Dear EAA 582,

As most of you know I am now at the Naval Academy and therefore have not been out at the airport since I left at the end of June. In the last two months since I left home my world has changed a lot, waking up at 6 a.m. is considered sleeping in, 20 minutes to shower, change, read current events, and memorize a an array of the day's meals and other information we're required to know seems like a lot of time, and many other things. Overall it's an incredible experience that I wouldn't trade for the world the things I get to do here are opportunities that most can only dream of. 

The first week of classes was this week which has been a nice change of pace. Plebe summer is constant control and pressure the academic year gives us a little more opportunity to act like normal human beings. Seriously, after a little while you forget what it's like to just act normal. 

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to fly since I left home, I'm working on joining the flight team. Team tryouts should be held soon I should get back in the air soon. An astronaut is the head of the program, so that should be pretty sweet!! The people that walk around here are incredible. Seriously, you never know who is going to walk around the corner. I also joined the sailing team (kind of random, I know), but there's actually a lot of pilots on the team, sailing kind of employs a similar skill set of skills as flying. 

Since I left I've really started to realize how nice I have it at home and at the airport. The people in Ohio are some of the best people in the entire world. The reasons why are infinite, but I'll give a few examples. The community is incredible I have yet to meet a single person who wasn't willing to go above and beyond to help me out in anyway. In Ohio, everyone knows each other and wishes each other well. The kids from other places don't have that it's weird really. Not to mention the experience I had flying at the airport is like nothing else anyone else here has. They've seen pictures of Pietenpol Air Campers, I got to fly my first solo flight in one. 

I need to go to bed, but what I'm attempting to do is to thank everyone for their support and communicate how much I appreciate it. Seriously, keep doing what you're doing it made an incredible difference in my world. 

Very Respectfully,

S.R. Johnson

MIDN  USN