Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Easing back in

The reintegration is proceeding, encountering the various glitches that you can’t anticipate specifically, but of the type you know you’ll encounter. Murphy’s law, and all. Our state headquarters moved into a new armory while we were gone, resulting in new phone numbers and new locations. Our guys now don’t know where to go to get an ID card, or get a computer fixed, or whatever.

While we were gone the brigade armory was used by various vagabond units, and kind of trashed. Right before we returned the armory was stripped of contents and new carpet was laid. That’s nice, but when we returned all our stuff was in boxes packed by the carpet contractors, so it required unpacking. For some reason, phone lines were disconnected. The computer network was completely reconfigured, so all our computers no longer work. The fax machines disappeared. We took the printers with us, and either they died or we left them in Iraq. I went by my office and found that it was occupied by somebody else. I’m officially homeless.

We have no equipment, and no operations to plan for. Our motor pool is completely vacant; not a single vehicle darkens the pavement. Normally our staff is busy planning and making arrangements, but we have no exercises on the horizon. Therefore, nothing to plan for. The only activity is with the guys planning for the return of our equipment.

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