Well just a little longer and we will be on a flight back to the states. For some of us here it has been a very long tour. Most of us the second tour with little down time. A unit that has changed with the way we do business and with many changes in accomplishing the mission.
I told myself that I would like to come back with a different rank and well on Feb. 01. My goal was reached. I had earned enough promotion points to make SGT. in the United States Army. This adds more responsiblity to my like. Now i must assume role of role model and take better care of those soldiers under me. I was given my own squad right off the bat. Now it begins to see what i can do when it comes to other soldiers lives in my hand.
Leaving Iraq can not come fast enough now. With all of our stuff packed we are living out of our ruck sacks which means with the bares. Every day brings a struggle to get one of my soldiers to pack up to go home. Nontheless he is just about there. We sit and wait everyday to find out anything about getting out of this country knewing that it will happen just not sure when it will happen. With nothing really to do we find ourselves int the gym just to pass the time. For some it is the gym twice a day and others just when ordered to.
Returning from this deployment could not have come fast enough this time it seemed to drag at times. But we have made it. This tour has taught some in this unit the military is not for them why some still stay commented to the fight. For myself I am looking to move on to a new job with applying for flight med school when returning back to bragg. Time for a change and this is on my way to one more goal of working in Special Operations as a flight medic
Well that is all for me at this time. God speed to all.
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February 24th, 2008 at 05:47amGeno
A year has come and gone with me stationed here in Iraq. Not much time left here though. Just a couple of months thank my luck stars. I have watched my boys grow up over the net. Missing many things in their lives. It is hard being a father in the army. Missing the holidays and birthdays and other family events. It makes you at times begin to wonder if it is worth the pain. I have seen people come and go on this deployment. Most US forces spend no more than 9 months here and then they push off. We are the only unit that is going to miss duel christmas holidays on this deployment everyone else has cycled home and in. Not to say we are the only in the army there are many that will this year.
Well with so much time on my hands “NOT”. We are always busy here and it seems that it will never end at times. Well Hopefully the next few months speed up and i can get back home to a normal life. The highlight of my days are talking to Sarah and sometimes the boys depending on their schedules. The boys always seem to be doing well when i call. Xavier at times wants to talk which is always experience for me. Derrick seems to be more interested in the computer when i call.
Well one good thing has changed since my last blogg I no longer work on the wire with detainees. I now work the Troop Medical Clinic. It is a change in place and a break from dealing with those who would rather do harm to you then allow you to care for them. I would tell you everything that i do here but there is not much that I would like to talk about this place. I saw a picture of Soldier that read “St. Peter, I am here to enter HEAVEN. I served my time in hell.” At times that is how it feels here.
And that is it for me hope to see all of you when i return to the states in the next few monthes.
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December 22nd, 2007 at 12:46pmGeno
Well i have been back in Iraq for about month now. AS much as I would love to be back in the states duty calls me back. Leaving this time was the hardest last time no problem to get back on the bird to return this time wish i just could have had longer time to spend state side with Sarah and the boys. Sarah and I have rough first part of deployment but have seemed to recover and working out our differences. Mainly me being stubborn and just hard head about things. Seeing how big the boys have got is surprise with my worry that Xavier would not recongize was wrong. Little man saw me and gave me big hugs and kisses. And Derrick as always strong as rock it was hello hi dad. Preteen go figure.
Still nothing has changed in this country. The air and dirt still have a horrorable smell to them. For all that our wondering when I am returning back to the states well lets just say seasons are going to change a few more times before I walk on american soil. As we all know that it was not up to me about staying it is a job and i do what am told. As much as it will hurt to miss somethings twice in a row this deployment. I will make it. Sarah has excepted the fact that i will not be home for the holidays and birthdays this time again. Have no fear we have gone out and purchased a nice web cam so i can watch christmas morning and see the boys when ever we are web cam as they get to see me from Iraq. My unit has moved us all into one general area of living do to company problems dealing with childish actions from few.
Sarah and I have been trying to figure out what we want to do after this deployment i am still locked into my contract with the army until end of 2011. Then and only then do we know what will happen. Nontheless we are now trying to get out of Ft. Bragg and try somewhere knew somewhere hopefully i still can put my knees to the breeze at 500ft.
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September 6th, 2007 at 04:36pmGeno
Long Trip Alone
Well it has been along time since my last post. Many things have come and gone as well as days. Some say that the life a soldiers seems to age him fast than a normal person. Well I believe that to be true after this deployment. There has been days that I honestly do not want to wake. And days that I look forward to. Most of the days here though are pretty much the same just another day to mark off the calendar and hang up another poker card to mark off 52 week curse called Iraq. I use to think time went by slow but I was wrong to think that. As the six month mark comes up it seems that like yesterday we just entered theatre.
This deployment is a little different for me this time having soldiers that I have to watch over is sometimes tiring and my daily schedule barely leaves me time for myself. I have begun to miss something that I took for granted while in the states. I miss all the time I spend with family and friend. Now the only contact I ever receive from everyone back home is from the end of phone. The hardest time is when calling home to talk to Xavier. I wish I could hold more of a conversation with him. A simple hello and I love you and bye bye is all I get. I have been told he says more. Pictures and some videos show me how much he has grown up. But they can never replace the time that I have missed with him by the time return this time he will almost be three. I have missed many Hughes kisses goodnights. I have only been for home for him total of about ten months, But as soldier I know the cost and must live in my bed. Sarah she knows what to expect and knows that I wish I could be home with her. Derrick who has seen me deploy four times now two instate and two to Iraq tours seems to handle it okay at least from what I have been told. It is hard when you give up so much. For me it is just another day at work.
Some days we have good days and some may be bad. Sarah has asked me before if everything is okay and I tell yeah and it is and there are days and that are not and she hears all about that. Sometimes the two of clash on something and times she will draw a line on things and believe me I cross that line. I have problem with that lately being told what to do, pretty much I do what I like. Well let say it has got me in some trouble on the home front. This place has brought out since of independence.
Buy now you are wondering why the title Long trip Alone. It is simple this is the personal hell that you begin to find yourself and see what you want out of life. It’s a long trip alone over sand and stone That lie along the road that we all must travel down. There are several movie quotes from “Blackhawk Down” that will be present in my mind the first: “Why do you do it why? Is it that you are some kind of war junky? I will not say a thing. Why because that will not understand Why, because they don’t understand it is about the man next to them.” For the first time I realized something over at the end the day when we get off from work and leave the mission. It comes down to us alone reflecting on our action Whether or not we did the right thing. Not everyone believes that this war is right, and disagree with what we are doing over here. But again you must remember. “When the round goes whizzing by your head all the politics go out and it your life or there.” Not saying that this place is like this. Having been around this country in past deployment you learn a little and observe what life means to you as it passes you by. Here you learn to live in the moment because you never know when it might be your last. I believe that everyone has the right to chose there own destiny. Has this place changed me yes in what ways I am not sure yet. There are so many things I want to do in life again I just do not know where to begin and what to do first. I guess with time and destiny I will find out about what my destiny really is.
Most of my alone time has been spent in the gym working out and trying to loose the weight that I had. Well after about the fourth month I had lost thirty plus pounds and then last month I have lost a little more to give myself about 40 lbs. weight loose. Now I have uniforms that in gulf me and who know about my clothes at home. I have a feeling that I am going to have to buy something that fits. It’s a long trip alone over sand and stone
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May 25th, 2007 at 01:20pmGeno
Well they finally turned on the phones and internet again here after 4 days. Everytime something here happens they seem to cut us off to all contact to the outside world. We talk to some people about it and it is silly living in A hot zone last time we never saw this happen. It is apart of life and we have to deal with it.
Since we have been here we have changed the way that we have done detainee care about four times and yet again we are doing it again lately it seems to be every week. Sometimes I wonder if we are just padding the NCOERS and OERS for those in charge. Everytime a change occurs they say it will give those soldiers more time away from the wire but intruth it as kept only twenty of us at detainee ops everyday with a 6 and 1 work load. Making it more stressful. For myself I have no problem. Adapte, Inprovise and Overcome is a Marine and Spec OPS slogan and now it has become twenty medics slogan. It is funny watching some of these soldiers deal with it I just do what ever and look at this way some will crack and when something bad happens they can deal with the higher ups questions.
Never the less I have been doing great. I find it best if I go and workout every evening. Great for stress relief. Now I know there is a couple of you out there that get mad and want me to call but I only get about twenty minutes a night to make calls home and most of the time I like to call Sarah and see how the boys are doing. Sorry for those that want there turn but that is life until I get my own internet in my room where I can use my computer phone.
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March 6th, 2007 at 12:57pmGeno
The days seem to come and go faster and faster. It is now mid Feb. and that means we have been here for just about two monthes. Most of us have adjusted to life here for some of us it is like we never left. We know what is expected of us while we are here. So with out saying anything we do it. We still have those that really do not what to do and how to deal with what they. Taking care of the enemy was not their idea time spent in Iraq. The greeners or new soldiers all want to the same thing go out and travel around. Little do they know what really lies on the outside of these walls. Mid Feb. also means no more rain and Time for it to begin summer here lets see what they think about the 150’s.
For myself I enjoy what time I spend inside the walls of Camp Bucca. I know all to well that outside those walls is the beginning of Hell. Those days I spent on the outside of the walls were days of intense and nerve racking chaos. They are now trying to get everyones leave set up with securing the first three monthes of leave for those that are going and now they have to wait to secure the next three after that.
Last night one of my friends asked me how I deal with what we do everyday and seem to be unphased by what we do. I never seem to complain about the prinsoners and seem to stay in high spirits all the time. It is easy I leave work at the gate of our compound an that is where it stays I will not let some petty crap effect me outside this place.
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February 14th, 2007 at 04:57amGeno
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GENO!!!
Love, Sarah, Derrick & Xavier
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January 31st, 2007 at 10:49pmGeno
Another week has come and gone. Sarah and Derrick have always told me that at times that my anger has gone a little over the top. Well I have to admite at times it does. I was called into the office this week because I guess I hurt the feelings of a some Iraqis with some colorful language in front of them. Nevermind that almost everyone in my compound is the worse of the worse. They have not committed a crime againist america. I was give a counseling about how to act around them. MY Bad I forgot we have to be nice to the terrorist. dont hurt their feelings. They didnt take some parents child away from them. Nonetheless I have something for them later. A big cup of who the hell cares about their feels.
So other than that everything is peachy here in downtown BUCCA. My days are pretty much the same up at 5 or so and to the TIF by 730 home about 430 if at all possible. none the less the days go by fast. Right now we are still waiting to see when we will get are leave dates approved Iam hoping for the last week in JULY again so I can make home for the reunion. But you never know here.
That is all for talk to you all soon
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January 27th, 2007 at 08:18amGeno
Greetings to all, I have finally mastered how to get on here and write to everyone. Well the first month of this deployment has come and gone. It is not to bad here in Iraq it is nothing compared to my last deployment. Someone everyday comes up and always complaines about being here and doing what we do. I laugh it always could be worse and I truely think that they would not want that.
I try to call as much as I can but it does not always workout that way. Computer time is short because it is used by every one on base. For all of you that want to see pics of me why I am here dont think so base has strict rules on that because of what we do here.
Dont worry it is not like I work all day everyday. I am usually the first up in my room at about 530 for work. I am the senior in the room so I am like the big brother and have to make sure every morning that my roommates get up and go to work even when I do not have to go in. I love work, just not who I work on. None the less I get my stress releaved by my gym time everynight. I have already lost about 15lbs. I have nothing really to do at night.
I am now trying to get home this summer for the family reunion and vacation with the boys and Sarah. but there are quit a few trying to take leave at the same time and now there is a lottery for that slot so I hope and pray for that time.That is all for now.
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January 22nd, 2007 at 07:11amGeno
Once I get overseas and have internet connection I will start writing. Until then, please visit our family page www.youmeandthekids.com
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October 8th, 2006 at 10:12pmGeno