Got word last night it's official:
That would be SN1 speaking. Here’s a short lil vid of his new home come September:
The video is way old, having been shot in 2002… but this is
Looks like Big Fun, don’t it?
―:☺:―
So… while doing the research for the lil blurb above, I came across this:
Note the ad on the right. Maybe I can get Buck to do some “on the ground” interviews and put in a good word for me. She's a cutie... but they always are, in the ads.
I have been keeping up with Mike at http://www.ayearinthesandbox.com/ He has some great videos of his stay in Afghanistan. Mike is from San Antonio and is very personable.
ReplyDeleteI never know quite what to say when someone's son or daughter is headed to the Middle East. I know it is the job they are trained for, and there is a certain amount of excitement for them. I'm always very proud of them, but I know families will worry. I will just be keeping SN1 and his family and you in my thoughts and prayers.
Buck, it is a raw country. I warned my SN2 when he was here on his pre-deployment home leave about all the research I had done. I gave him advice especially about eating and drinking. Seems that has paid off. The bugs are a different story and we have already sent them bug spray (Deep Woods Off with the 98% deet by the way) and sun screen. I say them because we always ship out 4 or 5 boxes when we ship anything to him (we have names of Marines we have adopted for this deployment).
ReplyDeleteHe wrote us about how nasty it is there, how the sunrise is at 4:30am and it is over 100 degrees before 10:00am. There was sand in the envelope and he told us that was there despite him trying to keep it out, it gets into everything. He has shaved his head and his eyebrows (he is blessed like me with some really bushy brows) because of all the biting insects that nest in the hair. Most of his Company has come down with the runs, some from the front end, some from the back and a few poor souls from both ends. He says the Corpsman are really busy putting fluids into Marines, his tent looks like a red cross blood donation center with all the hanging bags.
Like I said, it is a raw place.
BT: Jimmy T sends.
God Speed, SN1 - and thank you for all you do for us!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely God speed, with gratitude.
ReplyDeleteI think gthe Afghan dating chick must be knitting afghans instead of hailing from Afghanistan. She's a little underdressed by Taliban standards, don't ya know.
We're here for you, dad.
Lou sez: "I never know quite what to say when someone's son or daughter is headed to the Middle East."
ReplyDeleteMe, neither. But you're on to something when you say they are trained for it and there's some small bit of excitement there. I have some small amount of understanding in this space, but my military background is overcome by my parental worry, nine times out of ten. I suppose it's that way for most, if not all, of us.
Jimmy: I'm thinking my SN1's life will be a whole helluva lot easier than your SN2's. There's a BIG difference between being on the flight line and being on the tip o' the spear. Still and even, NO one's life is easy in those circumstances.
Cynthia and Moogie: Thank ya, Ladies. MUCH appreciated. And Moogie... you made me smile (and broadly!) with your afghan comment!
Thanks to both SN1 & SN2 for carrying on where folks like you and I left off.
ReplyDeleteI can't begin to imagine the emotions you must be feeling.
Buckskins: Yeah... the emotional gauntlet has pretty well been run. My DIL and I had an interesting but brief conversation in this space before the kids arrived yesterday.
ReplyDeleteBuck, have you done the Google Earth on Kandahar yet? I found the airport there which I am sure is the one we use (there are no others) and it is just south east of the actual road junctions that is the center of Kandahar (A75 and A01). I was actually looking for Camp Bastion which is down somewhere near Laskar Gah. I couldn't find it but that might be because it was built after the picture was taken. They are posting the 3 battalions of Marines and of course the specail air - ground task force that was sent there for this "surge". The Air-Ground task force will eventually include MV-22's. Should be an interesting deployment. There is a huge basial desert just to the south of this place and that is it nearly uninhabitable in the place. I am sure it will be patrolled by UAS.
ReplyDeleteWhat a place.
BT: Jimmy T sends.
Jimmy: I did the Google Earth thing at your suggestion and I agree: what a place. And that's not in a good sort of way, either.
ReplyDelete