It is so close now I can smell it…the sweet smell of freedom.
Though, I am extremely disappointed that there were no flights to Africa which is where my nephew is based. I really thought I could fly down there, find him and give him a great big hug. He is still in theater for another 8 months after I leave. I actually started packing tonight. I have to move to a tent to make room for the folks coming in so it is going to be slumber parties with bunkbeds for a few nights before we get up at O dark 30 to head home. Andrew always wonders why the military has to do everything so early…to be honest, our departure can’t be early enough.
My last rotation to Afghanistan, the day we were allowed to leave we left at 0001. We sat at the end of the runway and watched when the clock hit the next day, “Cleared for takeoff!!" Too bad we cannot do that here but things are a little different now. This is a completely different war. I have no desire to ever come back because the focus has totally been shifted from the mission to refreshing dorms and taking people for airplane rides.
I had a girl from public affairs today call me in the office. She wanted to take video of our C-130 that was departing the ramp. She asked me what runway the airplane would be taking off from.
This is where I get a little edge on my responses…I can tell she has no idea what she is talking about and I smell blood in the water. We have two runways that are side by side and only one of them is open. The information she wanted could not help her in any way. “Would you like to know where the plane is parked?” Now she lit up…..”yes..yes” “It is on the Kilo Ramp” “Uhhhhhh” That is as far as I could help her. She had no idea what a ramp was…I could tell. She called back 5 minutes later. “Is there a C-17 departing too? Is that also your airplane?” I couldn’t take it…I wanted to ask her…..are you in the AIR FORCE?? Shouldn’t there be just a basic knowledge about what we do as a service? We have airplanes…different airplanes…and different people fly them. Call those people to find out when their plane leaves. I think she was suprised that we even had airplanes….It is a different time and a different war.
Am I getting snarky?? Sorry…….
Can’t wait to get home!!