who’s gonna fill moe’s shoes? who’s gonna stand that tall?

still no replacement but am working on it daily and hope to get a name next week.  37 of the 39 of us have replacements already named.  i like to think it’s because of the enormous shoes one would have to fill.

i’ve met (either in person or on the phone) with 13 people now to try and get one of the replacement crews to come 3 weeks early instead of having to make the crew leaving in early january stay an extra 3 weeks.  if you’ll recall, this is the crew headed by the nurse whom i made cry a week or so ago while arguing about our options if they go when they’re currently slated to leave.  this has been the most thankless project in which i’ve ever put any effort.  the MCD (medical crew director–the leader) of the crew continues to argue with me about our being able to manage with fewer crews or fewer persons on each crew (this would be true if i knew for a fact that we’d suffer no casualties in january, but for some reason, i’m not bold enough to gamble on such an occurrence).  the three enlisted guys, i’m told, grumble about me (and the rest of the AEOT day shift) behind our backs.  regardless, i continue to argue with different persons who lead different entities from all over the world with all sorts of acronyms in their outlook v-cards day after day to try and get the five-person crew coming in late january to come in early january, so that we’re not down by 1/3 our aeromedical evacuation crews.  i should have some resolution on this issue next week, too.  our flight’s acting first sergeant has offered to be the “bad guy” and deliver the news if the verdict is that they have to be involuntarily extended, but i told him i’m frustrated enough at the situation and the participants that i will have no trouble (and may even enjoy) delivering said prospective message, should i get to a final roadblock i can’t navigate.  

i saw “this christmas” last night and found it pretty funny.  tomorrow night i’ll see if ben affleck can direct, as “gone baby gone” is showing. 

tonight we picked up a patient who’d been hit by a helicopter.  i’m not sure how that happens.

the santa outfit i’m wearing in the picture below came in a care package from OPMALE STAR a couple days ago.  we have several little christmas trees, wreaths, and lights strewn about the AEOT. 

we’re supposed to move to a new facility in a few weeks.  i’d hoped this adventure would fall upon the next rotation, but it looks like that’s not the case.  the concrete has been poured, and the trailers will be dropped in a few days.  we will have a double-wide trailer for the AEOT with a few single-wide trailers behind it for storing our equipment and for crew rest.  within the double-wide, i’ll have my own office with windows and a door.  i look forward to this benefit immensely, even if i only have it for a couple weeks.  i’ve grown to appreciate, even more than i already did, my civilian job’s digs.  i certainly would have never thought that i’d look forward to moving into a double-wide trailer.  compared to the tent in which i worked 4 years ago here (during the summer and with no air conditioning), our current location is quite luxurious.