FOB Smart at 1800 - Thursday
Payday, play day, heyday, whichever way, any day is my day! We are PRT Zabul - we are men and women of the United States of America, of partner nations, of Afghanistan, and we are strong. We are one team here for one fight - the fight for establishing, maintaining, and supporting governance, reconstruction, development, and economic growth within Zabul Province. Hooah!
Another Thursday draws slowly to its end. The sun is dancing on the horizon and the winds have been blowing strong across our skies, both of change and dust, but blowing no doubt. I reflected to what I was doing a year ago earlier and realized that living the PRT dream started for me about 14 months ago. At this time last year I would have been preparing in earnest for the deployment ahead and was busy with completing all the various steps needed to leave the United States for Afghanistan. Such included passport updating, medical screening, dental screening, vision screening, background updating for clearances, visa applications, security training... training, well let's just say it was a lot of training. When it was over, and 8 May 2011 finally arrived, I was ready. This has been one very incredible journey for me.
Time here continues to tick down to my last day, which is about 44+ days at this point. I am ready to see my son again, as well as all of my family and friends back "home." How many times have I talked here about time, the passing and counting of it, and even now, after all of this time that has passed, I am still fascinated by time. Although this is my 299th day for blogging purposes - it has really been 306 days since I left, which accounts for the seven days of final deployment activities in Winchester, Virginia, and the follow-on travel to arrive here in theater. Day 365 will actually be on Sunday, 6 May 2012. All I can continue to say is, "Wow!"
The weather is still warming and trending warmer with each passing moment. Work is resuming all around, soon even concrete construction, and finally the business I am here to manage will be back into full swing of things - just as I am departing anyway. This part, and many more "parts," of my deployment is extremely rewarding and challenging. I will have to take some time at the end of this blog journey and drill down into why it has been and can be so challenging for construction managers here. Until then, just trust me - it is!
143, Kaesen.
Good night and good day.
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