Belgie/Belgique/Belgium

Time to dust off the cobwebby part of my brain where that Dutch I learned back when I was a foreign exchange student my junior year in high school resides. And time to crank up the language-learning center of my brain and, hopefully, finally learn some French.

I'm heading to Belgium for 3 years. Courtesy of the US Army. The dogs are coming, too.

Where in Belgium? I'm not exactly sure. Somewhere just across the border from Brunssum, Netherlands; where there's a NATO post. I'll be building something on that post. And I don't know why I'm not being sent to Brunssum since that's where I'll be working. To me, those are minor details. The point is I'm going to Belgium!!

Unlike my last jaunt courtesy of the US Army, people might actually want to come visit me...and be able to. They will be most welcome! Waffles and Godiva chocolates await :)

Previously Unposted

I left this comment on another blog on Monday, 5 January 2009.

I am currently deployed to Afghanistan. I just came from a ramp ceremony. It’s where they carry a casket to the plane to send home. His name is Brian. He was 42; from Ottawa. He has a wife and 2 daughters; one who shares my name.

Attendance is not required but it is something I feel everyone should do at least once. Just like I think the news should show flag-draped caskets arriving home. The men and women dying here are not just statistics. They’re people with families and they need to be honored and their sacrifice needs to be known by the general population. A population that’s busy trampling each other to get to the sale items at Wal-Mart. Priorities seem misplaced from here.

It was cold and very windy out on the flight line. It was difficult standing at attention. You had to brace yourself against a wind that was trying to blow you over and you couldn’t wipe the snot running from your nose or rub your eyes that were stinging from the wind and dust. But whatever the weather (and it does go to both extremes here), I’ll be out there. Because I don’t want to forget those fathers, mothers, sons and sisters. Because the next time, it could be me.

Next week I’ll travel home for the first time in 6.5 months. After 2 weeks I’ll return for another 6 months. Whatever your feelings on the war, I encourage you to attend a ramp ceremony for a returning soldier, airman, marine or sailor if you happen to live near a base. This war will not end if people at home are permitted to forget that it is still happening; that people are still dying.




And don’t tell my mother I said it could be me next time! As far as she knows there is nothing dangerous here, I never leave the safety of the base and the Taliban never fire rockets into our camp!

I'm Back

I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do with this or how I'm going to merge the two sites. But it's on the list.

Moving Day

The blog has found a new home. I put a welcome message on the door but nothing is unpacked yet so please excuse the sparseness of the place. The new address is: farfromkansas.blogetery.com

Feel free to stop by and visit.

Stand By For Further Instructions

Well, it seems that the computer system here do not allow access to blogspot.com so I'm unable to access the blog (S is posting this for me). I'll have to find a location that is accessible here (suggestions are welcome if you know a free blogging site...mail to farfromkansas@ymail.com, ymail not gmail).

In the mean time, know that I am here, I am safe and that wearing body armor sucks.

Shipping Out

Packed, loaded and ready to go. It will take almost 2 whole days to get there.

Uniform Update

Well, the uniform doesn't fit as badly as I thought it was going to but I still feel like I'm a kid dressed up for Halloween. They got the pants hemmed for me but the lady took them up a little too much. So now instead of being way too long, they're a little too short. You just can't win. I'll get new boots next week so for now I'm clomping around in too big boots.

Mini Me

So, they don't have pants or boots that fit me. The t-shirts go down to my knees (they said they would shrink...yeah, but not that much!). I could wear the over shirt as maternity. The fleece and polypro are huge. The smallest size available is men's small. It's really big...at least on me.

They have to order smaller boots. Till then, I have to wear ones that are too big (as in, I can slip them off when they're laced up). Between the bozo boots and britches that look like MC Hammer pants, I'm going to look like I'm playing dress-up out of daddy's closet.

Weather Forecast

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
109 111 109 105 105 Afghanistan
106 106 108 108 106 Phoenix

Hmmmm, not much difference!

Tomorrow

Yesterday I was confused all day (I know, that's pretty normal for me). Seeing as it was Friday but I was off work, I kept thinking it was Saturday and that I was leaving tomorrow (being Sunday). I was relieved every time I remembered that it was only Friday.

Well, now it really is Saturday and I really do leave tomorrow. I'm no more ready today than I was yesterday. I have a lot to do today.

Once I leave tomorrow, I'll be out of internet access until I arrive and get settled (as far as I know) so there will not be updates for at least a week (unless someone loans me a lap top).

I will have my phone with me so you can call up until Thursday afternoon. Once I get on the plane, the phone goes off. My number will be forwarded to S's phone so you can still call but it will be her who answers.

You can leave me messages here so that when I get there I'll know you've been reading (sometimes I wonder). I'll post as soon as I can to let everyone know everything is okay.

Peace