Time To Come Home Is Getting Close For Alpha Company!

YOU KNOW YOU'RE CLOSE WHEN YOU GET A PACKING LIST

By SFC Kevin Kelly

Today the excitement that most of us got was a packing list of things that we will need to keep with us while the other stuff is sent in our black boxes. It's not going to be much left. Will kind of stink living in a duffel bag for 2 1/2 months or so, but will be well worth it in the long run. We'll have to get all our black boxes packed up and then we will have them inspected and finally loaded up. Won't see them again until we get to Camp Shelby or perhaps when we get back to the armory. Now you know why I said don't send anything over here that can't be consumed or left over here. Won't be much room left in any of our bags. We have people that are going on leave soon so they won't even be here when their boxes are put in the conex. I don't think they will complain too much.

We've had a couple of meetings now about redeployment. It seems weird to be talking about going home. It also makes it seem like the days are going by slower because you have dates to look forward to. Most of the talks have been about sending equipment and black boxes back as well as what equipment we will be leaving behind. We took a list the other day of how many people wanted to stay back and help load all this equipment out. I myself did not put my name on that list. We had a lot of volunteers. I think A Co. alone had like 20. I think part of the time will be spent in Kuwait and the rest will be spent back in the states unloading ships and taking all the vehicles and equipment to the different guard armories. With me being AGR, that means we will be the ones at the armory when this shows up and we will have to unload and inventory everything. That will be a lot of work, but I'm sure it will make the days go by pretty fast.

We had a meeting today at 3:00 to discuss the priority of sending people home. Each company took their list of people and decided in order when they should fly out. We don't have any dates or anything, but people knew if they would be some of the first, middle or last to go. It was kind of funny in the meeting. You had people who were trying to take care of their guys and get them out early. You had people trying to get some of the problem children gone and some having them stay. We had people broken down by the guys that are staying back (volunteered) in Kuwait to load the ships, advanced party, PLDC and college students and then the main body. CPT Cager knew he was going to be the last one and he got it. The commander has to be the last one here to make sure everything is either signed off on or all the stuff he is signed for is either loaded or transferred to the next unit. The whole thing is that this list is subject to change tomorrow so no one is really getting their hopes up. It was nice to be discussing going home though.

We had to turn in some equipment that will be staying here in Kuwait so everyone had to come to the TOC to turn it in. We then had to check for shot records, ID Cards and ID Tags. It's amazing that so many people can lose those things when they are the most important thing to keep on you besides your weapon. We're trying to make sure everyone has them before we get ready to go home. We all knows what happens if you don't have your ID at the airport. It cost me a day in Kuwait until I got a new one made. I don't want to spend another day here than what I have to.

"Home"

by Michael Buble

Another summer day

Has come and gone away

In Paris and Rome

But I wanna go home

Mmmmmmmm

Maybe surrounded by

A million people I

Still feel all alone

I just wanna go home

Oh I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you

Each one a line or two“I’m fine baby, how are you?”

Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough

My words were cold and flat

And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane

Another sunny place

I’m lucky I know

But I wanna go home

Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home

I’m just too far from where you are

I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life

It’s like I just stepped outside

When everything was going right

And I know just why you could not Come along with me

But this was not your dream

But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come And gone away

And even Paris and Rome

And I wanna go homeLet me go home

And I’m surrounded by

A million people I

Still feel alone

Oh, let me go home

Oh, I miss you, you knowLet me go home

I’ve had my runBaby, I’m doneI gotta go home

Let me go home

It will all be allright

I’ll be home tonight

I’m coming back home