The Send Off Post

Last weekend I made a trip back home to spend time with the family before Stefan heads to Iraq. While I am generally opposed to all things Iraq at this point I have to say that I have a lot of respect for Stefan and his willingness to do his part in the Reserves. He seems to have a really level head on about the whole ordeal and look sat it all in an optimistic but realistic light. I wanted to be there to see him off in his last few days before getting shipped out, and spend time with the family together. Great news from Stefan was that he gets some time back home mid-tour in the summer, and that he will potentially be home for Christmas, for good. Which is phenomenal news and a lot less time than we where all originally anticipating.

He will be serving as a medic in one of the detainee (not prisoners- ‘we cant call them prisoners’) camps over there. I am glad that he will not have a directly combatative role, but of course its hardly a resort he’s heading to and he will be called on to do whatever is necessary, no doubt. He was regaling the family over brunch on Sunday how he has to ‘watch out for Chi-Rockets’. Which are homemade projectiles that the detainees like to toss at guards. Apparently when you add any liquid to chi-tea it turns solid- this is news to me. But apparently not to the prisoners, who like to piss and vomit into their tea and make a nice rock out of the result. This lovely lump is supposedly terrific fun to toss at prison guards. I’m sure this is among the tame things he will have to experience over there unfortunately, but I have faith he’ll pull through and come home safely.

I wish him all the best over there and can’t say enough how proud I am of him.