Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Familiar . . . Different

As I type this, I find myself in a location all too familiar to me. The base we traveled to last night, and where I'm currently located, is one of the bases I frequented on my last deployment, nearly 4 years ago. There have been a lot of changes in my life, changes to this post, and changes around this country. Despite all of these changes, everything about my being here has a very familiar feel to it.

I found it to be quite eerie that I could remember where the dining facility and PX were on a post that I hadn't visited in 4 years, and even then, only a handful of times. I knew right where to drive my truck to get fuel, to stage and go to sleep. . .yet, everything about this post has changed. No longer do we sleep on cots in a tent without air conditioning. Gone is the old dining facility which was essentially a large air conditioned tent. It seems as if everything has been replaced by something newer . . . something better. I suppose that's just one of those facts of life, but it shows progress all around.

This time around, I'm a Non-Commissioned Officer, violence in this country has diminished to where people are nearly able to lead a normal lifestyle, and all of the improvements on post . . .this all leads me to believe that progress, however insignificant, is still occurring here, which gives me a reason to be believe that things really can get better over here. At least I've been able to see progress in the four years I've been gone.

Anyway, that's enough reminiscing and wandering thoughts for one post. I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather that fall brings, I know I am! Until next time. . .

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