Home at last!

Yep, I'm home and happy and my schedule is so screwed up it's not even funny. Having been on night shift over there, it was almost in line with being home but not quite. Then I had to switch to days to get ready and out-process but still couldn't sleep at night (No idea why).
So, the day finally comes, we go the PAX (Passenger) terminal at 2000 and wait. Our flight doesn't leave till 0100 and we don't go thru customs at this point so all we can do is sit around and.... sleep? HA! Who needs sleep?

0100 finally comes and we actually board a completely packed C17, uneventful trip to Kuwait follows.

Get to Kuwait and find that the Air Force LNO (liaison officer) is not in nor were they expecting us. Go figure. She finally shows up and figures out what to do with us. They drop us off at a tent and point to a building and say "there's the shower and over there's the DFAC". Now keep in mind, it's 0300l (3am local) and we've been driving through this maze of roads and buildings. We have no choice but to say "OK".
Now we're told we have to store all our weapons in the Armory so the woman drops 3 of us off there during the middle of their Guardmount. Which means, we have to stand outside in the freezing cold until the security folks are done. grrrrrrr. When they are finally done we get inside and start to check them in and mention that we're only gonna be there a few hours. The Security Forces guy informs us we DON"T have to store our weapons there!!!! So we're happy but in the mean time, we have no clue where our tent is. By now it's 0430. We're so pissed off at the AF LNO people but what can you do but laugh. So the 4 of us start marching across the base with our 13 rifles and pistols till we finally find the tent. We get the weapons stowed, come outside and find that it's turning daylight. That's when we see the armory is right across from the tent and took 3 minutes to get to lol. Oh yeah, the building the lady pointed out as the shower, not the shower... grrrrrrr. We found them at the far end of the row of tents... ahhh life is good.
So now, our next flight isn't until 0130 out of Kuwait International Airport and we also find out, can't take weapons through there. So we have to find TMO and ship them all that way. Didn't break our hearts, just that much less crap to drag around.

Kuwait International was a real pain in the ass but it all had to do with security so I wasn't complaining. I did find the Kuwaitis extremely rude but I reckon those that have the gold make the rules right?

Flew out of there finally and landed in Amsterdam 6 hours or so later. A 4 hour layover there, just enough time to get some food and a couple of shots of vodka... mmmm. And then we're back in the air, straight to ATL baby!!

Landing at ATL, we run through Customs with no incidents, get out to re-check in area and there are 7 of us that want to get off here at ATL as opposed to the rest who were going on to Brunswick, GA. Well, the Delta folks finally get what we're trying to do and re-tag our baggage. When they retag mine, they put both tags on the same bag so that when I got to the carousel, only one showed up.

A little side note, I was really cool as myself and Steve came up the stairs to the Baggage claim area. As soon as we topped the stairs, everyone started clapping and saying welcome home. Of course what was odd for me was the fact the we were in uniform and I didn't see my commander there at 1st so I had to look around for a second to figure out they were cheering for us. It was a really good feeling. Steve, Larry and Jason's families were all there so it was nice. We actually did a promotion ceremony for Steve to promote him to MSgt finally.

Now I'm home, been hanging out with my awesome daughters and hearing about all their exploits in my absence.

Thanks to everyone for your support. It has been appreciated more than we can ever hope to express. Overall my trip has been a really good trip. I've met some wonderful new friends. I've experienced events and feelings that are really difficult to describe in words or pictures, some I hope never to experience again, and others I hope never go away.

The folks that are still out there doing the deed, both in the support roles and the active roles... I salute you all and I will stay in touch. I wish you all a safe return and I'll see a lot of you again in a few months when I return.

Godspeed and thanks again

*OUT*