Deployments

So where do I start.....its November and Ryan isn't scheduled to deploy till later(sorry but OPSEC makes me wait) but I'm inspired to blog my experience of R's last 14 month and 21 day deployment in 2007-2008. Ryan and I got married in late December 2008 and he deployed 15 days later. It sucked big time because we were newlyweds. I can still remember the details of that day in Fort Stewart, GA. Had to wait and wait....then draw his weapon, wait wait some more...and then suddenly his CO said you have 5 minutes for formation and that was it. A day of waiting and waiting and we had 5 minutes to say goodbye. I had tears, I pulled out my camera as I took the last pic I would see for months. I have the picture, but can't seem to pull it up. It was the picture I sent to all of his family and looked at for months. He was a 1LT, not yet a CPT and it made me teary everytime. New marriage and new life to adjust to.

Our 12 months consisted of me working at the church and Ryan instant messaging me on the computer during the day and luckily my church family didn't care. They were thankful that I got to talk to him and communicate with him and knowing he was safe. Big thanks to Tommy, Bro Ben, Chance and Ty for being so understanding of the situation I was in.


In April 2008 we found out that Ryan was going to be extended an extra 3 months. It as like hitting rewind on the 3 months he had been here. I was at school that night in Savannah and came home to see the news he had been extended. My phone started ringing from his mom and sister asking if it affected Ryan. Yep, it affected him. 3 months down the drain.

And now I'm preparing 2 years later for a deployment. They suck, no denying it. My advice is this...

1. Keep yourself busy.

2. No news is good news.

3. Watching the news is pointless. Someone from DoD will inform you before some idiot from CNN decides to show up on your door.

4. The communication you do receive--cherish it because you never know when you will receive it again. Live for today, not tomorrow.

5. Don't worry if you miss a phone call. I know their random, but your soldier will forgive you. You have a life and family to tend to. Guilt sucks, but your human.