Reunion - Home At Last

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Okay, I'm sorry that it has been so long since I have posted. I'm back in Alaska now with my family. I got back on November 30, but before I get into all that, let me catch you up briefly on October and November:

October -
Nothing happened in October. The new "Concerned Citizen Program," which was started a few months ago, seems to be working very well. We are paying Iraqis, including former insurgents, to work with Coalition Forces against extreme terror groups that are unwilling to negotiate, like Al Queda for example. Sun Tsu said that the best way to win was without fighting, and this certainly falls into that category. Of course, all the fighting that we have done over the last several years has set the stage and forced the more moderate insurgents to realize that they cannot win as long as America doesn't quit. They have tested the resolve of our nation, our president, and our servicemen and have found that making us quit will require more than they are willing to give. On the other hand, we are paying them very generously, and giving them the opportunity to use that money to rebuild they families and economies. Oh, I am sure that some of the sheiks are probably getting more than their fair share before they pay the "Concerned Citizens," but we can't fix everything at once. Nor is it our responsibility to fix everything. Our goal is just to set the Iraqis up with a working security and economic system, so we can leave with honor. Furthermore, paying the Iraqis is way cheaper than replacing HMMWVs and Tanks - not to mention soldiers. My only concern is, what happens when the money dries up. We're not going to pay them forever. Hopefully, they have a plan for Iraq to take gradually take over the program as their economy strengthens. Iraq's new budget certainly seems to be moving in that direction. In any event, by the time we left, the vast majority of our Area of Operations was quiet. Only one little corner or our area had any significant enemy activity, and we were winning there as well. Victory? Maybe. We still need to wait and see how everything pans our, but the drop in violence in our area during our tour was drastic. Our battalion commander told us we should be proud of what we accomplished, and I agree with him.

November - Packing Up
Soldiers from the unit that relieved us started arriving in November. I sold my internet antenna to one of them which is why I didn't post a blog for October (not that there would have been much to say). November was more about tough boxes and duffel bags than insurgents and IEDs. We packed up, showed the new guys around the area, and waited for our turn to leave. I was on of the last guys out. Once again we left Iraq via Kuwait, and again I was annoyed by the troops stationed there. For some unknown reason, they get combat pay when Kuwait is most certainly not a combat zone. If you don't carry weapons, and no one dies. You're not in a combat zone. They might as well be stationed in South Korea. They already get tax exemption, family separation pay, and hardship duty pay, to which they are certainly entitled. However, giving these soldiers combat pay does two things. Lumping them in with the combat troops is almost an insult to the guys that really did risk their lives. Furthermore, it's just plain fiscally irresponsible to pay troops entitlements that they do not deserve. We could spend that money improving our equipment or base housing or cutting taxes. Oh well, who cares. It really doesn't matter. It is just a burr under our saddle. I suppose I should just live and let live. Sorry.

Homecoming
My homecoming was an odd collection of emotions and experiences. On the flight we were loud and cheerful, cracking jokes and bugging the flight attendants to take pictures of us or get us some of those wings that the pilots wear. (We never got the wings, by the way.) When we hit the ground at the neighboring Air Force base, we were all business and energy, trying to expedite our inprocessing so and our eventual release. The hustle and bustle of our hurried inprocessing came to a halt as we boarded buses bound for the welcome home ceremony and our families. Looking out the windows of the bus, the majestic scenery of the surrounding mountains was both familiar and strangely disorienting. When you have been gone for a long time, everything fades, starting at the periphery and moving inward. The mountains were the first to go. Sure, if you had asked me if there were mountains near my home, I would have said yes; but when I thought about it in my head the background had faded away into a cloudy mist. Sitting in the bus, I was almost surprised to see them. Their beauty was fresh on me.

Presently, we arrived at the welcome home ceremony and filed inside to a cacophony of applause from the assembled family members and friends. Scanning the crowd, I found Laura, Jaeden, and Selah in the stands about 30 meters away. Jaeden was waving an American flag, obviously confused at the spectacle before her. Laura was holding her, and a women next to Laura, whom I did not recognized, was holding an equally confused Selah. Finally, I was in the same room as my family, but something didn't seem right. The girls were bigger than I remembered, so was Laura (she's pregnant). It was confusing at first. Disbelief mixed with the imperfections of my memory and left me with a guarded feeling. I couldn't believe I was finally home. Disappointment and confusion was next. I felt like I should have been feeling elated and relieved instead of guarded and confused. You also work this moment up in your mind for months and months. Upon making eye contact, Laura and the girls were supposed to come running into my arms, and I would scoop them all up in a huge hug. Instead, I was now standing in formation looking at them sitting in the bleachers. The reckless, running hug was replaced by waves and smiles from a distance. The quick ceremony was soon over, and we were dismissed.

As I walked among the mass of soldiers that had moments ago been a formation bidding some farewell. I couldn't help but feel a little sad. I had lived with these guys for more than a year, and it would never be the same. Now all the single guys would go off to celebrate together, and I couldn't help but feel the loss. Our family was breaking up, and I was going back to my real family. Soon I was past the guys and moving nervously toward my family. Jaeden recognized me and ran to give me a hug. She squeezed my neck with all her little might, and didn't let go for over a minute. Finally, all the strange and nervous emotions washed away as the wave of Jaeden's joy crashed over me. I was home.

December - Busy, Busy
There are a million things you need to do and want to do when you come home from deployment. Plus there are people that you want to see. Add that to the normal busyness of the Christmas season. Throw in Thanksgiving since we waited until I got back to celebrate it. What you have is the recipe for the busiest month known to man. As an example, on one Saturday I bought a minivan in the morning and then celebrated Thanksgiving with friends and family in the afternoon. It seemed like we were double booked everyday. Things have slowed some now that I'm on leave, but we still have a to do list a mile long. Nonetheless, it has been a blessed month. We've been exhausted; but we're happy and together. Nothing else matters more.


Testimony
I spoke at our church services last weekend. I shared the story about the day I got shot and about the most important thing that happened to me in Iraq. If you would like to listen to the talk I gave follow this link: Faith Christian Community - Sunday 11am Service - 23 Dec 2007

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