Call my Name

“Please call my name”, I said it over and over again to myself. All soldiers going on R and R (rest and relaxation) line up in formation. I am sure all of them were thinking the same as I. 1 group 2 groups then I hear my name. Last group departs at 0310 the next day. It figures that I would get this one. The thoughts and feelings of home slowly fad back to the realization that this was still a military operation and like many military operations it fell into the "hurry up and wait" category. As I sit in a wait status I imagine the airport at home. I have been told that people stop and shake your hand and tell you thank you for what you do. This seems awesome but not as awesome as the thought of the bright colors. Multicolored clothes and just the colors of the airport the brilliance of life re-visited if only for a short time. Our flight is called to yet another formation and then I return again to hurry up and wait. Since departure was not for 17 hours we traveled back to the camp. I could not help but feel a sense of depression knowing that I would have to return to this place in 2 short weeks. This dusty tan and at times dark green place had come to haunt me. The roles have reversed and now I feel as if I am separated from my family and that my fellow soldiers were just that, soldiers. After lunch and a few last minute adjustments to my gear we returned back to the airport. I call it an airport but it is nothing more than a bunch of tents and some tall cement barriers for protection. Mortars could be heard earlier in the day and they seemed to be getting started up again. It seems that most Thursdays were like this. Friday being a holy day for the Iraqi people. "Hurry up and wait" you have got to love it.