HOME!! ...well, for a little while.

I'm on R&R! What an absolutely horrific journey to get from Baghdad to the U.S.! First, my designated leave dates got screwed up, so I only learned at the last minute that my R&R was four days later than I was originally told. Then the flight from BIAP (Baghdad International Airport) to Kuwait was delayed for 24 hours...twice. Our decision to make our way back to base each time and sleep in our own beds in air conditioned rooms instead of waiting around in the sweltering 120 degree heat was roundly criticized by our company. So be it. We'll agree to disagree on the wisdom of that particular line of reasoning. Once we got properly manifested on the flight to Kuwait, it was still a 5 hour wait in the heat, but we certainly weren't going to complain. The flight to Kuwait was probably the worst I've ever been on. The C-17 was packed the the gills, and was essentially an oven with wings. I am honestly surprised that nobody on that plane passed out from the heat. Kuwait was tolerable, but it was still better than 24 hours full of paperwork, briefings, etc. before we boarded buses for the 1 1/2 hour trip to Kuwait Airport. Once there, it was a packed charter to Shannon, Ireland ("No alcohol while in uniform!!!"), then finally the long stretch to Dallas. Arriving on American soil was...well...simply awesome. Firetrucks meet the planes full of soldiers on the runway, and offer a tribute of arcs of water over the planes. Our walk from the gate to customs is through a terminal full of applauding crowds welcoming home all the soldiers. I'm a sentimentalist, so it was a very humbling experience. I know that they do this for flights coming back from the war zone every day, but it still feels fresh and very welcoming.

Then I was stuck in Dallas for a good ten hours until I could get a flight back home. Thank you United Airlines for overbooking EVERY damn flight, and not allowing ANY standby on the planes. Really appreciate that. Still, the people in Dallas were awesome. Very friendly, and curious about our experiences and impressions. Shook a lot of hands.

When I finally got home, my family was waiting for me at the gate; a huge professional sign all made up in my honor. When I walked off the plane the whole crowd at the gate (United Airlines customers waiting for delayed flights and no doubt pretty grumpy about it) erupted in applause. I couldn't help but choke up.

It is almost scary how quickly and easily I shed the skin of a soldier and stepped back into the role of a civilian. I feel as if I'm stepped through a six month time warp. Iraq very suddenly seems so far away. I drive around town, go to stores and restaurants as if I'd never been away. Still, there is a distance that is difficult to describe. There is a triviality to everyday life. I sometimes feel like I am seeing the world through eyes that are not my own.