On My Way Home

I am standing next to our motto. If you can read it. " Militaris Primoris, Semper Curantis: Soldier First, Medical Forever


Well, my sort of vacation is almost over. I did get to spend time in the sand. It was actually more like rock, hard dirt and stones. It just that it wasn’t beach sand on an ocean somewhere. Soon it will be time to rejoin normal living. I must admit I am leaving with mixed emotions. Don’t get me wrong. I am looking forward to coming home, but as with most things there are good and bad things that I have experienced. There are definitely a number of things that I won’t miss. The latrine for one. It is a glorified outhouse. Too many people have to use it. Quite frequently, the toilets would back up and you would have to use the “poop stick” to stuff the crap down into it so you can use it. The combat showers as we call them (I think the Marines call them Navy showers). Anyway, you jump in, wet yourself, turn the water off, then soap up head to toe, then rinse off. Should be in and out in 2 minutes. I must admit, I usually took 3 minutes. There is also walking everywhere on stones. The big and small pebbles slip under your foot so you can’t get any traction. It takes twice the energy to walk the same distance as on a hard surface. Day in and day out with these stones is lots of fun. Another thing is our wonderful internet, or I should say frequent lack of internet. We rely on a satellite dish which frequently is disrupted by the weather. Also, because of costs, we have too many people on it which also slows it down quite a bit. It sort of makes Comcast or AT&T look real good.



Just like in Iraq, the dust storms sometimes get a little thick





Some of the things I will really miss are the people I met and worked with. These are a great group kids and doctors. I know they are all adults, but most of them are under 30, except the doctors and the command staff, so they are like kids to me. Everyone got along pretty well. No major arguments or disagreements. When a trauma came in, they would all snap to it and do their jobs without question, no matter the time of day or night. And they did a marvelous job. I would put this crew up against any ER trauma team in the country. They really did a great job.

I have it easy compared to most of them. Most of these kids are here for a year. I have only 3 months, so I can’t complain at all. We have been through some bad traumas together, sometimes difficult times. We also have had quite a few laughs together. We shared popcorn at night watching a movie. We shared stories and pictures and home life happenings. One of the younger lieutenants had a new baby boy back home about a month ago. We all had a cigar with him that night. (I didn’t have one, but I was there congratulating him with the others). They were always watching my back and I watched theirs. They push me to run in the late afternoons. I push them to get up early and work out. When you literally eat, sleep and work together almost every minute of the day, you do get attached to one another. The people at FOB Shank are what I will miss the most. I do feel a little guilty. I almost feel like I am running out on them because they have to stay and I am leaving. I know they would like to be going home as well. I sort of feel like I am leaving a wounded comrade behind. If it wasn’t for my family and friends and commitments at home, it wouldn’t bother me to be here longer. However, I do miss my family and friends. I am anxious to go home.


Major Provenzano(Commander),myself, LTC Aldridge, LTC Bruce, LTC Hoeffner, and MAJ Sucher



The flag that flew outside the colonel's den






I finally saw the whites of the eyes of our replacements. Interesting, the Orthopedic Surgeon, COL Brad Brucker, is the doctor whom I replaced in Mosul in 2008. So I guess that it is fair play that that he replaces me after I replaced him.

So now we are in our process of going home. My travelling group is smaller than when we first came out. 2 of the surgeons are staying there for extra duty. They should come home in 2 -3 months. LTC Bruce, LTC Hoeffner and myself are now in Bagram. We have been here for a day and half now. In fact, the Taliban gave a nice little send off. They rocketed us a few hours before we left. They must have heard that we were leaving and wanted to show their appreciation. The little bastards are getting better. Their rockets usually hit about a mile outside the FOB. These hit about 200 meters away from our tents. Thanks, boys.

We turned in our ammo already. I don’t feel like John Wayne anymore walking around with my weapon and ammunition on my hips anymore. I am not sure how we travel from here. Since Mother Nature was having fits with her volcano and screwed up everything, things are quite a mess. We do have reservations to fly out of Kuwait on the 8th. They are working on maybe flying us to Germany from here and then to the states. We may get stuck in Germany for a while, but that would be ok. I hear the Germans have good beer.



My little cubbie hole all cleaned out except for some little items that the next guy may find useful


I must admit that it has been a real education working with Middle Eastern population. Their ways of survival are much different than ours. There some very good people here. For instance, the little girl that I took care of after a grenade injury to her ankle, her father was very appreciative. Every visit he would bring me a package of some dried fruit and raisins. I was too afraid to try them, but I accepted them anyway so I wouldn’t hurt his feelings. Then, there was the family of a little girl who didn’t make it. She was hit by one of ANA pickup trucks. The family wanted us to change the records to say that a US truck hit her. They knew that they could get some money from the US govt. if she was hit by one of our trucks. Kind of like when there is a bus accident at home, and low life people get on the bus after the accident and claim injuries.


The 909th FST.





Well, this is probably my last posting. It has been a good tour for me. I have no regrets. I just hope and pray that everyone else are as lucky as me and make it home safely.
Tom