Today I hit a milestone. We all have these, but this one is special. At least to me. Never thought it would happen. But it did. And to me no less.This is a short diary due to time constraints -- tommorrow morning will come soon -- way too soon. Not too many tags. And no links. Just a few random thoughts thrown out on a 'milestone day'.
Today is the 20th anniversery of the day I raised my right arm and said 'I do -- for better or worse' ( been a lot of both!) to the Army. ( It's also the 12th anniversery of getting engaged to my long suffering better half -- but thats another diary for another day -- It seems June 22 is my 'commitment day'! ). I am out of the field for a few hours --- on a beer consumption mission.
And what a long strange trip it's been. One I wouldn't change for a minute. Never thought I'd see this day. It certainly wasn't in my head that I would serve for so long. I joined for a couple of reasons --- service had been part of the family makeup since long ago ancestors had arrived on these shores in 1636 -- settling in what is now known as Pennsylvania ( even though we haven't lived there since, oh, about 1783 or so ) so it seemed a natural, normal thing to do. But, really I joined out of boredom, seeking something else. I had a good guv'mint job, could have been set, but I was bored, needed to do something else. And it seemed that the Army may well provide that.
It did. In spades. My original goals were simple --- serve a couple of years, do a tour of duty somewhere, maybe make the lofty rank of Corporal.
In four years I had acheived those goals. ( just as an aside I am in the same line of Army work as another Kossack --- some Marcos guy--- we are both redlegs )
And picked up a few more goals along the way. Seemed I enjoyed the lifestyle. Got along ( mostly! ),met my wife, figured out the game and the next thing I knew a couple of years had become more than that. And now much more than that! Hasn't always been ducky, peachy, groovy or any other acronym one could apply. In fact, sometimes it really has sucked. Big time. Nothing like trying to fight sleep in a trench in the pouring rain at about 0330 am when you really start to question why one subjects oneself to such misery. But that really isn't so hard in retrospect. There are worse things. Being away from home ( as I am now, trying to get this done so I can get some rack --- but I'm drinking a few beers and dammit, it's my day! So I'll be a little cranky tommorrow )for extended periods --- heck, a week Wed and I get on a plane to fly even further from home for a month, then back here ( 70 miles from home )for Aug. That sucks, but you get used to it. The wife understands ( she did 16 years ) but pootie Crumblegums doesn't. He will be pissed.
But the absences from home aren't the worst thing. There is something far worse.
Burying friends. Done too much of that. And fear I will again.
And that brings me to what really has motivated me the last few years. The people. I have had the privilage of meeting and sharing experinces with some of the finest people in the world ( IMHO ). My peers. The soldiers I have trained --- and seen develop into leaders themselves. The soldiers from other nations. All good. It has been a privalege to be associated with them. I think that has what has kept me going through all the years and all the experiences and locals. So if you happen to be sipping a particular libation, raise a toast to them. They deserve it, earned it.
And at that, I will sum this up --- although I could go on! But I have a bunch of recruits out there in the field who are awaiting my tender loving ministrations very early tommorrow --- just waiting for me to splash personality all over them! ( In a nice way of course-----and if you believe that.......)
I will say this in closing....On Friday morning when I woke up in the field I felt every one of those twenty years!!