It Does get cold in the desert!!

I never thought I would see temps in the 30's in the desert!! Isn't the desert always hot? It was 35 degrees last night.

Well, we have been in our current exercise almost eight days now. We are living in quanset huts with sand floors, sleeping on cots, using many baby wipes as our shower getting aclimated to how we will be living in Iraq. The most surreal thing to me? Going to the chow hall, getting your tray of food and sitting down next to your other Marines with everyone carrying an M16 or M4. If we could carry that much firepower on the civilian side of the house I think we would be much safer. Who the heck is going to do someting when everyone is armed? That's my Second Amendment speech. All is good. Trying to stay warm and counting the days to come home and visit before we go on the big leg of our tour.

For these next two weeks I will be one of the trainers for our MOC drills. I was chosen among some others to be a trainer for CASEVAC. That is the term used for evacuating medical patients out of the field by helos. I am also training mass casualty, litter carries and basic life saving skills to the Marines. Our training cadre will be training two battalions, almost two thousand Marines will pass through our lane. There are five other lanes the Marines go through. Training has been a great experience so far, the best part is knowing that what we give to these guys will make a difference in the real deal. Seeing them take to what we teach them and apply it in scenarios is a pretty good feeling.

After that our training group will fall back into our companies and finish out the last couple weeks here in the desert doing some more ranges, moc drills and so forth. I will be on my way home just after Christmas for a much needed shower, real food, a nice comfy bed, some satellite TV and quiet. We take for granted all the little things.....

Our Last Leg of Training

Well, we are now beginning our tenth week of training. It's gone pretty fast looking back. At times it is slow, at times it goes by fast, it is all relative of course. Starting this week we move to a different part of the base, yes more desert, more sand, more MRE's and will be living in quansat huts. Anyone see "Heartbreak Ridge"? Those half moon shaped roof buildings the recon unit of Gunny Highway lived in? Those are what we will be staying in. Yes beautiful quarters. Almost like suites at the Holiday Inn. No, not really.

So, I have found that after many weeks of the same old MRE menus, I have one standby favorite....tuna. It is the only one that has an actual name brand food in the package. In the package comes Sun Kist tuna with fat free mayo and tortillas. Great meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The worst MRE? That would be the ham and cheese omelet. Yep, it is as bad as it sounds. Heating it up doesn't help any at all. So tuna for me please.

Things are well here. I am still moving along and there are only a few moments or days here and there that are obstacles. I just keep pulling myself forward, thinking of what lies at home for me and the job at hand. The majority of us if not all believe highly in what we are doing and are ready to do what is asked. I work with a bunch of good hearted strong warriors and it's awesome to be working with these guys. The heart these young kids have amazes me. They are a different generation then what I grew up in. What is funny is that these kids grew up with computers, internet, cable,cell phones etc. I tell them that my first video game was Pong and they just laugh. Doc, the old guy. It's good.

Our leave, or vacation time has changed. They are giving us a few extra days before we leave the country. I will be home from the eve of the 27th of December until the eve of the 6th of Jan. I will spend the majority in Chicago and a couple days back in Michigan. It will be rushed unfortunately but will be nice to be home a few days. Once we return to the great spot of 29 Palms, we will pack up and prepare to deploy. Sometime the end of January we should be headed over the big pond for our seven month deployment. The intel we get so far is that things are really turning around. A lot of the guys in my unit were there during 04-05 during the elections in the Sunni Triangle and have mutually said that things are very different. There are strong signs of growth, cooperation and positive movement throughout Iraq. Our mission will be more of training, turnover and stabilization at this point. Once we roll into our FOB, forward operating base, things will pick up time wise. What I mean is that training is always harder, tougher and more tedious than actual missions or work. We will be on the job once we arrive so our concept of time will change and things won't drag as much as they do at times now.

Other than that nothing really else going on. The combat trauma course was very good. The instructors have at least one if not two or three tours in Iraq/Afghanistan. They had a lot to bring to the table. Even with being a paramedic/fireman for Chicago for quite awhile and feeling pretty confident in my skills for trauma, these seasoned combat vets really taught me some new ideas. They narrowed down what is truly important in patient assessment and taking care of life threats immediately. What I learned here will easily translate into trauma assessment back home in my real job. We learned things that will one day be standard of care in the civilian world. Military medicine has always been the proving grounds and ground breakers for civilian trauma medicine. Flight for Life came from Vietnam as one good example. So a very good course and glad we took it.

I have no idea if I will have any contact the next 28 days or so. I have heard the cell signal and internet connections are few if any where we are going. So no news will be good news. Once we get done we will be headed home for the holidays. Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Combat Medic School

Hello all!! I know, I know where the heck have I been. Well, all has been well but very busy. Looking at the calender and counting the days, I have been gone almost two months already. The time really is going by fast. Currently, me and about twenty other medics are on somewhat of a two week break. Break as in we are not training or working six days a week with long nights and days. We are in Combat Management Trauma school in Camp Pendleton. Our days are normal school days which has been a nice little relief in the middle. The days are packed though with great information and training for what we do as combat medics. All the instructors have done at least two pumps to the sandbox and have real world experience and stories. What we are learining here is the basic no shit down and dirty on how to assess trauma patients in a crappy environment, how to employ quick procedures to save the most lives with the least amount of resources. Stuff that most docs in the civilian world would have a coronary over, only because they would worry about malpractice and being sued. What is interesting is the contrast from what I have learned in Paramedic school and combat medic school. This assessment we learn here is quicker and finds life threatening conditions so much quicker. I really think this is what our civilian counterparts should be learning. This first week has been all classroom work, then next will be a live tissue lab, followed by time in the field with real live scenarios. All good training!! In all honesty I hope I never have to do any of these procedures on my Marines, but if I do, I feel well prepared to do the job I love to do. Other than that am well and healthy. Some of the young guys have been getting the basic sprained ankles, hurt knees, blisters, stuff like that, and me, 36yrs old now, hasn't had a problem yet. Those young kids!! Anyway as time marches on, I do miss home. I miss the things we all take for granted every day, driving my truck wherever I want, going to and from without having to ask permission, sleeping in, direct tv, Starbucks coffee, lying on my couch with a bottle of Captain and coke, the lake front, hot showers without worrying if I bump into the guy next to me, complete silence when I sleep and......and......Rocco's cooking. So until next update which I hope will be soon....I love you all.

No Fires Here!!

All is well here. Busy this week doing exercises like we will do in Iraq, patrolling, searching houses, clearing rooms, etc. We have a town here built as an Iraqi town we are training in. The fires are pretty far west of us, but tonight there is a beautiful red sunset. All from the fires I presume. I will have some time this weekend to give a better update. We are running 12 hour shifts right now and soon to go out again. A great bunch of guys here!!

Just Checking In

Hello all!! I know it has been a long time since I have updated. Working long days and six days a week. It is a huge adjustment from my firehouse work schedule. So not much time to get on the computer and email and all that. Things are good. A lot of good training going on. Been firing a bunch of weapons, been trained on night vision, patrolling and basic Marine Corps operating procedures. All is well though and will give a full update as soon as I get some time. The corpsman will be heading to Camp Pendleton in the middle of November for Combat Trauma Course. I am looking foward to that. And it will be a break from our field days. Have had my share of MRE's already and sand. What the hell? I guess this is a good place to train to get us used to what Iraq will be like. Anyway, I must move on to our next training event.

Rollover Simulator....

Well we started training the first day here. Zero to a hundred on Monday. We spent the day in rollover simulator. Basically it is a box that is built like a hum v inside and spins. They put a crew of four in the hummer and put us through five different scenarios. Each one teaching the basics of how to escape a vehicle that has rolled. The first was an orientation, the second they spun us about five times and put us upside down and then we have to find the door that opens and get ourselves out. The third, spun us again about five times and this time we were on the side and have to egress through the top of the hummer. The forth, spin again five times, and once again on the side and have to egress through the gunners hatch on the top and then the fifth was spin again and then upside down, this time with a casualty and removing him from the hummer. All good training and kind of like a carnival ride. Busy day but good time. I actually went twice!! All is well, we are safe, but beat tired all ready!! Updates to follow.......

Punching out to Cali this weekend....

Well, our admin week has went very smoothly. They are telling us we should be headed to 29 Palms this weekend where we will settle in and begin our training on Monday. I have attached a picture of where 29 Palms is located so that everyone has an idea where we will be. We should be there for a few months and they are telling us we will be on a six day work week until December. Then some leave to go home for the holidays and then off to our final destination. So very easy this week. Just getting back into the active duty mentality. Taking advantage of my evenings off just relaxing. So all is well and on to our next stage.

The Journey Has Begun

Leaving home has been tough. I never thought I would return to active duty after leaving the military thirteen years ago. I realized in the last few days that no matter what age you are, no matter what you have, whom your friends or family is or what job you have....saying goodbye is never easy. So, with that we are now in Camp LeJune, North Carolina for a few days doing basic admin processing. This is basically the process to put reservists on active duty. Yes there are actually two different services, the reserve side and the active duty side. Funny thing is we don't actually "change hats" as someone might say, I'm still wearing the same uniform, hmmm..... We will be here for three to five days to process paperwork, then they will fly us to meet up with the Marines out in 29 Palms, Cali. All is well, we are all here safely after flying in two puddle jumpers to NC. These guys will be my immediate family now, we will be getting each other through some tough times ahead. A lot of the guys will end up being friends for life. With that I must unpack my seabag to find my uniform for tomorrow. Oh...Mailing address:

HM2 Rimkus, J.E.
Weapons Company, 2/24
Box 788605
29 Palms, CA. 92278

My Last Fire

Well yesterday was the last day for me at the firehouse before I go off to serve my country. This morning about 4:30am or so the call came in. We had a still at 5715 S. Damen. As we were rolling down the street, getting dressed in the rig, sirens going, horn blowing, I had that gut feeling we had a fire. Over the radio the alarm office gave the companies assigned to the Chief and assigned RIT companies. The engine reported on the scene and told the office they had a fire in a 1 &1/2 story frame building. As we pulled up we had flames coming from the back of the house with a pretty good amount of smoke. I jumped off the rig, put the outriggers out while my partner Mike got dressed and then we headed to the roof. It was all kind of surreal to me. Up on the roof we did what Mike had taught me to do over the last few years. Get the roof open so the guys inside get some relief. We cut some holes and as the smoke pushed out the openings we made I really got this was my last fire for now. The view up there was as great as it was the first time, only this time I was not as nervous or scared. Early morning, clear sky, sunrise just beginning, sitting on the peak chopping with yellow-orange flames licking around the eves, living my dream. When we were done we put the ladders back on the main, climbed into the basket and got ready to head back to the ground. Mike stood back from the controls and said, "Take us down Joe, this will probably be your last time." I may be promoted when I get back so it truly may be my last time on the roof. As I took us down, I choked back the tears and told Mike, thank you for teaching me the last few years, I've had a lot of fun here. When we got on the ground, I walked to the cab, took off my gear and put my tools back on the rig. When I turned around there were about six or seven guys in a line all taking their turns giving me a hug and wishing me safety. That was tough. This is my family. I just want to thank all of you guys for the last ten years on the CFD, all the stories, experiences, fires and forever jagging. Thank you to all the guys of E-123, TL-39, Batt-19, Ambo-8, E-116, Squad-5, E-88, E-129, T-50, Batt-20 and E-103 for all the good times over the years. I will miss you all while I am gone....but I will be back and Rocco I want Reubens my first day back damn it!!

Days are Coming Fast

Well, I have officially spent the last few days just living. Hmmm...all this time over the last couple years working to get myself caught up and I forgot how great it is to just experience each day and time I spend with people. I think that we sometimes get so caught up in daily routines that we forget what is important. Even though we may originally create them out of necessity we forget how we were before we started that routine. I spent time on the Harley, just riding to ride again, I spent two days grilling and cooking, something I so love but haven't made the time for until lately. Funny, I actually have a full refrigerator now and am leaving in two weeks. Natalie, hopefully there is some stuff in there you might like. I spent a couple nights with my close friend at our local watering hole, and really got how nice it is to be known there like family. It is like a symbol of home. I can walk in and the owners, bartenders and some regulars are like "Hey Firemanjoe", and my drink is ready at the bar before I sit down. It's the little things I will miss. Talking with the neighbors about condo business or who is moving in to our building. The talks with the barista at Starbucks about how our neighborhood is changing. Waiting in the longest line at Dominicks just to talk to my favorite cashier about her life. The view from my balcony and the sunsets. Going to the fhse every three days to be jagged by the best guys in the world. I'm going to miss my brothers!! My family and close friends and Melanie. Thank you for spending time with me the last couple days. Life will be different for awhile, not bad, just different. I will come home once again revived with a different view on life. I will once again be truly thankful for what we have here. The days are coming fast......

A Sad Day Today

I write this today to ask of all of you to say your prayers and send your thoughts out to the families of our brave firemen we have just lost in Boston. This year is on track to be the worst year in many for our firemen nationwide. This seems to be an odd year. It is unfortunate to me that people are unaware of our losses in the fire department on a regular basis. We lose one every three days and it is never reported. Only the bigger political things seem to take precedence in our media. It is all spun for those looking to debate or get votes. So please, take a moment and remember those that risk so much for us everyday and are rarely recognized. God bless their families, sons and daughters. God Speed brothers and see you at the gates!!

Creation in Progress

Okay, as the days grow near, they really seem to be picking up speed all of a sudden, I am slowly learning how to create my own blog page. This should be a central point for all to visit to see what i am doing and where we are. Of course understand that some information may be vague as to operations, missions and locations. Due to mission security I will not disclose that type of information here, I have a responsibility to keep my Marines safe. But I will let you know as much information as I can. Pictures will do most of the telling with some personal stories to read also. Please visit often and comment. My time has come to serve once again, our proudest moment is yet to begin.

Here I am

Here is a relatively recent picture. As I learn how to do my page it will get better with more information and fun stuff. But at least you know who your reading about.

My Intro

Well I figured I would start my own blog page. I think this would be the best way to keep all of my family and friends up to date on what is going on with me. I never have liked mass emails since they seem so impersonal so why not create a page that is characteristic of who I am. So, in the following days, months and time after that, I plan on keeping this up to date so all of you know what is going on with me. If you want to know how I am doing check here.