Loyalty
And may there be no sadness
Of farewell when I embark.
Almost. We are almost done here. A few more days of frenzied work, while we attempt to close our accounts and set up the incoming unit for success. The free, happy and fun time I envisioned for after the incoming unit took control of the battlespace has not come to pass. I am still, inexplicably, working extremely long hours. I have not lifted or gone on a run in almost a month now. I am only getting a few hours of sleep a night. I think my boss is having control withdrawals, or something, and so is micromanaging everybody even more than he normally does. The next two days or so will be very unpleasant, but once I get on the plane, it will be over. Of course, after what happened to the 172nd, I will be terrified for a few weeks after I get home that they’ll call us back up. It’s a hell of a way to run an army.
We lost a soldier a few days ago. Our first. He was a great soldier, a solid NCO, and a very funny and personable guy. Everybody liked him. I have never trusted silly superstitions, but I have finally encountered one that seems to hold: everybody loses a soldier in the last couple of weeks. All three units we relieved lost soldiers right before they went home. Now we’re no different. I was looking forward to coming home with the knowledge that we brought everybody back with us. No such luck.
The unit is pushing on, though, and we should all be home within a week. About half of us have already left. Our flight times and dates keep getting moved around, though. I’m hoping we don’t get pushed any more. I would like to not have to wait around here or in Kuwait for any longer than I have to. I also realized I have nothing to read on the plane, so I may just try to watch the movies. Really, I don’t care. They could stick me in a cage with a monkey for the ride home and I’d still be happy. I just want to see my wife.
Of farewell when I embark.
Almost. We are almost done here. A few more days of frenzied work, while we attempt to close our accounts and set up the incoming unit for success. The free, happy and fun time I envisioned for after the incoming unit took control of the battlespace has not come to pass. I am still, inexplicably, working extremely long hours. I have not lifted or gone on a run in almost a month now. I am only getting a few hours of sleep a night. I think my boss is having control withdrawals, or something, and so is micromanaging everybody even more than he normally does. The next two days or so will be very unpleasant, but once I get on the plane, it will be over. Of course, after what happened to the 172nd, I will be terrified for a few weeks after I get home that they’ll call us back up. It’s a hell of a way to run an army.
We lost a soldier a few days ago. Our first. He was a great soldier, a solid NCO, and a very funny and personable guy. Everybody liked him. I have never trusted silly superstitions, but I have finally encountered one that seems to hold: everybody loses a soldier in the last couple of weeks. All three units we relieved lost soldiers right before they went home. Now we’re no different. I was looking forward to coming home with the knowledge that we brought everybody back with us. No such luck.
The unit is pushing on, though, and we should all be home within a week. About half of us have already left. Our flight times and dates keep getting moved around, though. I’m hoping we don’t get pushed any more. I would like to not have to wait around here or in Kuwait for any longer than I have to. I also realized I have nothing to read on the plane, so I may just try to watch the movies. Really, I don’t care. They could stick me in a cage with a monkey for the ride home and I’d still be happy. I just want to see my wife.
posted by Battler03 at 10:35 PM
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