Welcome to Killeen - Don't spend your money in one place.
After yet another partially explainable LJ absence, I do believe I may be back on the road to regular posting. Of course, I can't spend too much time on the reasons behind my absences - after all, if I explained all of them to the best of my ability, well, I wouldn't have time to write about anything else.
Killeen is much the same as before, save for a proliferation of new houses and restaurants. Hood was virtually untouched by the latest BRAC*, and business seems to be booming. The only people seriously concerned about business are the dry cleaners - and I don't blame them. The new ACU** has roughout boots and can't be dry cleaned - so these people are going to be in serious trouble when the ACU issue is finished. Same for the Kiwi shoe polish company. No more shined boots, no more pressed utility uniforms - not a good thing for all those little shops on post.
On the lighter side of things, but just a bit sad - Pancho's*** closed down while I was in Arizona. They replaced it with . . . a Hooters. Now, I love Hooters (the restaurant, dammit) as much as the next guy, but there was a certain charm to hoisting the flag at your table for service. And all-you-can-eat flautas. Them, too.
*Base Realignment and Closure list - the list of military bases that get the proverbial "axe". Bad news for military towns. Baaaad news.
**Army Combat Uniform - the new scruffy-looking uniform that will replace our camoflage Battledress Uniforms (BDUs) starting this year.
***Awesome all-you-can-eat Mexican restaurant. Little Mexican flag at each table that guests hoisted on a little flagpole for service. Very fun. Great flautas!
And a final note - I had a wonderful time in California last week - at least, up until the death-by-powerpoint exercises at NTC. I'm sorry I didn't get to see everyone in the limited time I had at home - I'll do my best to catch you all again before the next trip to the Big Sandbox!