Norfolk

First step of deployment is NMPS, Naval Mobilization Processing System, or something like that. We're here in Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia, the largest naval base in the world. I am here with 250 other IA's (individual augmentees) filling out papers, getting last minute medical clearance and sorting out the details. Advice to IA's in the future: if you will be training at a major base (we will be 2 months at Ft. Riley), you will have time to get the wish-list items. Don't feel compelled to load up on lots of stuff at the beginning 'cause you have to lug it.

I met most of the team members for our particular ETT, embedded training team. Great bunch, several from Pensacola. Having good crew mates will make this a much better experience. We ALL fall in for PT together at 0630 tomorrow, all 250 of us. Then we link arms, sing Kumbaya, roast marshmallows, oh wait that was boy scouts.

BTW, I arrived in the tail end of Tropical Storm Barry yesterday, a nice 7 inches of rain locally.