My time away...

My first assignment with the USMC Reserves was scheduled to be logistics planner/action officer working out of the US Embassy in Estonia in support of BALTOPS 10 for most of the month of June. Truthfully, first I had to look up on the map where Estonia was, by the way it is next to Russia. Then I had to figure out what I was going to be doing. That one didn't really happen until I was in country for a few days. It turned out that I was very busy. We had over 1000 Navy and Marine Corps folks in country during that time and conducted land and sea operations. The highlight was an amphibious demonstration between the US and Estonia for the President of Estonia, all the ambassadors, military officials, media outlets, and the public.

There was some down time at the end of my Estonia stay, where I got to really get out and explore the city, tour the museums, sample the local cuisine, and pick up some cool souvenirs. Gardens of Kadriorg Kadriorg Palace View from Town Hall Tower of Toompea Castle, churches, and old city walls

View from St. Olav's Church Tower of the original city wall and guard towers

Alexander Nevesky Cathedral (Russian Orthodox)

Kiek in de Kok (38m high cannon tower that also serves as the entrance to a system of tunnels that connects the bastions under Toompea Hill)

Town Hall

Town Hall Square with cobble stone streets and lots of markets and festivals

Fat Margaret's Tower (defensive cannon tower that protects the sea side of the city)

At the very end of my reserve duty, I swung through Germany to do some administrative things with Marine Forces Europe. The highlight of Stuttgart was meeting up with my sister and darling nephews for a few days. We toured the zoo, and dinosaur museum, and checked out the awesome German toy store.

All those children's activities made me really ready to go home and see my own family.