Unfortunate Thoughts

Days are getting longer as the time to go home grows nearer. It is kind of bittersweet in a way. I really, really want to be back with my family; but, this has been the most fun deployment I have ever been on. It also has given me the greatest sense of accomplishment. By that I mean that I really feel the work we are doing is important. I have deployed before on both surface and sub-surface platforms but mainly it was just boredom interrupted by the occasional liberty port. I never felt like what we did was important. In fact, I am sure that if those deployments never occurred there would be no discernible affect on the face of day to day life or history. I can't say that for this deployment. In the last four and a half months there is a measurable number of trans-national terrorist that can no longer threaten our homes and families. There have been attempted terrorist operations that have failed to harm our homes and families because of the work we did. A definable impact is being made from our efforts. I go home in a month and half or so but there is still a huge amount of work left to do. I kind of wish I could stay to finish it however; the work left to do can be only be measured in terms of years or decades. The United States is at war. We can see that out here, it is as plain as the nose on your face, I am afraid I won't see that reflected back home. In fact, I know I won't. It wasn't there when I left so why should I expect it to be there when I get back. Never-the-less, the nation is at war. We are fighting the enemy in foreign places like Afghanistan, Georgia, Iraq, the Horn of Africa and many others so we won't be fighting them in places like Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, New York, etc. The concept is simple: Take the war to the enemy. Does the American public care? More pertantly, DOES IT UNDERSTAND. The unfortunate side effect of taking the war to the enemy is that the war becomes very impersonal to the American people and unfortunately for us all, the American people have a very very short attention span. I feel a real sense of accomplishment with regard to my time spent here. In fact, I will never know all the things we accomplished but those accomplishments still belong to me and all the Sailors, Marines, Soldiers and Airman who have served here and elsewhere. I hope I have more opportunities to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and even Operation Iraqi Freedom. Outside of my family it is the most important, worthwhile work I have ever done. I am afraid when I get home I will see a nation that doesn't understand or care about the threat it faces. That saddens me.

TO THE TYRANT NEVER YIELD