Day 30
One month in Kuwait.
The 3rd Armored Cavalry is heading home today. They are all wearing what appear to be new, well pressed desert cami uniforms and really big smiles. There will be a lot of happy families this week. I haven’t talked to any of them so I don’t really know where they’ve been or how long. It’s good to see them going home though.
Last night was my first night off since we started standing watches. I hardly knew what to do with myself. I was planning to start reading Sand Dollars but I ran into a guy who just recently arrived in Kuwait. He is with my own unit and is one of the active duty personnel. Nice guy. I enjoyed getting to know him. His Navy career – four years thus far and ending in the not too distant future – has been an interesting one, albeit the type of interesting that most of us would prefer to avoid. Despite four years of things not really going his way, he has a great attitude, a great sense of humor. It’s going to be fun serving with him.
Watch was interesting today. They (I don’t know who they is) have decided to rearrange our work space. I find this rather comical. Rearranging our work area is a bit like trying to rearrange a techno-geek’s living room. We’re not talking the repositioning of a couch and two chairs here. Every thing that is to be moved has at least half a dozen wires, cables, cords and other appendages that will need to be accommodated. Given the amount of time that this plan has been tossed about – less than one week – I have a sneaking suspicion that no one has really measured things out to ensure that all of the equipment will fit in its new location AND all of the equipment’s associated appendages will be long enough to reach there appointed termination points. So they came in today when we had two hours left on our watch to begin this reorganization of our workspace. When I mentioned that the effort would probably run over into the next watch I was assured that it would be finished in an hour or so. They hadn’t even managed to get started when I got relieved. I mentioned to the mid-watch guys when I saw them that they would probably still be sorting it out on their watch. Be interesting to see what I find tomorrow when I go on watch.
Aloha
Smittie,
My brother is in the 3rd ACR, and he came home approximately 3 weeks ago. This is the last of the 3rd ACR heading home, and the unit will be together again with the exception of the many that lost their lives serving their country.
You are right – they are definitely ready to get back to Colorado Springs, where leave awaits them in about 10 days. The soldiers have been there for over a year. You could not have said it better: “…really big smiles. There will be alot of happy families this week.”
Remember, your time to leave will be soon – however not soon enough as we all know!
Keep up the great work and know that as with the families of the 3rd ACR and many others, our thoughts and prayers are extended to those of you who are still there waging against this war and serving for our country!