Farewell to Italy

[David Crockett]

After over six years of living in one of the most beautiful and interesting countries in the world, the time has finally come for this trooper to leave Italy.



I officially signed out from my old unit today, and am on leave until I report to Warrant Officer Candidate School in Alabama, later this month. After WOCS, I'll go on to flight school to learn to fly/crash Army helicopters.



Italy has proven to be a wonderful tour and I pray that I'll be able to retire here one day with my wife, who is Italian.



While I was here, I visited Germany numerous times, as well as Sardinia, Czeck Republic, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Moroco, and Austria for training. I also parachuted into Kosovo with Task Force Falcom in '99, parachuted into Northern Iraq with Task Force Bayonet (173d Airborne Brigade) in '03, and spent 6 months in Afghanistan this year.



Italy is a great place, full of nice people and the best food in the world. I'll miss it greatly, but am looking forward to being able to speak english in public again, and go to Waffle house at 2 a.m., when I get hungry. I also get to "go home" to a brand new '05 ST....



Arrevederci Italia

 

[Fred]

Safe travels home! Enjoy the Trac!

 

[Todd Z]

You will love it even more when you go back !!!

Italy rules !!... I may be a little bias..hehhe

Todd Z

 

[Buck Henry]

When I was in the submarine service, we would port in La Madelena on the big island of Sardinia. I toured Italy quite a bit while I was there and agree with you, a very neat place indeed. And the casa vino is cheap and flows like water!



PS: thanks for your service! Fair winds and following seas on your journey home.

 

[David Crockett]

buck_henry,



Sardinia (Sardegn) is my absolute favorite place! They have such great food and the island isnn't nearly as inhabited as the rest of mainland Italy (the "continent", as the locals call it) I hope to retire there and make wine one day and maybe open up a dive-shop or tour service for English and American tourists. The Sardo language is pretty tough to learn, but most of them speak traditional Italian dialects as well.



My wife and I went on our honey-moon there, on Costa Smeralda in June of last year. We stayed in Baia Sardegna, and I did a lot of SCUBA diving. Did one dive near a US sub base, which I didn't even know existed. I think it was La Madelena. Didn't actually see any subs, but saw a few of their tenders and support vessels.



Damn I'm gonna miss this place.



DD

 

[Robert Poole]

Davy,



My brother did the WOC course a few years ago, he now is a CW3 and is based in Ft Lewis Washington. He had told me a couple of things, 1. NEVER go blackhawk....all they are are busdrivers. Apache.....well more balls than brains..........Chinhook...or sh*thook as it is called....major truck driver. If you want to go where balls and brains are together.....go scout. As you guessed, he flies OH58D Warriors. He was a scout pilot when they were unarmed. he called it *trolling for fire*. As far as Fort Rucker goes..it is good installation. But Enterprise is a base town....there are good and bad. You being in the service are familier with the type.



Well have a good one and enjoy the culture shock of returning to the *World* of 24 hour conv stores.



Bob Poole

1st Gulf War vet



P.S Q: What is a WOC?



A: Something that you fwows at a wabbit......





Yeah, I know.....it is corny

 

[Gerald Pierce]

I'm with ya on retiring to Italy.... I love it there. Been at least 15 times, and love the food. Heck, I'd settle for just about anyplace in the northern or eastern med, or even the adriatic.



Well, except France....



Good luck on the trip home, not sure I'd be a big fan of going into an officer program.... don't they remove your spine somewhere in that process?

 

[Kerry Matthews]

No more "Niete Italiano, solo Englasie!" lol



We have a home in Venice, so I go there on occassion. Love skiing in the Dolomites!