DejaVu pt.1

D-30DAYS: As I strap on my crusty old boots, the same ones I first wore six years ago in Iraq, I reflect back on the events that led me to today.

A year ago I was driving back from class, heading to what was going to be the beginning of an eventful summer x games week. I was tired but excited to tackle the challenges I was about to face until I got a call from my Platoon Sergeant. He was subtle but strait forward.

 “what do you think of Afghanistan?”

I replied the only way I could

“I hear it’s beautiful but it gets cold in the winter, why?”

“Get used to the cold because Myself, You and our Commander may be voluntold to get on this mission next year”

Now… what do I do with this kind of information? A normal person would maybe take some time to sit down with their significant other and discuss the possibility of being gone for a year. What do I do? That’s right, the same thing I did last time, call Claude (my other boss), dejavu. My thought process still is that I spend more time working and doing work related activities that by having potential deployment in my head would be counter constructive to my efforts.  Especially this week, the week where I’d be working 7 days straight, close to 80hrs while managing to take 2 finals at school. I can’t afford to be distracted.

Going forward 6 months to the spring of 2011, now the possibility is getting real. I received official orders to be attached to the deploying unit so now I need to bring more people in the loop including Chris (my other boss). At this point I’ve hinted to Luana (my actual boss and CFO) of the slight possibility of going away and periodically had the “what if” discussion. I’ve held meetings with my supervisors of possible courses of action while attempting to keep this under wraps from those who didn’t need to know. Pitty from others would be a constant reminder that I’m leaving but I don’t need that. I need to hear that I suck when I do and challenged to do better. My goal, same as last time was to finish work strong, then transition into my military responsibilities.

Pardon my writing.

To be continued.