Hey Grogs, I wanted to let you all know I will be deploying to Afghanistan in the next few days. This is a community that really makes me feel at home even if I don't contribute a whole lot and I just wanted to say I'll probably be contributing a lot less over the next few months, though hopefully I should have pretty easy access to internet.
The area to which I am going in southern Afghanistan is pretty bad right now. If any of you are religious as I am I would appreciate whatever prayers you could offer for safety and success. My wife and two kids have a great support community here at Ft. Bliss and I consider many of you to be a support to me in a way. I've been reading some of your posts since I was in high school and I stumbled on wargamer.com looking for scenarios for Steel Panthers II. Thanks to you all for being here and I look forward to hopefully continuing to read and contribute from downrange.
Keep your head down, brother. God bless and a safe return.
Good luck and stay safe, you'll be in my prayers.
Prayers aplenty that you keep safe. Same goes for those you serve with. Keep us updated on how you are doing- to the extent permitted, of course ;).
Stay safe and thank you for your service!
I wish you the most incredible luck, should you ever have need of it - hopefully the need won't arise.
Try not to fret about the deployment. You can't influence that you're going and what will be, will be. It's much easier to be fatalistic than mess with your head in worrying about the worst that might happen, when the chances are nothing serious will. The butterflies in your stomach when you dwell on stuff is natural and normal. Don't forget the odds are with you. You will be surrounded by guys who will not only know and do their job right, but will look out for you and care more than you might imagine. Stay focused on your job, work with the team, don't take silly chances and come back safe to tell us about all the funny things that will invariably happen.
You and your unit have my sincere and best wishes for a safe return. God bless. :)
Wow, I'm not happy to hear this.
Make sure you send a snail mail address to someone here- Longblade, JH, Gusington, etc.- and we'll get a care package together for you a bit into your deployment.
I've never been to Afghanistan, but that whole region of the world sucks. If we can send you a little something a few months in to take away the sting, so much the better.
Stay safe.
<S>
Mike
Wishing you the best of luck!
Good luck AR and prayers for a speedy, safe return. And like SoM says above, thank you for your service.
Take care man. You'll have my thoughts and prayers for you and your family.
Be good and keep sharp.
How many days do you have? I may be able to send a culture & language iTouch to you.
Quote from: Toonces on November 29, 2012, 10:17:46 PM
Wow, I'm not happy to hear this.
Make sure you send a snail mail address to someone here- Longblade, JH, Gusington, etc.- and we'll get a care package together for you a bit into your deployment.
I've never been to Afghanistan, but that whole region of the world sucks. If we can send you a little something a few months in to take away the sting, so much the better.
Stay safe.
<S>
Mike
+1
Send me a PM with a snail mail addy. I'll put something together.
Keep your head down and your feet and powder dry, Airborne. Say a prayer and so will I. And as my dad told me when I shipped out, "Don't volunteer for anything."
Stay in touch when you can. We will be thinking of you. Good luck and God bless.
Quote from: Smuckatelli on November 29, 2012, 10:53:39 PM
How many days do you have? I may be able to send a culture & language iTouch to you.
Thanks Smuck. I'm leaving in the next 48 hours but I did send LB my mailing address in country.
Be careful and do not squander your Luck.
Quote from: Greybriar on November 29, 2012, 11:43:33 PM
Keep your head down and your feet and powder dry, Airborne. Say a prayer and so will I. And as my dad told me when I shipped out, "Don't volunteer for anything."
Stay in touch when you can. We will be thinking of you. Good luck and God bless.
That's almost verbatim what I was going to say. Good thing I read the thread first.
Go get'em Airborne, and stay as safe as you can. Thank you for answering the trumpet's call.
Stay safe Dude!
I've got his address. Not sure if it makes sense to send me a bunch of stuff and let me ship it out - probably better I just share the address with you guys and you forward directly.
Stay safe. And thanks for doing your part! 8)
Good luck, good hunting, God bless.
Good Luck and Stay Save ! from this side of the pond also.
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 29, 2012, 09:40:36 PM
Keep your head down, brother. God bless and a safe return.
What Steelie said.
Good luck AR. Look after your squadmates and know they'll look after you. Keep us updated whenever you can!
Quote from: LongBlade on November 30, 2012, 08:26:09 AM
I've got his address. Not sure if it makes sense to send me a bunch of stuff and let me ship it out - probably better I just share the address with you guys and you forward directly.
Thanks LB. I will contribute whatever I can. If Airborne you have any items you need that you missed from packing up please let us know.
You and your family are in my prayers.
Be careful over there, AR. Please come back to us hale and whole. :)
Good luck and stay safe,
Wishing you success and a safe return.
Best of luck AR - keep checking your 6!
Quote from: Martok on November 30, 2012, 01:21:27 PM
Be careful over there, AR. Please come back to us hale and whole. :)
this
take it easy and get back safe
Best of luck to you.
Thanks for your service AR. Stay smart and Good luck!
Thank you and Best of luck to you! My wife and I will keep you in our prayers...
God bless and thank you for your service. And pat yourself on the back. You got Electric Strawberry to post :-)
Take care of yourself over there, AR. Good luck and stay safe.
Hey all, thanks for the kind wishes. After a long treck via Alaska, Kyrgyzstan, and Kandahar I am safely at my FOB here in southern Afghanistan, settling in and preparing to take over for the unit we are replacing. I really appreciate all the support from you all.
Thanks for checking in man. Glad you're okay.
Good to hear you made it safely. We will all keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Stay safe and properly hydrated brother.
May I ask what's your MOS?
Count me "in" for a care package...
Jack Nastyface
Not sure how I missed this...Godspeed brother. You and your boys are in our thoughts and prayers.
Quote from: Jack Nastyface on December 14, 2012, 03:03:04 PM
May I ask what's your MOS?
11 Bravo ass-kicker, or something like that.
11A, infantry officer.
Glad to know you made it. Head down and powder dry.
Stay safe AR, you are in our thoughts and prayers!
my best wishes too and a prayer to your safe return from europe.
Glad to hear you landed safe AR. Now please stay that way!
@AR
Try drinking Ayran (yoghurt mixed with water and some salt) if you get the chance. It's very good for hydration and keeping your sodium levels reasonable when you sweat. :)
Good to hear your got there okay. Looking forward to hearing you got back okay down the road.
Godspeed AB, we're all thinking of you.
Quote from: Gusington on December 15, 2012, 06:34:43 PM
Godspeed AB, we're all thinking of you.
Wait...what is it? WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?! :o
Quote from: Arctic Blast on December 15, 2012, 06:35:40 PM
Quote from: Gusington on December 15, 2012, 06:34:43 PM
Godspeed AB, we're all thinking of you.
Wait...what is it? WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?! :o
It's nothing, really.
Just put your warmest coat on before answering the upcoming knock on your door. You may also want to visit the restroom one last time...
I'll be right there Arctic...prepare.
Quote from: Arctic Blast on December 15, 2012, 06:35:40 PM
Quote from: Gusington on December 15, 2012, 06:34:43 PM
Godspeed AB, we're all thinking of you.
Wait...what is it? WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?! :o
The only thing worse than not knowing what we're thinking is...knowing what we're thinking.
Put on your warmest coat...Gusington is coming.
Sounds like something that would be babbled by a child actor using a creepy voice in a B Grade horror flick.
And now I finally have a sig. :)
AB, you have no idea what you have just done. The Gusington THRIVES on recognition. You'd best smother yourself in dog testicles and Sammy Hagar albums or he's coming for YOU!
Quote from: MetalDog on December 16, 2012, 10:07:23 AM
AB, you have no idea what you have just done. The Gusington THRIVES on recognition. You'd best smother yourself in dog testicles and Sammy Hagar albums or he's coming for YOU!
I'm not sure which of those two choices is actually worse...
And you're fine so long as you don't say Gusington 3 times in rapid succession. That's what summons him.
Open the door...
Quote from: Gusington on December 16, 2012, 08:24:19 PM
Open the door...
Why, is there something for me? Like a present? Sweet! Okay, I'd better head over to the door and....
AAAUUUGGGGHHHHH!
Sweet success.
Quote from: Arctic Blast on December 16, 2012, 03:53:41 PM
And you're fine so long as you don't say Gusington 3 times in rapid succession. That's what summons him.
Yes but he's qualified. Gus attended Juliard. He's a graduate of the Harvard Business school. He travels quite extensively. He lived through the black plague and had a pretty good time during that. He's seen the Exorcist about a hundred and sixty seven times and it keeps getting funnier every single time he sees it! 8)