Afghanistan....

[Cowboydave]

Well, I know that I just recently started posting here again, but it looks like I am out of here for a while again. For those of you that have not heard, I am being mobilized again...

I have still not received my orders yet. Having said that, I have personally talked to the mission commander and I am pretty confident in being able to say that I will be leaving. Due to mission security, I will not be able to give out exact details, however, I can put out a couple of things. First of all, I will be heading to Afghanistan not Iraq. Secondly, I have asked for an extension on my report date and surprisingly - even to me, it was granted. Subsequently, my report date has been pushed back by two weeks to the end of the month. This gives me a little more time to organize some photo shoots and take care of business in general. I will not be able to give details on what type of missions I will be conducting when I get there, but everyone who knows me knows I am good at two things, killing and teaching others how to kill more effectively, and rest assured I will be doing one of the two, or both...

I will be out and about for the next month and you should be able to see me at the clubs until I leave, but my official going away party, if you will, will be at City Club on 21st March 2009. I hope that I can see all of you out there. Once I get in country, I should be able to post more and let you know updates and contact information, but know that MySpace or Livejournal (and here on DGN) should be perfectly acceptable places to stay in touch.

As of right now, I am scheduled to be gone for one year, though I highly expect to have that extended as need arises AND seeing as we will be invading Iran next, it looks like I will get front row seats for that!!

Expect me to bug you for photo shoots in the upcoming weeks, it is one of my few hobbies that I can enjoy in the winter and I intend to do as many of them as I can before I leave; plus, I have new photo gear and I would like to get much more intimately familiar with it before using it in Afghanistan.

[jynxxxedangel]

Take care.

[Rev.Reverence]

Condolences...or congratulations...as the case may be...

Do be safe! (either way)

...&.....may seem weird...but I have an overwhelming urge to say, "HAVE FUN!" as well..

(maybe it has somethin' to do with the last sentence of the second paragraph.)

HAVE FUN!

[torn asunder]

take care of yourself & come back in one piece!

[Homicidalheathen]

Yes, keep your internal radar on high and the eyes in the back of your head open

[Simon Bar Sinister]

May you and your fellow soldiers all make it home ok.

[TitsMcGee]

Why do you military men always seem to enjoy your deployments, seriously my brother is the same way (he's in Iraq right now). I wish you the best of luck, and just remember to keep your head down.

I'm going to be in town March 13/14 and I'll be staying at the leland if you're really interested in doing a photo shoot.

[Head Wreck]

take care chief and come back in one piecs as you have been doing so far

[hunhee]

Good luck, and stay safe!!! Please!!!

[Oh_My_Goth]

Me prayers & good thoughts are with all of you fine folks... Be well, Sir

[TomCat]

Candy Quackenbush and Odims are deploying to Afghanistan in April too. Take care of each other while you're there and may God Bless and protect you all from any harm.

[StormKnight (1)]

To give an old Egyptian blessing:

"May gods stand between you and harm, in all the empty places that you must walk."

[prick]

Please keep your head and ass and the rest well protected.

[The evil fish]

Been there - the food is great as well as the service - nothing but 5 stars all the way around! And if you believe that then you're crazy! :-) I was there in 2002, 5 months after 911 - it was crazy.

Be careful, stay off the side of the roads and walk low..... thank you for serving your country.

(the evil fish is actually a SSgt in the USAF and prior ARMY)

[SuZQZ]

Take care of yourself and be careful. Afganistan is such a hot bed right now. I know external website access can be a pain over there. My work email is actually an AKO account (.mil), so if you want a side source to send updates to the board let me know and I will shoot you my email address. (Note to self: Must remember to give info to Candy & Odims, too.)

[Soulrev]

Dude if I can make it I will totally be there. It's time I come out of my hole and go to the club anyways.

If for some reason I can't make it, I will keep you and your unit in my prayers. Keep alert, pay attention to detail, and keep safe.

Roger? Warrior? HOOAH?!

Go kick some ass warrior.

[Cowboydave]

OK, I knew that I should be careful to point out that despite having a booked flight, and despite having transfer orders and despite having talked personally to the LT Col commanding the mission, that this was not set in stone. The army has fucked me over before and has just done it again. It is now looking like I will not be going on this mission. Subsequently I am now required to attend a drill weekend this weekend in FT Custer that I had previously been excused from due to the deployment. Therefore, I will not even BE at City Club this weekend. I sincerely apologize for this. I HATE having to "Cry Wolf" and I hate that these situations undermine any confidence and trust that people have in what I say. I guess this is the price for the job I do, personally I can handle being kept dangling on a string, but I really cannot tolerate making other people do that as well. This is why I had decided to hold off on informing my family until I go the orders in hand.

Try to pass this along to anyone that you think might not read this. People have the right to know and this IS last minute as usual with the army.

[hunhee]

OK, I knew that I should be careful to point out that despite having a booked flight, and despite having transfer orders and despite having talked personally to the LT Col commanding the mission, that this was not set in stone. The army has fucked me over before and has just done it again. It is now looking like I will not be going on this mission. Subsequently I am now required to attend a drill weekend this weekend in FT Custer that I had previously been excused from due to the deployment. Therefore, I will not even BE at City Club this weekend. I sincerely apologize for this. I HATE having to "Cry Wolf" and I hate that these situations undermine any confidence and trust that people have in what I say. I guess this is the price for the job I do, personally I can handle being kept dangling on a string, but I really cannot tolerate making other people do that as well. This is why I had decided to hold off on informing my family until I go the orders in hand.

Try to pass this along to anyone that you think might not read this. People have the right to know and this IS last minute as usual with the army.

I have several friends in the army, and know that the military does this type of stuff all the time. Uncertainty keeps one on one's toes. Good luck this weekend, sorry that we won't get to see you at CC on Saturday, and keep us informed.

[taysteewonderbunny]

OK, I knew that I should be careful to point out that despite having a booked flight, and despite having transfer orders and despite having talked personally to the LT Col commanding the mission, that this was not set in stone. The army has fucked me over before and has just done it again. It is now looking like I will not be going on this mission. Subsequently I am now required to attend a drill weekend this weekend in FT Custer that I had previously been excused from due to the deployment. Therefore, I will not even BE at City Club this weekend. I sincerely apologize for this. I HATE having to "Cry Wolf" and I hate that these situations undermine any confidence and trust that people have in what I say. I guess this is the price for the job I do, personally I can handle being kept dangling on a string, but I really cannot tolerate making other people do that as well. This is why I had decided to hold off on informing my family until I go the orders in hand.

Try to pass this along to anyone that you think might not read this. People have the right to know and this IS last minute as usual with the army.

K. Sorry about that. Seems to be their normal mode of operation. Hope your weekend works out as tolerable anyway.