Travel Time

Well I figured that the trip from Kuwait to Lemoore should take a total of 42 hours, we’ll see! I’m writing this from Kuwait International Airport at 2354 local time(1500 EST). So far the whole warrior transition program has been really well organized and a breeze to get through. Although we were staying in tents and had to walk to the showers outside, it was a great experience. If the people who organize and run the WTP ran the Navy, I’d be staying in another 10 years!

Have I said that I cannot wait to get home? Well I can’t! haha. I’m pretty tired right now and can’t wait to get on that plane and feel the wheels come off of the ground. I’ve noticed one thing about Kuwait, the roads on the way to the airport were all nicely paved. As soon as we got to the spot to depart the bus, dirt again! I wonder why. I’m sick of dirt by the way. I think that we have a 6 hour flight to Germany and then an 8 hour flight to Baltimore. I wonder who is going to be hammered once we are able to finally drink a beer or two or ten! I’ll probably only have one in Germany and then one in Baltimore, we’ll see.

I’ve met up with several people I trained with in Fort Jackson this past week. It was nice to see them again and hear their stories. Josh was in Kabul and in charge of training the Afghan Police up there, he said that it was very interesting. Saw a couple of pictures he had and it definitely looks like a third world country. I never did get to go out into town, and I didn’t want to either! I was fine being a “fobbit”, a FOB is a Forward Operating Base, and a fobbit is someone who never leaves the FOB.

Now I’m writing from the plane trip from Baltimore to Salt Lake and then finally to Fresno. It was a 34 hour trip from Kandahar to Baltimore. After the 9 hour flight from Germany to Baltimore I had to sprint to the gate to catch the flight to Fresno, I missed it by 35 seconds or so. I watched the plane back up. It turned out to be a nice rest stop though. I got a room at the Sheraton and relaxed, it was a beautiful night! Like I said before, I’m writing while on the flight, in flight Wi-Fi rocks! I should be home in Hanford around 1300 or so this afternoon, can’t wait. People have been really nice, upon check in to the hotel last night, the manager bought us a couple beers each. This morning at the airport I had breakfast and some lady paid for it for me, absolutely amazing! I feel for the guys who returned from Vietnam who were greeted with spit, thank you to those who served during that “police action”. Take care and I’ll keep writing every week or so about Shayna and I if anyone is interested.

The picture this week is after we ran the Marine Corps 5K to celebrate their birthday. I ran it in 23 minutes, not too bad. I’ll be running a 4 mile race with Larry, Shayna’s dad, the day before Thanksgiving, should be a lot of fun.

Shayna I love and miss you very much, see you in about a week. Take care everyone.

Dave