Home

After a long but uneventful flight, I arrived back home to a hero's welcome last Thursday.  Not only was my family there (they were able to meet me at the gate as soon as I walked off the plane - special deal the airlines offer for just this sort of thing) but the officers from my parent command were waiting just outside the security boundary to welcome me home as well.  It was a wonderful arrival!

Yesterday was my first full day home and mostly I was struck by the dichotomy of feeling out of place "back in the world" and also feeling like I'd never left somehow.  It is hard to adequately explain but I hope you get the idea.  Being home isn't 100% normal just yet but having the long weekend to ease back into my routine should help that transition.  I have to say going out for pizza at our favorite local place for dinner last night was awesome!  I'd forgotten how much flavor food can really have - plus, I was able to have a beer with my pizza like usual - whoo hoo for the big small things!

I have one more wrap-up post in mind, but it is hard to imagine not having "Pearl in the Desert" as a routine forum anymore.  Thank you all for your support these last ten months.  I can tell you without a doubt, the support from folks here at home makes all the difference in the world to the men and women still in harm's way.  Even though I am back home safe and sound now, please continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Cheers, Pearl

Last Day

It’s finally here – my last day in theater!  Yesterday I said goodbye to all of the folks who’ve been on this journey with me since my initial training in Norfolk back last July.  Right now they should be somewhere over Europe after a refueling stop in Germany.  Like I’ve said earlier, in some ways it sure would have been nice to be on that plane instead of writing this post here still in Kuwait, but last night as I was getting a sound night’s sleep while they were going through their last agonizingly slow Army processing, I imagine more than one would have changed places with me.  I suppose it’s a “grass is always greener…” thing.  Regardless, after dinner tonight I’ll be taken to the airport where I’ll fly like a normal person on a regular airline.  And through the magic of jet travel, I will be home by early afternoon tomorrow.

Part of the intentional down time built in to this out-processing is to let us transition from “adrenaline life” to “normal life.”  I think the Navy overestimated how much adrenaline we’ve been living on but the model they use is Vietnam where Soldiers were transitioning from the jungle to the dinner table in 48 hours.  When I think back to my grandfather (WW I) and uncle (WW 2), that sort of transition wasn’t necessary because they had at least a two-week ocean voyage just to get back to America.  Only because of jet travel do we intentionally have to build in a transition from a wartime environment to a peacetime environment.  Anyway, I found that interesting to think about this week.  It’s not like I had a whole lot else to do!

Anyway, today is my 281^st day in theater (my orders were for 280 – I get a bonus day – joy!) and thankfully my last.  I have a few more posts left in me to wrap things up but “Pearl in the Desert” is winding down.  I want to thank all of you who have read, supported, and prayed for me and all of us over here.  Every bit has been warmly felt and appreciated more than I can adequately express.  God bless you all and especially those still in harm’s way.

Cheers, Pearl

Almost Finished

Well, the journey is almost complete.  Yesterday I turned in all of my Army-issued equipment (a day we all called the "2nd best of our tour" since the Army holds people personally financially responsible for issued gear and we were all anxious to get receipts that we'd returned it all in good condition) and today we attended three hours of Return and Reunion briefings.  I suppose for someone who has never deployed these briefings were helpful, but for those of us who have been saying goodbyes and hellos for a career, the golden nuggets were few and far between.  However, the best part is, the transition program is now finished and all I have left to do is fly home (the 1st best day of my tour)!

Because of some quirk in making travel arrangements, three of us won't be leaving with the rest of our group in the wee hours of Wednesday morning on the military charter flight but instead will be flying home via commercial airliner Wednesday evening.  On the bad side, instead of arriving home late Wednesday night I won't arrive home until mid-day Thursday.  But on the very good side, I don't have to go through tedious hours of hurry-up-and-wait with the others beginning tomorrow at 2pm for a 1am flight!  When I learned I was flying commercial I was disappointed at first, but after hearing the charter schedule and procedures to get home, I think flying the "Friendly Skies" of United might be a more civilized mode of transportation - well, as civilized as a 7,700 mile flight can be!

Yesterday at lunch here at the new base we were startled to be eating off real plates with real metal forks and knives (instead of plastic which was all we had in Iraq) and most remarkably of all, glass glasses for our drinks!  I don't mean to say this was all fine china as it was still institutional stuff, but it was a somewhat jarring change from what we had all come to regard as "normal."  I guess it just goes to show how one's standards truly change when having a Coke in a standard cafeteria glass is a remarkable event.

The other changes that we noticed here were the number of people in civilian clothes.  Apparently here Sunday is a regular day off from work and when one is not working civilian clothes are authorized.  Also, the buildings are not all surrounded by protective concrete blast walls.  I don't know if recognition of these seemingly small differences were intentional parts of the transition program, but they really highlighted to me that I was finally out of a combat environment - that and not carrying a weapon everywhere I went!

Just three more days until I'm back home!  Yippee!

Cheers, Pearl

Kuwait

Somewhere over Iraq in a C-130 - heading south!

My journey home has begun – I bid a final farewell to Iraq yesterday and am now in Kuwait.  I will spend the next two days at the same base where I was stuck when I went home on leave before moving on for final out-processing.  Knowing I will be here as part of a plan is much less frustrating than when I was stuck here not knowing what was going on day-to-day like last December, but two days of just sitting around is still two days of just sitting around!  But, this time I’m in a VIP tent for O-5 and above (not sure why I didn’t get one last time) so I have a single bunk instead of a bunk bed and a wall locker to lock up my gear.  It is odd though how putting in some minor things makes it VIP.  I mean, after all, it is still a tent with seven other guys – it’s not a swank hotel or anything!  But after being over here in less than ideal conditions, any little improvement is very much appreciated.

Early Sunday morning we (those of us EWOs who are finally heading home) will move to a different base to actually begin the Warrior Transition Process.  Some of it is quite important, like turning in all of our Army equipment, some of it is mandatory, like the “don’t go home and beat your family” lectures we get at the end of every deployment, but it is all intentionally designed to take longer than necessary to give us time to “decompress” from our time in a combat zone.  I think their heart is in the right place but I imagine by the time I get on a plane to head home I will be more antsy than relaxed after all of the sitting around time.  I will say it is nice not having a schedule today and being able to just wear my PT shorts and t-shirt in the 105 degree heat rather than having to wear my normal uniform with sleeves rolled down!

One odd thing did happen this morning though.  As a few of us were standing in line to get some coffee at the little coffee shop on base, we heard an explosion.  It turned out to be some training for one of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal units nearby but still, we all looked at each other with a “I thought we were done with that” look.  Perhaps the extra time here to make the transition from thinking explosions and gunfire are “normal” might be alright after all!

Cheers, Pearl

Packing and Good Byes

I found out earlier today that I'm leaving sometime tomorrow.  I have to call at 10pm tonight to find out when my flight down to Kuwait will be.  The way it works is flight information for the entire day isn't out until 10pm the day prior so my flight could be first thing in the morning or late tomorrow night.  Why should even going back home be simple?

Anyway, the good news is I'm leaving Iraq for good.  I've spent the previous week packing boxes to ship home and I sent the last one off this morning - a large footlocker-sized box with a bunch of stuff I've accumulated over the last 10 months.  I live a pretty simple lifestyle and still I managed to mail a bunch of things home so I wouldn't have to haul it back as luggage.  But, I'm now down to a couple of bags of Army stuff to turn in and be finished with and just one seabag for my stuff plus my carry-on backpack and computer.  The room feels pretty spartan now and a little empty.

Which finally brings me to my point - I'm having a hard time getting 100% excited about leaving here.  Oh sure, I'm quite happy and thrilled to be heading back home to see my family again - absolutely!  But, the past couple of days have been hard leaving folks who will continue to fight this fight for another six months.  I've never left a deployment early before and when I say good-bye to the people I've become close friends with here, it will be the last time I see them, likely forever.  Unlike in the Navy where there is a possibility of being stationed together again or at least passing somewhere, the Soldiers of 2SCR are on a completely different path than I have.  So, it is with very mixed emotions that I anticipate my flight tomorrow and yet feel a pull to spend a little more time here in the company of heroes.

I know my feelings of heartache will pass - they did when I left home to come out here last July and will again.  And I will be left with fond memories of serving with great people in a terrible place.  But tonight, there's a little sadness mixed in my joy.

Cheers, Pearl

Pearls Before Swine

Cheers, Pearl

Big Morning

I had a great morning today!  This might take a while to write up so you might want a cold drink to keep you company.

I received my end-of-tour award from the Regiment this morning.  During the presentation the Colonel said a number of humbling things about the work I've done here (really the work my people have done) and added that he'd found my blog and was reading it last night!  In addition to my work with the Regiment, he added that this blog was worth a read because it was insight from a man who was doing something completely out-of-normal and yet managed to keep the focus on the important people in the fight here - the average Soldiers.  Like I said, very humbling.  My audience for this blog was family and friends back home but it turns out I have incoming EWOs, desperate for information, as well as Regimental leadership reading my thoughts about being a stranger in a strange land.

Actually, I haven't been a stranger.  I told the folks here today watching me receive my award that I have never felt like a stranger with this unit.  They welcomed me right in as one of their own and made me feel every bit as much a Dragoon as if I had a U.S. Army ID card and had come over with them for the deployment (which I kinda did since we arrived in Iraq at the same time, but I think you understand my sentiment).  Life here for me has been about as good as it gets for a Sailor of One (to steal the old Army slogan) and I have been blessed to work with such men and women here in 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment.

I had two events that exemplify what I'm talking about not being a stranger here happen this morning.  First, after receiving my medal I was presented with my gold "combat" spurs.  In a cavalry unit, by serving with them in combat, one is entitled to wear gold spurs as a Cavalry Trooper.  When I first arrived I was told, "You are issued your horse, you buy your Stetson, but you earn your spurs."  Well, the Army issued me tons of equipment (I don't remember signing for a horse though but that was a pretty busy day way back at Fort Jackson - he he), I bought my Stetson right away, and today became a full-fledged cavalryman when spurs were strapped to my boots during the award ceremony.

"Order of the Gold Spur

Be it here known that

me

with Carbine and Sabre has followed the Cavalry

guidon to the very frontier of the free world and beyond to

Iraq in support of 

Operation IRAQI FREEDOM

and has demonstrated the Skill, Fitness, Discipline, Dash,

and Cunning of a United States Cavalry Trooper.

Therefore, this trooper is hereby entered on to the rolls of

"The Order of the Gold Spur"

and is authorized to wear gold spurs at all formal Cavalry Formations."

Second, after the formal awards were over, a couple of the staff sergeants came by my office to give me something special from them and tell me that I would be missed.  The Sniper tab they gave me to wear under my pocket flap (they are both snipers as you might guess) is a greater gift than any medal I've received.  It symbolizes acceptance from the guys who put it on the line every day and that, to me, means I've had the most successful tour of duty I could have hoped to have had here.  As excited as I am to be heading home, I will miss them dearly too.

Cheers, Pearl

Sweet Sixteen

My daughter turned sixteen today!  Hard to believe!  I called her first thing this morning (for her - it was early afternoon for me) to sing Happy Birthday off key just like we always do.  She laughed and said that my wife and son had sung decidedly ON key so it was nice to hear it sung "normally" from me.

As you might imagine, missing your child's sixteenth birthday really stinks and I would have much rather been there this morning in person.  But, this is the LAST birthday I'll miss - I should be home two weeks from tomorrow and then have all summer to reconnect and teach her how to drive a stick shift car.  When I was home on leave we went and got her learner's permit and had a few driving lessons then, but that was with my automatic.  Now, we get to step up to the varsity level and learn on a stick shift.

The car she's going to learn on is my old Ensign-mobile that I bought right when I graduated from college 19 years ago (this month) and we used regularly until 2003.  "Gus" (the car, well truck actually - all of our cars have names) has been on my brother-in-law's farm waiting for this special day.  We're going to pick him up this summer, get some work done, and then my sweet sixteen sweetie will have her first car!

Her big bash is this weekend and I know it will be just perfect.  Happy birthday Sweet Pea!  I'll be home to tell you in person before we know it!

Cheers, Pearl

Cinco de Mio

I know many of you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo today.  Heck, we even had some pretty good Mexican food at the DFAC for dinner tonight.  But in our house, we celebrate, as my wife puts it, Cinco de Mio because today is her birthday!

Normally, today is the beginning of a very hectic week for me.  Today is my wife's birthday; my daughter's is the 7th; my wedding anniversary is the 13th; and the weekend closest to the 13th is always Mother's Day.  You'd have thought I would have planned better than all that!  So, while it truly stinks to miss another birthday (I've lost count of how many), in some perverse way, being gone this week will be more relaxing than usual!

As you might guess, there have been plenty of times where the girls had dual birthday celebrations - but not tonight.  Tonight they will be gathering just for Elizabeth and for her only.  Next weekend my daughter will get the royal treatment and I think that's the best way to do it from now on.  Birthdays are very special days.  It marks the day we were allowed to experience some wonderful new person in our lives and I am especially thankful for Cinco de Mio!

Happy Birthday Babe!  I'll be home soon!

Cheers, Pearl

God's Sense of Humor

If you haven't read yesterday's entry, go ahead.  I'll wait.  (You really need to just read the first paragraph).

Finished?  Good.  So, I write yesterday that there are no April showers here.  As a matter of fact, we've had quite a few dust storms and 100+ degree days.  Yesterday, in fact, we had another dust storm.  But about 30 minutes after yesterday's post I hear something odd.  It wasn't explosions of incoming rockets (which I'm sad to say isn't an "odd" sound here; it's kinda normal) or anything of the sort.  It took me a second to figure out what it was.  It was rain on my metal roof!  Rain!  Can you believe it?

This morning it was about 20 degrees cooler than it has been in a couple of weeks and it lightly sprinkled on and off for most of the morning.  Fortunately it didn't rain enough to make mud again but just enough to beat back the dust a little bit.

I'm not arrogant enough to think that God reads my blog and takes specific note of what I write.  But I do know He certainly has a sense of humor about things!

Cheers, Pearl

April

The rhyme is "April showers bring May flowers."  I don't think little Iraqi kids learn that rhyme, or if they do, it certainly doesn't make any sense to them.  April has brought dust and heat and little else.  Last week was our first (for the rest of the summer I'm afraid) week of consistent 100+ degree days.  On top of that we've gotten a handful of dusty days again.  I can't say I'm going to miss this place in any way.  When I look at the weather back home and see highs that are less than our lows I just have to wonder what makes people build a "civilization" in a place like this?

On better news, Griff is aboard (I wonder what the Army equivalent of "aboard" is - I need to ask) and is soaking things up like a sponge.  Tomorrow will be his first day "in the seat" with me there like training wheels to make sure he stays upright.  He's very eager and I think the Regiment is going to really enjoy having him here.  Hopefully by next week I won't even need to be his training wheels and will just be an infrequent consultant over the next couple of weeks as I begin the packout process and he fully takes over.  It's kinda cool to be taking stuff out of the office and yet kinda weird as well.  But, it's definitely time for me to be heading home so I don't mind the weirdness factor.  17 more days in Iraq and 23 days until I'm back with the family.

Whoo hoo!

Cheers, Pearl

Sandbags

The sandbag is a ubiquitous part of any military installation.  Designed as a simple expedient to building fortifications of any scale, they are also used as door stops, simple dams, bases (on our softball field), and countless other uses.  And the sandbag is so very simple.  All you need is some bags, a few shovels, and a few Soldiers to do the filling.  Or so I thought.  My step-father was an artilleryman in Vietnam.  He was assigned to a small firebase just one mile south of the DMZ for a little over a year.  When he first arrived at his outpost, he spent many weeks filling sandbags.  How unfortunate he wasn't an artilleryman today.

This afternoon, walking back from lunch, guess what I saw?  Yes, sandbags, but they weren't being filled by troops, they were piled high on three flatbed tractor trailers driven by contractors!  You got it, there are one hundred and fifty thousand or so Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen/Marines in this country and we have contractors filling our sandbags.  Don't get me wrong, I'm glad some poor PFC isn't out there in 100+ degree heat, but still, contractors filling sandbags?  No wonder this war has already cost us over $500 billion dollars!

Cheers, Pearl

He's here!

Here's to the most important man in the Navy - "GRIFF"!

I met Griff in person yesterday and also spent this evening with him as well (I hijacked him to a meeting - I'm sure he'll thank me later)!  He has the rest of a week to finish a class (seems like forever ago when I was going through and learning about my job here) and we will begin officially making me unemployed starting Monday.  He seems like a great guy and I'm sure he'll be able to roll right into the Regiment without a hiccup.

One side effect of telling the folks in the Regiment about my relief being in Baghdad (I'm going to wait until next week to begin introducing him when he's able to be around full time) is the number of people who kid me about making sure he passes muster before they "approve" me leaving.  It feels really nice to have the friends I've made here over the past nine months rib me about not wanting to let me go because it means I have become a real part of the family.  I am so very excited about getting to go home but there is definitely going to be a part of me that will miss the Soldiers here very much.  I suppose the one constant in the military is change and unfortunately leaving old friends comes with the job.  (But that doesn't take too much shine off the fact that I'll be back home in 28 days!)

Cheers, Pearl

Dust

I'd intended yesterday to post about the dust storm we had Thursday and show you some before and after pictures.  Unfortunately, rather than clearing up, yesterday was bad too.  But today was a little more clear so here are some pictures of our last few days.

This is normal.

This was Thursday and Friday (same location and time of day - early morning).

And this was in the afternoon.  The color has not been retouched; it really was this eerie orange/yellow color.

I've been thinking about a topic for one of my last posts and I've decided one will be "Things I Never Want to Do Again."  Live in (or visit) a desert is definitely on that list!

Cheers, Pearl

Getting Closer

For those of you keeping up with "Griff" (my relief), he's in Kuwait right now getting the last of his Army training.  He should be here by the weekend, one week of Navy class on the specifics of this job, and then he and I begin turning over this job!  Whoo hoo!  Actually, "whoo hoo" for both of us.  I am, of course, excited about getting closer to home, but Griff should also be excited about the work he's about to do and the unit with which he will work.  It's all good.

I've been meaning to tell another story but I guess I was in mourning over the Tigers' loss last week.  If you go way back to when I first arrived in Baghdad, I wrote about meeting "Grease" who was both a source of information and inspiration to write my blog.  Well, the circle is almost complete.  I received an e-mail a few weeks back from a Chief on his way over here who'd read Grease's blog and my blog for info.  AND, he's begun writing his own blog of his tour here.  He says he's not ready for prime-time just yet, but when he is, I'll certainly give a shout out and post his link.  I think it's pretty cool to have the third generation of EWO Bloggers telling our story here.  The only thing more cool will be when there are no more EWO bloggers having to tell a story at all!  Here's hoping!

Cheers, Pearl

PS - I received an e-mail from my old Chief who's now back home.  All is well, he's retired now, and should be starting a new job with Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine next week.  Plus, he sent an enchilada recipe that I can't wait to try when I get back!

Sad Days in River City

Well, I guess it was everything a championship game should be, back and forth, lead changes, dramatic come-from-behind, and overtime.  It was everything it should be except the Tigers lost to the Jayhawks that is.  It is more tough in that even with the loss, Memphis still has the best record in NCAA basketball.  Oh well.

All of that aside, it has been a great season and I have been nothing but pleased to watch it unfold even from all the way over here.  As I was running today I was struck by the fact that with every win, I noticed my day was just a little bit brighter here in the land of so many un-bright things.  Odd that something as ultimately silly as sports could have that effect, but it did for me.

So, thank you Tigers!  Thank you for a great season.  Thank you for doing something that no other team has done.  And thank you for bringing me just a little light in this awful place.  GO TIGERS GO!

Cheers, Pearl

Contact!

Over the weekend a wonderful thing happened.  I received an e-mail from my relief!  Whoo hoo - he's a real person!  We've exchanged a few more notes as I've tried to answer the many questions he (like everyone) had before he gets over here.  He's finishing up his mini boot camp in South Carolina the first part of this week (they added a few days from when I went through - ugh) and will head over to Kuwait toward the weekend.  Training in Kuwait, a short flight up here to Iraq, and he'll be just down the street attending the one week professional course on being an EWO.  And then...here!

"Griff" is another aviator so I don't think he'll have too much trouble fitting into the mold I've established for the Navy here in the Regiment.  He too has been busy deploying recently and I know he can't be too anxious about coming out here any more than I was nine months ago.  But, the consolation for having to be here is that he will be with an outstanding unit and a great bunch of Soldiers.  I told him I am certainly ready to head home, but leaving the guys and gals here will be bittersweet indeed.

19 days until the beginning of the end for me here!

Cheers, Pearl

Favorite Things

Earlier in the year, my wife was telling me that my daughter was up for promotion in JROTC (forgive me if I've told this story - I looked back and didn't see it but that doesn't mean I haven't mentioned this before).  When the year began, my daughter was a Sergeant and my wife was trying to remember the next rank (we're a Navy family after all and this Army stuff is confusing).  She was telling me that our daughter was up for "Sergeant Plus" or "Super Sergeant" or something!  (Staff Sergeant, by the way).

Well, today I got to do one of my favorite things and attend a promotion ceremony.  We promoted a Sergeant to Super Sergeant today!  (The Staff Sergeants here love the story I opened with and get a kick out of being called "Super Sergeant").  It is always a pleasure to watch someone get rewarded for working hard and the Regiment's latest Super Sergeant is a great guy who I expect will be a great leader.  He has a wonderful sense of humor, a likability that makes him easy to approach, but a professionalism that comes out just at the right moment.  The Army sure did a good thing today and I was proud to be there, wearing my cavalry Stetson and everything, to see it happen.

Cheers, Pearl

P.S. My daughter did make the next rank and is a Cadet Super Sergeant too!

April Fool's Day

Unfortunately, my April Fool's Day did not have a joke but rather a disappointment.  I found out today that I will be here an extra week longer than I originally expected.  In the grand scheme of things a week isn't that long, especially compared to my Army comrades who are here for 15 months - yech!  But still, it is disappointing to have a return date in mind and then have it changed, even by a week.  So, I will not make it home on my anniversary and I will miss one more Memphis Redbirds game (our minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals - we have quasi season tickets for ten games over the summer).  But, as I turned the page on the calendar at work today, I could say loudly and with an ear-to-ear grin, "My relief arrives THIS month!"

He's here in 25 days, I leave in 45 days, and I should be home just in time for school to get out and enjoy the beginning of the summer break with my family.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the University of Memphis beat Texas and is in the Final Four for the third time in school history!  We have a not-too-good record against UCLA in the tourney though, but I just feel it this year.  But regardless, we're one of the top four teams in the NATION!  Whoo hoo!  Go Tigers!

Cheers, Pearl

Mustache March - Final Week

Finally, Mustache March is over!  Well, there are a couple of more days in March but the show-and-tell competition at our monthly movie night is finished which means I can shave this thing off tomorrow.  I did win two "awards" though: Most Out Of Regulation, and Most Like Borat.  I think the judges were not entirely unbiased, but still, I did have the most full mustache of the bunch (partly I think because I didn't trim to the corners of my mouth per regulation - whatever.)  Regardless, it will be nice to be "me" again.

The other March news is, of course, March Madness and my Tigers are still tracking along with their third consecutive Elite Eight appearance.  The looked pretty good against Michigan State but the game Sunday against Texas is going to be tough.  Not only is Texas one heck of a team, but the game is in Houston, just a few hours from their campus so it is essentially an away game for us, even though we will be in the white uniforms as the higher seeded team.  I don't want to jinx the Tigers though, so I'll just add, "Go Tigers, Go!"

Only one more staff video night to go before I head home - whoo hoo!

Cheers, Pearl

Happy Easter

Here's week three of Mustache March.  I have to admit, having this thing is getting old and I'm definitely looking forward to April 1st when it can come off!  But, it is coming in pretty well and since I'm pushing beyond the boundaries of "within regulations" it looks even better than it otherwise would.  So far no one has called my on being outside regulations but I think that might be because the Army probably thinks we can still have beards and assumes the Navy Regs are more liberal than what they can have.  Sometimes it is good to be the odd duck!

I trust everyone back home had a good Easter.  We had our small gathering of Episcopalians/Anglicans this afternoon and walking back after the service, I was struck that here I was, in a predominantly Muslim country, celebrating the defining element of being a Christian.  I have celebrated holidays in other parts of the world before, including 4th of July while on a British Colony, but still, to be here in the Middle East on Easter Day gave me pause for reflection during and after the service.  I hope your Easter experience gave you pause as well.

Cheers, Pearl

Five Years

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.  This is a column from yesterday's Stars and Stripes breaking down the war into numbers.  For a complete picture of the war though, I also recommend you look at today's issue.  It has listed all 3,988 service members killed by name.

Cheers, Pearl

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Did you wear green today?  I did - he he he.  Did you have a good drink of green beer or some nice Scotch today?  I didn't - bummer!  (I had a near-beer anyway but it wasn't the same).  But, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I at least have a tentative departure date now and that's something!

Which brings me to the main part of today's blog - the good news / bad news part about having a departure date.  The good news is obvious I hope; in less than 60 days I'll be back home!  The bad news is right this minute, there is a guy I have never met who is going through the first day of training to begin his time out here.  I can tell you (actually I did at the time if you go back to my first posts for this blog) that his life stinks right now.  Not only is he at the start of ten months away from his family, but that first week in particular is so poorly done that it is nothing but a week of frustration.  Even all these many days and months removed, those of us here in Iraq still remark on what a crappy program the Navy put together to begin the whole IA process.  Later on the training will thankfully improve but that first week is a CWT (Complete Waste of Time - flashback from that first entry).  So, while I am selfishly very happy that someone is coming out to relieve me, I am also sad that someone still has to come out here and continue to endure the same things I've been through for the past 200 some-odd days.

Cheers, Pearl

P.S. But in 40 days he will still be my new best friend when we begin our turnover!

Mustache March - Week Two

Here's the latest on, as my daughter calls it, my "lip bling."  What's interesting is I keep getting compliments on it such as, "Nice 'stache," or "Good job on the mustache."  I say 'interesting' because it's not like I have any control over the thing's growth; it is certainly on it's own program in that regard.  But, I do have to add, compared to a lot of the other participants, yeah, it does look pretty good.  As one observer put it, "Sure you might not have anything to do with it's growth, but there's a lot to be said for realizing one just shouldn't continue!"

In other news of note the weather was very weird today.  Things were beginning to heat up a little heading beyond 80 degrees the past few days when a large cold/dust front moved in.  The sky went all orange/yellow with haze (I tried to take a picture but the camera keeps correcting for the bad light) but everything took on a surreal look today.  Plus, it got downright cool as well.  But, not to fear.  The weather guessers say this will move through tomorrow leaving behind clear skies and we can anticipate hitting 90 by the end of next week.  Joy.

Finally, back home my wife and kids are beginning Spring Break and I know they are looking forward to the rest from the daily grind.  I am looking forward to a break too - only mine will be in about seven weeks.  I have been tentatively scheduled to leave Baghdad on May 8th, head down to Kuwait to turn in all my Army stuff and get "decompression time" and fly out of here for good on May 13th which, coincidentally, is my 19th wedding anniversary.

Cheers, Mike

Mustache March - Week One

Progress on the 'stache front.  Comparatively, not too shabby even though it doesn't photograph well.  During a meeting today I was looking around the room at all of the MM growers and every one, I mean every one, was unconsciously brushing and fiddling with their new growth!

Otherwise, a slow news week.  Work continues on, and on, and on...  Oh, I do have a bit of news.  An old friend of mine ("Hildy")  is in town from the Pentagon doing a study and he found me on the Baghdad e-mail address list and wrote.  He is staying right here on VBC for a couple of days so I invited him over to our Sunday cookout yesterday where we caught up on family and work news.  We were in three different commands together in our younger years and it sure was nice getting back together, even if for a short time in less than accommodating surroundings.

Cheers, Pearl

Mustache March

Apparently the Air Force has a tradition of growing "barely within grooming standards" mustaches in March (hence the title of this post).  At the morning brief Feb 29th our Air Liaison Officer on staff gave us all the brief and invited us to participate.  Since few folks in the Army have mustaches I figure there's some sort of bias against mustaches in general around here, so I of course have jumped in with both feet, er, one lip - anything to buck the system. So, as of yesterday (we were to have been clean shaven March 1st) I have quit shaving my upper lip and am growing a mustache for the first time since I was a Lieutenant.

I'm curious how this is going to turn out.  My kids always laughed at my attempts before (I would grow one on det and it would be a surprise when I came home) because it would always come in a little reddish-orangish - quite odd when you consider my hair is dark, dark brown.  The other curious part is when I don't shave sometimes for a weekend back home, the whiskers on my chin are a lot more salt than pepper so I'm wondering if this thing is going to come in like a white caterpillar or worse.

Right now it just looks like a little shadow under my nose, but rest assured, I'll begin posting some pictures to keep you all up to date with Mustache March!  I tell you what, it's some exciting times here in Baghdad these days!

Cheers, Pearl

200 and More

I have a couple of things for today's rarest of posts (it's Feb 29th!)

First, today is my 200th day here.  I'm not sure why 200 is more significant than 1 or 22 or even 199, but I do know 200 days is a long time!

Second, it occurred to me that today is a free day of war.  I get the same pay in a 29 day February as I do on a 28 day February so today is "free" from a salary point of view.  I just found that to be interesting, mildly masochistic, but interesting.  The good part about today though was it was a Friday.  Not that any day is much different from another work-wise, but on Fridays they serve Surf and Turf at the DFAC for dinner.  Fried shrimp and crab legs, mmm mmm good!  (They tend to screw up the Turf part so I usually have Surf and Surf on Fridays.)

Cheers, Pearl

P.S. I'm not sure why I'm on such a number-based posting roll lately.  Perhaps it's that one day is pretty much like another but I'll see if I can find something more interesting for my next post.

Sad Day

Well, it was a good run, but my Tigers lost today to #2 Tennessee 62-66, ending the unbeaten Tiger season as well as the nation's longest home winning streak.  It was a hard fought game, but it sure is difficult as a True Blue Tiger fan to lose to the Big Orange!  While Memphis still has the best record in NCAA basketball this year (26-1), I'm sure they'll drop out of their number #1 ranking - how far is up to the capricious voting of the sportswriters and coaches.

The good thing is, this game, while a tough loss, won't affect the Tigers in the C-USA picture, nor will it affect whether they make the NCAA tourney selection.  March Madness is fast approaching and I know the Tigers will be very hungry.

Cheers, Pearl

90

Speaking of milestones, I hit a new one today.

I have 90 days to go!  Whoo hoo!

Cheers, Pearl

2,500!

A new milestone today - 2,500 hits on "Pearl in the Desert!"  Wow!  Thank you all very much for following my observations, rants, and ramblings as I've spent the past seven months with the Army here in Baghdad.  It has certainly been an adventure so far!

If I subtract out the hits from my family, that means about 12 of you have been spending time to see how I'm doing.  Just kidding!  I am humbled by the well-wishes I have received from so many via my blog and I hope I've been able to give back some of that to you, my readers.

Thanks again for all of your support for my fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marine - wherever we may be deployed.

Cheers, Pearl

A week between posts?!

My apologies!  

I can't believe it's already been a week since my last post.  I don't feel like I've been particularly busy, but perhaps it's just that our normal busy days here are just that now - normal.  I don't think anything spectacular happened this week to keep me from posting, but apparently nothing spectacular happened to inspire me to write either!  As a matter of fact, yesterday I had issues with my work computer and it was odd not being able to be truly productive for an entire day.  But I still didn't get around to posting.  Odd.  Anyway...

I think the thing I've noticed most this week is that "life finds a way."  It's gotten warm enough for me to get back into running again and I've noticed during my runs little green patches of grass peeking up here and there.  These small areas beside the road, in the cracks, and around some of the trees certainly aren't "meadows" by any stretch of the imagination, but these little shoots are so verdant, so vibrant, that they look completely out of place against the brown earth.  I'd never given any thought to the brown scrub I'd become so used to during my runs in the summer and fall, but they had to have been last years' growth.  I know they won't last for long, but it certainly is enjoyable to see this new life springing up, however briefly, in this otherwise monochromatic land.

Cheers, Pearl

The Blog is Mightier Than...

Hmmm.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence, but guess what happened today?  We had a live brass ensemble play music during lunch!  If someone is really reading my blog and taking action, well, that opens a whole new can of worms now doesn't it?  He he he!

I think this place could use a swimming pool.

And a movie theater.

And portable outdoor misters in the summer to keep things cool.

And a big, grassy park.

And we should be able to have pets.

And....

Cheers, Pearl

PS - I received an e-mail from Chief.  He's back home safe and sound and loving life!

Karaoke

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that we sometimes have bands play in the DFAC (dining facility).  We recently had our higher headquarters change out and apparently the new team did not bring a band with them as we haven't had band music for a while now.  However, some genius thought we might still want live music and so now they've brought karaoke to dinner.

I admit, I have never understood the attraction of karaoke.  I think I have a reasonably good singing voice and enjoy singing loud and strong - at church and in the shower.  I admit I also sometimes make up little songs to annoy and entertain my family, but I would never subject others to me wailing away to some pre-recorded pop tune.  So, while I think I have a pleasant singing voice, I also know my limits.  What I don't get is the number of folks who seem to have no self awareness of their own capabilities, and more specifically, their limitations.

In that vein, I offer a couple of good rules for karaoke:

1.  Either the singer or the audience (preferably both) need to be under the influence of alcohol for karaoke to approach being called "entertainment."

2.  If rule #1 is not met, do not sing karaoke in a room full of people with guns.

Cheers, Pearl

Non Nobis Solum Noti Sumus

I'd like to share an essay my daughter wrote for her Latin class.

“Non nobis solum noti sumus.”

A personal essay

     “Non nobis solum noti sumus.” We are not born for ourselves alone. This is a very potent phrase. It is a very plain and simple motto that rings true in the lives of many people today. When Cicero originally wrote it in Ancient Rome for his work De Officii, it was intended to remind politicians of their true purpose. They were not meant to serve only themselves and their own ends, but those of the general populous. This phrase stood as a monument to the common good.
     In today’s society, there are many occupations that are based on this very principle. Politicians, doctors, lawyers, social workers, civil servants, the list goes on. However, the most prominent one in my own life is that of the soldier.
     My father is a Commander in the United States Navy. At the beginning of last year, he was set overseas and stationed in Baghdad. There, he and his fellow countrymen live out Cicero’s doctrine every day. We are not born for ourselves alone. This sentence is the very backbone of their job. Everyday, these valiant men and women place themselves in harm’s way with the express purpose of serving others before themselves.
     Many of these courageous people have died in the name of the common good. Their sacrifice was made in the hope that we would benefit in some way. Those who survive will return home and later on, fight again. All of this, they do for us. All of their blood and sweat and tears only further cements the concept of “Non nobis solum noti sumus.”
     Everyday, my family and I must handle my father’s duty in our own way. We worry when he goes out and we sigh with relief when he returns to his compound unharmed. However, despite our anxieties, we are infinitely proud of what he and his fellow soldiers are doing. It takes great strength to place others before yourself and even greater strength to do so when you know that the act will place you in the line of fire.
     Cicero spoke truly when he said that we are not born for ourselves alone. My father proves that to me everyday. Were it not for the people who live this creed, day in and day out, society, as we know it would surely perish and no one would be able to sleep soundly in their beds. But, luckily for us, there are those brave, valiant people who take it upon themselves to help others before themselves. Luckily for us, because of them, we can live without fear.

Cheers, Pearl

Fair Winds and Following Seas...

Although I am surrounded by the Army, today's post begins with the traditional farewell for departing Sailors. Today I sent home one of America's true heroes and a great friend, my Chief. He's finished his tour (plus a voluntary extension) and it is with mixed emotions that I took him to the airport today. I will miss him dearly but I am very happy that he is heading home.

Chiefs are the folks that really get things done in the Navy - the bridge between the Officers and the Crew. Chief often told me that his measure of success was not the accolades he received, but the honors afforded to his officers and Sailors. I can tell you without hesitation, he's the finest Sailor and friend with which I have had the pleasure to work in my 19 years of service. The things he was able to accomplish were phenomenal and everything he did was with a smile and a helping hand. No kidding, on his last day here, he was still teaching things his comrades. I could create an entire blog devoted to Chief with his anecdotes, antics, and depth of knowledge, but that would not be his style. He's been all about mission accomplishment, not praises and honors.

Well, Chief, you stand relieved. You have earned your trip home to family and friends. We have the watch.

Cheers, Pearl

Chief receiving his Bronze Star Medal for meritorious combat service.

I told you Chief was resourceful. On danger of losing some sympathy points for being in Iraq, here is a picture of Chief's farewell cookout of steak and lobster. How and where he was able to have such a feast I don't know. When I asked him such questions his usual response was, "Are you asking me a direct question?" I learned that some things are better if they are just enjoyed.

Stars and Stripes

When I was home on leave, a fair number of people, when hearing my stories from Iraq said, "Well, we certainly aren't getting that in our news." And, it's true. As I read my online news sources, they are for the most part only about the tragedies in military and civilian deaths. If you want to get the stories that don't make CNN Headline News or the Fox Report, might I suggest "Stars and Stripes."

The same Stars and Stripes that has been around for generations during war and peace is still published daily overseas. With the advent of the Internet, now anyone can download the same paper we have access to here (truth be told, I read my copy on the computer anyway). I'm not trying to say that Stars and Stripes has better news than AP or Reuters and the editors make a big point that they are not run by the military and therefore don't have to print only approved stories. But, one thing Stars and Stripes brings the other news sources don't are a group of reporters who are here with the military writing stories about the military. Sure there are the reports about death and destruction, but there are also stories about mud, reconstruction, civil affairs projects, etc - the kind of story that wouldn't even make the bottom of the 7th page in newspapers back home, but are all about what we are doing here.

So, I don't mean to endorse the Stars and Stripes as the be-all-end-all newspaper, but I think you might find something you haven't seen before to give you a complete picture of life here in Iraq and elsewhere.

(Here's the link http://estripes.osd.mil/ - click on the edition you'd like to read and wait for the download in PDF format)

Cheers, Pearl

Mud

I was a little premature on the sun drying things out this week.

You may remember this photo from a previous post:



Here's the same scene after it rained twice this week:



When I first arrived here I was fascinated by all of the dust everywhere. I thought that all this place needed was a little rain to clean everything off and it would be so much nicer. I was wrong. A little rain makes this place even less enjoyable than it already was. I think the only rain that would make a difference would be something only Noah would appreciate.

We haven't had a normal, everyday torrential downpour to beat back all the dust, but rather two days (Wednesday and today) of light steady, all-day-long rain. Given the volume of dust and dirt here, plus the hard strata under the dirt that doesn't allow the rain to soak in, all we get is some of the most amazing mud I've ever encountered. If you'd like to recreate this at home here's what you'll need:

Normal dirt
Finely ground dirt
Water
McDonald's chocolate milkshake
A five-year-old
Magic

Give the first three ingredients to the five-year-old and let him at it for about 30 minutes or so. Once you have some world class mud, spread it out and then pour a generous layer of the milkshake on top so you have a mucky, nasty layer with a covering of slimy goo. Now comes the magic. Somehow, you have to give this stuff a coefficient of friction of zero (a little physics lesson here) so it is slicker than, as my wife's grandmother used to say "goose grease," and also give it the most remarkable adhesive capabilities so that it sticks like glue to anything it touches. Here's the part that puts things into true perspective: We have it nice here because there are actually some paved roads and sidewalks. I talked with one of my subordinates who's off at a remote location. He said being there is like living on the set of M*A*S*H without the martinis!

Cheers, Pearl

Happy Birthday, Son!

Today is my son's birthday!

My "baby" is thirteen now and my daughter got her learner's permit to drive while I was home on leave. I am now the father of two teenage children - how did that happen?! In addition to the other presents I sent home, I also told him this would be the last birthday I'd miss (I've been gone for two of the last three years in addition to other deployments). While nothing in the military is 100%, I'm pretty confident this will be the last time I have to call home from deployment and sing the out-of-tune birthday song over the phone.

He seemed pretty excited about the gifts he's received so far. As is the custom at our house, he got one present this morning with his breakfast (pancakes with festive sprinkles) and will get the others tonight with his cake and lousy singing. Well, I know there'll be cake; I don't think my wife and daughter will do the off-key "Happy Birthday" but that's okay because he got it from me this morning and I'm sure he got it at the large family gathering over at my dad's.

So, a good day all around. My son is growing into a fine young man and the sun came out here for the first time in a couple of days to begin drying the mud from yesterday's rain (segue to my next post).

Happy birthday, Little Big Man - Love, Dad!

Cheers, Pearl

Tigers Move to #1

GO TIGERS!!!

NEW YORK (AP) -- Memphis replaced North Carolina as the No. 1 team in college basketball Monday, the Tigers' first appearance in 25 years at the top of The Associated Press poll.

Kansas, the nation's only other undefeated Division I men's team, moved up to No. 2 while the Tar Heels dropped to fifth after their loss to Maryland. Drake and Baylor were two new entries to the rankings, joining the Top 25 for the first time in a long time.

Memphis' only other appearance at No. 1 was as short as possible -- a one-week stint in 1983.

"We've got one extra day than the last time," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "That team went to No. 1 on a Monday and lost that night. We get to enjoy Monday and Tuesday and until we play at Tulsa on Wednesday night."

North Carolina was ranked No. 1 in preseason and for the first 10 polls of the regular season. The Tar Heels lost 82-80 to Maryland at home on Saturday and Memphis (17-0) moved up one spot with 49 first-place votes and 1,777 points from the 72-member national media panel.

Kansas (18-0) advanced from third to second with 23 first-place votes and 1,751 points. Tennessee and Duke moved from sixth and seventh to third and fourth. They were followed by North Carolina (18-1).

Drake, which came in at No. 22, is ranked for the first time since the final poll of the 1974-75 season, while No. 25 Baylor was last in the rankings in February 1969.

Although this is Memphis' first No. 1 ranking since that 64-56 loss at Virginia Tech on Jan. 10, 1983, Calipari had his teams at Massachusetts there for a total of 14 weeks over the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons.

"My 1995 team had the same camaraderie and synergy this team has but this team has it with more guys because we'll play 10, 11 guys where that UMass team was basically five guys," Calipari said. "It'll matter to these guys. I've coached at UMass and here and at those kind of places, non-BCS schools, most of those guys were not silver-spooned not McDonald's All-Americans and they take pride in it because it's a notch in their belt to be able to say `You guys didn't think I was that good."

Calipari was honest that there is a bigger target for him than being No. 1.

"For me as a coach the only rating I worry about is April 7," he said, referring to the date of the national championship game. "If you said to me I could have the No. 1 ranking or a No. 1 seeding, I'd take the seeding every time. For your players and the school, though, this is huge."

Simple is Often Best

PROBLEM - Vehicles are speeding past your compound and are a hazard to Soldiers.

Well, there are a number of possible solutions to try and get folks to slow down. You can post a speed limit sign with a safe speed. But then again, the drivers who are speeding are likely to ignore a simple sign. You could put MPs out on the road to direct traffic. But that would be an inefficient use of manpower. Ohh, I know, this is the Army, we have a creative solution right at hand.

SOLUTION - Take two worn out tank treads and drag them across the road. Instant speed bumps! (The second one is down the road and barely visible in the picture.)



Cheers, Pearl

Returning to Normal

Remember my post about how "dusty" didn't even begin to describe this place? Well, that fine dust makes an incredible gooey, sticky mud after it rains. I'm almost pining for the dusty and hot days again! Well, perhaps not the hot part, but this mud is unbelievable. There's a rock hard strata a few inches under the surface that prevents the water from soaking in so all the rain gets to do is sit on top of the dirt and bond with the moon dust to create some very impressive mud.

I've been here a few days now and am back into my routines. In some ways it seems like I never left here but there are enough changes that I've been on my toes lately. The biggest change is that my Chief's relief is here and we are all sadly getting ready to send him home. It's not that we aren't excited about him being able to get out of here and get back where he belongs with his family. But, he's such a part of normal life, such a wonderful friend and coworker, that life here just won't be the same after he redeploys. But, that's a few weeks away so no need to borrow that sorrow just yet.

One great thing about being back was seeing all of the Soldiers again, the guys I work with and see every day that make this place bearable. I've really come to know quite well a bunch of the NCOs and Troopers around the unit and I admit sharing stories and finding out about how they've been has been such a boost to make up for having to leave home again. While they'll never take the place of my wife and kids, they are my family here and being back "home" with them is, in many indescribable ways, comforting.

Cheers, Pearl

Back in Baghdad

Well, I'm back now. The travel part of leave almost makes one enjoy being here in Iraq but there's a big part of me that is going through the same reaction as Martin Sheen's character in the opening of "Apocalypse Now" - "Baghdad. Sh@%, I'm still in Baghdad."

In some ways it doesn't feel like I ever left. In others, I was hoping I just wouldn't have to come back. It has been nice catching up with friends here, but still, it's hard to beat being at home.

Things have changed a little. First, it is COLD! I mean, icy windy cold. And wet and muddy to boot! Apparently as I was traveling they had a real rain that turned into the first snow in Baghdad since 1976. The snow didn't stick at all but the mud it made sure does...to everything. Just walking over to the DFAC to eat was an experience. I hate to say it, but I kinda prefer dry and dusty as sad as that sounds.

I'll do some more catching up later but right now I'm just bushed tired. It's been a long couple of days getting back and the only enjoyable part was thinking that the next time I have to go through this will be to head home for good.

Cheers, Pearl

The Waiting Game

The good news is I'm manifested on the flight today. The bad news is we had to report to check in at 1130 and the flight doesn't board until 2045. Not only do we have to wait for just over nine hours to board the flight, we're waiting nine hours so we can go sit on a plane for 17 hours. Whoo hoo!

All of that aside, there have been some real positives today I need to share.

First, the volunteers at the USO here in Atlanta are fantastic. They were all very supportive, extremely helpful, and when it came time to lead us out, they shouted out, "Let's hear it for America's heroes!" and began a round of applause that followed us as we moved to our ticketing counter. Again, like when I arrived for leave, it was an emotional experience to walk through and hear applause and cheering.

Also, as we've moved through the terminal, TSA routed us straight through the security check (we still had to go through but they moved us to the front of the line and moved us along faster than I've ever been through security). Just walking down the passage people would come up, shake my hand, and say some variation of, "Thanks for all you do - good luck and God bless."

Well, some of us are headed down to the gate to begin the closer waiting process. My next post should be from back in my trailer "home" away from home. The counter keeps moving.

Cheers, Pearl

Happy New Year!

My apologies to my faithful readers for the long absence from posting.

I did finally manage to make it home on Christmas Eve in time to get some last minute shopping finished and make our evening church service as well. I had every intention of continuing to post during my leave period but as I hope you’ll forgive, my time was spent enjoying my family and entertaining guests. It was a wonderful leave period and while in retrospect seemed a little short, was still a great time well spent just being back home.

To bring you up to date…

I really don’t have the literary skills to describe the process getting out of Kuwait. It was an unimaginably long, painful ordeal. As a matter of fact, in a conversation with one of my fellow travelers, he said, "Do you think you could intentionally design a more agonizing and inefficient method to get us out of here?" Bingo! I understand they were processing through many hundreds of us, but good gracious, just as things looked as if they couldn’t get any more difficult, they did! The customs inspection was quite thorough including an airport-like x-ray of our bags, a metal detector wanding of us personally, a search table after the x-ray where we completely emptied our bags for inspection, and then, after we’d repacked everything, one last airport x-ray of our bags. There were countless hours of waiting in cramped spaces including a three hour wait on our busses outside the airport waiting for our flight to land (they’d been delayed but we still rode to the airport on schedule). Finally, there was the flight itself, seventeen hours jammed into a completely full MD-11 with close to 400 other Soldiers.

For all of that hassle though, I have to add the processing in Atlanta was a well-oiled machine. We zipped through customs (imagine that) and they had everything ready to stamp our leave papers and get us moving. They even had ticket agents ready to go to get us on the earliest flight possible out of Atlanta (I was able to get home two hours early which was a welcome, early Christmas present). One other thing I have to add, as we were walking through the customs area, one of the customs agents standing alone to the side clapped and said, "Welcome home" to the entire line of 400 or so of us as we filed by. She was as genuine and enthusiastic as she could have been for every Soldier (and Sailor) coming through. After all we'd been through it was an emotional experience and a great way to come back into the United States!

My leave was fabulous of course with much celebrating, playing with the kids' new toys, and enjoying variety. I was quite surprised at the number of people back home who stopped me when they saw me and said, "I want to thank you for what you're doing and I'm a regular reader of your blog." Really, I had no idea there were than many folks outside my family who check most every day to see what I've been up to. It is quite humbling and I want to thank all of you who wrote e-mails, stopped me to talk, or read anonymously. It is wonderful to know how many of you are supporting us while deployed.

Finally, today is the big "heading-back" day. While there wasn't the sadness and emotion of my first leaving, it was still difficult to pull away one more time. But, as I told my kids, this last part is the run to the finish. I have much less time to go than I've already completed and the next time I'm in the Memphis airport will be to run up to them for my last deployed welcome home.

Well, actually, not finally. There's always a twist. I arrived in Atlanta and went to get processed to head back to Kuwait. A bunch of Soldiers were called in groups and led off for processing. As my group was waiting, we were called back into the USO. I turned to a buddy I met up with and said, "This has all the feeling of a problem." Eighteen years in the military gives one that sixth sense I suppose because as soon as we filed in there was an announcement that the plane was full and we were going to have to spend the night here in Atlanta. So, we waited around for vouchers, caught the shuttle to our hotels, checked in (complete with room mates - the Army certainly isn't going to pay for single rooms) and should fly out tomorrow evening for Kuwait. I can only imagine what the processing to get us back into Iraq will be like.

Ah, yes, I'm back in the Army!

Cheers, Pearl