They say that soldiers hold a bond that carries a lifetime...
The day had started 24 hours before, neither one of us having had enough sleep to say when yesterday ended and today began. Major Arnold Strong, Coalition Joint Task Force Phoenix V Public Affairs Officer, and myself, had agreed to meet at Portland International Airport at 6:15 am. Carrying the contents of our lives that would sustain us for the next 16 months, spread over multiple bags and Pelican cases, we met at the American Airlines ticket counter to begin the first phase of this journey. Destination: Camp Shelby, MS.
Check-in was the normal headache, compounded by a Pelican case that was 40 lbs. over limit. With a quick sprint to Norm Thompson, I purchased a small duffle, and between Major Strong and myself, we re-distributed the contents to meet the weight requirements and were on our way. I could hear the voice of my Drill Sergeant from years past, "Assess, adapt and overcome." We boarded the plane.
"Day one!" I heard the voice of Major Strong, as he waived his index finger in the air. No matter how long you plan, or what activities lead up to the moment, until you are on the plane and in route, the feelings of beginnings don't settle in. With the gesture of his hand and those two simple words, Major Strong had summed up the entire set of emotions that were now shared between us, and the soldiers already mobilized for training.
We arrived in Jackson, Mississippi at 3:15 pm Central Time. As Major Strong and I walked towards the baggage claim, he commented on our ride, "I didn't tell Staff Sergeant Smith when our flight arrived." As we walked, I added, "Major, if Staff Sergeant Smith is as squared away as you say, she'll already have that figured out." As I finished speaking my words, the Major's phone rang. It was Staff Sergeant Smith; she was 15 minutes out, and had a second vehicle accompanying her for extra baggage.
Staff Sergeant Smith is the Executive Assistant to General Pritt. Trained as an MP, she is the image of professionalism that you would expect from her position. Efficient and knowledgeable, she was able to provide a briefing on nearly any subject related to Brigade Operations and this deployment. She expects perfection from those that work around her. Being on time was just an unstated standard of her day.
The ride back to Camp Shelby was long; nearly two hours of straight, uneventful, Mississippi roads. As we drove, Major Strong and SSG Smith talked of previous deployments, Katrina, and the ongoing struggle for the local communities to rebuild. As we passed the college, she noted, "You'll notice a blue tarp on every one of the "Southern Miss" buildings. The sun was setting; we turned down the drive to Shelby's gate.
The balance of the evening was dedicated to settling in. After a brief stop-over at a command staff briefing and the accompanying introductions, we set out to secure our rooms. In route, the Major's cell phone rang. An old friend was waiting for him at the PX. We added the stop to our drive. As we pulled up to the front of the building, Major Strong stepped out with a soldier's pride. With a hug and smiles, friends were reunited. "Day 1," had come to a close.
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Copyright, Scott Kesterson- 2006
