by Steven R. Watt
If today is to be THE DAY, so be it. If you seek to do battle with me this day you will receive the best that I am capable of giving. It may not be enough, but it will be everything that I have to give and it will be impressive, for I have constantly prepared myself for this day. I have trained, drilled and rehearsed my actions so that I might have the best chance of defeating you. I have kept myself in peak physical condition, schooled myself in the martial skills and have become proficient in the application of combat tactics. You may defeat me, but you will pay a severe price and will be lucky to escape with your life. You may kill me, but I am willing to die if necessary. I do not fear Death, for I have been close enough to it on enough occasions that it no longer concerns me. But I do fear the loss of my Honor and would rather die fighting than to have it said that I was without Courage. So I will fight you, no matter how insurmountable it may seem, and to the death if need be, in order that it may never be said of me that I was not a Warrior.
Warriors are natural leaders. When times of crisis appear, they are naturally sought out and looked to by those for whom the situation is overwhelming. As a wise leader once told me, “We dont pay you for the day-to-day; we pay you for that occasional time of crisis when preparation and action are combined to form a resolution.” To be constantly prepared, warrior leaders must be committed to something far beyond themselves, something that clearly both separates and defines them, something on an order of magnitude well beyond normal lifestyles.
I penned the creed that introduced this article during the closing days of my military tour in Iraq as a counterterrorism advisor to Iraqi security forces. I was reflecting on those I had known during my time in Special Forces and SWAT, the truly dangerous and deadly men with whom I had shared fear, sweat and blood, men committed to the cause of liberty, who believed that it was worth everything they had to give, even their lives. Men who exported their capability to faraway places in the world where terror and tyranny reigned, and who, within the confines of cities and jurisdictions within the greatest nation on earth, the United States of America, utilized their dedication and skill to protect the rights of those unable or unwilling to protect them for themselves. These men and women (for I personally know that courage is not limited to one gender) truly represented the commitment to selfless service and willing sacrifice honed by previous generations of warriors.
I was reflecting on a recent operation in which a good friend perished. He left behind a young family and numerous tears were shed in the days following his death. At a memorial ceremony, words had been spoken, words that indicted the special nature of his service, and it later caused me to wonder, “Why do we do this?” Why do we, the “rough men” of whom Orwell speaks, voluntarily subject ourselves to the life-long efforts required to be the warriors, to be one of Dave Grossman’s “sheepdogs”? As I reflected, I began to recognize some underlying values that were consistent among those police and military special operations colleagues with whom I served. The recognition of the constancy of those values resulted in the writing of “One Warrior's Creed,” in an attempt to verbalize the values of the warriors of our great democracy.
If today is to be THE DAY, so be it. We do not know the day or the time when we will be called on and we do not care. By living, not just practicing, the creed, we will be ready no matter when or where. The day, time or place does not matter. Stephanie Shugart, wife of MSG Randall Shugart, recipient of the Medal of Honor, said that “it takes a real man to live a creed, not just say it.”
If you seek to do battle with me... We of the creed do not go looking for the fight; those purveying evil must bring it to us. We, the “quite professionals,” have nothing to demonstrate, nothing to show, no need to brag. We quietly go about our lives. We represent, as stated by the wife of one who lives the creed, “the most dangerous nice guys you’ll ever meet.” But if you bring the battle to us, you will receive the best that I am capable of giving. We are committed to fighting you, to defending ourselves and those for whom we feel responsible, and we will give it our best effort no matter what.
It may not be enough, as we recognize that we do not control tactical environment enough to ensure the outcome...but it will be everything that I have to give and it will be impressive, for I have constantly prepared myself for this day. We recognize that the commitment and responsibility we took upon ourselves by oath requires that we put forth daily effort to ensure our skills are at their utmost when called for. I have trained, drilled and rehearsed my actions so that I might have the best chance of defeating you. Never knowing when, where or how, we accept the standard of being constantly ready. Daily, we sweat, strain and push ourselves far beyond the boundaries of mere mortals, then smile and prepare to do it again tomorrow. If the call to action never comes, we are okay with that, but we are not okay with the potential for failure due to a lack of preparation.
I have kept myself in peak physical condition, for a warrior not highly fit is less than half a warrior. I have schooled myself in the martial skills, for we recognize that to be truly ready means that we must be capable of the use of the complete range of weapons, including firearms, blunt and edged weapons, personal weapons such as hands, elbows, knees and feet, and the mind, and have become proficient in the application of combat tactics. We understand that since we dont know where or when, we must understand the range of variables existing on any terrain and we must have prepared our strategies for fighting there.
You may defeat me - we know that we are mortal, and we have no false illusions or ideas of being invulnerable - but you will pay a severe price. We will inflict upon you whatever pain and injury is necessary to assure your defeat, and you will be lucky to escape with your life. We will take your life, without remorse, if you force us to do so. We do not enjoy killing, but we recognize that the taking of the life of an evil predator may be necessary in order to ensure the safety of ourselves, our loved ones, our cherished way of life and our nation.
You may kill me, but I am willing to die if necessary. We recognize that great sacrifices have been necessary in the past in order to maintain the cause of freedom and to ensure a free society, and we honor those who have died in the cause of liberty. We also recognize that warriors must be willing to do so today and in the future, or the sacrifices of those who have paid the ultimate price in the past will become nothing more that a historical anecdote. I do not fear death, for I have been close enough to it on enough occasions that it no longer concerns me. We recognize that all who have received the God-given gift of mortality die, that it is nothing to be feared for it will come to us all. We have known warriors among us who have perished. We have honored them, paid tribute to the families who raised and supported them, and thanked God for the privilege of knowing them.
But I do fear the loss of my Honor. To live honorably is the root of our zeal, and it provides the fuel for our efforts, which is why the word is capitalized. We, like the great warrior classes of old, recognize that a life without honor is wasted. We are committed to greater things than ourselves, and would rather die fighting than to have it said that I was without Courage. Courage is the exemplification of all that we hold in great value, of all that we feel is worth the ultimate price. To ever be without Courage is to truly be unarmed, unprepared and easily overcome. We can never overstate its importance, which is why it is capitalized.
So I will fight you - we strongly commit to that and exemplify it with how we live the creed - no matter how insurmountable it may seem and to the death if need be. We care not what the odds are or what the probable outcome may be. What is important is that we are there and ready in order that it may never be said of me that I was not a Warrior. To live in the shame of knowing that we capitulated, that we surrendered to fear, that we failed to exemplify the creed, that we have dishonored those before us, is a shame and humiliation beyond comprehension. That is the only thing a Warrior truly fears.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
November Update
Again I have let to much time go by in my journal posting. I wanted to share something personal to me that I got to experience in the past few weeks/months. In September I decided to try out for the SWAT team thinking I would most likely not make it but would set myself up to be better prepared when I try again a second time in 2009. I did really well in the testing process (Scenario based oral board, shooting, physical challenge) and was invited to attend SWAT school with 7 other candidates. I went through SWAT school October 9 through the 16th and after successfully completing the school 6 of us were invited to join the team on a 1 year probation. So here I am officially on the SWAT team going through a 1 year probation that started on November 1st.
Of course being on the team is so much fun and the training is amazing but what really made me feel honored was realizing who I get to work with. During the SWAT school I was given a home work assignment to analyze a poem called "The Warriors Creed", written by a special forces commander named Steven Watt. Reading the creed helped me see the character type and attributes that I wish to aspire to having in this life and common denominator in many of the team members around me. Obviously no one is perfect and there are character flaws in all of us but finding these common themes and being invited to join the group was a huge honor and a humbling experience.
The creed states that if today is to be THE DAY, then so be it. It reflects an individual who has spent their time preparing, training, drilling and rehearsing for THE DAY and an attitude that suggests that I will give everything I have in the final fight and if its not enough then it will still certainly impress the enemy and cost a severe price if not their very life in the fight. It goes on speaking on honor and courage yet it describes a humble attitude.
It talks about "the most dangerous nice guys you'll ever meet" and almost every trait can be viewed from a mortal and physical understanding to an eternal and spiritual one too. Anyway I will post the whole creed in a further post. I am honored and excited to be part of the SWAT team and I hope I can make a positive contribution to the team. I have been asked to show them my diligence in improvement of three areas of my life on a weekly basis. The three areas are: shooting, tactical knowledge, and physical preparation or exercise.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Faith of a Drunkard
So last night 08/11/08 I got to experience something interesting. My squad car at some point early on in the shift started to show signs of a bad battery. On one call I was not able to turn the car back on and I had to request a Sergeant with jumper cables to come save me.
Once the car was back on I decided to not turn it off again to avoid future problems for the rest of the shift. Soon after I was dispatched to a call involving a chronically alcoholic little Mexican man. As soon as I arrived I turned the car off and started dealing with the call. After a brief investigation I realized this man was going to have to be transported to assist me with identifying two criminals. (Little Mexican drunkard was the victim). (Keep in mind the whole conversation was in Spanish and only the two of us were fully understanding all that was going on as others around did not speak Spanish).
As I was going to get him in the car I realized the car was turned off and realized I shouldn't have turned it off (just habit I guess). I tried to turn the car on and it didnt turn one bit. I got on the radio and requested my Sergeant again and once he was on his way I went to tell the victim that we would have to wait because my car wouldnt start. The little Mexican drunkard said to me.... "I see in your eyes you are a man of God and your soul is at peace, I will call upon God to start your car so we can proceed with justice in our cause", the man stood up and looked up and yelled in a loud voice in front of many other homeless individuals in the area "JESUS, START THE CAR".
At this moment I decided to continue playing the game and I told him let me try your faith and lets see if the car starts... I got in turned the key and guess what! The car started up like nothing! I got on the radio and canceled the Sergeant and continued with my investigation.
I ended up transporting this guy to the Center Against Family Violence where I did it again! I turned the car off without thinking and immediately tried to start it again but was unsuccessful. After about 3 attempts I just got out and got the little Mexican drunkard out of my car and told him I needed his faith again. He looked up and yelled "JESUS, LET THE CAR START" and again I entertained this little drama playing out and again the car started on the first attempt.
I didn't turn the car off for the rest of my shift until I was done for the night... This was an experience I will like to remember as the faith of drunkard proved to me that God listens to all his children and even the little Mexican drunkard is heard from above and granted little moments of faith building experiences for those who are ready to observe and be strengthened.
Once the car was back on I decided to not turn it off again to avoid future problems for the rest of the shift. Soon after I was dispatched to a call involving a chronically alcoholic little Mexican man. As soon as I arrived I turned the car off and started dealing with the call. After a brief investigation I realized this man was going to have to be transported to assist me with identifying two criminals. (Little Mexican drunkard was the victim). (Keep in mind the whole conversation was in Spanish and only the two of us were fully understanding all that was going on as others around did not speak Spanish).
As I was going to get him in the car I realized the car was turned off and realized I shouldn't have turned it off (just habit I guess). I tried to turn the car on and it didnt turn one bit. I got on the radio and requested my Sergeant again and once he was on his way I went to tell the victim that we would have to wait because my car wouldnt start. The little Mexican drunkard said to me.... "I see in your eyes you are a man of God and your soul is at peace, I will call upon God to start your car so we can proceed with justice in our cause", the man stood up and looked up and yelled in a loud voice in front of many other homeless individuals in the area "JESUS, START THE CAR".
At this moment I decided to continue playing the game and I told him let me try your faith and lets see if the car starts... I got in turned the key and guess what! The car started up like nothing! I got on the radio and canceled the Sergeant and continued with my investigation.
I ended up transporting this guy to the Center Against Family Violence where I did it again! I turned the car off without thinking and immediately tried to start it again but was unsuccessful. After about 3 attempts I just got out and got the little Mexican drunkard out of my car and told him I needed his faith again. He looked up and yelled "JESUS, LET THE CAR START" and again I entertained this little drama playing out and again the car started on the first attempt.
I didn't turn the car off for the rest of my shift until I was done for the night... This was an experience I will like to remember as the faith of drunkard proved to me that God listens to all his children and even the little Mexican drunkard is heard from above and granted little moments of faith building experiences for those who are ready to observe and be strengthened.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
End of May
I have to fit in one entry before May ends. This month I got to do several fun things that I will always remember. First I discovered an indoor skydiving place a few months ago and got Anissa and Mom a gift to go and try it out for mothers day (mom) and birthday (Anissa). They both loved it and you can see the video on the family blog. A few weeks later for my birthday they returned the gift to Noah and I so we got to go do it too. It was so fun I cant wait to do it again! I placed a small video clip of my experience on the family blog as well.
The next big thing I got to do this month was go to my 10 year high school reunion in Guadalajara! I loved it. It was amazing to go back with Noah and spend time with out friends and eat at the places we loved when we were living there. I will try to hunt down pictures and place them here later.
In my professional life I got accepted as the Central district Spanish rover. That means instead of having a beat and patrolling, I will be only responding to Spanish calls and assisting officers that are already on Spanish calls. I get a pay increase and will enjoy great benefits such as taking vacation days without being subject to normal minimum staffing requirements and such.
Toward the end of the month I decided to clean up the garage and make a shade for some of the pool equipment outside. I also cleaned up the back yard and got it prepared for the summer. As I cleaned I discovered a wet suit that I bought a long time ago. Since our pool has been a bit to cold for my liking I decided to put it on and jump in that very night. I was so fun and I have gone swimming with the girls every day since the discoverey (Ok only two days since I discovered it but it sounds better this way).
Today is Saturday May 31st and we are all going to a Police Family appreciation day. This will be at the training center and we are going in a few hours. The kids are excited and the Wettsteins are coming too. There will be some awesome things for Kalvin to brag about there! (SWAT training, Helicopter, etc...)
Noah and my parents are in London and I have spoken to them a few times. They are loving it and I cant wait for them to get back so we can see pictures and hear all about it. I am currently in week 4 of my roots of terrorism class and so far its going well. Its been a challenge dedicating the amount of time I need to but I guess I just have to do what it takes! Well this is my entry. I will try to do better next month.
The next big thing I got to do this month was go to my 10 year high school reunion in Guadalajara! I loved it. It was amazing to go back with Noah and spend time with out friends and eat at the places we loved when we were living there. I will try to hunt down pictures and place them here later.
In my professional life I got accepted as the Central district Spanish rover. That means instead of having a beat and patrolling, I will be only responding to Spanish calls and assisting officers that are already on Spanish calls. I get a pay increase and will enjoy great benefits such as taking vacation days without being subject to normal minimum staffing requirements and such.
Toward the end of the month I decided to clean up the garage and make a shade for some of the pool equipment outside. I also cleaned up the back yard and got it prepared for the summer. As I cleaned I discovered a wet suit that I bought a long time ago. Since our pool has been a bit to cold for my liking I decided to put it on and jump in that very night. I was so fun and I have gone swimming with the girls every day since the discoverey (Ok only two days since I discovered it but it sounds better this way).
Today is Saturday May 31st and we are all going to a Police Family appreciation day. This will be at the training center and we are going in a few hours. The kids are excited and the Wettsteins are coming too. There will be some awesome things for Kalvin to brag about there! (SWAT training, Helicopter, etc...)
Noah and my parents are in London and I have spoken to them a few times. They are loving it and I cant wait for them to get back so we can see pictures and hear all about it. I am currently in week 4 of my roots of terrorism class and so far its going well. Its been a challenge dedicating the amount of time I need to but I guess I just have to do what it takes! Well this is my entry. I will try to do better next month.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Mum..
Landon just started saying "mum" the other day and Anissa is so happy he is finally saying mum... He started saying "dada" a few weeks ago so I guess I am just his favorite person since I pretty much do everything for him anyway!! (thats sarcasm for you who dont know me). We recently got Landon's 7 month pictures and he is so cute. He can sit up on his own now and is getting bigger every day.
Olivia is addicted to Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella right now and is watching Sleeping Beauty as I type this. She watched Cinderella just before it... ha. She's so cute and fun as always.
Noah got back from a trip to Utah today and is still staying with us. He is doing well with his helicopter training and cant wait for the day his little wifey Giselle catches up to him. It must be so hard for them to be living separated these few months.
Anissa and I are excited for our triathlon coming up in 4 weeks. We already paid for the hotel where we will be staying and its all falling in together just fine. Its exciting that we are going to get to participate in the triathlon as well as have a family vacation!
Robyn is doing well in school and is growing up so fast. One day I'm sure we will look back and wish we could keep all the kids as small as they are today! She is becoming more athletic and recently won 6 first place ribbons in her school track and field day.
Work is going well for me. Yesterday I responded to an overdose victim who passed away naked on her bed. She seemed to have lived a hard life toward the end so maybe it was good that she just moved on? Its interesting to see and have witnessed now how primal and brutal both birth and death can be. It helps me see the sanctity of the spirit over the physical body. Once the spirit leaves the body it really is just flesh and bones... meat like any other... crazy!
I am in week 6 of my research methods class and its a bit more difficult than I expected. I guess that helps me feel challenged and rewarded by successfully completing each week. As of right now I am a week behind and hope to catch up this week by visiting the library for a few hours! Thats all for now folks...
Olivia is addicted to Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella right now and is watching Sleeping Beauty as I type this. She watched Cinderella just before it... ha. She's so cute and fun as always.
Noah got back from a trip to Utah today and is still staying with us. He is doing well with his helicopter training and cant wait for the day his little wifey Giselle catches up to him. It must be so hard for them to be living separated these few months.
Anissa and I are excited for our triathlon coming up in 4 weeks. We already paid for the hotel where we will be staying and its all falling in together just fine. Its exciting that we are going to get to participate in the triathlon as well as have a family vacation!
Robyn is doing well in school and is growing up so fast. One day I'm sure we will look back and wish we could keep all the kids as small as they are today! She is becoming more athletic and recently won 6 first place ribbons in her school track and field day.
Work is going well for me. Yesterday I responded to an overdose victim who passed away naked on her bed. She seemed to have lived a hard life toward the end so maybe it was good that she just moved on? Its interesting to see and have witnessed now how primal and brutal both birth and death can be. It helps me see the sanctity of the spirit over the physical body. Once the spirit leaves the body it really is just flesh and bones... meat like any other... crazy!
I am in week 6 of my research methods class and its a bit more difficult than I expected. I guess that helps me feel challenged and rewarded by successfully completing each week. As of right now I am a week behind and hope to catch up this week by visiting the library for a few hours! Thats all for now folks...
Saturday, March 22, 2008
03/22/08
March is almost over and time is flying!!! Today is Saturday and Noah has been living with us for 2 weeks now. Its so fun to have him here and to be able to go places with him or just hang out at home. Yesterday we both rode our bikes for 10 miles and then ran for 3 miles in 1 hour and 4 minutes. We are still training for the Rocky Point triathlon in Mexico in May and so far I think we are doing pretty good. Papi, Dak and Anissa are training as well and we all keep tabs of our progress in the training.
I am in week 3 of my Research Methods class and it as been stressful at times. Yesterday I had to go to the library for 2 hours and get away from all distractions to get my work done for the week. At this time I am also listening to "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett on audio book when I run and exercise. I am so glad to live in this day and in this land! The book is about life in England during the 1500's... and wow it was harsh for most.
Olivia is getting over a fever yesterday and now has a cough. Landon is being loud and cute and now uses the high chair for eating. Noah placed a cute picture of Landon on his Blog so check it out.... the post title is "My New Camera!" posted March 20.
I am in week 3 of my Research Methods class and it as been stressful at times. Yesterday I had to go to the library for 2 hours and get away from all distractions to get my work done for the week. At this time I am also listening to "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett on audio book when I run and exercise. I am so glad to live in this day and in this land! The book is about life in England during the 1500's... and wow it was harsh for most.
Olivia is getting over a fever yesterday and now has a cough. Landon is being loud and cute and now uses the high chair for eating. Noah placed a cute picture of Landon on his Blog so check it out.... the post title is "My New Camera!" posted March 20.
Monday, March 3, 2008
School is in Session!
Today is my first day of school and I'm pretty excited to be starting again. I am currently enrolled in the American Military University for a graduate degree in Strategic Intelligence Studies. I hope to be able to complete my masters within the next two years. I dont quite know where this will take me but I know it will be useful for what I currently do and what I think I want to do.... (Foreign Affairs with the State Department)
I didnt go to work today as I feel sick and had a fever and flu like symptoms so I had the chance to read a lot of information about my program and how things work within the program. I am excited and a bit scared to be back into the academic world and have to write papers and research and cite and document things etc... I think this will be good for me though as I tend to become idol when I have extra time.
Today Olivia had her first play date with a neighbor friend named Eli West. Eli is 4 yrs old and Olivia is almost 3. It was so cute to see her all proud following him around and copying what he did etc... She loves to copy Robyn too and it makes her feel so big and important. I am very happy with my kids and feel blessed for each one of them in my life. All three of them are so cute in their own ways and I love being home and spending time with them. Recently I have enjoyed taking Robyn and Olivia to the park and climbing trees with them. Olivia and I ride Robyn's green scooter and sometimes I ride the scooter and pull Robyn and Olivia on a radioflyer wagon. I love it! Nothing compares to just playing and spending time with them. I cant wait for Landon to grow up a bit more and stop slobbering everywhere and be able to join us.
Anissa is sleeping next to me on the couch as I sit here on my beloved Mac typing away and doing school work. Anissa truly is the glue that holds this house together and I love her so much for that. She looks so cute and beautiful to me and the last few days I have noticed more than ever that she really is just perfect in every way for me. As she sleeps next to me while I type I cant help but think that I am the luckiest man in the world to even dream of living my life with her forever. Here is a picture of what I am looking at right now... she fell asleep reading scriptures....
I didnt go to work today as I feel sick and had a fever and flu like symptoms so I had the chance to read a lot of information about my program and how things work within the program. I am excited and a bit scared to be back into the academic world and have to write papers and research and cite and document things etc... I think this will be good for me though as I tend to become idol when I have extra time.
Today Olivia had her first play date with a neighbor friend named Eli West. Eli is 4 yrs old and Olivia is almost 3. It was so cute to see her all proud following him around and copying what he did etc... She loves to copy Robyn too and it makes her feel so big and important. I am very happy with my kids and feel blessed for each one of them in my life. All three of them are so cute in their own ways and I love being home and spending time with them. Recently I have enjoyed taking Robyn and Olivia to the park and climbing trees with them. Olivia and I ride Robyn's green scooter and sometimes I ride the scooter and pull Robyn and Olivia on a radioflyer wagon. I love it! Nothing compares to just playing and spending time with them. I cant wait for Landon to grow up a bit more and stop slobbering everywhere and be able to join us.
Anissa is sleeping next to me on the couch as I sit here on my beloved Mac typing away and doing school work. Anissa truly is the glue that holds this house together and I love her so much for that. She looks so cute and beautiful to me and the last few days I have noticed more than ever that she really is just perfect in every way for me. As she sleeps next to me while I type I cant help but think that I am the luckiest man in the world to even dream of living my life with her forever. Here is a picture of what I am looking at right now... she fell asleep reading scriptures....
Monday, February 25, 2008
February 2008
Once again I am proving to be very bad and inconsistent with updating my journal. Today is the 25th and February is almost over. Next week I will be starting my Master's with the American Military University. I plan on completing the Master of Intelligence Studies so I can add on to the experience I had with the army. Even if this doesn't lead to my next career choice I think I will enjoy the program. I also plan on completing the program within two years and then most likely start teaching online courses within the law enforcement or military oriented programs out there. The University of Phoenix will most likely by my first choice to teach from as I have connections there and I know they pay well. It will be a way to supplement my income as I continue to work for Mesa Police.
Another huge thin happening right now has to do with Noah and Giselle. Noah's flight school (Silver State) just declared bankruptcy and suddenly closed. Now Noah is going to be moving here to Mesa to live with Anissa and I for 3 months while he starts a new flight school. After 3 months Giselle will finish her schooling in Utah and come down and catch up to Noah. Meanwhile I guess they will find a place to live and will be here for about a year or so! I am so excited to finally live around Noah again. I am constantly thinking of all the things I will get to do with him here. He gets here in a few weeks (middle of March).
Anissa and I (and Noah and Dak and Dad) are preparing for a sprint marathon in early May in Mexico. We have all been running and training and we are pretty excited to see how it goes. Anissa and I have gym memberships and have been consistently using them. Robyn recently had a piano recital and also had the infamous "big talk" about the birds and the bees. She is so smart and mature and it went really well. My favorite quote of the night will be "Now I really don't want to grow up."
As of right now I am working the S-6 shift which means I work Sat through Tuesday from 3:00 pm to 1:00 am. I actually like this schedule the most so far as it gives me the feeling of having the weekend still and allows me to go to church in the morning. I enjoy all the guys I work with and my sergeant is really cool too. I have been riding as a two man unit for most of the last few weeks and I almost always ride with Ed Farrugia. Its been fun and it makes the shift go by faster most of the time. I also enjoy learning and trying to pick up certain traits and methods used by other officers so its been overall a great experience.
Well I'll get around to typing more next week I'm sure. (yeah right...)
Another huge thin happening right now has to do with Noah and Giselle. Noah's flight school (Silver State) just declared bankruptcy and suddenly closed. Now Noah is going to be moving here to Mesa to live with Anissa and I for 3 months while he starts a new flight school. After 3 months Giselle will finish her schooling in Utah and come down and catch up to Noah. Meanwhile I guess they will find a place to live and will be here for about a year or so! I am so excited to finally live around Noah again. I am constantly thinking of all the things I will get to do with him here. He gets here in a few weeks (middle of March).
Anissa and I (and Noah and Dak and Dad) are preparing for a sprint marathon in early May in Mexico. We have all been running and training and we are pretty excited to see how it goes. Anissa and I have gym memberships and have been consistently using them. Robyn recently had a piano recital and also had the infamous "big talk" about the birds and the bees. She is so smart and mature and it went really well. My favorite quote of the night will be "Now I really don't want to grow up."
As of right now I am working the S-6 shift which means I work Sat through Tuesday from 3:00 pm to 1:00 am. I actually like this schedule the most so far as it gives me the feeling of having the weekend still and allows me to go to church in the morning. I enjoy all the guys I work with and my sergeant is really cool too. I have been riding as a two man unit for most of the last few weeks and I almost always ride with Ed Farrugia. Its been fun and it makes the shift go by faster most of the time. I also enjoy learning and trying to pick up certain traits and methods used by other officers so its been overall a great experience.
Well I'll get around to typing more next week I'm sure. (yeah right...)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
January Update
Time to update some of my new plans and recent changes. First of all I was finally able to bid for my first shift using my seniority with the police. As of yesterday I now work from 3 in the afternoon to 1 in the morning with Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off and half of Saturday. So its not bad and it allows me to still go to church on Sunday's. I work in the same district (Central) and i was able to keep the same beat (35) so I only have to adjust to the new time.
I recently adjusted my degree program to the Masters in Intelligence Studies program... hopefully I will get started in February... Noah and I have been able to discuss some future career aspirations and I am excited to see if we can truly make the plans come to pass. With new years we are all fresh and excited with new years resolutions and part of that is going to school for me and getting all the training I can with the police. We (Anissa and I) are also contemplating joining a gym so we can get in better shape. This Christmas Dak and Tara gave all of us iPod nano's and Noah gave me an iPod Nike to measure my running. I am excited to use it for my physical goals this year. I plan to get in shape and stay in shape to try to get picked up with the SWAT team here. I think that would be a pretty cool experience.
Kids are all good and fun. Landon is starting to teeth so he gets a bit grumpy at times and Olivia is just simply Olivia.... Robyn got an electric scooter and is growing up so fast. Well there is my quick overview life for now... more to come later.
I recently adjusted my degree program to the Masters in Intelligence Studies program... hopefully I will get started in February... Noah and I have been able to discuss some future career aspirations and I am excited to see if we can truly make the plans come to pass. With new years we are all fresh and excited with new years resolutions and part of that is going to school for me and getting all the training I can with the police. We (Anissa and I) are also contemplating joining a gym so we can get in better shape. This Christmas Dak and Tara gave all of us iPod nano's and Noah gave me an iPod Nike to measure my running. I am excited to use it for my physical goals this year. I plan to get in shape and stay in shape to try to get picked up with the SWAT team here. I think that would be a pretty cool experience.
Kids are all good and fun. Landon is starting to teeth so he gets a bit grumpy at times and Olivia is just simply Olivia.... Robyn got an electric scooter and is growing up so fast. Well there is my quick overview life for now... more to come later.
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