One Year Later

16 September 2009

So it's been one year deployed today. On September 11th 2008 our Brigade had it's Deployment Ceremony where we got all kinds of motivational speeches to include one from Sarah Palin. We marched off the air field to the beating drum and loaded planes for Kuwait within a week. I was in Iraq within two weeks of leaving Alaska and now a year later I'm back in Kuwait. Almost our entire Brigade is back in Alaska now. Our Brigade transitioned out on September 12th and the remaining Soldiers left the FOB. As in true Army tradition it's taken a lot longer than expected to get everyone back to Alaska due to flights and weather, but slowly they're all on their way home.

The equipment out load is going well. Our Brigade has over 1100 pieces of equipment that will be loaded onto a ship and returned to the States. That includes our Strykers, containers raining in size from 7' to 40', vehicles, trailers, and assorted engineer equipment. All of it has to be washed here in Kuwait and inspected by customs officials to ensure the dangerous Kuwait and Iraqi dirt do not make it to American soil. It's not too painful of a process, but some of the Strykers were in areas where paved roads were not normal so spraying off a years worth of mud can take up to two days.

I can't say that I'm disappointed to still be in Kuwait. Life isn't too bad here, I do my reporting requirements, run, sit in Starbucks, get books from the library, drive around to the two locations were our equipment is getting sea worthy, and of course nap. We've heard lots of rumors about what's going on in the rear, several DUIs, a couple domestic disturbances, a couple deaths either accidental or suicide. It's all unfortunate to hear that the most dangerous time for our Brigade has been the first couple days back in Wainwright. It's unavoidable to an extent though, certain people will break the rules no matter what counter measures you put in place.

My marathon training is not going as well as planned. Mainly I convince myself that I can sleep another forty minutes before doing my report than get up to run on the treadmill. Unfortunately the base I'm on is small so I still end up running a lot of laps if I'm trying to run any more than a couple miles. But I figure I'm going out for the fun of it, no expectation to finish in a certain time. It's kind of fun running with a charity also because the other team members e-mail their training progress and it's comforting to know other people are shamming sometimes too.

Hopefully the next time I write I'll be in Alaska! I hear there might be snow also!