Gen X in Iraq

Back in the US

I made it back to the US today. I am sitting in the Houston airport waiting for one more flight. I have a few more days in Gulfport and then home for good. Hopefully, I can get done before the weekend but that may not happen. The flight from Kuwait took 12 and half hours. It feels good to be back in the US.

Things to Do When I Get Back

One of the phrases I picked up while I was in Iraq (it's nice to use the PAST tense) was that Iraq is a "Navy Appreciation Tour. This was the active duty version. The reserve version is "Life Appreciation Tour". Bucket Lists have been common for a couple of years now and this is my version of things I want to do when I get back home. Before I get into too much trouble; catching up and reuniting with family, friends and GISD co-workers is my number one priority. With that said and in no particular order:

- See a movie in a real theater (especially Avatar and Sherlock Holmes)

- Go for a run on the nature trails around our house. i am looking forward to seeing trees, creeks and lakes again

- Buy a telescope and stargaze at our family lake house in East Texas

- Visit Lone Star Comics, Best Buy, Gamestop, Barnes and Noble and our outdoor mall

- Put the top down on the Mustang and feel the power of an American V8

- Weekends and holidays

- Leave work before dinner and not have to go back

- Not have to wear shower shoes in the shower and taking long, continuous, hot showers

- Peaceful nights and mornings, and a good mattress

- Fast Internet

- Watch the Cowboy's march to the Superbowl on HDTV

- Church organs and choirs

- Freedom to go anywhere I want

- Wear real clothes

- Catch up on movies and tv shows I missed during the past year

- Eat real Mexican food (at least the way we do it in Texas)

- Drink adult beverages

- Watch anything I want anytime I want on the DVR 

- Learn to play guitar (again)

- Play Band Hero with my wife and daughter (I can hardly wait to hear my daughter's version of Taylor Swift)

- Lifetime Fitness (i.e. a real gym)  

The Long Road Gets Shorter

I finally made it to Kuwait yesterday. I was stuck in Baghdad for 4 days while waiting for a plane. We left early in the morning and touched down about 5:00AM. We went straight to cleaning weapons and dropping all of the issued WWII surplus. It feels nice to get rid of that pistol and the three bags of camping gear. It was a long day and I was up for 36 hours straight before I could finally grab some sleep. And sleep I did; for 12 straight hours. Luckily, I had taken advantage of the "layover" in Baghdad to catch up on some rest and re-adjust for night time travel. 

I am definitely closer to civilization in that I am sitting in a Starbucks while writing this entry. I am staying in a transient tent with four other guys and it is about like any other tent in the middle east, at least there is a wooden floor and A/C. Yes, A/C is needed even in the middle of January.

Next stop, not just any port....Gulfport!! 

Last Night at the Embassy

As the clocked clicked down on the Cowboys - Eagles game on Sunday, I knew another clock was ticking down as well. I had chosen the football season as my deployment countdown calendar. That the Cowboys stomped the Eagles was just a bonus. I have been sating my goodbyes for a couple of weeks. My office had a nice farewell party and I had started observing my "last" observances of everything. Saturday was my last church service, my last visit to the store, my last Powerpoint brief and my last lunch and dinner from the DFAC.

Speaking of last dinners, someone informed me of a departing tradition called the "All Dessert Dinner". As tempting as this sounds, I decided to not partake of the tradition. However, I did have a piece of Turkey themed birthday cake from Thanksgiving, our cakes are frozen so this was not an overly ripe leftover. In addition to the cake, I had some ice cream, it's unheard of to have two desserts. Our DFAC has the dessert  bar located far away from the regular lines. A trip to the desert bar is either a walk of shame and guilt or an act of brazen devil may care hedonism (your call). One trip is bad enough but I was not prepared for the stares and the stunned silence of the DFAC patrons :)

A 2,000 calorie meal was exactly what I needed to schlep my 6 bags of equipment across the Middle East. The bad thing is that I don't remember what was in most of these bags. I received most of the gear at Ft. Jackson a year ago. The various camping supplies went into sea bags and laid dormant under my bed for a year. I will be glad to get rid of all the various leftovers from World War II.

I am at Victory Base awaiting another hop on my long road home. It's nice not having to work for a few days. I was working almost until the last minute, the US taxpayers received maximum value in my case! Victory Base is the same location where I was last April. It reminds me of a stagecoach rest stop. The main waiting area has a large shaded Pine deck and roof. Everyone is waiting to go somewhere else. Unlike transportation back home, it can take days for your plane to show up. Passengers are given a priority and people are often bumped to another flight.

Time for dinner...you always want to eat and sleep when you can, you never know when you will be able to either.