Leavenworth, WA

Returning Home

I started my long journey home on the 16^th, with a night flight in a US Army Blackhawk helicopter to a nearby base. I love flying in Blackhawks and wish the ride had been longer. I was surprised with how many lights I saw. The country below me looked just like any other that I’m used to seeing from the air at night. To the south I could see an expanse of lights that I assumed was Baghdad. To the north I could see another city, and many small houses or villages in between.

I arrived at the passenger terminal of this other base, and to my dismay I was told to come back in 48 hours, on the night of the 18^th. I checked into the temporary lodging and tried to find something to do for the time. On the night of the 17^th I decided to stay up all night to readjust to Pacific time. This turned out to be a good idea, but one that was not well timed. I had an accountability formation that I had to go to at 1445, which meant I could not sleep the whole day.

On the evening f the 18^th, I packed all my bags and reported to the terminal. After an hours wait I was told that I’d been manifested on a flight in8 hours, at 0730. I’d slept most of the day, so there was no sleeping that night, but my Brigade’s point of contact at the terminal was kind enough to let me hang out in his office and the night passed quickly.

On the morning of the 19^th, I boarded a C-130 cargo plane and flew to Kuwait. This was where I realized my timing in staying up all night was not the best. The flight took two hours and by 1400 I was in a briefing in Kuwait. I was disappointed but not surprised to learn that I would not fly to the US until the 20^th. I had another briefing in the evening, and then was free for the night.

Despite hardly sleeping that day, I wanted to try to remain in one time zone, so I waited until 0200 before boredom and exhaustion got the better of me. I slept until 0630, and then had another briefing at 0730 where I learned my itinerary for the next 24 hours. I also learned that I would arrive in Dallas at around 1200 but not leave for Seattle until 1730. I was not happy about the long layover. I had a short break from 0900 to 1200 and I tried to find another book because I knew I would finish my two during the travel.

At 1245 we started our finial briefings and manifesting for the flight. I was glad to have something to do, but we still had 12 hours before departure. I volunteered for baggage detail so I would have something to do, and it was a wise choice. The detail was the first to go through customs, and then we assisted the rest of the passengers going through. My bag was X-rayed and then thoroughly searched. We had about two hours of downtime after customs and then 1800 started the final roll call and boarded buses to the airport. Since I was on the baggage detail I got to walk around in the belly of the aircraft and stow everyone’s checked baggage. It was hard work because the ceiling was a few inches shorter than me.

The flight from Kuwait was one of the most torturous things I have endured while not actually training. Every seat on the plane was filled, and I spent 19 hours out of 24 in the air. Our first stop was in Leipzig Germany, where the current temperature was warmer than Iraq was when I left it. I am fortunate that our 9 hour leg over the Atlantic took place at night both over the Atlantic and PST, so I remember little of it. It was the best part of the trip.

When we got off the plane at Atlanta, we had to go through customs and security again, and then get back on the plane to go to Dallas. About half the soldiers got off at Atlanta, which made the trip to Dallas more comfortable.

About two hours later we arrived at Dallas Ft. Worth. When I left the gate and walked into the terminal, there was a large crowd of people waiting for us with signs and applause. Even the people waiting at he gates nearby stood up and clapped for us, and there were many people waiting to shake our hands and thank us. We went to the customs section where some people were waiting to stamp our leave paperwork and then we were free. The next stop was baggage claim where some ambassadors employed by DFW had lists of all the outbound flights and was ready to tell us how to get on the next thing leaving for our hometown. When I left baggage claim, another crowd was waiting for us with more signs, cheer and applause. The Girl Scouts were there handing out boxes of cookies, and the Boy Scouts handed out bottled water. Two ladies at the door asked each soldier where they were going and pointed out the proper bus to get on. When I got the Alaska Airlines counter the early flight had sold out, but I was put on standby with about ten other soldiers. The airline was kind enough to allow soldiers in uniform to board at the same time as the first class passengers, but we were all on standby. A little more than half of the soldiers that were on the list got a seat, and my name was one of the first called.

The Alaska Airlines flight crew was very professional even without the special courtesy that they showed us. The flight offered food for purchases and the rental of portable DVD players and the attendants refused to take any money from us, and offered the services free of charge. The soldiers sitting next to me slept through the lunch offering. When the flight attendant saw they had awakened she offered them lunch, and the cost was not even discussed.

It feels different to be home, but not nearly so much as it did after my first deployment. I’ve spent the last few years coming and going so much we seem to just pick up where we left off when I do get home. It helped that I was able to have so much communication with home while I was away. My wife did all the driving until we went to Leavenworth and I was sure I was comfortable with having rules to driving.

Winter in the Desert

I most unusual event occurred this morning. I first noticed it when my roommate left early in the morning to take a shower and remarked in surprise that it was snowing outside. I was only half awake at the time, but upon hearing this I was instantly awake. i got up and opened the door to see if it was true, and just as quickly shut the door because it was true and i was only wearing shorts and a shirt. It snowed well into the morning, and at least made today stand out from the last 10 days I've done nothing walk to the office and back. It melted on the ground, but stuck until after lunch in most other places. By afternoon the clouds had moved on but the cold had not. By 9pm the snow had been replaced by ice and mud. Thick gooey mud that sticks to my boots and build up until after 50 feet i've got an inch of mud on the bottom of my boot, and every step I take flings gravel behind me.