16 October 2009

Regarding re-integration

Over the next few days, posting might be light as I attempt to experience everything I've missed for the last year. However, a few interesting points about re-integrating back into everyday life kind of struck me.

  • The morning after we landed back safe and sound at Fort Drum, I went to the Verizon store in the local area to re-activate my cell phone and swap it out for a new one. Clearly, every Soldier on the same flight decided to do the same exact thing, with many of them showing up in uniform, due to the fact that they probably didn't have any other clothes with them. Over the next few days of re-deployment classes, I could see Soldiers out of the corner of my eye fumbling with their new high-tech iPhone or Blackberry--it's amazing at how much a part of our everyday life these things have become. I literally went nuts without a Blackberry while in Iraq.
  • One of the upsides about being stationed at Fort Drum (home of 12 feet of snow annually), is that the civilian workers at this base combine Northern efficiency with Southern charm (without the Southern accents, too). This is, by far, the best of all possible combinations.
  • The only bad part about being home is the drastic drop in temperature from 95 degrees F (37C) to roughly 30F (0 degrees C).

1 comment:

SJ said...

Sounds like the complete opposite of Washington DC which has the charm of a Northern city and the efficiency of a Southern one.

Think of the bright side, you've probably come back just in time for ski season. Seems to be starting early this year.

Welcome back!