Day 150

Milestone day, you bet! 150th day equals 5 months down. It's also my 120th day "BOG" which stands for Boots-on-Ground. In the Navy, I get a special "AQD" code when I do at least 120 days deployed. I have no idea what that means but it's good to have that code on your record for future advancement opportunities.

Today, the building where I work was buzzing. They are a huge sustainment brigade and leave mid-October to early-November. They are here on a one-year deployment and are prepping the building to turn it over. Today, they were painting everything. Patching holes, painting walls, and just making the place look good. We're in a pre-existing building so it's pretty rough and archaic. No drywall or anything like that. Try 1 foot thick concrete walls. So, as they get ready to go home and their reliefs start to show up, I expect the mood and feel in the building really start to get exciting. Ironically, within the timeframe of their departure, I will also slip out the door and hop on my own "Road." :-)

Before I even got to work today, though, I went and picked up my bib number and t-shirt for this Sunday's "9.11K" to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  Early Sunday, there will be a 9.11 kilometer run followed by breakfast and festivities.  It was pretty cool to see The North Face sponsoring the race...a brand I love and wear a lot of back home. (Civilian clothes? What's that?!) The t-shirt is pretty cool, too. I'll post a pic this weekend after the race. The plan is for everyone to wear their shirts to the race.

Just before lunch, I headed on down to the bazaar. I'd say "why" but that would ruin the surprises I have for Dorothy and the girls. Not huge deals but surprises, nonetheless. Out here, blankets, rugs, and scarves are huge. Dorothy has no interest in any of that. Of all the shopping I've done, I've never seen something where it just hit me: "She'll love that! or "The girls will absolutely love that!!" Today, I did find some things that I decided to negotiate a bit on and purchase. I will certainly be shipping one final box home. :-) I even took a photo with the Afghan merchant named "Haleem" to share with friends and family back home.

Later on in the day, I was surprised big time to receive yet another care package. I was surprised because it came from a cluster of folks from my civilian job back in "Kansas." I've communicated with many of them since I deployed but never received anything material from them. Just last week, they chipped in and got my girls two Build-a-Bear gift cards which in itself was a big surprise. Little did I know, they sent me a care package, too. That really meant a LOT to me...it really shows the kind of people I work with back home and felt really good. Thank you all so much!!!!

Not too much later after that, I gave a friend a ride to the air terminal to go HOME. Yes, I surely love giving people rides there when they are leaving because I get to imagine ME being that person someday. This particular person will probably be someone I'll stay in contact with and even meet up with in the future as he lives where I drill in the Navy Reserve. Later on in the evening as he was preparing to take off, I received a text from him telling me that his flight had become a Hero Flight. Yes, a flag-draped casket was onboard with him and others en route back to Dover Air Force Base in the States.  Yep...always something to keep it real out here. I've never flown with a Fallen Hero out here...that's got to be an emotion-filled flight. "Rest in peace, brother."

After some Mongolian BBQ for dinner (which I focused heavily on SHRIMP!), I had a late conference call on the project I've been spearheading since June. Yes, the one based on the point paper I wrote. Tonight was the big kickoff teleconference with the new team. (the old time got removed from the project thanks to yours truly) As before, I was looked to for the answers and I provided them. I sure do hope this project continues on once I leave. Afterwards, we departed immediately as we had already surpassed the 12hr point in the office. As soon as we got back, I ducked into the chow hall for some praline ice cream (my version of crack in the war zone) and grabbed two more boxes of cereal to complete my 24 pack collection! (see right) I can't talk about dates but I have a 24-day countdown in the future where I'll count down with these. I've been living on Kashi cereal for breakfast via care packages for quite awhile but that will run out really, really close to when this 24-day countdown needs to start. Kinda crazy, I know but like I've said before...any kind of landmark or mental game that'll help me get through the days, I'll take them! And with that...Day 150 is history.

Goodnight, everyone.