacity, either.

 

Dude, you've prepared yourself. Let it flow.

 

You'll be fine. Just chill out tonight, get a good night's rest and rock this thing.