December 1 I’ll be starting a new temporary job. Monday morning I’ll be popping tall in a Navy uniform. It is a nine month call up to relieve units currently in the gulf. This article is about the last group to go over. The group we are relieving.
I’m currently training up (sit-ups, push-ups and a five mile run everyday), equipping up (there’s usually better quality equipment available than what the Navy issues), and psyching up for the adventure. I’m not too worried about being in the Gulf.
The separation from family will suck. We’ve got a variety of ways to stay in touch and maintain contact with each other. It’s not like the old days when I was on active duty. Back then, you went on deployment and you were lucky if you could make two or three phone calls a month. Some months you couldn’t make any. And letters were delivered and picked up just about as often.
Anyway, right now I mostly work on spending time with my wife and kids, taking time to make sure they know how much I love them. Six to eight months separation is a long time.
Aloha