2000 December 14 Graduation Day

Today is Michele's 29th Birthday and her first in the United States of America. She was also presented by Major General Staley E Green with this Missile Ma'am Certificate by The U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Bliss, Texas in recognition of her understanding, patience and personal sacrifices while encouraging me in my academic endeavors, for her confidence in my ability to succeed, and for her unceasing support, dedication and devotion to my ideals, without which our defenses would suffer a great morale loss. Happy Birthday dear!

I have successfully graduated as Distinguished Graduate and International Officer of Captain's Career Course 4-00, and during the Baccalaureate Ceremony, I gave this speech "Duty" ...

Whooah!
 

(We said farewell to the friends we made, left our Desert Tree Apartment, and departed El Paso the next few days, bringing back fond memories and carrying back our souvenirs, 6 Oktoberfest beer steins, a statue, and my sombrero. We stopped over Tokyo for 2 days where I brought Michele to Shinjuku, Ueno, Asakusa, Ginza, etc. before arriving Singapore before Christmas, so that we could spend Christmas with our love ones at home. Thank God for this trip.)

2000 Nov 17 Thanksgiving In El Paso

Dinner gathering at Matthew and Martha's residence ... lovely home in El Paso, Texas 

Technically our first Thanksgiving Dinner in USA on Nov 17, 2000 ...

... although for the Thanksgiving long weekend, we travelled from El Paso, Texas through Santa Fe, New Mexco and into Seven Falls, Denver and then to Estes Park, to spend Thanksgiving at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Into the last phase of my course now. We are surely gonna miss our cozy home at Desert Tree Apartments in El Paso, Texas

... our little dining area and kitchenette, see all our memorabilia ...

... our snuggy sofa and coffee table where we relaxed and watched TV programs ...

... did you see me in this picture outside our Desert Tree Apartments?

 

2000 Nov 4 McKelligon Canyon Park

Is it possible for cold front to hit the desert and snow in the desert? Look, it snowed on Franklin Mountain in Texas during our McKelligon Canyon Run this morning!

 

2000 Oct 17 McKelligon Canyon Park

 

On this cold autumn morning, we did the 5-miles Canyon Run at McKelligon Canyon Park, Texas 

2000 Oct 4 Informational Brief

Presented Singapore and Battalion Informational Brief at Acacia Park, El Paso, Texas to my class.

2000 Aug 12-25 We Love El Paso

Our first visit to the Ozaki's Residence to meet our host family, John and Amy Ozaki. They have a beautiful home with a lovely garden where they grow their own sunflowers, eggplants, zucchini, etc.

Aug 17 - Dinner at MAJ Kyung Min-Seok's residence in El Paso, Texas

Aug 19 - Quarterly host family lunch at Bistro, Building 1002, El Paso, Texas

Aug 25 - Class A Inspection at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas

2000 Jul 24-28 The Best Of El Paso

El Paso Informational Program For International Officers

 Visit to El Paso Police Department on Jul 24 (Mon)

Appointed Honorary Citizens of El Paso, Texas at El Paso City Council Meeting on Jul 25 (Tue) ...

... and visit to El Paso Museum of Art.

Visit to El Paso Border Patrol, Texas on Jul 26 (Wed) ... quite a wide and porous border between El Paso and Juarez, Mexico.

Mexican Lunch at Nutcracker Suite @ Anthony, New Mexcio and visit to the Jalapeno Farm.

Ended the day visit at the War Eagles Air Museum @ Santa Teresa, , New Mexico showcasing war planes of the WWI and Korean Conflict eras.

Visit to Fort Bliss Museum - US Army Air Defense Artillery Museum, Texas on Jul 27 (Thu), showcasing the array of air defense missiles of the US Army.

Visit to The Missions of El Paso, Texas on Jul 28 (Fri)

Chapel San Elizario and her bells

Mission Ysleta

And the finale visit to Tigua Indian Cultural Center marked the end of the week-long El Paso Informational Program for International Officers.