Getting ready to go

The greeting in vogue right now is “How long you got left?” Soldiers see others in the chow hall, or the restroom, and that question always gets asked, and the answer is always served with a smile. I heard one soldier reply, “I’m a one-digit midget.”

The new guys, although they haven’t formally taken authority, are not shy about taking over. They’ve been painting over unit signs and vehicle numbers, rearranging offices, and generally taking charge. When we moved in a year ago, the outgoing guys wouldn’t let us do anything until after they moved completely out. Just one of the differences between Active and Guard units, I guess.

We get some feedback on what is supposed to happen, but are pretty much in the dark. We don’t know the time the plane will land or leave, or what happens after we leave, or really much of anything. I looked at pictures in the newspaper of our soldiers arriving in Washington, and learned more from studying those photos than I have been told.

I saw the soldiers get off the plane with no helmet, and no body armor. Which tells me we will turn that in somewhere along the line. On the flight over last year, the plane was uncomfortably overstuffed. No one wanted to or could wear hot, rigid body armor on a 15 flight, so we took it off. But, there was no where to put it. Overhead bins were all full. We just ended up with no leg room, and often the damn things sitting in our laps. So the idea that we can fly back without it is pretty welcome.