Burgee goes to the Reserves

Dear Family and Friends,

The first week of mobilization consisted mostly of PowerPoint training, getting to know each other, and preparing for our next phase of training. The Army has a long and complicated process to train and prepare units and soldiers for deployment. There are a lot of lessons to learn and individual and collective tasks to master. The first phase is making sure that the soldier is administratively and medically prepared to go. Then there are classes about the environment, legal and administrative subjects. Our next phase will be field training at Fort McCoy, WI and then further mission oriented training at the mobilization station at Camp Shelby, MS.
 

Several of us have been cross-leveled into the 783rd Military Police Internment and Resettlement Battalion. The battalion has a strong core and we are pulling together very well. The out of Towner’s are staying in a hotel and eating catered meals at the Reserve Center. There hasn’t been any trouble from the 70-odd of us at the hotel and the meals are pretty good. A lot of the soldiers have already been deployed overseas for this type of mission and they are glad to share their experiences with us. My Repair and Utilities section has pulled together very well.
 

Incidentally, I found out that I am in a First Lieutenant’s position (Facilities/Contract Construction Management Engineer (FCCME)) and am replacing a Second Lieutenant. I told my “boss”, Captain Berman, the Logistics Officer that I will gladly be an overpaid First Lieutenant. I am doing what I can to help out the staff since I am just a section leader. The staff is very busy right now getting the unit ready for mobilization and deployment. I have been told that I will be busy overseas keeping the facility running.
 

Not much more to report than paperwork and classes in “lovely” Inkster, MI. By the time you read this we will have been bussed to Wisconsin on Memorial Day. Things should be more exiting there as we will get our initial issue and start field training, including staying in genuine WWII barracks.

At least it will be summer in WI. We are not looking forward to July and August in MS.

Keep Me, Beth and the boys in your prayers,

Rich

PS. I am learning more about jails than I ever wanted to know. My advice is to stay out of them.

Richard V. LaHue
MAJ, EN
FCCME
783 MP BN