En Route

My unit is currently en route to Afghanistan.  Although I can't post the route we are taking, I figured I would use this airport's free WiFi as an opportunity to post a quick update.

Today has been a long hard day, with a lot more flying left to do.  This morning's goodbyes were tear filled, but also brought hope and excitement.  Knowing that deployment was inevitable, I'm glad it is getting taken care of now.  All I have to do is get this mission taken care of, and get back home.  I look forward to running back to the arms of my loving wife and adoring son.  Just typing that now makes me smile.

I think back to the words of my Drill Sergeants, and what they told me to get my head right with deploying and it is all coming true.  It is one of the most emotionally confusing times of my life.  If you ask if I am sad, scared, nervous, proud, happy, excited or ready, I can answer with certainty, "Yes".  Sad that I won't see my family for three-quarters of a year, nervous that I won't perform the way I expect myself to, proud that I get to wear this uniform and represent our country during a troubling time, happy that I get to do with confidence what most people are fearful to do, excited at the opportunities that these nine months will bring, and ready to do well.

I know that I have been trained well, a huge support system, and a faithful God.  Those three things give me the confidence to confront this deployment head on, and not flinch.

Countdown

So the countdown has been going on for quite a while, and it is almost to zero.  I leave for Afghanistan in a matter of days.  I wish I could post publicly my exact date, but that is forbidden.  Just know that final preparations are underway.  The stress level is at its peak, and I am not sure how I'm going to handle saying goodbye.  I know 9 months is nothing in the grand scheme of life, but that doesn't make going away any easier.  It is my first deployment in my Army career, and no matter what anyone says to calm my nerves, I am uneasy.  I have confidence that I will be safe.  I'm trained well, and my battle buddies are trained well.  I have a relatively safe mission in comparison to others.  My uneasiness is simply that I am leaving behind a beautiful wife and young son.  Nothing will make this easy.

Nevertheless, I must go.  No one is twisting my arm.  I want to go.  There are plenty of soldiers who don't want to go, and either by troop cuts, pregnancy, injury, time of separation or other means, they aren't going.  That's not me.  I signed up in a time of war, and have been preparing myself for this since I was in Basic Training. My mind is right, and thanks to a wonderful wife, our family situation is absolute.

I look forward to the challenge, the experience, and the knowledge I'll gain.  I look forward to being proud of having done it.

Thank you in advance for the letters, care packages and prayers that you will send my way, and to the rest of my battle buddies.  They are all very much appreciated.

I will write more as time and policy permits, but in the meantime, know that I am ready.

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