So, apparently I am a very bitter person...a friend I trust told me this recently, and I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I will write another entry on this later, but for now:
What to Say to Someone Who's About to Deploy (at least if it's me)
So it's been an interesting process getting ready for this rote in my current squadron, since they don't deploy. My mood varies from day to day, so I've been trying to observe myself when people find out and try to commiserate. I've been trying not to vent on people. It's hard.
Responses so far have included things like, "Wow, you're life sucks," (not great, but at least it's honest and exactly how I felt at that moment), "Awesome, that's cool! Kill somebody for me!" (generally from my very young enlisted troops who haven't deployed before...reminds me of me before my first rote (minus the killing part)), "Well, the money's good, right?" (see further notes below), and many preceded by, "Wait, your squadron doesn't deploy..." (to which I often sarcastically reply, "No, it doesn't. I do.")
One that gave me a wry chuckle was, "Well, it's only for a few months, right?" I laugh because that is what I used to tell myself when I thought I could handle anything. And it's true, it is only a few months, but I've been saying that since 2003. That statement is simply a way of rationalizing settling for what you can get, which is fine...when it really is only a few months. But it's not. It's been five years and it will be five more, and this is my one and only life as far as I know, and I'm not satisfied with settling for what I can get out of life on a slow internet connection in a prefab building in the middle east.
So, why does the money thing suck the worst? Because nothing compares to life in the U.S. with my friends and my family, nothing. And I have missed out on a lot of that over the last five years. And like most folks, I certainly didn't get into this business for the money (interesting tangent for another time, is the military a calling? Is it mine?). I got into this business to make the world a better place (even saying this aloud now makes me grin a mean grin...so naive). The money was incidental...so to say that the good thing about my job is the money is really to wreck the one thing that used to motivate me. It makes me a mercenary.
I think the thing that would make me the feel best would be something like, "I'm sorry to hear that. We'll have to get together before you go for a beer/dinner/party. If I can do something to help, now or when you are on the road, let me know. Send me a postcard!"
28 January 2008
17 January 2008
Still in the U.S....
Okay, so my leadership has my back, which was really nice, and I am still in the U.S. Current plan is still for me to go in February for four months, although there is a great deal of chaos involved in everything right now, with the drastic decisions being made that affect the whole community. I'll talk more about this later, but for the moment I am cautiously optimistic I know where I will be and who I will be working for in July.
08 January 2008
04 January 2008
Greetings from Las Vegas 25 Dec 07 (zulu -8) (735 words)...
*For those of you getting this for the first time, I try and send out a
*little update about once a month to keep in touch with folks. Please feel
*free to read it, skim it, or ignore it. If you would rather not get it, let
*me know. See http://...
*for more info.
Greetings from Las Vegas 25 Dec 07 (zulu -8) (735 words)...
A long overdue hello to everyone! I feel especially guilty about the
lateness
of this letter since my last letter got more replies than any other, about
10 to 12.
I originally meant to write this letter in June, and I had plenty of
news then.
That month, I exceeded 12 months in the US, and was glad to do so. I
also finished my training and started in my new squadron here, the 17th
Reconnaissance Squadron. I also got to go to the wedding of my
old friend, Tom Harris. Also in attendance were a number of our old
high school friends, none of whom had attended our class reunion a year
ago, so it was like a mini-reunion. Rich Kang just started his residency at
Rush Medical Center in Chicago, Phil Pope is working on his PhD in
history at Texas Tech in Lubbock, J.R. page just passed the bar in
Washington state, and Josh Anhalt is designing and building the kind of
autonomous robots that will no doubt one day enslave us all. The guests
from Montie's side had resume's equally as intimidating. I felt rather
humbled with my mere two masters courses.
The wedding was in Bar Harbor, Maine, and it was beautiful. It was
outdoors, and the weather cooperated. I have been through the airport in
Bangor a number of time on my way to the desert, and it was a pleasant
change to walk out of the airport and drive away, instead of continuing to
fly east. Maine is a big state for lobster of course, and was the main
course. It was delicious. Kang ate four.
Since June, I have been getting up to speed in my new squadron, and
enjoying my more predictable schedule. I traveled home in July to
commission my cousin Matt (which took a couple attempts, but we finally
got it done.) I went home again in August for the wedding of Terese Bower,
which was a pleasant visit; I love Illinois in the summer.
At the end of August I also went to Europe, for my first trip there
since 2001 that I haven't been on business. I spent 10 days there and
could go on about it for pages, but I will give just the highlights here.
(Pictures available on Facebook.) Catherine was working in Rotterdam
for the summer at OMA. I flew to London and met her there, where we
visited our distant cousin Liuda from Lithuania. I traveled by train to
Rotterdam, and Catherine and I went and visited Amsterdam, which
was an eye-opening experience. They claim to be the most free city
on earth, and they certainly make a good effort to live up to that claim.
Catherine departed for home while I went on by train to Ramstein where
I met up with an old friend, Amy Goff. We also got to spend a night out
with Elizabeth Burke, who was completing her two weeks of guard
training (and who had recently returned from her six months of duty in
Iraq). Amy and I drove to Berlin and spent a few days there. It was
my first time in Berlin and I wish I could have spent a week there (same
for London and Amsterdam). I am studying a lot of history for my
masters, and this trip was like an extended field trip: in London, I
visited Churchill's war bunkers, and a week later I was standing where
Hitler's war bunkers were (remnants of which were destroyed by the
Russians as they settled into occupation).
From Berlin, I flew back to London, where I had one last night before
flying home, and managed to meet up with another old friend, Sara Weathers,
who I had first met in 1988 while living in Ulster, and last saw in 1998.
She is now a dentist living in London.
In the interests of brevity, I will close this letter here, adding only
one more item: Unfortunately, contrary to what I may have told many of
you,
I am deploying again. Afghanistan in February for four months. Needless
to say, I am disappointed by this; I had a number of events and trips
planned, and I was enjoying being in one place for awhile.
I should get one more letter done before February. Until
then, happy holidays and merry christmas to everyone!
d
P.S.: Please note my new phone number listed below!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Handcrafted emails by:
David Witt
x
On MySpace: http://...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
----,--/0\--,---- ----,--\0/--,----
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chuck Norris as a pilot:
Chuck Norris doesn't request clearances, he states intentions.
Chuck Norris never gets vectors to final . . . final gets vectored to
Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris is the only person ever to land on runway 37.
If you ever lose sight of Chuck Norris, check your six o'clock.
When Chuck Norris taxies onto the runway, incoming traffic is told to hold
short.
Chuck Norris has never landed with a crosswind. The wind would never
cross Chuck Norris.
When Chuck Norris flies, the altimeter setting is 00.00. Chuck Norris is
never under pressure.
When the BASH condition is Red, planes don't fly. When the BASH condition is
Chuck Norris, birds don't fly.
When told to break at the numbers, Chuck Norris politely reminds the
controller that Chuck Norris cannot be broken and proceeds with
the straight in.
Right of Way rules do not apply when Chuck Norris is flying. If you are
flying toward Chuck Norris, you are wrong.
Chuck Norris doesn't shoot approaches...he kills them.
Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier with his Bell X-1 Jet. Chuck Norris
broke the sound barrier with his fist.
An ejection seat is not safe until Chuck Norris gets out of it.
Chuck Norris doesn't need crew rest...he never sleeps.
Chuck Norris was denied a clearance...once.
Chuck Norris is never given the instructions "when able" . Chuck Norris is
never unable to do anything.
Favorable winds are always in the same direction as Chuck Norris' flight
path.
T-45 Anti Icing Capabilities: Pitot Heat, 5th Stage Bleed Air, Chuck Norris.
A good flight for Chuck Norris is a bad flight for you.
Leading cause of disorientation for pilots: Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris once moved a stationary front.
Chuck Norris is the only person to graduate SERE School via correspondence.
Chuck Norris isn't holding, he is circling above his victims.
Chuck Norris doesn't do BDA.
The military power setting is now known as Chuck Norris.
The weather outlook for the area around Chuck Norris: 100% Chance of Pain.
--message ends--
*little update about once a month to keep in touch with folks. Please feel
*free to read it, skim it, or ignore it. If you would rather not get it, let
*me know. See http://...
*for more info.
Greetings from Las Vegas 25 Dec 07 (zulu -8) (735 words)...
A long overdue hello to everyone! I feel especially guilty about the
lateness
of this letter since my last letter got more replies than any other, about
10 to 12.
I originally meant to write this letter in June, and I had plenty of
news then.
That month, I exceeded 12 months in the US, and was glad to do so. I
also finished my training and started in my new squadron here, the 17th
Reconnaissance Squadron. I also got to go to the wedding of my
old friend, Tom Harris. Also in attendance were a number of our old
high school friends, none of whom had attended our class reunion a year
ago, so it was like a mini-reunion. Rich Kang just started his residency at
Rush Medical Center in Chicago, Phil Pope is working on his PhD in
history at Texas Tech in Lubbock, J.R. page just passed the bar in
Washington state, and Josh Anhalt is designing and building the kind of
autonomous robots that will no doubt one day enslave us all. The guests
from Montie's side had resume's equally as intimidating. I felt rather
humbled with my mere two masters courses.
The wedding was in Bar Harbor, Maine, and it was beautiful. It was
outdoors, and the weather cooperated. I have been through the airport in
Bangor a number of time on my way to the desert, and it was a pleasant
change to walk out of the airport and drive away, instead of continuing to
fly east. Maine is a big state for lobster of course, and was the main
course. It was delicious. Kang ate four.
Since June, I have been getting up to speed in my new squadron, and
enjoying my more predictable schedule. I traveled home in July to
commission my cousin Matt (which took a couple attempts, but we finally
got it done.) I went home again in August for the wedding of Terese Bower,
which was a pleasant visit; I love Illinois in the summer.
At the end of August I also went to Europe, for my first trip there
since 2001 that I haven't been on business. I spent 10 days there and
could go on about it for pages, but I will give just the highlights here.
(Pictures available on Facebook.) Catherine was working in Rotterdam
for the summer at OMA. I flew to London and met her there, where we
visited our distant cousin Liuda from Lithuania. I traveled by train to
Rotterdam, and Catherine and I went and visited Amsterdam, which
was an eye-opening experience. They claim to be the most free city
on earth, and they certainly make a good effort to live up to that claim.
Catherine departed for home while I went on by train to Ramstein where
I met up with an old friend, Amy Goff. We also got to spend a night out
with Elizabeth Burke, who was completing her two weeks of guard
training (and who had recently returned from her six months of duty in
Iraq). Amy and I drove to Berlin and spent a few days there. It was
my first time in Berlin and I wish I could have spent a week there (same
for London and Amsterdam). I am studying a lot of history for my
masters, and this trip was like an extended field trip: in London, I
visited Churchill's war bunkers, and a week later I was standing where
Hitler's war bunkers were (remnants of which were destroyed by the
Russians as they settled into occupation).
From Berlin, I flew back to London, where I had one last night before
flying home, and managed to meet up with another old friend, Sara Weathers,
who I had first met in 1988 while living in Ulster, and last saw in 1998.
She is now a dentist living in London.
In the interests of brevity, I will close this letter here, adding only
one more item: Unfortunately, contrary to what I may have told many of
you,
I am deploying again. Afghanistan in February for four months. Needless
to say, I am disappointed by this; I had a number of events and trips
planned, and I was enjoying being in one place for awhile.
I should get one more letter done before February. Until
then, happy holidays and merry christmas to everyone!
d
P.S.: Please note my new phone number listed below!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Handcrafted emails by:
David Witt
x
On MySpace: http://...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
----,--/0\--,---- ----,--\0/--,----
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chuck Norris as a pilot:
Chuck Norris doesn't request clearances, he states intentions.
Chuck Norris never gets vectors to final . . . final gets vectored to
Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris is the only person ever to land on runway 37.
If you ever lose sight of Chuck Norris, check your six o'clock.
When Chuck Norris taxies onto the runway, incoming traffic is told to hold
short.
Chuck Norris has never landed with a crosswind. The wind would never
cross Chuck Norris.
When Chuck Norris flies, the altimeter setting is 00.00. Chuck Norris is
never under pressure.
When the BASH condition is Red, planes don't fly. When the BASH condition is
Chuck Norris, birds don't fly.
When told to break at the numbers, Chuck Norris politely reminds the
controller that Chuck Norris cannot be broken and proceeds with
the straight in.
Right of Way rules do not apply when Chuck Norris is flying. If you are
flying toward Chuck Norris, you are wrong.
Chuck Norris doesn't shoot approaches...he kills them.
Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier with his Bell X-1 Jet. Chuck Norris
broke the sound barrier with his fist.
An ejection seat is not safe until Chuck Norris gets out of it.
Chuck Norris doesn't need crew rest...he never sleeps.
Chuck Norris was denied a clearance...once.
Chuck Norris is never given the instructions "when able" . Chuck Norris is
never unable to do anything.
Favorable winds are always in the same direction as Chuck Norris' flight
path.
T-45 Anti Icing Capabilities: Pitot Heat, 5th Stage Bleed Air, Chuck Norris.
A good flight for Chuck Norris is a bad flight for you.
Leading cause of disorientation for pilots: Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris once moved a stationary front.
Chuck Norris is the only person to graduate SERE School via correspondence.
Chuck Norris isn't holding, he is circling above his victims.
Chuck Norris doesn't do BDA.
The military power setting is now known as Chuck Norris.
The weather outlook for the area around Chuck Norris: 100% Chance of Pain.
--message ends--
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