Preparing to leave my post of the last four months. The trip grew increasingly complicated as we had to travel to two separate locations in Afghanistan before leaving. This meant less relaxation and recovery and an extra dose of stress!
Leaving Afghanistan! You can see the myriad of reactions on the faces of soldiers. Some are relieved; others, anxious. Soldiers begin to feel the sheer weight of months of cumulative exhaustion, and all are set off-balance by adjusting their mindset back toward home.
Flying over the Alps. After a stressful twelve hours in our last location in Afghanistan, and a stressful twelve hours in a Middle Eastern country, I got my first experience of Europe. I visited Italy, flew over the Alps, then visited Germany--all in 24 hours! Check that off the bucket list! Back to Africa...
After a final jot across the ocean, I enjoyed a brief reunion with my family in Baltimore. My son enjoyed making me his jungle gym and my wife enjoyed the company of her best friend, at least for a night. Even though the notice that I would be staying overnight was last minute, the wifey thoughtfully brought a Chick-Fil-A sandwich and bottle of wine from our time in Texas. The sandwich was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten!
Another soldier got to meet his baby for the first time. In the limited time they had here, soldiers opted to enjoy different things. Some soldiers simply watched T.V. in their hotel rooms. Others had McDonalds for the first time in the better part of a year. One gal rented a car and drove to her house in Fredericksburg, VA, well over an hour away, to suprise her mother, then drove back to the airport.
Now, we all are making our way back to Texas to outprocess, via Atlanta. As warm as our reception was at the airport by a few families, soldiers, and veterans, we know we are in the south by the number of random strangers who come up to us, look us in the eye, shake our hands, and thank us for our service (including kids and teenagers).
