ey homie, i ain't in the army.before i came in, i thought about the navy cause my closest homie was joinin that, and i thought about force recon. marine, so what did i end up doing? i joined the coast guard!!lol, i know what you thinkin, but it just seemed like the best idea, and it has been good. i mean, i am in new york, but i could be alot worse you dig? i could be on a ship in alaska. i am an electronics techinician, i am gonna make e5 here in a few months, i am on a waiting list so it could be 3 months or a year tho. i hit my two year mark this coming up november 14th. that's another good thing, i haven't even been in 2 years and i am about to make E5. i have been here right at one year as of like 2 days ago. i was in petaluma for like 8 months for training to be an ET which was koo cause that was only like 2 and a half hours to watson, so i got to home every so often. i met my fiance up there. she is from santa rosa, so most of the time i was with her, like on the daily. we were only together like 6 months and i had to come out here. i was on leave on 9/11 on my way here, how shitty is that? that's what's been so tough tho', i don't miss my parents too much, i miss mis hermanas alot but, it is hard being here away from my fiancee fo reals. we have been together 19 months and been apart for a little over a year. but she loves me and we keepin it together still cause she is in college up there and it is too expensive for me to put her through over here. but when i take leave i wanna see her you dig so it is tough for my parents to understand so i don't see them as often. i could prolly get a damn good job with this training i have had after i get out, but i am gettin out cause i don't wanna keep moving my family places i don't wanna be. i think i am gonna move to santa rosa when i get out. it is kinda cool up there. i love watson to the heart but, there ain't as many job opportunities for her or me and it is still expensive as hell. i can hear what you are sayin about everyone else changin or even myself changin too. i lived in oklahoma when i came in the guard, and i have been back twice since i joined, and everyone ain't doin shit with themselves and they still act like little kids man, the military makes you grow up, for most people anyways. i have had homeboys admire me for what i have done, and hate me cause they say i am dick now, but it's cause they are 21 or so and still act like they 10, so i can't call it. about they way you and i dress, when i moved to oklahoma, if you weren't dressin in polos and abercrombie and fitch, you weren't shit. i couldn't afford it but i still tried, but as i got a little older, i went back to the only style that was really me. got fitted back in some dickies and jerseys and chucks or cortez. i have kinda steered from the dickies cause i can't find the ones with the wider legs out here in ny, but i still sport the same stuff with jeans. i get looked at horrible out here cause i live in the hamptons, maybe you heard about it. real rich area, one of the richest in america. they frown on me cause my apparel then they find out when they talk to me that i am in the military and they get all nice and junk, that's why i can't stand it here. if it ain't new york and elegant, they don't want it. i can't wait to get out of the east coast for reals. the city is kinda cool, but i would rather be in frisco. well, i tried to answer your questions and stuff, but yeah let me know when your leave gets approved. like i said, i prolly have duty either the last week in oct. or the first in nov. stay up man and watch out for them juice girls, lol. do they got them cheap ass hookers out there like that?