This has been a week characterized by my attempts to adapt. I am trying to adapt to a culture as well as to a way of flying. The flying is coming a little more easily.

The following comments were directed to me over the past several days at different time, in different contexts but give an example of the issues I face.

"Stop thinking so much."
"You should not cross the street without asking your platoon leader."
"You need a haircut."
"Your T-shirt is the wrong color"
"We all know about your past experience and your age but . . ."

I keep forgetting that, at this point in my army career, independent decision making is not a good thing. Whenever I make a decision for myself someone gets upset. What is worse, they usually seem to believe that I am acting on my own because I think I am "better" than they are. The reality is that free thinking is a hard habit to break.

I am writing this entry at 0217 early Friday morning so please forgive any rambling. I flew from about 1930 until a little after midnight. This was the third night in a row that I flew. I will fly Saturday and Sunday nights also. The instructors are trying to get me up to unit standards as quickly as possible. I am flying well but still have trouble holding a good hover at night with goggles on. The goggles limit my depth perception and field of view. I could tell that this was frustrating my IP tonight almost as much as it was frustrating me.

I should probably give an amusing anecdote at this point but, frankly, I am beat. I am going to bed.