A Significant Step

Today we had a barbeque at the shop for the longest serving EWO on the FOB because he is going on to a happier place. We collected money for someone to buy uncooked food at the main base in Baghdad when they went on a supply run, a move which I think is silly since you can get food for free that is cooked. The BBQ was not about me, however, or about what I thought about wasting money on frivolous social events. It was about Sr. Chief. His 280 day mark is September 18, and he will not get home until September 22. This is not a happy subject with him since the 280 in-country was supposed to be semi-sacred. One could argue that it still is semi-sacred since sacred is an all or nothing word, but I digress. The true significance of Senior’s departure is that my group of EWO’s is now the most senior in Iraq which also means the next to go home. Of course being next is not the same as leaving soon, but you can’t leave soon until you are next. I’ll start holding my breath now.