Many of the people I am temporarily sharing this post with have been away from home for quite a while now. We have all types here, Navy, Air force, Army, Army National Guard, Reserves, Inactive Ready Reserve Call ups, men and women. Our ages go from about 20 to 60, and of course our relationships are in various stages of life as well.
Because our phone room and computer room are co located, and because people can use their laptops for communication via Voice Over Internet Protocol, VOIP we are treated/subjected to other peoples conversations when attempting to either talk to our family or when emailing. It is very voyeuristic at times, in an auditory way. On the one hand it is nice to hear when two people are obviously in love, and just exchanging greetings and catching up on the day or week. On the other hand, it is very uncomfortable to hear what sounds like the middle of the beginning of the end. "Do what you want" "You need to do what makes you happy" "I wish I could make it better for you, but it is the way it is" all have invaded my ears in the last couple of weeks. As an observation, the tone of calls seems to have shifted from passing time, to either very eager to get home, or going home anticipating conflict. In any case, I am sure we would all appreciate an ability to deal with our life with a little bit more privacy, but like showers and bathrooms in the same buildings as our beds, that just isn't likely to happen here for a while.
Farah hit 130 degrees Fahrenheit the other day, I believe I will find Shindand breaking 100 when I get there, and home is a rousing 57 degrees today.
This started out as letters home to my friends and family while I was at Hurricane Katrina, and continued through my deployment to Afghanistan. I have recently added my friend Clara Hart as a contributor. Now it very roughly chronicles life as a civilian, and citizen of the USA. If you need some assistance with Workplace Safety Programs, please let me know, I am happy to help.
1 comment:
So, my column today, Keith, is about fresh mustard, which simply won't grow in that kind of heat. Not a wonder preservation of food in that part of the world is critical.
The farmer/produce guy in me worries that we have rendered even marginal farmland a mess by our "activities" in the Middle East making it even more difficult for these folks to survive on their own once we abandon the fields. It seems to me that will make it easier for even modestly financed despots to retake control based on control of food and water.
Its interesting to me that the US gov't took the path of destruction (we destroy our own future and that of the place we've invaded) as the way to success.
I admire very much all your efforts and those of your soldiering colleagues, to assist the indigent population. I fear for them when you leave and I fear for them while you're there.
Thanks for keeping us informed of life there. Your spirit is infectious and I truly support you and your comrades in arms. Your conduct there is not the issue nor is my support for you.
The politicians have made this an incredible mess and I only hope we as a nation learn from this. I hope the names of our political leaders become the metaphor for failure so that we never again use their reasoning as a base for sending our troops into battle.
By my calculations, you'll be home in time to join us for ice cream and raspberries on the terrace and I very much look forward to that experience.
Pete
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