To say it has been a smooth transition back to the U.S. would be an underestimate. We left Basrah last Thursday and made it to Kuwait and spent 3 days there until 3am on Sunday to report to the staging area for the flight home. What transpired was an exercise in patience and futility. To sum it up it took us 20 hours to get ready and boarded the plane at approximately 10pm that same day. The 14 hours in the air was a piece of cake compared to the movement of baggage and shuttling from place to place in 120 degree heat. We can invade a country in 7 days but can't hardly move 300 people across the ocean in 2 days. I am done with the crabbing about it though. I made it to Ft. Benning approximately 8 am on Monday. It has been a fairly long few days with multiple briefings and going through a bunch of the steps that brought us here. It is Wednesday night and I am poised to fly home to Nebraska on Thursday. It has been hot and humid here but i have a new appreciation for heat and I think I wont ever really complain about it again.
I have spent the last 3 nights eating steak with Dean, Eric, and another surgeon that was at another base in Iraq. To be honest I have had a beer or two also. It was been good to take a shower that has normal temperature control. an air conditioner that didn't seem like it was going to take off, and to go to the bathroom on a real toilet 5 feet away from me. I know that is gross but I appreciate the little things more in life now. It has been good to relax and enjoy the U.S.. We are very lucky to have all that we have. I even got my shopping fix at Dick's sporting goods and bought some cool things for my boys. I am to say the least excited to see them.
I have a few pictures to share with you before I say goodbye.
This picture is of Dean and I on the C-17 plane as we got ready to from Basrah to Kuwait.
A wonderful feeling to be free of that area. It wasn't like it was the worst base in the whole world especially when you here about some of the other places. It wasn't as dangerous as some but with the last month of increasing rocket attacks and IED's I felt anxious and jittery at the end of my tour. I can't even imagine what it is like to go in the vehicles outside of the wire. Once I got off the ground and nothing was firing at me and landed in Kuwait I felt like I could relax. Thank God.
This image is of the living environment in Kuwait.
This place was a real tent. Hot during the day and good at night when the ac could catch up. Basic living but they did have KFC and McDonalds. Spent time resting and watching videos on the computer b/c it was fairly miserable to exist there also. Plus had to get ready for that early arrival time and just excited to get out of this part of the world.
This image is a familiar one. We landed in Atlanta this time and got on a bus to Ft. Benning and ended up at my lovely hanger that I lived in for a week.
We got there and had a ceremony of return. it was small and to the point. Just plain good to be in the U.S.
Remember this one.
I am happy to be a loser but it does signify the show Glee. It is always good to make yourself look like a fool sometimes. Laugh at yourself.
A picture of 3 good men.
Dean on the left, Dr. Braswell in the center, and Gary Bilendy on the right. Dean passing the gas and Dr. Braswell being a great surgeon and friend.
The next picture shows the true soldier.
Not really. More like a fish out of water. i would have to admit that more then any other time in my previous 8 years have i felt like a soldier. A nice feeling but still feel like there are so much more that these guys do out there then me. I am more proud now then ever of what i have done in my 8 years even though I have fixed so many more soldiers in my previous 3 deployments. We did 18 orthopaedic cases and i saw approximately 150-200 visits. So small compared to home but enough to help.
If you expect a lecture or a long dissertation about changing our life tonight you won't get it. I am happy with my journey and how it has ended. We have talked about the 4 agreements and how to live each day to its fullest. Sang a stupid song and inspired by some other songs. Try appreciate all my blessing and hopefully show you some insight in how to appreciate yours. Talked about parenting and I really wanted to focus on that for myself. I found some peace and happiness but also am anxious about the life that is awaiting me at home. I need to change some things and hope the time has given me strength and insight.
I will leave you with this life changing image.
A place in the middle a desert and finding a new great friend. I think the only thing I will take away from this journey, more then what I have shared with you in this blog, is the friendship of Dean Losee. I am so proud to have gotten to know him and he has been a great person to be around. Even back here in Georgia I realize it more now then ever. I have been truly blessed to have him come into my life and I will never forget him and hopefully will have his friendship for the rest of my life. I can't tell him thank you enough for his friendship. I think this is one of the best lessons that I have learned is the value of friendship and what people can do for each other. The power that you have to help and care about another person is amazing. It helps everything. If I had one thing I would impart to you on this evening is to strengthen those friendships and family relationships. To mend wounds and to really care about people. I know the best thing the Army does is create lifetime friendships. I thank God for that and for Dean tonight.
Thank you all again for your support and listening. I hope it has been fun and interesting. I am signing off and remind you of those famous last words.
Play Hard Play Smart Play Together But most of all Play for the Lord
