I'm engaged!

So I've pretty much told most everyone that would read this that I'm engaged already, but I thought I'd update the blog and let you all in on the big news as well. Friday February 13th, yes Friday the 13th, I took Jeni to Chena Hot Springs, north of Fairbanks. After dinner I asked her to marry me and she said yes.

I know it's still pretty early but the plan for now is to get married in July of 2010. I should be leaving Alaska then so I would get to go back to Ohio with no real problems. It will be a good trip seeing as I'll be going there to pick up my new bride! After that I'm not really sure where we'll be going, most likely Ft. Rucker though for the Captain's Career Course. Oh yeah, I found out last week that I'm officially being promoted to Captain sometime in the next few months. I won't know the official date until a month or so out. Anyway after the Career Course we'll see where the Army takes us.

Thats it for now. I hope everything is going well and hope to see you soon!

Finally Back In Fairbanks!

Well it doesn't seem like I even live in Fairbanks anymore, in fact I think I should be looking at a house in Seattle considering how often I've been down there. For those of you that don't know I've spent the past month at Ft. Lewis Washington, about 45 minutes south of Seattle. I left for Ft. Lewis on the 5th of January, three days after I got back from Christmas. I was supposed to be back in Fairbanks by the 10th but the weather and maintenance issues did not seem to cooperate.

I was getting aircraft that were getting fixed after our deployment and flying them back to Ft. Wainwright here in Fairbanks. It's an awesome experience. I get a lot of flying hours in a short time and get to see some of the most beautiful and unspoiled scenerary in the world.

This is in the Yukon Territory on the Liard River. We saw hundreds of moose as well as a several herds of Caribou, Buffalo and one wolf that didn't appreciate us flying over him.

The flight through Canada and Alaska was great and despite a few days with bad weather and fuel management issues we arrived back in Fairbanks on the 30th. Since I've already gotten to go on two of these flights, I more than likely won't be going back again, but it was definately two missions I will never forget.

Now we are getting geared up for the possibility of providing Volcano relief, thats right volcano relief. Not something I inticipated having to ever do but it might become a reality, google Mt. Redoubt and you'll see what might monopolize my time in the next few months!