I forgot how uncomfortable it can be to be sleep deprived, out of your element and dropped into a new and completely unfamiliar place.
That’s how we arrived in the middle east on the way to Afghanistan.
After just over 24 hours of traveling we arrived to an incredibly windy, sandy sunrise. While the fresh air was welcome it was close to 40’ warmer from what we had previously left. My uniform was wrinkled. I stunk, my hair was rapidly falling out of the tight French braid I’d done the day before and I wanted water and chewing gum.
The whole group was given a set of instructions and upon completing that step was given the next step. It went on like this step by step by step as we moved our insane amount of luggage, processed through customs and found our way to our new “home” for an unknown amount of time.
As we walked out of the airport and on to rickety old school buses patched up with an unknown amount of duct tape someone suggested we were no longer in Kansas. We of course hadn’t left from Kansas, but that hardly mattered at this point.
As we were headed to the Air Force Base in the U.S. from which we flew out I remember looking out the window and seeing the golden arches of McDonalds right next to a large American flag flying proudly on the pole nearby. “It will be a long while before you see this again,” I thought to myself, and made a mental note to appreciate it. At the same time that was sinking in the girl sitting next to me exclaimed “What is going on? There are cops all around us.”
I chided myself for not being situationally aware to the surroundings around me, something I know will be critical as I embark on this. I looked back at the flag with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and loss.
So now we are here. I’ve been to the Middle East before. Maybe not exactly this place, but the smell of the air is familiar as is the overwhelming dry dust that seems to surround you from all directions. The air was so thick with sandy dust that it gave the rising sun a weird glow.
There isn’t a single tree on the base here. The colors of the buildings and dirt and sand and cement all blend together and you feel like perhaps you are living in a skeleton on the outskirts of the world.
We stumbled into our temporary home – a large metal shed type building with over 50 other women. Rows and rows of bunk beds and a sandy walk to the trailer with showers and toilets. I thought, “I’m too old for this.”
Everyone was grumpy and disoriented. We didn’t know our way around and between the wind, sand and lack of color it was dreary and just a little intimidating. Within 24 hours though we’d figured out how to get on Wifi, where the chapel was for Easter services, enjoyed a meal and saw a movie!
It is a good reminder though of how much impact your environment can have on your mental wellbeing. Note to self in case I’m in the position to help someone else through such a moment.
Stop everything to read your posts, please keep on sending. Happy Easter! Thank you for your service. Will read some of your blog on our show tomorrow. Take care,
Ken
Always said you was a great writer, brought me back to the many deployments in that area and the many discussions we had while you were on the bridge driving the ship, never really knowing what we were going to do, Keep up the good work.
You are such an inspiration. I think I’ve mastered the head mic without running my hair. This Sunday went better than a month ago. Stay safe and inspire your troops to be the best they can be– just like you.
Hi, Lesley. You have been much on my mind. Grateful to you for documenting your experience. Makes it real for me in a way that I appreciate. Keep writing. Keep safe. Keep your joy. In appreciation of you, Alison .