When you are in the Army you have maintain a “rigid state of flexibility”. Like our favorite claymation character Gumby. Why do I mention something like that? Last week I was told that our deployment was shifted to the right by 90 days. This week we have been told that it is on “like donkey kong”. Geez. The one rule I have seemed to have forgotten from my days in the active Army is that the “first report is always wrong”. Shame on me for not remembering that small detail.
I was all excited thinking that I had an extra 90 days at home. Oh well, I am ready to get the deployement started. The sooner my unit deploys the sooner we can come back to our families. Stay tuned for potential new changes…lol
That is all that is left before I start preparing to head to Puerto Rico. Strange how the time has flown by. I will probably be spending around 2 months in Puerto Rico to train with my unit and then we will head to Ft. Hood, TX for some more training, and then over the big pond to Iraq. We are told that we should be back next July. I’ll believe it when my boots are back on U.S. soil. With the way things are going over there who knows when we will be back. If it is 12 months then that is great…I am not going to set myself up for failure by thinking I’ll be back that early.
I still get asked if I am worried about going back (this will be my second combat tour in Iraq). Hello?!? People are dying everyday there…of course I am worried. Who isn’t worried about potentially getting blown up, losing a limb or dying? Silly people and their silly questions. My main concern will be of course the soldiers under my command. I want to make sure that everyone comes home in one piece with me. I will not leave a fallen comrade!
Well, my company is throwing a farewell luncheon for me next Friday. It feels so final…I mean, it isn’t like I am quitting the company. I will be back after my tour of duty. Oh well, it’s a free lunch and I get to see all my friends and coworkers in the same place…double bonus.