Friday, September 18, 2009

SEQUENTIAL EVENT #1

About two hours ago I finished my last combat mission on the streets of Baghdad I will probably ever go on. It was a surreal feeling. I knew while out on the road that it was my last mission so i just tried to soak it all in. I can't tell you how many times I responded to an IED/EFP attack on a road that I'd traveled at least 100 times before. It always made me feel the same way. I'd look at the blast seat and the truck damage and say to my self fuck man, I've rode down this street hundreds of times before.... I've driven by that spot so many times... I would feel lucky that it wasn't my convoy, but I'd know that it just wasn't our time. This city has been my stomping ground for a year now. I've become very familiar with this city... When i first got here I didn't know my way around at all. Everything in this city was new to me... Now I can go anywhere in Baghdad without a map... I routinely make route changes on the fly without having to look at anything or second guess myself... It kinda feels like this is my city... Alot like how you'd feel about your home town... It's familiar and you notice immediately if something is out of place. I'm leaving now and will probably never return... Deeper reflecting on this will reveal weather that's a good thing or not...

I've made it.... I'm home free.... I don't know if what I've done here this deployment will end up being worthy of much or not. I think that would require strong thought and a clear mind, both of which i don't possess at the moment. However, I will say that my only goal when coming to this country this deployment was to bring myself and my men home alive. I've done that. I know it may seem premature to ring that bell being that we're still in Iraq and technically IN DANGER, but baring a hugely unlucky plane crash, a rogue mortar ( also very unlucky ), or the Kuwaiti base we fly from getting over taken, I'd say the odds of us not making it now are up there with winning the lottery and getting struck by lighting. So, ring ring ring.... and I'll take my chances.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It will be great having you home again, man. Thanks for sharing your life with us.

Anonymous said...

Dude, congrats!!!!
Even though I've never been a) in the military or b) in a life threatening situation as you have (which I thank you immensely for doing, for protecting our asses on a daily basis! thank you! thank you! thank you!), I know that feeling of leaving a place where I've spent an extended amount of time, knowing I will never return. It's a good feeling to know you're (I'm referring to myself in the second person here, as well as you literally coming home alive and well) going to be back home but I have felt nostalgic every now and then (despite the negatives of the places I've been) about the places.

Anyways man, it's started! Come on home! Welcome back!

Anonymous said...

Sweet!!
You met your goal, they can't take that away now.
The good thing/ bad thing question may very well keep you busy the rest of your life.
All the best!! z