Happy Thanksgiving

Ok, so happy turkey day as the Kennedy's like to say. I figured that since Thanksgiving is a time for friends and family, and since I don't feel like writing a bunch of individual emails, or attempt to get a hold of everyone on the phone I will just post my blog update!! Isn't that a great idea.....

wait...

hold on.....

Ah I see.

I've just been informed by the Commanding General (Ashley) that this post does not in fact preclude me from the aforementioned (34 points in scrabble) phone calls and emails. Oh well. It was a good try anyway.

So I've been promising Ashley for last week that I would a post that wraps up the deployment. I guess it comes down to the same dilemma of what I am, and am not allowed to discuss. So after much contemplation, I think this is what I can share with everyone:

We deployed with our entire company and thankfully returned with everyone. The only casualty was one Marine who lost part of his finger when a gas can fell on it. Thousands of patrols, thousands of hours of watch, and many long days of feeling that we may or may not be making a difference paid off. It was absolutely apparent that we left Rawah better than it was before we got there. Much of the city leadership and the Iraqi Police seemed sad to see us go, though as always we are suspicious of alterior motives. We worked hard to ensure the unit replacing us had everything they could possibly need, and we made sacrifices (like moving out of our billeting early) that last two weeks to make sure they were set up for success. Overall I would definitely put this deployment in the "win" catagory.

As for the trip home, it actually felt longer than the actual deployment. A few days in Al Asad (which is called camp cupcake for a reason) hanging out with Lt Jepsen. There I shaved off the mustache that Ashley hated so much, and it definitely felt weird not having hair on my lip anymore. Then a few days in Kuwait, watching movies and exercising. Finally the long flight home. Now I read Allison's blog on her cross Atlantic trip, and ours was much more comfortable. I will give the military credit. We definitely felt like V.I.P's. A lot of Marines and Sailors got to ride in business class, where the seats essentially become beds. It was a good time.

We got stuck circling Cherry Point for an hour and a half waiting for the fog to clear up. At one point we made an attempt to land, but we had to wave off due to limited visibility. Finally we started our final approach, and it was little nerve racking when we couldn't see anything but white until less than 5 seconds before the wheels touched the deck. Overall though it was good to be back in the states. Ashley's entery discusses the return to Camp Lejeune already.

Now being back home has been strange. Everything feels like I just left a few weeks ago. Everything that is except Ashley. She is the only part of my life feels like it has actually been absent for 7 months. The doesn't feel like it's been missing. I've been getting back into the swing of garrison life, and working out out again. For those of you who don't know, I'm going to start training for a triathlon sometime next year. Anyway that's pretty much the deployment wrap up.

We are today celebrating Thanksgiving at the Kennedy's house. It's interesting watching Mamma K do her turkey, especially after having watch Mamma E do it for so many years. The Kennedy's have been nice enough to incorporate some of the Eckert family traditions into their feast this year, with some 7-up salad, grape something, and pumpkin pie. All in all it's nice to be around family again. I'm especially excited about getting to see the rest of the Eckert clan when they come down in late December.

Until next time, take care all.