On Leave

"I have seen it, but I don't remember this part. Funny, it's like what's happening to us, like the past. The movie never changes -- it can't change -- but everytime you see it, it seems to be different because you're different -- you notice different things." - James Cole in "12 Monkeys"

I'm home now on my two week break. Once again I had the opportunity to fly anywhere in the world on leave for free, but again I chose to come back home and take it easy. I'm actually surprised we're being granted leave since our tour is only nine months. If they are offering, then I'm taking, though quite a few members of our team aren't going to bother with it. Surprisingly, it only took three days to get home from the time I was dropped off at a small base in E. Afghanistan. Those flights with the civilian-contracted Hueys really help since apparently military air hardly flies in any type of bad weather anymore.

I was one of three marines on the flight from Kuwait out of some 200 people. I'd been through the whole leave process from Iraq before so I wasn't surprised or frustrated by some of the little things like showing up 12 hours before the flight is scheduled to leave, etc.

As for being back home, can't say I have much planned. My perspective has changed on a few things, but thankfully I can't say I've been radically changed by my experiences in
Afghanistan so far. One thing I have noticed while driving around is that those hills that used to seem fairly steep now seem almost flat. The mountains in Afghanistan, much like the heat in Iraq, have made an impact on me.

"12 Monkeys" is my favorite movie by the way.