As The Sparks Fly Upward

Okay, perhaps a bit too much info on my last entry (at least that is the consensus of all the Rupards who commented). So, we’ll keep this one perhaps a bit less revealing.

Days continue to fly by, as evidenced by my little countdown timer at the upper left of your screen, which will likely have gone below the one-month mark by the time you read this. Still, thirty-one days to go (Darn you July, for having that extra day!). I have been able to learn a bit about what my re-deployment (Army lingo for “return home”) will be like from various sources including my friend John Zaugg, who returned a few days before I deployed. John tells me that after I catch that fabled “Freedom Flight,” I will eventually arrive at Fort Benning from whence I departed six months ago. There, I will get a chance to see Lorri, though she won’t be able to see me get off of the plane, like in the movies. They have a waiting area in the military airport for the family members, and we will walk off the plane and into that area. Next, we’ll have some briefings (death by PowerPoint), and will be released for the night, with orders to show up at oh-dark-thirty the following day. At that point, we will go through many of the same equipment lines which I went through during CRC, but with an obvious difference: this time, I’ll be giving stuff back.

Some of the items which the Army wants back are sort of obvious, e.g. my Beretta M9, my body armor, specialized and expensive equipment like my gas masks. Some of the things they want back are simply weird. What are they gonna do with my raggedy, dusty, sweaty old uniforms? I was issued four of these, and told that I will be required to give three of them back. Some of the people here have suggested that they actually do not ask for them back, especially if they are well-used, so we’ll see what happens. There are a few other useful things I get to keep (boots, “under armour” t-shirts, some of my cold weather gear), and a few which I truly hope I can keep (my Camelbak).