The inevitable is just around the corner...

It has been almost two years since I came home from Baghdad.

In that time, I've become a father to a beautiful little girl named Leah, bought two brand new cars for my wife and I (the first time I've EVER owned a new car!), cleaned up my credit and am in the process of buying our first house!

And now.... I've gotten a warning order that my battalion will be returning to Iraq later this year. I actually was informally informed a few months back, but due to OPSEC (operational security) I was unable to mention it to anyone other than my wife.

I knew this day would come. In fact, I was looking forward to it. I had hoped that we'd go back sooner. When I tell people this, there first reaction is "ARE YOU F@&#ING SERIOUS!?!"

Yes. I'm dead serious. Why? For a number of reasons. All of which you probably wouldn't understand or be able to identify with unless you'd been there yourself.

I'll attempt to explain myself here:

1. The sooner I'm able to get back there and do my job (assisting in the rebuilding of Iraq) the sooner the war will be over. The sooner my team, battalion, fellow soldiers and I can come home for good.

2. I care about the Iraqi people and their culture.

Contrary to what the mainstream media would have you believe, not every Iraqi is a gun toting, head chopping, IED planting insurgent. I've met so many amazing people over there who just want a steady job, a nice home in a safe neighborhood, and a generally normal life.

3. I worry about my three interpreters from my first deployment. I've lost contact with them so the only way to check on them is to go back to Iraq. And it's gotten increasingly difficult to get a commercial flight over there.

4. I am a soldier. This is what I've been training for since July of 1998. Training that was paid for with your tax dollars. I'd feel just awful if your hard earned tax $$$$ went to waste by not sending me back to the Middle East. Wouldn't you?

So there you go. Just a few of the many reasons why I'd LIKE to go back. Never mind that I have to go back. I volunteered to go sooner a few months back. But then the opportunity came up to go with the team I've been training with for over a year. I'm going with them. Never again will I be a "cross-level". If you've been, then you know how much it sucks.

So there you go. My first post. I hope you enjoy this and the ones to come as I go back for a second deployment. I'll post pictures as well (provided I figure out how).

JB2D out.