Where to start

So I've had a blog for some time now (socialist gambler), which has focused primarily on my thoughts on gambling, sports, politics and some stories from the past. But as I prepare to deploy to Qatar and Pakistan in the next couple of day, I've decided that I'd like to keep a running diary (or blog) of my experiences from my deployment. For obvious reasons (GO 1), I'll keep gambling and drinking out of this particular blog. Instead, I'll focus on what I'm doing from day to day, and what I'm experiencing as an Air Force Logistics Readiness Officer deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

So let me start by explaining where I've come from. As a Air , Force Logistics Readiness Officer (from here on referred to as an LRO), I've been responsible for deploying people to Iraq and Afghanistan for the last 3 1/2 years. Bluntly, I've been a hard ass about it. I've made tough calls, telling people that they should enjoy Thanksgiving, because they'll be having Christmas at a chow hall in the desert or telling a 3-star General that his LRO is more important to US Central Command then it is to US Africa Command. I pride myself in always being by the book and making decisions based on merit and not by personal issues.

Yet, my current job allows me to influence the type and location of my deployment, most assume that I played some part in choosing my current deployment. And by influence, I mean choose which deployment I want. From that, I understand how people come to that assumption that I've hand selected this deployment. But, in all honesty , I didn't do anything to get this deployment. It just fell into my lap, just like the average LRO.

Why wouldn't I influence my deployment location you ask? As Wild Bill once said, "My hypocrisy only goes so far". How can I be a hard ass to some people and work a deployment to Gitmo for me? I just can't do it.

So now I'm reaping what I've sown. I'm looking down the barrel of a deployment that doesn't have a solid start or end date and my wife is pregnant living in a foreign country. We are hoping I'm back by Oct, but Thanksgiving looks like a better target date. The unknown is always the worst.