Today's The Day

I've calmed my complaints and accepted the situation. For now. Because it's only the first day, and I haven't been without him long enough to start whining yet.

We left before 4:00am this morning to drive the boy to the armory. We got there early and had some time to snuggle in the car before he had to meet his squad. We kissed goodbye, and then he disappeared into the sea of uniforms.

On my way out, I saw a uniform on a motorcycle being pulled over by the same cop we saw patrolling the area earlier. I snickered at his misfortune. That cop must have been looking specifically for speeding soldiers. Why else would he hang out right in front the armory? Good thing I wasn't speeding when I came in...

The sun came up while I was driving home. The gray dew and mist gradually turned into full color beauty. I saw Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, and a tiny glimpse of Mt. St. Helens. Jupiter was in the sky, and Mars was hanging just above the horizon. It was a lovely drive, but about half way home I started getting drowsy. Who the hell gets up at 3:30am anyway?

I slept for a couple more hours after I got home, then went out to return some DVDs and get coffee and donuts. Vista Roth's makes the best maple bar in town!

It's so amazing outside today. It's sunny and warm, the birds are chirping, the flowers are in bloom... it's really spring! Almost makes me wish I was on the mountain or at the coast, except all I really feel like doing is being a hermit indoors. I couldn't get home from my errands fast enough. I opened a few windows so the cats and I can enjoy the weather from the comfort of our little cave. I am so ready for a lazy day at home. (Currently watching the Mythbusters Jaws special.)

The boy will stay at the armory tonight then fly out to California early tomorrow morning. He'll be gone for about 3 and a half weeks. He'll have his phone the whole time, and he's got internet service on it now, so I expect we'll be able to keep in touch fairly easily.

After that, he'll be home on leave for 4 days before he flies out to Georgia in May. That will be the last time I see him for the next year, except possibly for 2 weeks leave sometime during his deployment, if/when he gets it. We're still not sure about that.

We went to a town hall meeting last night where we got all kinds of useful information about living conditions in Kuwait and Iraq, the type of work the boy will be doing while he's there, and what to expect when he comes home. One of Oregon's senators even spoke, faithfully towing the party line using the latest media-friendly buzzwords and phrases.

"... which is why I didn't vote for the big bank bailout!"

*massive applause*

(Um... did that person's question have anything at all to do with the bailout??? Hrm...)

Here's a few interesting factoids about American food in the middle east.

There's a Starbucks in Kuwait.

Several fast food chains follow the military in Iraq, including Subway, McDonald's, and Pizza Hut, but apparently they don't quite taste the same as they do at home.

None of these places will serve pork of any kind. Evidently Muslims are not supposed to eat or handle pork products. I did not know this. The boy said I can't even send pork jerky in the mail.

Pizza Hut without pepperoni, sausage, or ham? What do they put on pizza over there? Must be all cheese and veggie. And Subway? No BMT or Spicy Italian? I hope turkey and chicken are still options.

Fortunately the boy isn't a huge fan of bacon like I am. If someone told me I couldn't eat bacon for an entire year, I think I'd cry.

Anyway, I'm pretty well prepared for the next 3+ weeks. My plan is to work, play Warcraft, sleep, and possibly hit the occasional happy hour with my coworkers. I might also see some movies. This time will go by fast. It's the time after that that worries me, although my best course of action is to deal with that when it gets here, and then just take it one day at a time. For now, I'm going to focus on what's in front of me.

Um... please pass the bacon. Is there chocolate for dessert?

Ode to the Army

We wait for weeks to find out what day he's leaving, and we wait a few more days after that to find out exactly what time.

His gear isn't ready in time for his black box to ship out, and he doesn't know when it will arrive. He makes multiple phone calls to find out. Eventually he learns he will have to carry it all with him as he travels to training, including his helmet (which still doesn't have a cover), his vest (which is really heavy), and several other pieces of gear.

Okay, so we know what time he starts training. But... it's not the same day he flies out? So... what happens in the meantime?

Ah... clarification. The day training "starts" is actually the day he "starts getting ready" to go to training. Apparently it takes 4 days to get ready.

There's a dinner at 6pm the day after tomorrow. Is it required? Nobody knows. Finally someone says they don't think it is. Okay, so we won't go.

Text message at 8:00am this morning. Dinner at 6pm tonight, in a town an hour away from home. Can you be ready by 5pm?

I thought we weren't going? I guess I can try to get out of work at 4pm so I can go home and get ready.

But when I arrive at work, I discover there's a meeting scheduled from 3 to 5pm. Yeah... no way I can get out of that one.

Gosh, would have been nice to know about that dinner, say, maybe last week?

So does he get to come home after training tonight? Does he get to be home for the weekend??? A sergeant says he "thinks" there will be training each day during the weekend but he'll be able to come home in the evenings. He tells us not to quote him on that, as he doesn't actually know for sure, and it might get changed.

Oh, and he's under a new sergeant now. I think this is the third one? Maybe the fourth. He found out just one day before training.




Army, o Army.

I always laughed at the "military intelligence" joke, but now it takes on a whole new meaning.

You're never sure of anything until the last... possible... tiny... fraction of a second, are you?

Deployment in the first week of April.

The 5th.

The 6th?

The 2nd.

No it really is the 6th. But you still have to report on the 2nd.

What time?

They don't know yet. Wait and see.

And your gear better be packed and ready to ship before the 25th.

Of course, you have to have gear before you can pack it.

Minor details.




Now that I've talked to other people who have experience with the Army, I understand that this is standard operating procedure. The phrase I keep hearing is "hurry up and wait".

Gee, why didn't I think of that? Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

[Andrea pops another crazy pill]

For once, we'd like to know what's going on before it actually happens. Maybe even like a week before. You know... time enough to plan, pack, rearrange work schedules, tell the family what they can expect.

But apparently the Army doesn't roll that way.




Army, o Army.

How I loathe thee.

If my boy wasn't committed to remaining among your ranks for the next 5+ years, I think I'd perform a prayer ceremony to curse thee. I'd even be willing to order up some "eye of newt" and "wing of bat" from the internet. You would most certainly burn with the fire of a thousand suns.




Instead, I am forced to support an institution that makes very little sense to me, and a war with a cause that's nebulous at best. I don't agree with any of it.

My tax dollars hard at work, and my future husband's life at stake.

The future of my family.

What if he dies? What if I never get the chance to be married to him? What if we never have children together? What if I lose the love of my life, so soon after finding him?

No time to think about that though. We're too busy waiting.

Waiting to find out what day, what time. Making phone calls, getting the run around.

Did I mention dinner?

Obviously these things are much more important.

The Army sure seems to think so.