Nick's Update

Nick did a fantastic job on his latest Lancer update for the Task Force Shadow Deployment Newsletter, here it is:

Lancers

Kandahar, Afghanistan

Operation Enduring Freedom X-XI B/5-101 AVN BDE, 
Task Force Shadow

Lancer Families,

As with all deployments, the days may drag by but the weeks seem to fly. At least that’s the way it has been for me this past month, and I believe most of your Lancers feel the same way. We’re definitely hitting our stride now and the day to day tempo indicates that a lot of the initial challenges and struggles we dealt with are behind us. Not to say that it’s all smooth sailing from here, but we’ve certainly climbed our first major obstacle, which has only helped time to move along even quicker and bring us closer to coming home. I certainly hope the past month has felt the same for all of you.

One of the biggest challenges your hard working Lancers have overcome is maintenance. If the aircraft aren’t flying, we cannot execute the mission, whatever that may be. When we first arrived it was a daily, and sometimes an hourly, struggle to get our aircraft up and operational. Our maintenance pilots and crew chiefs toiled on the aircraft to coax them into flyable condition, and often one success lead to yet another problem. Our maintenance posture will inevitably ebb and flow, and we’ll have plenty more challenges ahead of us these next nine months, but I’m very proud to say that all of the hard work and dogged determination has paid off. On a daily basis now we’re dealing with far fewer unforeseen maintenance problems and our overall readiness state has improved significantly.

On the mission side, your Lancers have been hard at work flying more and more every week. Our mission set now includes the Medevac Chase mission, the round-the-clock Aerial Reaction Force mission, the DET101 mission, a variety of VIP and air movement and resupply missions, and the occasional air assault. Your Lancers have been performing remarkably in all of these different mission sets, and roll from one task to the next without so much as a pause. We have also taken advantage of our limited training opportunities to progress some of our door gunners and new crew chiefs to get them out and flying as much as possible. SPC Jake Hayes and SPC Scott McLane both progressed to RL1 and have been flying hard ever since, and we have quite a few more almost to RL1. I hope to report that we are all trained, ready, and flying by the next newsletter.

Every week on Thursday afternoon we conduct our company meeting to put out important information, discuss the good things we’re doing and the things we need to improve on, assign upcoming taskings, and, most importantly, conduct promotions and present awards. These last few meetings have been incredibly busy with a great number of well deserved promotions. Our two Platoon Leaders (PL) and the Executive Officer (XO), Jason Chimchirian, Michael Jablonski, and Joe Hall, were all promoted from 1st Lieutenant to Captain (O-3). Carl Eubanks, our newest MTP, was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3). Our hard working SI, Mike Enman, was promoted to Staff Sergeant (E-6). Bryan Morales, one of our door gunners and jack-of-all trades was promoted to Sergeant (E-5), and our resident Bob Villa, door gunner and handyman Nate Webster, received a very well deserved promotion to Specialist (E-4). Last and certainly not least, SSG Mike Franklin took his oath of reenlistment this past week, signing on for an indefinite period of time to carry him through his retirement. As you can see, it’s been quite the month here for promotions and reenlistments. I think it’s safe to say the net worth of this company has improved quite a bit this the last newsletter. Here’s to many more promotions throughout the remainder of the deployment!

We also welcomed two new members to the Lancer team. CPT Michael Jablonski comes to us from Bravo Company, 6th Battalion, and is currently serving as the Platoon Leader for 1st Flight. He has smoothly transitioned into the company and has been making a significant difference since his arrival. I look forward to a lot more great things from him. Also new to the Lancer team is SPC Austin Knobloch who comes to us with glowing accolades from his chain of command in D Co. If he performs at even half the level of his reputation, he will be an outstanding addition to this company. He already has half the company indebted to him for digging a trench across the street for the internet cable.  

CW3 Matt Wagstaff has been hard at work getting our LancerNet up and running. Given his busy schedule,the inevitable plethora of computer related problems he’s had to tackle, and at least one spyware ridden computer (mine), he has been going above and beyond to get the system up and running. We’re still having some problems, and the connection isn’t quite where Matt wants it to be, but I’m confident that our connectivity, and therefore our connection to you, will steadily improve as the kinks are worked out. I just ask for your patience with the occasional problems we have. I know Matt is doing everything he can to get it perfected, but we still can’t affect dust storms and the like.

Also in the MWR/homefront realm, I’ve let the company know about Angie Whidden’s plan to compile a DVD of pictures from the deployment to put into a slideshow and sell during our homecoming to raise money for our homecoming party. If you have a good picture or two from R&R, please send it to lancerpics@gmail.com. The final selection will be up to Angie, but the more the merrier for our initial selection group. Please send pictures only to this address.

Ali has kept me up to speed on our company progress in the Walk to Afghanistan project, and it’s wonderful to hear that you are all setting the standard for the Task Force with 1,968 out of 10,644 miles walked in the first two months. Keep up the great work!

Lastly, R&R is now in full swing and just today our first Lancer returned from what was hopefully a fun and relaxing two weeks at home. By this time, you should have a relatively good idea as to when your Lancer is going to be coming home. For the few of you who are unsure, I’m working the last couple changes and am hoping to have a final solution here

shortly. If you feel that you’re being over- looked or there is a significant event that isn’t being taken into consideration (like the birth of a child), then please email me or 1SG Williams directly.

Once again, it is a true honor and privilege to serve as the commander of this company. Your Lancers impress me on a daily basis with their positive attitudes, desire to do everything they can to make the company succeed, and their mission focus. Ali continues to rave about the wonderful support group that we have in the rear, and I know it makes a big difference to your Soldiers. Here’s to another quick, safe, and successful month closer to our return. Until next time..

CPT Nick Horn

Lancer 6

"The Emmy" Workout

I am by no means a fitness enthusiast, but I do prefer to be fit...Little did I know that pregnancy would not only provide me with a child, but also a personal trainer.  Nick must've had a chat with Emmy about his Crossfit workout regime before he left, because she has modeled my workout to follow similar principles.  There is a focus on cardio, resistance training, and, most important of all, speed in my personalized program.

My day begins with an urgent "find the pacy" exercise which consists of me to diving onto the floor to reach under her crib to blindly locate the pacifier she chucked over the railing in her sleep.  Her cries are my buzzer, the louder she gets, the faster I must work.  This happens every time she wakes up-roughly 4 times a day.

During breakfast time, we play tug-o-war on her spoon and I retrieve the sippy cup that she hurls overboard approximately 3 times during each meal.  She likes to keep me on my toes.  Then we wrestle to get her dressed for the day...This has helped with my hand-eye coordination like you wouldn't believe.

Playtime is her favorite way to get me moving.  She has me do Emmy lifts over my head, squats as we "go bouncy," engage in a game of chase as she rolls away from me, and then bicep curls as I remove her from wherever she gets herself stuck...I have a feeling that my workouts will become far more intense once she's crawling and (gulp) walking...

She loves to change it up while I am on the treadmill, too...I am to rectify the various binds that she finds herself in without breaking stride.  Once I have finished my jog, she lets me know that she would like to take part in my cool-down, just to add some extra weight while I "walk-it-off." That's my girl, always looking for an exercise opportunity.

She also coordinates with Molly and Darla...As soon as she begins nursing, she sends an ESP message to Molly and Darla, and they promptly assume their positions.  Molly begins scratching on the door to go potty outside, while Darla confiscates one of Emmy's toys.  Here, I must remove the toy from Darla's jaw and then carry Emmy, who is still on the Boppy pillow, with one arm, to open the door for Molly.  I do this at least twice a feeding.

Another way that she incorporates Molly and Darla into my routine, is that every time I buckle Emmy into her carseat, Darla hides at the top of the stairs and Molly positions herself at the centermost point under my bed.  One last sprint and army crawl to get the dogs secured before we leave the house.

As soon as we leave the house, I must do carseat lifts...Hoisting 26 pounds (10 pounds of carseat and 16 pounds of Emmy) through the obstacle course that is our garage to gain entry to and then exit from my car.  This exercise can surely get the blood flowing, especially on our errand-heavy days!  

She had big plans for me this past Saturday afternoon.  When I ambitiously attempted to log 5 miles for our Walk to Afghanistan (10 including her stroller miles).  She timed her cry just perfectly so that we were exactly 2.5 miles away from the car.  Then I was expected to get her back to the car in record time.  She's a tough cookie, and cuts me no slack for heat, humidity or incline...Everytime I slowed down, she amped up the cry.  I'm not sure if the pity looks I got were because my baby was crying hysterically or because I literally looked like a hot mess.  But I will say, it was a fantastic workout, she is one heck of a trainer.

Emmy sabotaging my laundry-folding.

My gym

Expanding our Horizons

Emmy made Father's Day cards for her Papa Odell, Poppy Horn and Great Grandpa Jack...We spent some time talking about things that make them happy, so Emmy put herself in her grandfathers' shoes...

Poppy Horn loves to golf...

Papa Odell likes cars (apparently so does Emmy...)

Great Grandpa Jack loves to travel!

Dear Dad...

 

Happy Father’s Day Dad!

As you can see, Ali and I thought a good idea this year was to write you and Mom a note on Father’s and Mother’s Day respectively, especially since I’ve been deployed and this is our first official year as celebrators. Obviously this father thing is still relatively new to me, but I want you to know what an outstanding role model you have been for me. I hope to emulate all of your many qualities over the span of my life with Emmy (and whoever may follow her). You have managed to provide for our family throughout my life, instill in my brothers and I all of the qualities men and fathers should have, nurture your relationship with Christ and teach us the importance of faith in our lives and in the growth of our families, and do it all while maintaining a strong and steady relationship with all of us. The example you have set as a man, father, leader, Christian, and friend is something I can only hope to partially achieve in my life with my family.

I know I haven’t spent nearly as much time at home as my brothers have this past decade, and there have been a lot of family milestones I’ve missed. But I can say with absolute confidence that every day regardless of whether I talked to you or not, I’ve taken something you’ve taught me and applied it in my life in an attempt to better myself, my family, my relationship with others, or my unit. I am constantly attempting to build a balance in my life, an approach in my work ethic, an ability to build and maintain relationships, and a leadership style both in the home and at work that resembles yours, because I know how overwhelmingly positive your influence has been on those around you in all of these areas.

My only hope is that I do as good of a job raising Emmy and my family, and finding that delicate balance in all areas of my life, as you have done with our family.

I love you. Happy Father’s Day! Let’s play some golf when I come home on leave.

Love,

Nick

 

My Dad,

I respect you times infinity squared, and for once I'm not exaggerating.  After you and I read, "Love and Respect," by Dr. Eggerichs, I understand that saying "I respect you" to a man has the same weight as saying "I love you" to a woman.  And on this Father's Day, Dad, it is my hope to share a few examples of how I have derived so much respect for you.  As an adult, I have a greater appreciation for how the "little" things you've done over the years have carried with them much deeper, more profound life lessons...

I respect you for coming home from a full day of work and school only to stay up the remainder of the night to care for a couple of newborn twins, who had adopted not-so-convenient opposite schedules, so that Mom could have a few hours of unbroken sleep.  Without having slept at all, you suited up to repeat your daily grind.  I greatly admire your sense of responsibility.

I respect you for capturing our Hawaiian family vacation on video, complete with an extremely slow panoramic shot from our lanai...When watching it after our return home, I used to fast forward to get to the next part.  Now motherhood has brought with it an understanding of the rarity of peaceful moments to just sit back and enjoy the view.  How brilliant of you for burning the image of your "happy place" on film.

I respect you for always finding a way to provide for our family no matter how frustrating and unpredictable corporate America was to you.  Your work was literally a labor of your love for our family.

I think so fondly of the time that you took us kids to the park to ride bikes...And while Kris, Jamie and I buzzed around, you patiently taught my best friend how to pedal a two-wheeler.  It's those little acts of kindness that people remember, and you are the king of them.

I respect you for picking Kris and I up from middle school in Grandpa Odell's "vintage" camper.  At the time, I was horrified to see the camper among the sea of slick black BMWs, Lexus' and Mercedes in the usual after school traffic jam.  You knew this, and elected to make yourself even more visible in the pick up line, by honking the horn and hanging out the driver's side window to yell to us where we should meet you.  I thought, at the tender age of 11, that I might die of humiliation.  But I didn't.  I am now grateful for your memorable lesson in humility.  It's the trait I value most in others.

I respect you for signing Kris and I up to play soccer and then coaching our team.  You wanted to expand our list of interests beyond just boys...Despite the fact that we no longer play soccer and we are both now married to boys (I mean men), I now appreciate that when those men aren't around, it's crucial to have other means of deriving happiness.

I respect you and mom tremendously for matching Kris and my babysitting money so that we could afford to buy our first car,"The Twinkie," a 1991 canary yellow VW cabriolet convertible complete with white pleather interior.  You preferred something more practical with a better track record of reliability.  We preferred something that would make us look cute driving around town.  Knowing that changing both of our minds (and Mom's) was an effort in futility, you reluctantly surrendered.  So when the honeymoon phase had passed, and the car began breaking down (as you had long before predicted), you taught us how to fix it...We were, without doubt, the only girls at Monte Vista who knew how to change a spark plug.  The fact that we could be found getting our hands dirty under the hood at all the least opportune times seemed to drain the coolness out of our way cool car.  How grateful I am to you for teaching me to be self-sufficient, it is what sets apart the successful from the unsuccessful military wives.

I respect that, in mom's absence, you showed up with all of the other cheer moms at our Homecoming rally senior year.  It was probably the first high school rally you'd ever attended, to include your own. You cheered us on while Kris and I completed our big routine and then managed to find the perfect balance between offering congratulations and support to the one of us who won the crown and to the other who was defeated.  Through example, you show the importance of supporting each other, even if doing so necessitates that we reach outside of our comfort zone, it's always worth it in the end.

I respect your keen ability to respond quickly and appropriately in every situation.  Such was the case with our fateful Christmas Eve fireplace fire.  As soon as I saw you enter the chaotic room, fire extinguisher in hand, I knew that everything would be ok.  While the rest of us finished our wine on the driveway, mingling with the firefighters, you assessed the damage and reconfigured the furniture so that the Christmas merriment could continue.  Your example of calm leadership helped to prepare me for many emergent situations working at the hospital, where there's never time for panic.

I respect you for putting on a happy face, providing me with the encouragement that I so needed when we moved to Arizona for college.  While I was sure that I was moving to hell on earth (the August temperature was stuck at 115 degrees), you sought out every positive that you could to help me to see the good in my decision.  I know it wasn't easy for you and mom to have two of us fly the coop at once, but you never let it show from the moment we left the driveway at home until you and mom pulled out of our dormitory parking lot.  You knew the importance of us flourishing in our own space.  My independent nature, that was solidified in college, has served me well now living thousands of miles away from you and mom.  The one thing that still hasn't improved is that I still miss you.

I respect you for still answering the phone when I call knowing perfectly well that I most likely need technical support.  Rarely ever do you redirect my calls, no matter how busy you are.

I respect that every time we talk, the first thing you ask is how Emmy's mommy is doing.  There is something about the sound of your voice that strips me of whatever tough exterior that I am struggling to uphold and renders me incapable of telling you anything other than the truth.  Despite the fact that, as a man, all you want to do is fix my heartache, you know that all I need is for someone to listen without the knee-jerk response that "it'll be ok."  I respect and commend you for figuring out my female brain (which is often times more perplexing than the standard model, just ask my Nick.)

So today, like everyday, I thank God for blessing me with such a remarkable and respectable Dad.  I hope that I can impart on Emmy the many wonderful life lessons that you have, even inadvertently, impressed upon me.  I love you, Dad.

Respectfully,
your ali

Father's Day Preparations

From the moment Nick saw the positive pregnancy test on the bathroom counter, he became passionate about his role as Daddy.  Through his extensive baby equipment search and assembly, to frequent interviews of other parents, to the delivery room where he survived my choke hold during every unmedicated contraction, he was 100% invested even before Emmy made her debut.  I have told more than a few people that if Nick could be pregnant he would, he was so overjoyed by the thought of our growing baby Emmy...

...And then she arrived! Since the moment she was born, it has been clear to me that he is a natural father.  His instincts seem years beyond those of a brand-new daddy, which just leads me to believe that he is fulfilling God's call of him to fatherhood.

Knowing how enamored he is with our girl, I have a greater understanding of just how torturous it must be for him to be called away from her.  I can't wait for the day that Emmy can understand the nobility of her Daddy's job and the heart-wrenching sacrifices that he makes to protect and provide for our family.  I am eager for her to know that he does it because his love for her is boundless.  Today, we will celebrate Nick's fatherhood in a way that she does understand...Watching her pre-recorded Daddy and Emmy storytime video.  She lights up each time the picture fills the screen and remains that way for the duration of the 11 minute film...A remarkable feat for a wiggly 6 month old baby, but I know that it's because she is just as enamored with him as he is with her.

Emmy and I have worked hard to ensure that he has everything he needs for a proper Father's Day celebration in a flat-rate shipping box!  Emmy put a great deal of TLC into all of the elements of Daddy's big surprise...Here is a sneak peak into the preparations:

Making Daddy an life-sized Emmy card...It's not easy to trace a moving target!

The scribbled hand tracing was after several minutes spent wrestling my subject.

Time to finger paint!

Original artwork by Emmy Horn

Emmy carefully selected the fabric for our sewing project...

It was determined that whichever fabric went in her mouth was her pick...

Mulling through picture files to find just the right one.

Waiting patiently for our personalized fabric squares to dry.

Special pillow cases so Daddy never has to go to sleep without his girls.

Molly reluctantly parted with she and Darla's contribution to Father's Day in a box.

Supervising the production line!

Daddy's favorite Oatmeal Raisin cookies fresh out of the oven!

Daddy's loot!

All work and no play makes Emmy a hyper girl! Pool break!

Father's Day in a box...Made with love...

6 months old & 3 months down

It is so convenient that the same day of the month marks both Emmy's monthiversary and Nick's deployment countdown. We are halfway through Emmy's first year and halfway to the halfway point of this deployment!

How does one celebrate such a momentous day on the calendar?  Why at the pediatrician's office with vaccinations, of course!  I am proud to report that our girl now weighs 15 pounds 13 oz, is 26.75 inches long, and has a perfectly clean bill of health!

Developmentally, she is right on target as well! Obviously inheriting the procrastination gene, she decided to complete her roll-over on the examination table just before her doctor walked in the door! We have been practicing rolling over for quite some time now in hopes that we could report this milestone as completed at her check-up...She figured it out just in the nick of time!  My life has now just become a little more complicated and a lot more exciting!

She is a very busy girl.  Literally.  She is flails her extremities in every direction during most of her wakeful periods.  Emmy's cuddle time is reserved for the brief period of time right before she falls asleep.  It's positively blissful.  She is in a constant search for the next interesting item to introduce to her mouth.  She doesn't discriminate--chew toys, stuffed animals, diapers, or body parts (hers or mine)--they all taste good to Emmy.  She absolutely loves to hear the noises that come out of her mouth, the higher pitched the better!  Emmy starts everyday with a smile and a squeal.  I get a giggle each time I smile at my girl, which leaves her in a perpetual state of laughter.  Her latest interest is "blowing bubbles" (more like "spraying spit"), it never gets old.  She sits up with some support and loves to stand while gripping my fingers.  She also loves it when I sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and act out the lyrics on her tummy with my fingers... She giggles each time I sing the first line, which leads me to believe that it's her favorite.  She prefers Darla to Molly (she's not the only one) and stares lovingly at her while Darla relentlessly attempts to "kiss" her.  Bathtime is always a hit as is our water play in her baby pool.  I never knew how much I would come to love sitting in a few inches of water in a blow up pool in my backyard...It's quickly becoming my favorite pastime. :-)

Emmy has been consistently sleeping through the night since she turned 4 months old (thank you, Lord!)  Her day begins between 5 to 6am and ends around 7pm.  She manages 3 naps with lots of active play in between!  She loves to eat "solid" foods, her menu choices include rice, oat and barley cereals and most recently bananas.  The next addition will be avocado!  The drooling, gnawing and gum swelling leave me wondering when her first bottom teeth will poke through, but I'm certain they're on the way!

Despite my desire to be done with this deployment, I've made a cognizant effort to not wish away time, each day brings with it such awe-inspiring change...

1 hour old

1 month old

2 months old

3 months old

4 months old

5 months old

6 months old!!  Happy Half Birthday Sweet Girl!!

Just Three (ish) Words...

(NOT) DOWN WITH BANANAS

Bouncing Off the Walls

News Report

Nick has always told me that if the worst should happen (God forbid), I will never learn of it on the news.  Even still, my blood pressure rises every time I hear that tragedy strikes overseas via media outlets. Here is the message that I sent to our soldiers' families and because you are members of our extended family, I'm sharing it with you...

Hello Lancer families,

It is my hope to quell any worries that you might have about the safety of your soldier with regard to the news report of a helicopter that was shot down in southern Afghanistan.  Col. Gaylor, our Brigade Commander, has asked that our families be made aware that the helicopter and it's crew DID NOT belong to the 101 Combat Aviation Brigade.  Our soldiers are safe.  

Praying for those who have lost loved ones,
 

Ali Horn

Bravo Co. 5-101 FRG Leader 

Just Three Words...

IN PERPETUAL MOTION