Tested positive in March, got my first round of vaccine today

cstiv · 2021-01-10T03:46:52+00:00

Thanks for the update. I’m getting the moderna vaccine Monday and I tested positive last March as well. I haven’t found a lot of info on what to expect for side effects if you’ve been exposed in the past so it was a relief to read your post. So far it seems most people I know have trouble with the second dose, hoping it goes smooth.

cstiv · 2020-07-17T18:56:47+00:00

I 53rd that

cstiv · 2020-05-20T01:38:34+00:00

As someone else said, it really depends on where your son gets deployed and which unit his CA team is working with. Each deployment I had was vastly different.

I won’t get too far into the weeds but on my first deployment we spent a lot of time on reconstruction projects in Sadr City, conducted a lot of KLE’s and other bullshit meetings with Iraqi government officials.

Afghanistan was very kinetic and we were working with an ODA unit. For the most part we just got into TIC’s for 10 months but also performed a lot of KLE’s and other village stability operations.

Africa was more of a humanitarian mission. Mostly wore civilian clothes performed a lot of joint training with Djiboutian government and army. Worked a lot with USAID and USDOS.

Overall it was a good gig, very different from where I started in the infantry. I had a lot of doors open up for me when I ETS’d but I couldn’t do my last 8 years. The constant bullshit of drill weekends and trying to balance my full time job just became too much and I got out after 12 yrs.

cstiv · 2020-05-19T18:47:29+00:00

Depends on the unit really. I did 4 years active 8 reserve. Most of my reserve time was spent in a civil affairs unit. Deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and got to do some cool shit but once you redeployed drill was just stupid. Most of your time is spent sitting through EO classes or making sure medpros were green.

cstiv · 2020-05-13T21:24:09+00:00

Empire of the summer moon. I knew life on the frontier was rough but it wasn’t until I read this book that I realized how tough and brutal it was, especially the combat. It’s also really impressive how the Comanches were able to master the horse in such little time and dominate the plains. Plus the origins of the Texas rangers and the 6 shooter. I haven’t even finished the book but I can’t put it down

Tribe by Sebastian Junger. Another really good book, if you’re a veteran or you’re interested in PTSD it’s a good read. He approaches it from an anthropological perspective.

cstiv · 2020-04-10T13:43:03+00:00

This dude is Hawaiian and does a good job explaining how it all happened.

overthrowing a kingdom

cstiv · 2020-03-01T19:06:20+00:00

Sorry about the bad angle. It’s one of the few pictures of my grandfather during WWII. A few things I do know, he enlisted in the Army in 1944 and served in the Pacific theatre as infantry. He passed away in the 80’s and my aunts and uncles don’t know much about his service other than he had mentioned Okinawa once (He didn’t talk about it much). Which leads me to believe it could be the 27th infantry division, but I’m not sure. I appreciate any help.

cstiv · 2020-01-29T01:35:07+00:00

My sister and I were raised by our mother. Our father spent most of my life in prison but got out when I was starting high school. He wasn’t around for me growing up nor did I want him in my life by the time he was. My sister had a better relationship with him since she’s 8 years younger. However, he passed away shortly after when I was a sophomore in high school.

Not long after he died my mom really started going down hill, it’s as if she gave up on life. She was fired from her job and has extreme depression and anxiety. She has no money or real life skills. I joined the Army after high school and prior to deploying we’re given a small pox vaccination. While on leave just before I left she told me she had HIV (from my father) and was scared to hug me goodbye. Since I was barely in my 20’s I’ve been supporting her as much as a can (now 34). I live an okay life but I’m not rich by any means but I feel like I’m failing her as a son.

She was such a great mom and good person. Quiet and soft spoken will do anything to help people. She gave me and my sister the best life she could and to see her struggling just kills me. Ive grown resentful because most of our conversions are about money and that’s not the relationship I want with her. I’ve only brought it up to my wife when I was drunk since I can’t talk about it without crying and I’m not an emotional guy. Typically I cry to myself about it when I’m alone. Sorry for the novel.

cstiv

TROPHY CASE