Preparations

Well I have checked in at Quantico to the History Division and my first day on active duty for this adventure. It is a little unsettling to think I first checked into this base back in 1986 for duty with HMX-1, now some 21 years later I am back again on active duty here at Quantico. There is some truth to time does go quickly as you get older, 21 years does not seem so long ago but it is. I plan this week to complete a lot of the admin tasks that I must do before deploying to Iraq, such as making sure I get paid, that my wife and daughter are covered, getting equipment issued, Medical & Dental screening and receiving some additional training on my personal equipment.

I guess the reality has started to set in that I will go forward and also that this is my last deployment in uniform. I made the decision when I accepted this deployment that after 25 years I would retire upon my return. I also received a lot of help from my wife who reminded me that I was in the Corps before a lot of junior Marines were even born! The decision is bittersweet and maybe somewhat crazy as I have been told by many people, why agree to deploy to Iraq when I could have retired? I have thought about that as well but by doing this I feel that I will have done my part for the larger war and also for an organization that has become such a part of me during the last quarter century.

My goal of this blog is to give everyone who is interested a personal view of war and the people involved. I am not sure we remember the people anymore just what we see on T.V, and read. It will also serve as a way to keep my family and friends updated with what I am doing. My current role of Field Historian will allow me to dig deep into the personal side of war in all it's glory and horror. I have no doubt that this will be a life altering event for me and something I will carry with me until I depart this earth.

I follow in a long line of USMC Field Historians who have gone before me in this unit and it appears I may be the last of the "Old Crew" for awhile. I salute those whose footsteps I will follow such as Fay, Hutson, Covert, Crowley, Riley, Michocko, Durr, Benhoff, Visconage,Way, Wheeler, Winslow, Piedmont, Lowery, Watters and the man who started us off Col Nick Reynolds. So I invite everyone to join me in this journey as I will share all I see and give my personal thoughts..... Let the ride begin