Deja Vue?  26+ years ago I was right here at Fort Dix taking my basic training.  In fact, now this is a little bit eerie, we are staying one building away from the barracks I stayed in back then.  Fort Dix was a basic training center until 1989.   Today, it is a major mobilization point for Reserves and National Guard troops. 

Some trivia for you, it is named after Major General John Adams Dix, a veteran of the War of 1812 and was opened in 1917.

Today, was the initial date that we were suppose to be home.   That changed when our unit’s flight out of Kuwait got pushed back 3 days.  With military flights, (even though you are flying on a commercial aircraft) it is all about priority.  If someone needs to go quicker, someone gets bumped.  Then the 10th became the new date.  Well, if you haven’t heard, New Jersey got hit with some snow this weekend.  As a result, our unit is stuck in Germany.  They were suppose to arrive here at 9:00 AM today, that has been pushed to 7:00 PM tonight.  Once they arrive, it will take 4 to 5 days to clear.   What is another couple days in the ‘big’ scheme of things?

Hope everyone is doing well!

Well, I got a chance to visit some relatives yesterday.  Actually felt like a civilian again.  My Cousin Mary and my Second Cousin Debi picked me up at Fort Dix around 8:40 AM.  They had to jump through some hoops to get on the post.  You know, they just don’t allow anyone on without full identification and proper authorization.  We finally got out of the gate and proceeded on up to Hightstown, excuse me East Windsor, New Jersey where my Aunt Margie lives.  Spent the day visiting and eating and talking, and eating some more.  Had a chance to meet Mr. Angelo Bavoso, also a resident in the neighborhood and my Aunt’s good friend.  He is amazing.  98 years young.  I am not sure I have have met someone who is so seasoned.  It was a great day!  Had a chance to talk with my Cousin Mary, Aunt Margie, and an added bonus, my Second Cousin Debi, who is Kathy’s (Aunt Margie’s oldest daughter) daughter.  I did not know she was coming.  You talk about a not seeing people for a while, 15 years for my Aunt, 27 years for my Cousin Mary, and 38 years for my Second Cousin Debi.  Way too long.  I will always remember my first visit back from this deployment, that is for sure.  A quote from the movie “Field of Dreams” comes to mind, it goes something like this, “We don’t realize the most significant moments of our lives when they are happening.”  I did yesterday!

A Chinese Parable

Maybe Good, Maybe Bad

There was once a young man who lived in a very poor village in China. But because the family owned a horse, they were considered wealthy. One day, while out for a ride, the boy stopped to rest, and his horse ran away.

On his return home, the villagers went to his father to express their sorrow for the family’s great loss. “Very bad luck!” they cried. The sage-like father shook his head and calmly said, “Maybe good. Maybe bad.”

The following day, the boy went out to hunt for the missing horse, and to his great joy found a herd of wild horses, which he was able to round up and bring back to the village. The excited villagers exclaimed, “What great fortune—your luck has returned!” The wise elder again calmly said, “Maybe good. Maybe bad.”

The next morning, while trying to tame one of the wild horses, the boy was trampled and left crippled.

The loss of a healthy son is indeed a sign of bad luck.

And when the village people saw the young man’s mangled leg, they went to the father to express their sympathy for his change in fortune. The elder man’s reply was the same: “Maybe good. Maybe bad.”

Within the week, the Chinese army marched into the village and rounded up all the able-bodied young men—to take away to war.

This parable came to mind as I wait anxiously to return to Waupun.  Here is my version:

Was assigned to the advanced party with 4 others to get things set up for the main body’s arrival.  We left approximately 5 days earlier.  Maybe good, maybe bad.

Had a lot of things to take care of before they got here.  Maybe good, maybe bad.

Meant spending more time at Fort Dix.  Maybe good, maybe bad.

Found out yesterday their flight was pushed 3 days to the right.  Maybe good, maybe bad.

Had to change dates for everything, based on their arrival.  Maybe good, maybe bad.

Means spending 3 more days in New Jersey.  Maybe good, maybe bad.

Gives us more down time here.  Maybe good, maybe bad.

Was able to secure a one day pass and as a result and will see my Aunt who I haven’t seen in 15 years (she came to our wedding) and my Cousin who I haven’t seen in 27 years (she came to my basic training graduation here at Fort Dix).

TOP 5 THINGS I ALREADY

DON’T MISS

1.  Having to stay up late to watch a live sporting event.
2.  Having to have an adaptor to plug anything into an outlet.  (Also, not having to have a converter for anything that needed to powered down to 100 volts.  All the Middle East’s voltage is at 240, if you plugged anything in that didn’t accept this, it would burn it out.)
3.  Sand! (To include dust.)
4.  Having to go outside to use the bathroom.
5.  Not having grass or trees!

Of course these are minor in the ‘big’ scheme of things.  But when you take away some of the things you are use to, they suddenly stand out.

Hope everyone is at the top of their game!

Thought I would throw in a quick post while I have a chance.  Arrived back in NJ today at 9:45 AM.  We left at 1:00 AM on the 26th.  Again this blows my mind.  On the clock a mere 8 hours and 45 minutes.  But of course we gained 8 hours heading West.  Made one stop in Germany then straight to MaGuire AF Base right here on Fort Dix.

Short story.  Was assigned to baggage detail.  You see, even though it was a commercial flight (757), we still have to load and unload our own baggage.  I think the baggage handlers at the airport love to see military personnel on a commercial flight.  Well, it was my ticket to a First Class seat which was well worth it.  I have never rode First Class before.  It happened to be on Continental Airlines.  I had more leg room than I ever thought was possible, the seats fully recline, movie screens for every seat which you could watch darn near anything, and plug ins for the computer.  Amazing.  I didn’t think planes had these luxuries, or let’s just say, I haven’t been a First Class passenger to ever find out.

I only have one thought right now.  Even though it is colder than heck out here, it is great to be back in the USA!

Well, I have decided today will be my last blog post on foreign soil.  Oh, I could squeeze a few more posts in yet, but there was just something about the 17th and it being Sunday.

It is hard to believe over a year has passed since I first left for Portland.  When you reflect back on time, it seems that it passes quickly.  For me, I didn’t think it went real quick or real slow.  Somewhere in between.  I suppose that is good. 

The blog was awesome.  I have to again thank Steve Lenz for prodding me to get it started.  I had a blast with it, hearing from everyone, challenging everyone, laughing with everyone.  I think we ran the gamut on discussion topics.  Though I didn’t realize it as it was happening, in retrospect, I now understand how important it was for my mental health.  Something I always looked forward to regularly. 

Finally, like a broken record, I have to again say thanks to all of you for your faithful correspondence over the course of this deployment.  Little things like that are so important.  So I always try to remind all of you who took the time to send out an e-mail, a comment, a card, a package, that it did make a difference.  More than you will ever realize.  No soldier ever completed their mission successfully without the help of those from afar. 

On that note I will close with hopes that these words find you in the best of spirits.  Like I said a year ago, every goodbye is the start of your next hello.  I look forward to our next hello.

“When you have less, you

have more.”

(I am finally getting the gist of this saying I came across.  If I had less right now, I would have more free time!)

A Happy B-day shout out to my niece Melissa.  Hope your day is awesome.

Well, more days have passed as this tour winds down.  I continue to clear the slate in hopes of getting everything back in 2 duffels and a carry on.  Vigorously working to get it done.

Remaining true to OPSEC protocol, without saying too much, I will leave in the first wave out of here.  Drew the lucky ’straw’.  Been tasked to get things ready to roll for the main body at our post-deployment site.  With that said, my time here is a little bit shorter than I anticipated.  My procrastination time has ended.  Darn!

I hope  Wisconsin, or wherever you may be, is treating you well.  Tonight, well actually it will be tomorrow (0030) for me, I will be in front of the television at some remote location to watch the Packer game.  Just maybe they are in the right frame of mind to make a run at the whole thing.  Let’s hope so.

Warm that Wisconsin weather up a bit, would you?  Not asking for much!

My posting motivation has waned a bit in the last week or two as you may have seen.  My focus has been directed in other areas, like trying to figure out how to get my “stuff” home.  ha ha  Does the military make anything easy?  Here are the requirements for travel.  Each soldier is allowed 350 pounds for all their gear, but that includes body weight.  (I knew I should have dropped more pounds while I was over here!)  With that said, let’s just say about 1/2 of that weight is being used by my body.  We have body armor that is in the neighborhood of 40 pounds.  Okay, now how much weight do I have left for 2 duffel bags and a carry on?  You do the math.  A fully packed duffel bag weighs approximately 65-70 pounds.  So how much can my  carry on weigh, which I might add, includes a computer?  Hey Lori, you may want to use this problem in class.

The bottom line is, they don’t make it easy.  You would think at this stage of the game, they would cut us a little slack.  You can believe me though, I will find a way.  Minor problem.

Hope you are all doing well and that I will return to a balmy Wisconsin!  Oh wait, I hear that Aerosmith song playing on my ipod, you know the one, “Dream On“.

Every time that I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It went by, like dusk to dawn
Isn’t that the way
Everybody’s got their dues in life to pay

First entry of the new year.  Hope these words find all of you doing well.  Time is getting short.  Entries more sporadic. 

Today, our Brigade Newsletter.  I want to point you in the direction of page 3.  For those of you who remember, I had an Iraqi friend who worked in the motorpool named Mr. Kamal (September 17th entry).  He was the type of person you could speak to for 5 minutes and swear, he was a life-long friend.  He just had that way about him.  I never really knew about his daughter, he never mentioned it.  Great article!  Someday, I hope our path’s cross again.

January 2010 Newsletter