Well, it'd be hard to choose a place to start if
not from the beginning. I was born in Lumberton,
Mississippi of my loving parents Noah Dement Jr.
and Karen Powell. My little bro, Josh, was born
2 years later in April of 85. I grew up on Pine Burr
Road between Purvis and Columbia my whole life.
We lived in a small trailer home until I was in like 1st
grade maybe (not too entirely sure on that) then we
moved one house down the road into a what we called
a roach motel. It was, in all actuality, a two story home
that was never finished prior to us moving in and had
been left in poor condition. I remember in the past
that when my family would drive by this home my mom
had always said
"I wouldn't have that place if they gave it to me!"
Nevertheless, we ended up buying it and over the
next several years of my life my parents pretty
much put everything into our home, turning it into
a very nice house and a beautiful piece of property. My mom loves flowers you see, and she had like ... well an acre or two of flowerbeds and sidewalks... little ponds here and there. Folks would drive by really slow so they could get a look at our yard and they'd get out and walk the gardens sometimes too.
not from the beginning. I was born in Lumberton,
Mississippi of my loving parents Noah Dement Jr.
and Karen Powell. My little bro, Josh, was born
2 years later in April of 85. I grew up on Pine Burr
Road between Purvis and Columbia my whole life.
We lived in a small trailer home until I was in like 1st
grade maybe (not too entirely sure on that) then we
moved one house down the road into a what we called
a roach motel. It was, in all actuality, a two story home
that was never finished prior to us moving in and had
been left in poor condition. I remember in the past
that when my family would drive by this home my mom
had always said
"I wouldn't have that place if they gave it to me!"
Nevertheless, we ended up buying it and over the
next several years of my life my parents pretty
much put everything into our home, turning it into
a very nice house and a beautiful piece of property. My mom loves flowers you see, and she had like ... well an acre or two of flowerbeds and sidewalks... little ponds here and there. Folks would drive by really slow so they could get a look at our yard and they'd get out and walk the gardens sometimes too.
Mom in her garden
SCHOOL - I schooled at Baxterville Attendance Center from Kindergarten throughout the eighth grade. BAC was a small school made up from all the kids that lived in the spread out sparsely populated areas of the county. After eighth grade the students attend Purvis High School so it was like the elementary and middle schools in Purvis didn't have room for us or something. Yeah it was a school in the sticks I know.
My claims to fame
I was class favorite in Kindergarten and 1st Grade but I guess my popularity diminished after the first couple years of school. Hehe.
I was also Homecoming King for a year.
I was the Beau for the Beauty & Beau - "Who's Who" for my class two different years.
Well, I was an A & B student
Well, as I just stated... for high school I attended Purvis High School in Purvis, Mississippi. We were the Purvis Tornadoes and widely known for our football powers :) It was nice to finally get into a larger school. I was pretty tired of Baxterville. My first year of High School I met my best bud Eddie Hodges and he's been one of the best friends you could have ever since. I spent most of my time in High School doing as little as I could possibly get away with (mind you I still graduated with Honors). I took the time to work on my artistic skills. I was always drawing in class. I pretty much stayed out of clicks in school, befriending just about everyone. My best buds and I passed the years creating alot of dumb games and playing Hacky Sack. We'd gather up before school started and hack and just about every chance we could get a break we hacked.
My claims to fame
Senior year for the annual "Who's Who" I won "Most Talented"
I took English 3 and 4 in the same year, never did a term paper and still...
I graduated with Honors
My favorite Teacher ever was Mrs. Cala Raborn
My claims to fame
I was class favorite in Kindergarten and 1st Grade but I guess my popularity diminished after the first couple years of school. Hehe.
I was also Homecoming King for a year.
I was the Beau for the Beauty & Beau - "Who's Who" for my class two different years.
Well, I was an A & B student
Well, as I just stated... for high school I attended Purvis High School in Purvis, Mississippi. We were the Purvis Tornadoes and widely known for our football powers :) It was nice to finally get into a larger school. I was pretty tired of Baxterville. My first year of High School I met my best bud Eddie Hodges and he's been one of the best friends you could have ever since. I spent most of my time in High School doing as little as I could possibly get away with (mind you I still graduated with Honors). I took the time to work on my artistic skills. I was always drawing in class. I pretty much stayed out of clicks in school, befriending just about everyone. My best buds and I passed the years creating alot of dumb games and playing Hacky Sack. We'd gather up before school started and hack and just about every chance we could get a break we hacked.
My claims to fame
Senior year for the annual "Who's Who" I won "Most Talented"
I took English 3 and 4 in the same year, never did a term paper and still...
I graduated with Honors
My favorite Teacher ever was Mrs. Cala Raborn
Purvis High School
MY ART - I've been drawing almost my whole life. I suppose I used to draw a little bit of everything but then one day my aunt Nita was drawing with me and she used to draw these muscled up karate guys who broke chains with their arms. Well, I drew behind her, made my own ninjas and such which opened the path for me as far as drawing people. For the rest of my life I've focused more on figures and people and that's where it all started. I'd also like to thank my aunt Shell who was also an artist as I was growing up. She used to babysit me as a child and we'd do lots of drawing and coloring so probably the largest portion of my artistic skills should be contributed to her.
In late middle school and in high school, I did alot of comic book stuff with my buds and cousins (Wesley Belk, C.J. Burroughs, Adam Thompson, Cody Forbes).
Sometimes I go several months without making any art and then when I start it up again... I'm fresh and I bring the lessons I've learned in the past and my new stuff is always better.
I drew alot when I was in Kuwait before the war started. I felt like it was a whole new level for my artwork. However, I have none of those works to show because my sketchbook was stolen. It was a long time after that before I began to draw again. But, when I did, I moved into the technique of using models. It's really helped my art alot. I'm pretty happy with were I am now with my art but I always love to improve.
I won a graphics tablet and a copy of Adobe Photoshop 7 in an art contest that has peaked my interest in digital art. As it currently stands, I haven't delved completely into the digital world yet but I have done alot of web graphics and have also colored some of my work with the tablet. Of course I bought a new tablet because the one I won was a piece of shit. Advice to those of you looking for a tablet... Go WACOM. In the tablet industry, everything else pales in comparison.
In late middle school and in high school, I did alot of comic book stuff with my buds and cousins (Wesley Belk, C.J. Burroughs, Adam Thompson, Cody Forbes).
Sometimes I go several months without making any art and then when I start it up again... I'm fresh and I bring the lessons I've learned in the past and my new stuff is always better.
I drew alot when I was in Kuwait before the war started. I felt like it was a whole new level for my artwork. However, I have none of those works to show because my sketchbook was stolen. It was a long time after that before I began to draw again. But, when I did, I moved into the technique of using models. It's really helped my art alot. I'm pretty happy with were I am now with my art but I always love to improve.
I won a graphics tablet and a copy of Adobe Photoshop 7 in an art contest that has peaked my interest in digital art. As it currently stands, I haven't delved completely into the digital world yet but I have done alot of web graphics and have also colored some of my work with the tablet. Of course I bought a new tablet because the one I won was a piece of shit. Advice to those of you looking for a tablet... Go WACOM. In the tablet industry, everything else pales in comparison.
MY TIME IN THE ARMY - In August of 2001, I had reached a point in my life where I wasn't sure which direction I was headed. I didn't have much going for me in the way of respect from my mom. I'd pretty much been doing my own thing for a couple years by then and had bounced through a few different rental homes and living with friends worrying my mom sick in the process. Then one day I was pilfering through one of my "junk" boxes when I came across an army add or something of the sort...
In High School, I had skipped class while everyone was taking the ASFAB (I think that's how it's spelled). I had no interest at all in joining the military so why'd I need to take it!? Well, the army add I'd found turned gears in my head. Alot of the stuff it showed in the pics looked real fun and it seemed like a way to get my life back on track so I decided I was gonna join. I visited my mom to tell her about my plans and she invited me to move back in and live with her before I took off with the military. Well, the recruiter was supposed to come visit me so I called up my buddy Eddie and told him the news. He said "Hold on, I'll be right over." Well, the recruiter ended up getting both of us cause Ed said he couldn't let me take off by myself. I ended up choosing a six year enlistment. I knew that if I signed up for 3 years I'd be ready to get out by the time it was over but would I really know what to do with my life by then? So I forced myself into six years which Ed also chose. I'm sorry Eddie... I never meant to put you through all you've gone through. They told us there was no such thing as the buddy system so we went to basic and AIT together... both planning to be airborne as it was in our contracts. During our basic training, we experienced September the 11th to the fullest. We were all shocked and the drill sergents drilled us everyday saying that we were leaving straight from training to go to war. Then at the close of AIT, they told us there were openings to go to Germany if anyone wanted them. Of course we had to waive the airborne portion of our contract but we were going to Germany. That's when we got split up. I got stationed in Illesheim and Ed in Bamberg, quiet a distance apart. Our paths in the military never crossed after that. Ed's path came to take him downrange to the war zone over and over during his term of service. I only went to the desert once.
In Illesheim, I was with 2/6th Cavalry (Apache Helicopter Squadron of the 11th Aviation Regiment). Within the first couple of weeks of being in Illesheim, I was loaded up on a blackhawk and flown to the Czech Republic to join the rest of my Squadron in a multi-national training exercise. Hehe, in blizzarding Czech Republic I really learned my job... by the way, I was a fueler :) I know it sounds dumb but it was actually pretty high speed with the helicopters.
I met a German girl, Jasmin, who pretty much turned my world around. I was infatuated with her and she dominated my thoughts waking and dreaming. It took me along time to convince her that I had anything to offer her but eventually my dedication won through and we dated. (A story for another time) As the story goes, I convinced her to marry me and shortly after the army threw the first thorn in our side. We got word that I had to go to the desert.
In late 2002 we were deployed to Kuwait for Operation Enduring Freedom and later Operation Iraqi Freedom. Just when our six month rotation was nearly over, the president decided we were going to war so we loaded up and charged into Iraq on what would be a three day convoy of driving 24 hours a day with little or no sleep. I never killed anyone so you don't have to ask. I ended up being in the desert for nearly 9 months and I missed my Jasmin so much it hurt every minute of every day.
When we returned from the desert, my unit had orders to move back stateside to upgrade their helicopters. I didn't want to go back to the states yet so I got moved to Ansbach, Germany to be apart of 6/52nd Air Defense Artillery. Turns out Air Defense really sucks and it didn't feel like the army at all but that was my only choice. The good thing was, it was in the same area.
Married, Jasmin and I began to build our house. Our house was the only thing we did for 3 years. We built it ourself so we worked everyday and came home to work on our house.
In Illesheim, I was with 2/6th Cavalry (Apache Helicopter Squadron of the 11th Aviation Regiment). Within the first couple of weeks of being in Illesheim, I was loaded up on a blackhawk and flown to the Czech Republic to join the rest of my Squadron in a multi-national training exercise. Hehe, in blizzarding Czech Republic I really learned my job... by the way, I was a fueler :) I know it sounds dumb but it was actually pretty high speed with the helicopters.
I met a German girl, Jasmin, who pretty much turned my world around. I was infatuated with her and she dominated my thoughts waking and dreaming. It took me along time to convince her that I had anything to offer her but eventually my dedication won through and we dated. (A story for another time) As the story goes, I convinced her to marry me and shortly after the army threw the first thorn in our side. We got word that I had to go to the desert.
In late 2002 we were deployed to Kuwait for Operation Enduring Freedom and later Operation Iraqi Freedom. Just when our six month rotation was nearly over, the president decided we were going to war so we loaded up and charged into Iraq on what would be a three day convoy of driving 24 hours a day with little or no sleep. I never killed anyone so you don't have to ask. I ended up being in the desert for nearly 9 months and I missed my Jasmin so much it hurt every minute of every day.
When we returned from the desert, my unit had orders to move back stateside to upgrade their helicopters. I didn't want to go back to the states yet so I got moved to Ansbach, Germany to be apart of 6/52nd Air Defense Artillery. Turns out Air Defense really sucks and it didn't feel like the army at all but that was my only choice. The good thing was, it was in the same area.
Married, Jasmin and I began to build our house. Our house was the only thing we did for 3 years. We built it ourself so we worked everyday and came home to work on our house.
As you've probably guessed, I'd already decided to live in Germany for the rest of my life. Guess I didn't need the whole six years to figure that out but I was still stuck in the army. I was happy in Ansbach because although we had the worst work hours and got off late more often than on time, I was still close to home and my wife.
Then 17th of July 06 I had to move again. 6/52 decided to go back to the states too so here I was looking for a new unit again. With only a year left in the army, I was forced to either go back with them
Then 17th of July 06 I had to move again. 6/52 decided to go back to the states too so here I was looking for a new unit again. With only a year left in the army, I was forced to either go back with them
or move to Hanau, Germany which was a 125 miles away from my wife and house. Of course Jasmin couldn't move with me... she's a nurse in Rothenburg with a contract. She'd have lost her job. So for the last year of my service, I lived in Hanau during the week and came home on the weekends. It was tough and it sucked but we made it through with no problems. In Hanau I was with 5/7 Air Defense Artillery. So yeah, crappy ADA again. But like in Ansbach, I made a lot of great friends who I'll be in touch with online for as long as the internet exists.
To sum it up... The army pretty much sucked for me if I consider good times compared to bad times in a ratio type fomat. But, I'd never take it all back because of everything I've learned and how I've changed on this path. I've managed to marry the most fantastic woman on earth. I've made friends you couldn't find on the street and I've done things others would never have the opportunity or courage to do.
To sum it up... The army pretty much sucked for me if I consider good times compared to bad times in a ratio type fomat. But, I'd never take it all back because of everything I've learned and how I've changed on this path. I've managed to marry the most fantastic woman on earth. I've made friends you couldn't find on the street and I've done things others would never have the opportunity or courage to do.
GERMANY - Living in Germany has definately been a factor in making me who I am. Society is different over here and thus the things considered "the norm" vary from the states. It's made me a very open person and taught me lessons in life that have sculpted me to who I am.
I've learned the language over here from watching TV mostly. There've been people who've taught me more of the language and my mother-in-law who doesn't speak english has been an inspiration but I seriously learn more from watching movies that I've seen before in English. That in combination with knowing whats goin on when you watch something helps you to overtime grasp the meaning of words. Hehe, years later I speak Deutsch though not as well as I would like. I can read it as well but writing is beyond me thus far.
I live next door to my in-laws with my wife Jasmin in a house we built ourselves.
I have a god-daughter, Emily, who also lives next door. She was born in February 05 and she has no father so I fill the father-figure for her.
I drive a PT Cruiser which happens to be my wife's dream car. It's a rather prestigious auto here in Germany.
I've learned the language over here from watching TV mostly. There've been people who've taught me more of the language and my mother-in-law who doesn't speak english has been an inspiration but I seriously learn more from watching movies that I've seen before in English. That in combination with knowing whats goin on when you watch something helps you to overtime grasp the meaning of words. Hehe, years later I speak Deutsch though not as well as I would like. I can read it as well but writing is beyond me thus far.
I live next door to my in-laws with my wife Jasmin in a house we built ourselves.
I have a god-daughter, Emily, who also lives next door. She was born in February 05 and she has no father so I fill the father-figure for her.
I drive a PT Cruiser which happens to be my wife's dream car. It's a rather prestigious auto here in Germany.
I'll be adding to my Bio in the future. As is right now, I'm tired of writing about myself. :)
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