It is hard getting old…..

As I have aged through my military career, I found so many things that I cannot do any more. I cannot run as fast, do as many push ups, sleep as long, count the gray hairs on my head without going into triple digits…... you get the picture…. One morning early this week I found one more thing that I cannot do as I have gotten older:

 The morning started like all the rest, a quick shower and a short walk to the office. Upon arrival I put the coffee on. One of the soldiers informed me that I might be able to “get out this morning”. That is short for getting on a flight to our destination. We went to the terminal to see if we would be able to get out and we were.

We loaded the plane and were on our way. Now, as we make our way to the plane I felt the early pings of “old age”. Seated on the plane I come to realize that the plane was not ready for takeoff so we waited for thirty more minutes as the pings turned to a constant nagging. Finally we were ready for takeoff. As we taxied, the vibration from the plane began to turn my world yellow. See in my old age I have come to realize that morning coffee is always followed by morning visits to the rest room.

Now here I sit on a plane for a short 30 minute flight that would take what seemed like hours. As I sat and sweating I began to examine the slope of the floor and thought if I were to relieve myself right here at our current altitude and angle of climb it would flow out the back harmless over the country side. As I examine my surroundings I realize that right in front of me was a female soldier. Oh my, this will not work. What will I do?

I sit and listen to my MP3 player and it is playing songs like “Smoke on the Water” every song has something about water in it. The load master on the plane is enjoying a bottle of water and with each swig.. the nagging gets stronger.  As the plane lands I am unsure if I will be able to stand as my nagging has now turned to pain. I have to lean off to one side to stand just knowing that I am about to embarrass myself.

From the plane to the terminal was about a ¼ mile walk but it seems as if I was in a walking marathon. As I approached I see the “golden houses”, three in a row, actually they were blue but it did not matter. As I approach them, I know I heard a golden harp playing.

Our escort said "Sir, I need you identification card." I walked slowly to her with arm outstretched to avoid any more steps than absolutely necessary. I turn and hurry into the little plastic house.  I really thought I might have broken something this time as it did not seem to want to work, but thank God everything turned out.

Old age in this Case HURT really bad…. Go ahead and laugh. Next time I will miss the flight……. Just so you know - you got a minute OLDER while reading this…

Praying for the 15

The Jar is Getting Empty

A friend of mine told me that a good way to help family pass time until your return is to take a small candy item and put it in a jar. A count is done prior to, of the number of days until the happy reunion. So last week we decided to do this. 

Rosario has been kind of sad over the last month and I really needed some way to cheer her up. My travels here in country have really put her on edge. So each night before they go to bed they eat a Hershey's kiss and they get to watch as the jar gets emptier and emptier. 

Being married very young I really didn't think about a lifetime with anyone. I never imagined that anyone could love me as much as my wife. I always tell her that I love her more but I really believe that we have the same love for each other. I just hope she knows and will continue to know just how much that is. It seems that seeing her is the main thing I look forward to. Not saying that family and friends don't rate but just imagine a trip that takes you away from your better half for more than 8 months. The lonely nights, the dreams of bad things happening in your absence, the little things that you never noticed or appreciated that now you must do on your own. The coffee made for you in the mornings, the breakfast made with love as you head out the door, the meals made with love, clean clothes to wear, the cold beer brought to you as you work in the yard, no matter what it is you come to realize what you have when it is gone. 

I hope this will cheer up my sweetheart and I hope that the Hershey's kisses in the jar disappear rapidly.

I love you


Praying for the 15...

A little stick.

In my 23 years of military service I imagine I have received over 100 shots for this that or the other. It always starts with the medic saying "you will feel a little stick". 
Yesterday, I had to get Anthrax number five and there was that little phrase again. You will feel a little stick, then it was over no big deal right. I reached for my jacket when the flame started. It felt like I had a small torch under my skin. This morning when I woke up I felt like I had a bruise on my right shoulder and my whole arm is stiff. I sure hope I never need to get another
Anthrax shot but if I do I hope I am back home so I can wash it down with a cold beer.....

Praying for the 15

Funny Story

No names will be used in this story to protect the guilty…

Wake up, wake up, get your gear and get to the pax terminal was the rudest awakening I have had in years, but I was glad to get it as I had been trying to fly out for several days. It was 0230 in the AM. Yes, this time comes around twice in one day. After arriving at the terminal and a short bus ride to the plane, we load up for our 30 minute flight. With all the pre-flight Air Force stuff complete we are away.

Now I had the luxury of a short nap but my traveling companion did not. He had been up since 0600 the day prior, so needless to say he was worn out. As the flight progressed we both managed some sleep but his sleep was quite a bit deeper than mine. On this particular air craft the seats are a nylon bottom with a net back. All passengers sit side by side. It is kind of tight. Sometime during my friends deep slumber he leaned way over. As I looked on I noted that he was almost laying completely in the lap of the guy beside him. A guy, who none of us, knew he was from another unit.

I would not want to be a pilot on this trip. Imagine, will you, flying at night over a combat zone, without the luxury of lights. The runways are not lit, nor are the planes when they come in for a landing. It reduces the effectiveness of  people shooting at the planes as they land. So this particular flight I am guessing that the pilot and his spotters misjudged the runway by about 10 feet or so because everyone of the passengers were jolted to back to reality as the plane slammed into the runway.

For the next several hundred feet of the taxi we smelled the tread off the tires from the harsh landing. As all of the passengers started to stir, I remember the look on my friends face as he looked up at the soldier whose lap he had practically slept in, as if to say, “Who are you and why are you so close to me?”

Chief

Praying for the 15