Command Briefs: How I Spent My Winter Hiatus

How I Spent My Winter Hiatus

by MG William A. Flatt

Fellow patriots, I want to thank all of you for your patience. The past couple months have been alternately quite exciting and frustrating for me personally. In November, I had an auto accident caused by someone who was talking on her cell phone and not paying attention to her driving. That really hampered my schedule, not to mention created a financial difficulty at a time of year when I would normally be preparing for the holidays. Then, I managed to get some alternate transportation as I went back to work, and the overtime at work that I needed to get back on track.

I waited through November to get the settlement check from the other drivers' insurance company. The wait was not entirely unpleasant because I knew they wanted to discharge the matter quickly since their driver was at fault. I took the money and used it to pay some old bills, as well as put some aside for new transportation.

Then my internet service went out for a few days. That was a frustrating time when I could not edit the IMC website, nor could I send or receive any e-mail. All I could do was drive around the Pendleton / Anderson area looking for a new set of wheels. I found a really spiffy Chevy van that would have made a fantastic "C-2 van" for our HQ, but it was sold before I could return with the money. I could have paid in full with cash. Oh well.

As of this writing, which is after Christmas, I have a new 4WD Jeep with which to travel and conduct FTX's. I have to admit that this fulfills one of my biggest long-term personal goals and one of my secondary organizational goals. The only thing that remains is to find a suitable parcel of land out in the country, where I can locate my homestead and (God willing) have enough land left over to be able to conduct militia training. If nothing else, I pray that there will be enough space for a sufficiently roomy pole-barn for holding meetings.

Well, we're back online. We are all looking forward to a more productive and successful year in 2004. I hope that everyone has time to recover from all the holiday food and holiday bills, because we will be maintaining what I hope will be a well-loaded schedule that offers as much as possible to everyone in terms of training, networking, and other militia activity.

Have a safe and happy New Year's - and remember to always be prepared.