church

church, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Mr. and Mrs. Stu, kicking it old skool in the Old Country. There's a church behind them from the 1300's. That's all I know.

Mr. R. Hood

Mr. R. Hood, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

My folks next to Robin Hood with Nottingham Castle in the background.

little cars

cars, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Mommy and Daddy Stu next to a tiny, Smart car in a Nottingham "Park and Ride" lot.

A little practice

DSC_0144, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Some Airborne troops 'chuting off the towers during a training exercise.
I'd do it.

95th Division Army Band

95th Band, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here we are posing with Iron Mike, the epitome of an infantryman.

quality print

DSC_0166, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Nothing like sitting back and relaxing in the barracks with a heartwarming issue of The Bayonet. Notice the headlines.

Sgt. Stu-dly

DSC_0110, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Your real American hero right here folks. Don't mess with this.

view

DSC_0088, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

a view for an evening stroll

DSC_0091, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Georgia's finest.

gals

DSC_0048, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here are some of the chicas in the band. Left to right: Jenny, Rachael and Stephanie. Two flutes and a trumpet.

pulitzer's finest

DSC_0051, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

The headquarters of The Bayonet, "Ft. Benning's only authorized newspaper", so the slogan goes. It's really a thrilling read. Think Norman Transcript, but limit the coverage exclusively to Ft. Benning.

dudes

DSC_0102, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Me and a couple of fellow band nerds after the baseball game. Left to right: Sean, Danny and Levi.

Catfish

DSC_0062, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

We played the national anthem at a baseball game Monday night in Columbus. The home team was the Columbus Catfish. Here's the mascot parading around on the dugout. It really looks nothing like a catfish, but exactly like Cookie Monster.

crunchy, cheesy goodness

DSC_0056, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Sgt. Carrell, a fellow trombone player in the Army band, enjoys some nachos and the atmosphere of the game.

HEY BATTA, BATTA, BATTA SA-WING BATTA

DSC_0057, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

A pitcher for the 1A Columbus Catfish hurls a pitch inside to a batter on of the So-and-so Intimidators. Sadly, the Catfish got hooked 7-2. It was still a good time though.

soft, chewy goodness

DSC_0058, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Sgt. Rush eats a pretzel at the ball game. Notice his tattoo. He just got it a couple of days ago at a parlor in Columbus.

dusk

DSC_0044, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

I landed in the right spot at the right time--Sightseeing Rd. at sunset.

Brew it up Captain

DSC_0040, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

An on-post brewery only blocks away from our barracks. I tried the house wheat variety and it wasn't bad. Not bad at all for some Army home brew.

zip line II

DSC_0036, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

A different angle on the Airborne zip line thing, minus the soldiers this time.

Georgia goes dark

DSC_0030, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

A nice sunset at Ft. Benning.

relics

DSC_0015, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here are some old jump planes next to the Airborne training field.

tower

DSC_0019, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's a shot of an Airborne parachute training tower.

zip line

DSC_0083, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's some Airborne training in action. Your guess is as good as mine as to what they're really learning here. When they get about mid-way down the line, they drop a big duffle bag they are holding. ??? Looks fun, though.

JUMP!

DSC_0072, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

These towers are used for Airborne parachute training. They haul the peeps up by their chutes and let 'em drop. Pretty exciting, though I haven't seen it in action yet.

let it rain

DSC_0036, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's one of many heavy rains we've endured. It's kind of nice to watch (and nap to).

clearing off

DSC_0070, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's what it looked like after it stopped. This is when it gets unbelievably HOT.

signature bench

DSC_0023, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Nerd HQ (inside)

DSC_0029, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's the inside of where we rehearse. They finally got the AC working again and it's now freezing during rehearsals. There is never a happy medium with Army climate control devices.

Upright

DSC_0034, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Sgt. Cash plucking the bass.

groove

DSC_0059, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's Georgie, laying down a phat beat in the band hall during rock band rehearsal.

Nerd HQ

DSC_0002, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's the band building on post. Back in the old, segregated days, this was the theatre where all african-americans had to go to see films and what-not. It's only fitting that the band would get assigned to this building.

Oh yeah

DSC_0012, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

hot wheels

DSC_0015, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's the official band bus. Talk about a party mobile. It's really a sweet ride. We get a lot of looks cruisin' 'round post. She'll do 55 on the highway, too.

more coming

I'll try to get some pics up soon. Check back.
~J.

AHHH

AHHH, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

OOOOO

OOOOO, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

OHHH

OHHH, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

WHHHOOOAAHHH

WHHHOOOAAHHH, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Thweet

Thweet, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

EEHHH

EEHHH, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

House

House, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's the new house. Pretty sweet. J-do and I will be calling this little pad home until the end of December.
We need a cool name for it. What do ya'll think?

The Thinker

The Thinker, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

bird

bird, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here's an oldie out of the archives. (It's been kind of a slow week--hence the archive shots) My first pheasant. Pa wuda bin proud.

poolside lounging

poolside lounging, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Jarrad and Dinah, chillin' out max by the pool.

chomp

chomp, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Mhhmmm...pizza...

lunch

lunch, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Dinah, Carson and cousin Karina (middle) enjoy some pizza and cokes during a swim break.

Carson and Grandpa

Carson and Grandpa, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here grandpa Dan helps Carson "swim" after he jumped off the diving board.

Carson will just jump in and sink to the bottom if no one intervenes. He's not afraid of the water at all. Silly kid.

Limitless Energy

Limitless Energy, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Carson plays with Aunt Dinah at the pool. Note the crazed look in his eye. The kind only a three-year-old with surplus energy can have.

through the gate

walk-through, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Laura passes through the security gate and out of our lives for good. *sob* That silly English boy took her away...*tear*

FYI: She didn't look back to wave.

almost gone

x-rays, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

mother and daughter

mother and daughter, originally uploaded by johnniestu.

Here Laura and Mommy Stu pose before Laura heads through security and off to the Old Country.