Demob #4

Another day, another ceremony from the same script.

Today was spent in Eugene with about 450 folks who look like me (in uniform anyway) with about 3000 of their closest friends and family. Too bad the perfect weather was "wasted" on an indoor ceremony, but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry!

The only damper on the event was the 25-minute speech given by the outgoing commander after their change-of-command ceremony. When then incoming commander took to the microphone and waved his single 3x5 card of notes, he got one of the bigger ovations of the day!

OK so enough grousing by me ... it's great to have all these folks back home!

After waiting for about 45 minutes to be able to get out of the parking lot at the fairgrounds, then another 45 or so getting around an accident on I-105, we EXACTLY hit rush-hour traffic in Portland too. Terry and Joe (I mean SFC Tuggy and 1SG Worley) had an even longer day as they started out in early-morning meetings in Salem with the Adjutant General. Even after all that, they still called to invite me to dinner at the local German establishment Gustav's.

Thinking each day would be spent in ceremonies and each evening trying to stay caught up on work, I hadn't even bothered to pack any civilian clothes for the week. Undeterred, Terry & Joe offered to stay in uniform too and still head out for sauer-this and something-kraut. The restaurant was very cool architecturally, and was decorated with murals and flags and cases of German toys ... all very cool.

The food was AWESOME. As a newbie to all things non-American, we agreed to get "The Feast" which meant they brought a huge platter of various things for the three of us to share. I'll have to look up some of the stuff I ate some other time, but the beef must have been crock-potted for several days, the chicken was pounded out and breaded beautifully, the sausages were quite tasty and I even had some of the various krauts, tried the mustards, and dipped fondue! Quite an experience for me! Even though I was overstuffed I agreed to split an apple strudel for dessert, but our waitress somehow managed to bring a piece that was probably about three times larger than any normal human would eat. To top off the meal, she also told us that on his way out the door another customer had paid for our entire meal. She said she was kind of upset about it because SHE was going to pay for it herself. Wow.

We had time to stop by Terry's to catch the ends of the Spurs-Mavs (great, close game) and Jazz-Nuggets (great blowout win for the Jazz)!

One more ceremony coming up ... then I hope they throw away that script they have been using!

Local TV News Story
And another story
And from the CBS affiliate