Week #1

Sunday/Monday January 12th – Getting here Sunday night was a huge benefit as we were able to get most of the check-in issues out of the way.  My roommate is from Oregon, we are going to have a blast watching the game tonight.  I have a bet with another guy from Nevada that the Buckeyes win by 10……

We got up early grabbed breakfast and went to get our uniforms.  We were at the front of the line and by the time we got done the line was down a hallway, up a flight of stairs, and down another hall.  They were still getting people their clothing at 5pm.

Everyone has been awesome so far, while I miss home, Sharon, and Jacob this is going to be a great experience!

Tuesday January 13th – Going to be a long day!  Up late watching the Buckeyes!  Today we are completing administrative issues, changing classes if need be, and getting ready for classes to begin tomorrow.  The food so far has really been pretty decent as long as you like chicken!  I am in Section #6 which seems to be a lot of us old guys which is great.  I am having a great time meeting everyone in class and I have somehow been volunteered to be our section rep for the FBINAA.  Doesnt look to demanding, I hope.  We have one more session meeting at 3pm then a welcoming dinner at 5pm.  That should wrap up the day with enough time to go for a swim.  I have signed up to do the “Blue Brick Challenge” over the 10 weeks here I have to swim 34 miles along with the other fitness challenges that culminate in week 9 with the “Yellow Brick Road”

Wednesday January 14th – My morning started at 5am with a nice 1/2 mile swim, 1 mile down 33 to go!  Today was the first full day of classes.  I was impressed with the quality and professionalism of the instructors and the curriculum.  I am taking Legal Issues for Command Level Officers, Psychology of Leadership, Psychopathological Behavior of Violent Offenders, and Stress Management.  Tomorro morning will be Enlightened Leadership to round out my academic studies.  I also have PT the second half of tomorrow morning with our baseline assessments.  For dinner tonight I was asked by my classmate from Germany to accompany him to the dinner the academy has for the international students and their roommates.  His name is Heiko Tesch and he is the Head of Staff for the Polizei Mecklenburg Vorpommern in Wismar Germany.  (our picture together is below)  He for some odd reason does not have a roommate and we have quickly become friends.  Wrapped up the evening with calls home, checked on mom, and some homework for my stress managemnt class.  Time for bed!

Thursday January 15th – Today was our second full day of classes, each of us has now completed at least one day of each class (5) as well as our fitness assessments. I have a good amount of academic work to do along with the physical component. I have been swiming everyday which is a challenge, I feel more like a Manatee than a fish but it does seem to be getting better. We had our section meeting at the end of the day to go over everything from social events, class pictures, jewelery, and clothing. I am my section representitive for the FBINAA which is basically the alumni association.

Friday January 16th – Our first week is in the books and a hectic week it has been. They tell us it gets better as we start to get into a routine now that the administrative issues are past us. I know I miss Sharon and being home, this is a very common theme as guys are calling home all the time. Thank God for Skype so we can at least see each other. I am going to spend the weekend working on papers and getting a head start on them so later in the session I am not under the gun to get them done and working out. One of the other sections has planned a trip to Washington DC on Monday that I am going to go on and I think we are going to go out tomorrow night for a real dinner. Though the food has been pretty good if you like chicken!

Saturday January 17th – I actually slept in until 7am……Got up and my workout partner Rick Tonelli from Solon PD and I headed to the gym for a workout and a swim.  3 miles are in the books, only 31 left to go!  We grabbed breakfast which I believe I have now seen as many possible versions of scrambled eggs as there can possibly be.  I am going to get all of my papers and journals formatted today and start reading the two books I have to read for papers I have to write.  Hard to believe that the first week is over and tomorrow I will start posting in the week #2 section.  We are planning on going out tonight for dinner, I need to get out of this building and find some real food that did not come from an animal with two legs and feathers.  I am going to get out and take some more pictures around the academy and the base, the sun is shinning though it is not as warm out as it looks.  I think back home will be warmer today than it will be here.

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