Well, my truck is packed and it’s time to leave the house. I’m actually starting my adventure earlier than required. Tomorrow is my father’s birthday so I am meeting him in Pensacola for the weekend.
The past few weeks, a lot of people have asked me about my journey. They ask where I’m going, what I’ll be doing and how I feel about it. It seems as though I am most often asked if I’m nervous; I’m not. I’m a lot of things right now. I’m a little excited to see new things, meet new people and learn a new skill. I’m grateful for the break this will provide me from the grind of my civilian job. I’m anxious to get over there already and get this show on the road, so to speak. Mostly, I’m annoyed. I’m annoyed at all the little shit I have had and still have to do. I’m annoyed at the hours I spent doing online training (though learning Dari was pretty cool), I’m annoyed at the extra trips I had to take to Tampa to get stuff done. I’m annoyed at myself for STILL not having everything done that I should. I’m slightly annoyed I am going over there in an Army uniform and I’m very annoyed that I have to spend 20 days in Ft Jackson. I know, I get it..I really do; my logical self understands that the Army operates with a very different set of core competencies from the Navy. However, my emotional self (that would be the one that’s so damn annoyed) thinks that said training would have been great for my FIRST tour. Guess what, I already know how to drive a Humvee, I already qualified on the pistol and M16..and oh, I already had to learn how to strip, clean and reassemble them both. So, spending 20 days in open bay barracks waking up at the crack of dawn and waiting around on the range for everyone to get done shooting...
Does not feel like the best use of my time.
Of course…I guess it’s not my time anymore…it’s the Navy’s.
So as I read your blog... I've decided that I will repesent the civilan friend's viewpoint during your journey to the land of the Jabberwalkies (Starwars Refrence) and back.
ReplyDeleteI personally have really enjoyed the to do list, mostly at your expense. I feel its my job to keep things light when you are annoyed. And hours of BBM messages to date will demonstrate my commitment to turning the every day details of deployment into hours of entertianment for both of us.
Let me recap -
- Mental Acuity test; I belive there was the forgotten paperwork
- OBGYN visit; If you dont pass this test, I will never believe you just went for "drinks" with Nashville.
- Malaria Meds; They want you to remember to take a pill every day for 6 months- Do they know you at all?
There are other examples but some must be saved for the diary...
So here's to the Emotional self that will continue to be the source of hours of entertainment along the way.