Technology's Great

Just a quick note on how great technology is. The first time I deployed for 6 months was in 1989 to Panama. The only way I could contact Val was to make a morale call through the base operator. They supposedly kept track of how often you called and could limit the phone calls to 15 minutes (although Val and I were able to talk often and longer than 15 minutes). Still, there were times when it was hit-or-miss. Now (and I can’t believe it’s been 20 years!) while waiting here at Manas, I’ve been able to e-mail over a free, wireless Internet connection (that’s so 2000), video teleconference (aka Skype) with Val and the kids, IM/chat in real-time with Emily and Gene (who I noticed was on-line while Emily and I were chatting), and check various blog sites and Facebook pages (although Val and I are a little nervous about getting in too deep with the social networking). It can get a little overwhelming (I guess that’s my word of the night), but it’s comforting to know that there’s several different ways to keep in contact with family and friends.

Moving Forward Soon

I just got back from the transportation briefing and I’ve got a flight. I’ll be leaving very soon for Kabul. I’m excited, but also nervous. I’m ready to get this party started; ready to join the fight, execute the mission, learn what’s really going on, and start my countdown clock. But I have to admit I’m nervous about what the operational environment is going to be like, how quickly I’m going to catch on to my duties, how well I’m going to execute the mission, etc. I’m sure it will all work out okay; I’m just fighting off that feeling of being overwhelmed. I’ll post another update as soon as I get settled in Kabul. Take care.

Deployment Notification

Hello Family and Friends. In case you didn’t know, and most of you wouldn’t because it happened so fast, I’m being deployed to Afghanistan. In fact, I’m currently in transit, waiting at the Transit Center at Manas International Airport in Kyrgyzstan for “forward movement” to my deployed location in Kabul. Just one month ago, as I was still getting over the disappointment of not being selected for promotion to Lt Colonel (that’s another long story that I’ll have to share later; Val and I were really disappointed, but I’ve made peace with it now. I still have one more shot at it, but I’d be just as happy moving on to my second career.) I was notified that I was “selected” for a “365” (days) to Iraq, starting in March 2010. Needless to say, Val and I were not loving the Air Force much at that time.

A few days later my group commander called me and asked if I “really wanted to go on the 365”. Now I know many, many service members have deployed for a year (and longer), some multiple times, but when thinking about being away from my family for a year (you guys know how wonderful they are, right? Well they’re even more wonderful when you spend all your time with them and they enjoy being a close, adventurous family), I had to be honest and tell the group commander, “no, not really.” He said that he was going to work to get me on a different deployment, which just happened to be a 179 (again, days) to Afghanistan. Aside from being half as long, it’s also better professionally because it directly supports my home unit’s mission. The trade off was that I would have to leave as soon as possible.

I wasn’t holding out much hope for the switch; once you get hit with a 365, it’s usually final. But the group commander was able to coordinate through the system and get me off of the 365 and on the 179. When Val and I got the news we cheered, and then laughed about how weird it felt cheering for a 179-day deployment to Afghanistan. After knowing for sure when and where I was going, I broke the news to the kids. They only had a little more than two weeks to get use to the idea, but everyone did great. Emily got teary, but held it together and once I assured Vance that I wouldn’t be doing any of the patrols and firefights, that I would be at Kabul International Airport, probably the safest place in Afghanistan I could be, he was okay and felt confident I would be safe.

Val and the kids were brave and supportive as I spent the next few weeks busily out-processing, packing, and getting ready to leave. There are so many emotions that go through a person and a family when a parent leaves for an extended deployment to a potential dangerous area. I know there were a lot of fears and frustrations, concerns and rationalizations going through my head. I can only imagine what poor Val and kids were thinking. But again, they were great. They were positive and upbeat, and kept the situation from getting too stressful. I’m definitely blessed to have such a wonderful family.

So now I’m just waiting for a flight to go to my forward location. It’s been nice to have a few down days, but I’m starting to get antsy. Besides, my 179-day clock doesn’t start counting down until I get to my forward location. As the group commander said, the sooner I go, the sooner I get back. I’ll post more soon. My love to all. Be safe and take care of each other.

Eric