Let’s Get ‘er Done

The time finally came. The much anticipated moment for which I have been waiting the past five years. I had my bags packed, uniform ready to go, and a platoon of energetic Americans dressed for adventure. We’re headed to Afghanistan!

Despite all the excitement, the moment remains largely anti-climactic. No tears in my family. No major problems with the soldiers and their spouses or kids. The initial separations appear to be going smoothly. I’m not sure if the calmness of both the soldiers their famlies is due to good mental preparation for the moment, or just loyalty to remain strong so the other doesn’t have to see the pain on the other side.

The path to combat is not quick and painless by means. On the contrary, by the time our actual patroling mission begins, we will spend several days just getting the whole unit in country, then another half a dozen days for unpacking and inventories alongside a cirriculum of classes to update the leaders on events in theater. It will be a long and painful prepatory period before we can actually do the mission we’ve been training so long and hard to perform. No worries though, we’re all so hyped up on adrenaline that I think the time will go by a lot quicker than we expect.

My parents flew all the way out to Seattle from Boston to see me off. It was one of the dozens of acts of love and friendship that many of my close friends and relatives have given me before this deployment. I had a lot of my closest friends come out to bid me farewell or call me to wish me good luck. On one hand, I’m sad to say goodbye for at least a year to the people who mean the most to me. On the other, those who know me best know that I’m smiling from ear to ear. I love big challenges and making big changes in the world…at this point in my life, I can’t imagine doing anything else! This is going to be a fantastic experience…mark my optimism now for comparison when I’m absolutely ready to come home 🙂

For now, I’ve got some other things to focus on. Hopefully I’ll have the chance to write more later on about my soldiers and the 110 degree heat in Kandahar. Until then, talk to you soon!

-rajiv