EVERYONE DECIDED TO DRESS UP AS SOLDIERS

(31OCT2008)

Normally I start to wind down at the end of the week in anticipation of the weekend when communication from offices in the States dries up. I still work on the weekends – every day – but the pace of things slows slightly and you can catch your breath and work largely uninterrupted by requests from CONUS.

This Friday does not find things winding down for me, however. I have a meeting with my BTN CDR this morning, and tomorrow morning I will brief him and my BDE CDR, both of which require preparation and a fair amount of time playing the role of PowerPoint Ranger.

Being Friday, though, the bazaar is in full swing and I have time to kill when another meeting I have is delayed. I walk around the little shops, quickly becoming numb to the unchanging swath of cheap merchandise. So many of the little stores have all the exact same things for sale, and it’s hard to see any of it as something I’d want to have as a souvenir or to give as a gift, though I will undoubtedly change my mind on the latter as the holidays approach, and on the former as I'm getting ready to leave for good.

After my meeting, I have lunch and reminded that today is Halloween. My mother had sent me a Halloween card that arrived yesterday - I was surprised she was able to anticipate the mailing delay so well. Usually I receive holiday greetings weeks after the fact.

As always, the DFAC is decorated for the holiday. I’d held out hope that the servers might dress in costumes, but it’s not to be. In fact, I spot only one person who may be wearing a costume but, honestly, it may just be a really bad toupee and I don’t ask for fear of offending.

My meeting with the BTN CDR goes well. It’s relaxed and we spend as much time talking about hunting as we do about the work I’m presenting. I don’t hunt, but my BTN CDR does, so that’s what we talked about. That’s usually how those things work.

I attend a VTC later in the evening and return to my hooch at almost 2200. I still want to add to, edit, and change my brief for the following morning, though, and I clatter away at my computer until almost 0400, which doesn’t even seem like a big deal. Long days and nights are common in theater, and you always just make up the sleep when you can.

I’ll make it up tomorrow. I hope.

CONUS = CONtinential United States
BTN CDR = Battalion Commander
BDE CDR = Brigade Commander
VTC = Video TeleConference