By SSG Rich Stowell
We are home after a nine-month deployment, just in time for the holidays. We are all elated to see husbands, wives, children, parents, nieces and nephews, and even dogs. All these make everything else pale in importance. Still, a few simple things make life enjoyable. You take them for granted, unless you’ve been deployed.
Here are six such things. Everyday conveniences and indulgences that we have missed for the past nine months.
Taking a shower without flip flops
In the Army we call them “shower shoes.” Utahns used to call them “thongs.” They sell for one dollar at the Post Exchange, and they are mandatory for trips between a Soldier’s hooch and the community latrines. We washed our bodies in all manner of shower stalls, none of which you’d want to come into direct skin contact with.
At home, the shower shoes are optional.
Not shaving
Another hygiene related pleasure is skipping the razor. (For the females, ironically, picking it up again might be on the downside of returning from a combat zone). Going to work with a clean-shaven face goes without saying for full-time service members. So not shaving is basically an indication of not going to work. Eventually, most of us will get back in the habit of a daily shave, but not having to think about it for a while is nice.
Here’s to stubble!
Watching whatever I want on a television, live
Deployed service members get their TV, if they want it. But American Forces Network (AFN) caters to a narrow demographic, and sports are usually delayed broadcasts. Tuning in to a program in high definition on a 40-inch screen (or bigger) is a custom that we could get accustomed to. And seeing a football game live is going to be nice.
We got home in time for Christmas, yes, but it was the college bowl gods who smiled upon us biggest.
Leaving the wire without a weapon
It went without saying that a trip outside the base required a full combat load of ammunition. We took our rifles and often a sidearm, with many pounds of rounds for each. None of us (in the MPAD) discharged our weapons, but it was a friend at our side in case things went haywire. Thankfully, they didn't.
And we are more thankful that a trip to the store in the United States doesn't require armaments.
Stepping away from Facebook for a while
A few things really help service members stay connected to their lives back home while they are deployed, and Facebook was a life-saver for us at times. We made a lot of friends on the social network, and were able to tell ours and others’ stories from Afghanistan. But some things in life are better in person, so we are enjoying some real face time, and putting away the computer for longer stretches.
We can be real life friends again!
Jogging with headphones!
I might have been guilty of wearing the contraband from time to time even while running in uniform on a secure base. But I went for a long jog this morning with my wife and four-year-old, listening to an audio book. Not once did I worry about another Soldier calling me out for violating the regulations for uniform wear and appearance.
Exercise doesn't have to be boring anymore.
We are home after a nine-month deployment, just in time for the holidays. We are all elated to see husbands, wives, children, parents, nieces and nephews, and even dogs. All these make everything else pale in importance. Still, a few simple things make life enjoyable. You take them for granted, unless you’ve been deployed.
Here are six such things. Everyday conveniences and indulgences that we have missed for the past nine months.Taking a shower without flip flops
In the Army we call them “shower shoes.” Utahns used to call them “thongs.” They sell for one dollar at the Post Exchange, and they are mandatory for trips between a Soldier’s hooch and the community latrines. We washed our bodies in all manner of shower stalls, none of which you’d want to come into direct skin contact with.
At home, the shower shoes are optional.
Not shaving
Another hygiene related pleasure is skipping the razor. (For the females, ironically, picking it up again might be on the downside of returning from a combat zone). Going to work with a clean-shaven face goes without saying for full-time service members. So not shaving is basically an indication of not going to work. Eventually, most of us will get back in the habit of a daily shave, but not having to think about it for a while is nice.
Here’s to stubble!
Watching whatever I want on a television, live
Deployed service members get their TV, if they want it. But American Forces Network (AFN) caters to a narrow demographic, and sports are usually delayed broadcasts. Tuning in to a program in high definition on a 40-inch screen (or bigger) is a custom that we could get accustomed to. And seeing a football game live is going to be nice.
We got home in time for Christmas, yes, but it was the college bowl gods who smiled upon us biggest.
Leaving the wire without a weapon
It went without saying that a trip outside the base required a full combat load of ammunition. We took our rifles and often a sidearm, with many pounds of rounds for each. None of us (in the MPAD) discharged our weapons, but it was a friend at our side in case things went haywire. Thankfully, they didn't.
And we are more thankful that a trip to the store in the United States doesn't require armaments.
Stepping away from Facebook for a while
A few things really help service members stay connected to their lives back home while they are deployed, and Facebook was a life-saver for us at times. We made a lot of friends on the social network, and were able to tell ours and others’ stories from Afghanistan. But some things in life are better in person, so we are enjoying some real face time, and putting away the computer for longer stretches.
We can be real life friends again!
Jogging with headphones!
I might have been guilty of wearing the contraband from time to time even while running in uniform on a secure base. But I went for a long jog this morning with my wife and four-year-old, listening to an audio book. Not once did I worry about another Soldier calling me out for violating the regulations for uniform wear and appearance.
Exercise doesn't have to be boring anymore.
No comments:
Post a Comment