Zero Day

It's Zero day; the day before we report to the armory. Tomorrow I will drive to my unit headquarters; load my gear onto a bus and embark on a truly one of a kind adventure.

On my way in from Houston today I was so anxious that I felt like a little kid on his first trip to the amusement park. I want to ride the tallest roller coaster but I am scared out of my mind. I am not scared of the ride itself but of the my reaction at the first free fall. Will I scream like a little school girl or will I get in line for a second turn?

No one knows what lies ahead, but it is what makes the journey exciting. Not knowing what lies ahead is part of the experience. It is one of the intangible variables that is unique to what we do. It is a surreal feeling knowing that once I step foot on that bus, we will be embarking on a journey that over a course of a lifetime only a handful of people are willing to endure. I will soon find out if war is as glorious as Hollywood makes it our too be; nevertheless, it will be something that I will never forget.

I know that over time memories fade with age, but there is always the intrinsic properties of a memory that never leave you. Those are the properties that can invoke the most intimate human emotions and contribute to the soundtracks of our lives.

I look forward to sharing all the scenes that play out over the course of our train up and eventual deployment. Some of it will be a roller coaster ride; some of it will be 100% Hollywood, but most of it will be somewhere in between.