I’ve been gone for 10 months. I can’t believe its been that long already. I saw the season change in Ft. McCoy from summer to fall. I arrived in Kuwait to sand drifts and camels in the distance. I touched down in Iraq during the rainy season. I’ve worn my galoshes to wade thru the water. I’ve seen trucks get stuck in 4 feet of mud. I put on three layers of clothing just to make it thru a guard tower shift without getting hypothermia.

And now here I am surviving the 120 degree heat.

Even though we are starting to taste the journey home, there is still so far to go. Here, I think, is the one place that discussions of the weather are valid. It’s not just small talk. A drop in the temperature by just 10 degrees makes an incredible difference in our bodies.

For the last two weeks, the temperature has dropped by about 10 degrees. But I’m not really talking about the weather anymore. With one individual going home on leave, the difference can be felt in the minds of the unit. Up until he left to go enjoy all the wonderful fruits of our country, many of us here were feeling very trapped, including my self.

His unbecoming behavior left us feeling lost and just barely treading water. In a place where stress is a given, this added ounce of harassment nearly brought many of our pots to boil over. And all it took was for him to let us breath for a moment in order for something to be done.

And trust me, something will be done.

So, here I am watching the dark clouds roll in. I’m just beginning to hear the thunder clapping on the horizon. The extended forecast is calling for severe weather. I’ve managed to get an umbrella and I’m pulling out my galoshes again. I’m not sure how long my house will stand once the storm rears it’s head. But I have really good neighbors here and I’m sure that if my house falls down, they’ll be more than grateful to let me in if I knock.

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