Stay frosty!

I'm starting this on Wednesday, 21 November. It's 2240L in the Kyrgyz-Republic and I'm writing thirty-thousand feet above what used to be the Silk Trade Route (at least I learned THAT much from college) while sitting shotgun in the lower-level of an Atlas Air B747-400.

Not a bad seat for an E5 ...I'm finally Oscar Mike!

Just a little more than six months ago I set out on my third deployment. Shortly after I arrived, I posted a blog about it since it had been roughly five years since my last one. The focus of that post revolved around two main perspectives: Is this really the end after more than a decade of combat? But more disturbingly perhaps, do I WANT this to be the end?

If I had to answer those questions six months ago. I would've said this isn't the end (even though I have no Geo-political insight whatsoever,) but more importantly and perhaps even more frightening is that I would've said I wouldn't WANT this to be the end...

Going from active-duty status where the next set of orders for convoys (where ANYTHING could happen) was just around the corner to becoming a citizen-airman and full-time Joe-college sitting through lectures in classrooms of 200+ in attendance listening to professors drone on seemed anything but exciting.

So, for the past five years, I longed to go back to Iraq ...or so I thought.

Working the supporting roles to help others downrange isn't as sexy as actually being there, but I feel good today as I'm making my way back home. I feel accomplished and excited to come back, unlike last time.

The past several months were some of the most challenging and rewarding I've ever gone through. I got to work with some really great people who took pride in their job. However, I also worked with a lot of people who lacked the courage and the ability to lead. But, I was fortunate enough to overcome those experiences and hopefully do some good.

Being a late twenty-something and getting called, "Sir!" by those junior to me was very foreign; especially when they weren't that much younger or older than myself.

...for the past five years, only when I played Air Force weekends did I hear, "Sir!" But, the student had finally become the teacher ...I guess it HAD to happen sometime.

Helping transport my brothers and sisters-in-arms killed in action back home to their final resting place was truly a privilege and will forever be etched in my mind.

My nation owes a debt to so many veterans and their families they will never be able to fully repay.

Proving to my counterparts that the reserves bring just as much to the fight if not more was too much fun! I drove circles around people ...literally!

Getting to see the other side, the humanitarian side of the Air Force, will be my best memory from this deployment though. I met some wonderful people that really cared. And, I think it was their sincerity that helped me put some of Iraq's memories to bed.

It's currently Saturday, 0845L. I spent Friday morning after arriving in Baltimore; drinking Starzyk's Brew (my brothers beer,) smoking miniature Cohiba cigars and napping. I'm sitting in Atlanta and I'm waiting to board my plane that's going to take me to Fayetteville, North Carolina. I'm excited to see my Fayettenam-family, I'm excited to see my Charleston-family soon enough and I'm very excited to travel to Reno in the coming weeks.

God is great, life is good, stay frosty ...Milhouse, out!