All-Expense Paid Vacation to Afghanistan

This was originally written 7 September 09, but due to lack of internet the first few posts are a bit late. Sorry, war was in the way.

…I suppose I should start with a little introduction of what this Blog is about. If you are looking for the thoughtful insight from a female Soldier at war, you’ve come to the wrong place. What you will most likely find here, I’m afraid, is some whining, the occasional wisecrack and a small commentary on the minutiae of my life.

Unfortunately, I’m not Soldier who joined the Army out of patriotism, honor or any of that kind of Uncle Sam, Americana-baloney. I’m a mercenary. I work for the money.

The recruiter phoned me and it seemed like a quick way out of college debt and since I was on the verge of moving back home, the ‘three hots and a cot’ were sounding pretty good in comparison to being my newly-single Dad’s roommate.

Don’t get me wrong, I love America. Also, I have a cool job, I like it, and I take pride in doing good work. However, my life outside of the uniform is where I find my happiness and my identity. So, although I always looked at the Army as a stepping-stone rather than a career, here I am thirteen years later, sitting at an intermediate stop on my way to my first deployment to Afghanistan.

Ok. Ok. I know some of you reading, especially those military types, are thinking “WTF. 13 years in the Army and this is her first deployment?!’ I know. It seems crazy, especially since the U.S. has been involved in a two-front war (yeah, I said it) for 8 years, this is my first official deployment to a warzone. Why? I don’t know. It just isn’t the way the cookie crumbled for me. But now it’s my turn, so all of those who concern themselves with who has a combat patch and who doesn’t can sleep a little easier now. Also, for those in my career field who have deployed 2-3 times to my 0 can relax a bit. One of my best friends, in my career-field, has deployed 4 times. She loves it. However, in her last email to me while she was she was still in Afghanistan, even she seemed a little jaded. Telling me, “I’ve been coming to this place for seven years and nothing ever changes. I have yet to meet an interpreter that doesn’t have a green card application in. No one who is educated wants to stay here, they all want out.”

Admittedly, I have felt some guilt knowing that my buddies have spent portions of their life at war and I’ve been running around enjoying life and I joined they same Army they did. Rationally, I know it’s my turn and I get it. However, this doesn’t stop me from being pissed off about having to put my life on pause. I suspect the majority of the blog will be about what I miss, and how I cope with it. I’m interesting to see how this year helps me grow. I just hope everything turns out well, and all of us, aren’t jeopardizing and many sacrificing life and limb for nothing.

I suppose I will see for myself what is going on down there.

In Summation: First Deployment: Trepidation; A Year Absent from My Life: Irritating; Pulling My Weight: Necessary; Suspension of Identity: Disheartening; The Potential of Self Discovery: Intriguing; Faith in Mankind: Living on the Middle Ground.

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