I really hate to do this...change is hard sometimes. But we are moving to

http://crazybetter.blogspot.com/

Please try to accept and even embrace this change. There will be photos!!!!

Much love and many hugs...~h

Today is Saturday, and it is about 65 degrees. The wind is brisk, though, so it's a little chilly. We went for a walk to take the glass to the recycle bins and on the way back stopped at the EIS Cafe (ice cream shop) at the end of our street. We ordered zwei (two) scoops each. I chose ein (one) of Kirsch (cherry)and one of schocolade (chocolate). Stephen got two scoops of "cookies". It was all so good. But the cherry was the BEST! I took one taste and held it out to Stephen "oh my gosh! You are not going to believe this! what does it taste like?" He took a taste and then we both said, "7-11 Slurpee!!!" I predict we will be there a LOT this summer!

Here are a few more:

Dfac-Dining Facility/aka chow hall. The food really is good, especially the salat (German for salad!)

PCS-permanent change of station

Deros-Date of Estimated Return from Overseas

Erod-Early return of dependents (this usually happens when someone does something wrong and gets sent home. Command Sponsorship is a priviledge, not a right. I think it sounds tacky when people say, "yeah, she was shoplifting at the PX, she got 'erodded'". It isn't always a bad thing. Some people do it for family/medical/deployment reasons.

ACU - Army Combat Uniform (this is the normal duty uniform) as opposed to green or dress blues (fancy suit)

ANCOC & BNCOC - Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course and Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course
So you take BNCOC before ANCOC, and they are pronounced /A-knock/ and /B-knock/
NCOER-Non Commissioned Officer Evaluation Review or something.
COB - Close Of Business
IAW-In accordance with (usually some Army Regulation)
POC - Point Of Contact
CONUS - Continental United States
OCONUS-outside the continental US
POV - Privately-Owned Vehicle
DFAS - Defense Finance and Accounting System-how we get paid
MOS - Military Occupational Specialty-"what's your MOS?" It means what do you do?
NCO - Non-Commissioned Officer-also NCOIC-Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge
OPSEC - Operational Security-OPSEC is a pretty big deal. Be careful not to talk about things you know re: deployment dates, units, etc. in public, on the internet, on the phone, anywhere intelligence can get clues as to our military's movements
AFN-Armed Forces Network
BFV-Benjamin Franklin Village (part of our post)
DODDS-Department of Defense Dependent Schools
CSM-Command Sergeant Major
BOSS-Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers

OK, that's it for today!

Those are my multiple personalities! I was SO happy to see so many are still reading and that definitely gives me some motivation to keep it up! Then a little touch of sad because I miss my family and my friends so so much. Love you daddy and kabbage!!*Happy BIRTHDAY KABBAGE!!!*
KC-you are so crazy with your igpay atinlay! Keep reading! LL
Kimkarob, that IS your nickname that I gave you myself!!
Bets-missing the lake w/ you, too. I ran across some old pics when we took the girls. "know what my mommy says?"
Cara-I read yours all the time, and love the picture one. Even if it usually makes me hungry!
Eric-CIF, you are SUCH a freak!!
The rest of you that I know are still reading, just not so much posting...let me hear from you occasionally.

I'm going to try to keep up the lingo tutorials as well as adding a German word here and there. Hope you enjoy.
Love y'all so much!
heather

I thought I'd give a little tutorial on the new language I am learning. It is called Military Lingo...
In no particular order:

Deployed/Downrange-when a soldier is sent from his/her post to a battle area such as Iraq or Afghanistan.

TDY-Temporary Duty, such as Stephen's conference in Florida or mine in Bad Kissingen.

PX-store for buying household type goods
Commissary-groceries

VAT-Value Added Tax. Germans pay 19% tax on goods. We can recoup those taxes we would have to pay with a form called a VAT form.

Command and Staff-a meeting with commanders and first sergeants of the 4 companies in our battalion. I have to brief them each week on the FRSA happenings. Other organizations have them as well. ie Stephen goes to the Garrison Command and Staff.

FRSA-family readiness support assistant

brief-a short explanation of topic, usually includes one or more powerpoint slides.

EOA-Equal Opportunity Advisor (Stephen's job)

USAREUR-/you-sir-ah/-USA ARMY EUROPE

ERMC-/ermcee/European Regional Medical Command

CIF 1. Central Issue Facility-where soldiers pick up all the gear they are issued for the tour of duty at that station
2. Community Information Forum-the first Tuesday of each month different organizations within the community (TMC, PMO,Schools, DMWR, Chaplains, EEO, AAFES,etc) brief the commanders of each Brigade in the community of what is going on.

TMC-Troop Medical Center
DMWR-Dept of Morale, Welfare and Recreation-they run all the eating and entertainment things on post like the bowling alley and the clubs (the Cove and Top Hat) and the restaurant Wingers
AAFES-Army Air Force Exchange Service-they run the commissary, PX, Burger King, and the movies.
PMO-Provost Marshalls Office-the military police chief

Euro-the currency of most of Europe including Germany.
We say Yer-oh. and laugh when people say Er-oh or even better, Oi-row!

As I think of more, I will post another tutorial.

Heather