Travel

The USO is a wonderful organization. Free coffee. Free internet. And they are in more places than Chabad. Send them money. It is probably tax deductible, but you'll need a receipt.
Leaving was incredibly easy. Show up for manifest, a quick attendance call, and then on the bus to our plane. Take-off was on time. I did not need to check my knife, leatherman, lights, etc. This is the way to travel.
I like working in a world of "big-boy rules."
So we have a layover in another country. We deplane (I like the word "deplane"), clear customs, and get to hang out in the terminal for a little bit. This leg wasn't bad. The meal and drink service was subpar, but I was allowed to lie down on the floor. To be fair, there actually were boxed meals. Not much I could eat, but it was there.
I slept the whole time anyway. Put it some earplugs, layed a towel on the floor to protect me from the cold metal, my jacket for a pillow, and a poncho-liner for a blanket. We all crammed ourselves in between cargo pallets and troops seats and pretty much everyone slept like babies. No Ambien needed.
This may sound silly and naive, but it is awe-inspiring to touch down in another country and see the ramp full of our aircraft. It really brings meaning to the idea that we have personnel in over 180 countries at any given time and what it takes to sustain that. For you military folks reading this from overseas, feel free to laugh at my minor revelation, and thanks.

Oh, and before I sign off, I must mention that while killing time before I had to leave, I saw some guys leaving the gym with a kettlebell. So if you are, say, my wife, or my parents, or my wife's parents... HA! They are real and other people use them too. Nate Morrison, the guy who rights the fitness articles for the Military Times papers (this week's topic: Ruck Marching) is a kettlebell instructor and many of his articles recommend either kettlebell or adapted kettlebell exercises.

And my wife thinks it is funny that she is referred to as my wife. Sorry wife. Wife. Wife. Maybe we'll need an appropriate pseudonymn for my wife. My wife would like that. If my wife were here, she would hit me. My wife's eye's will roll so far back into her head when she reads this that she'll have to walk backwards for the rest of her life. I hope that makes sense. Sorry...