5 June
It has been almost a full week since I posted a blog. I was traveling again and got back to my home base this morning. Some places we go have good internet access, but not so at all of the FOBs. We were hoping to get to a smaller place and see some of the guys who rarely get visitors, but the flight options in and out of there did not cooperate with us this past week. So we had to change plans and stay at a larger FOB and see the teams there. Some of these places are so bare-minimum that they do not accomodate women. They can't really, because they do not have the space or the extra facilities. Guys only. My female Chaplain Assistant is not too thrilled about that, and we may still try to get to one of those places in a few weeks. We can do this because our battalion commander--a Colonel--is also female and she is making a fuss about it. So off we go. Some of these FOBs do not even have toilets or showers, and I have heard stories of Soldiers going months without showering. I only plan to visit for a few days. A little B.O. never hurt anybody!
The picture is of me standing next to a Chech tank overlooking a valley below. The place we visited has this nice scenic spot for pictures, but you have to share the space with the tank. I doubt it has ever been fired in this war! But it looks cool sitting there on top of the hill. It may have been made by the Russians for this very terrain 30 years ago, who knows?
I had to be at the flight terminal at 3:00 am this morning to secure a seat on a flight back to my base. So I sat there in the dark, looking at the stars and half-moon. It was still bright enough to light up the ground. I wondered if my family could see the same moon I was looking at? Do you remember that scene in Apollo 13, where Tom Hanks uses his thumb to gauge the size of the moon, and then his wife is back home doing the same thing? Being so far away, it makes me wonder if we can see the same sky at night? The stars here are fantastic -- but I've already mentioned that in a previous blog. It is one of the things I will actually miss about this country and experience.
By the way, we are getting close enough to or end date that people have started a countdown. I won't put it here, but we are close enough to see light at the end of the tunnel, but still too far away to get excited about. Business as usual for awhile more.
It has been almost a full week since I posted a blog. I was traveling again and got back to my home base this morning. Some places we go have good internet access, but not so at all of the FOBs. We were hoping to get to a smaller place and see some of the guys who rarely get visitors, but the flight options in and out of there did not cooperate with us this past week. So we had to change plans and stay at a larger FOB and see the teams there. Some of these places are so bare-minimum that they do not accomodate women. They can't really, because they do not have the space or the extra facilities. Guys only. My female Chaplain Assistant is not too thrilled about that, and we may still try to get to one of those places in a few weeks. We can do this because our battalion commander--a Colonel--is also female and she is making a fuss about it. So off we go. Some of these FOBs do not even have toilets or showers, and I have heard stories of Soldiers going months without showering. I only plan to visit for a few days. A little B.O. never hurt anybody!
The picture is of me standing next to a Chech tank overlooking a valley below. The place we visited has this nice scenic spot for pictures, but you have to share the space with the tank. I doubt it has ever been fired in this war! But it looks cool sitting there on top of the hill. It may have been made by the Russians for this very terrain 30 years ago, who knows?
I had to be at the flight terminal at 3:00 am this morning to secure a seat on a flight back to my base. So I sat there in the dark, looking at the stars and half-moon. It was still bright enough to light up the ground. I wondered if my family could see the same moon I was looking at? Do you remember that scene in Apollo 13, where Tom Hanks uses his thumb to gauge the size of the moon, and then his wife is back home doing the same thing? Being so far away, it makes me wonder if we can see the same sky at night? The stars here are fantastic -- but I've already mentioned that in a previous blog. It is one of the things I will actually miss about this country and experience.
By the way, we are getting close enough to or end date that people have started a countdown. I won't put it here, but we are close enough to see light at the end of the tunnel, but still too far away to get excited about. Business as usual for awhile more.
I was just asking Regina when you will be home. Hope our estimations are right!!
ReplyDeleteAs always, thanks for sharing!!
Love ya,
Deb
Love keeping up with you by way of Debbie.
ReplyDeleteYou and company are in my prayers daily.
May God bring everyone home safely!
In Jesus love,
Cousin Brenda
You look great, Darren. You continue to be in my prayers.
ReplyDelete