BCG's

So, life goes on here in the now unnamed country. (Our security office has informed us all that we're not allowed to list where we are on our blogs.) We continue with training, etc, although we really haven’t been too busy so far. It’s been nice to have time to spend an hour at the gym every day and lounge around the tent, but I’m ready to just get everything over with and move on to my final destination.
Due to a combination of a mishap involving my normal glasses and a supply screw-up on the Army’s part, I’m now wearing some very goofy looking glasses. Once in Iraq, we’re expected to wear ballistic eye protection (Army-speak for pseudo-bulletproof glasses) anytime we’re outdoors. The Army was kind enough to issue me 2 different pairs of glasses with both clear and dark lenses, as well as a pair of goggles for when the wind and sand gets too bad. All of the various eyewear was made by a company known as ESS, and seems pretty nice. They’re all made so that those of us who are blind as a bat without glasses can get prescription inserts to drop into the glasses so that we can be protected and still see. Unfortunately, the Army decided to issue me inserts for a different brand of glasses. Thinking ahead, I brought in every pair of inserts that I’d been given since I joined the Army. With 3 different brands of inserts, none of them fit the glasses we were issued.
The first day I got here, I was attempting to wear my own glasses from home, but was told we had to have “Army approved” ballistic glasses over the top, which was fine, since the sun was out and a little sun protection was appreciated. Unfortunately, doubling up caused a lens to pop out of my normal glasses and, with the tools available to me here (i.e. my Army-issued Gerber), I haven’t been able to get the lens back in place. So, in the meantime, I get to wear what we affectionately refer to as BCG’s, or Birth Control Glasses. These glasses are what everyone in the Army is issued if they to go an Army optometrist. As you can see from the attached picture, they’re pretty goofy looking. Army tradition has it that, as long as you’re wearing them, you don’t need to worry about any birth control (as you’re going to look too silly to get in a situation where you might impregnate someone. ) One person who will remain nameless previously noted that I look like my dad when I put these on. I’m not even going to touch that one.
I’ve been told that there will be an optometry shop located with us when we get to Iraq. So, hopefully, I’ll be able to get the appropriate type of inserts and no longer have to wear these goofy glasses.
That’s all I’ve got for today. I’ve got one or two more mandatory classes today, and then we’re free for the rest of the day. Nothing too exciting planned for the night. Probably we’ll go to the gym, Skype with Cristin if the Internet behaves, and then I think we’re going to see Land of the Lost at the MWR theater tonight. For those who are interested, here’s a picture of my current living quarters, complete with the obligatory Euchre game in the background.