Journey Into The Unknown (Korea) Day 0

The past couple of weeks have been awesome. Once I was out-processed from Fort Gordon, I spent the Veteran's Day four day weekend in Augusta with my wife which was nice. We then flew back home on different flights. Besides growing a pretty impressive beard, the two weeks after that were spent visiting friends and family. It's strange because it felt like both a long time, but too short. We pretty much had every day planned out on who we were going to see and spend time with. I am so grateful that I was able to spend thanksgiving with my kids and my extended family. We had lunch with my wife's family and then dinner with mine. I ate entirely too much food!

Each day that would pass would bring me one more day closer to leaving. It can get a little depressing thinking about being away from everyone again for so long. Dropping my kids off on the ferry to head back to their mom's house was especially emotional. We were running late to the ferry, so we had to kind of rush our good-byes. While watching them walk up the ramp and on to the ferry I felt like I got punched in the stomach. I almost broke down and cried right then and there. This has to be the absolute worst part about being in the army…the time away from my wife and kids. I really hate that. Tomorrow I will be dropped off to the airport and will have to say good-bye to my wife which will be unbearably tough as well. I'm not looking forward to that at all. We've already had a few emotional moments just thinking about it.

Tomorrow I will begin my journey into the unknown. I'll be leaving to South Korea. A country that is still technically at war with North Korea. North Korea has been in the news lately too, they recently sunk a South Korean naval ship and just in this last week North Korea rained down artillery on a small South Korean island killing and injuring marines. China is now getting involved and hopefully things will calm down. Other than the seemingly unstable communist neighbor to the north I've heard good things about being stationed in South Korea. People that have been there tell me that it's a lot of fun. I've also heard the shopping is great…although I'm not a big shopper.

I will be spending tomorrow getting all my clothes washed and packed. I'll go over my list of required items and make sure they're packed in my carry on. I'll also be copying some movies and other items from my home computer to my portable drive. I'll be trying to bring everything I'll need for a year…right now it's hard to even fathom. I will then head to the airport and get there by 9PM which will be a little over six hours before my flight out. I'll be in civilian clothes and I'll be checking in two bags with everything that I'll need for a year. I'll be in South Korea soon and then I'll be starting the post-training portion of my time in the army. Right now I'm scared…I'm excited…I'm depressed. I am a bag of mixed emotions.

Now that my leave is over I'll also be updating this journal a bit more. I'll be doing the writing, but I'm not sure how long it will take before I have internet again, so it may be a few days before I can get the updates posted.

Wish me luck….

robbijaq@comcast.net

I wish you the best of luck as well as the best of everything else.  I have been tracking your progress since the beginning and have been extremely grateful for all that you've shared.  My 18-year old son started basic at Ft. Benning around the time you were leaving there and your writings have been very insightful to me, and I can't tell you how much I appreciated them.  You assisted me in my quest to become a knowlegeable and good soldier's Mom.  I shall keep you, your wife and children and all your families (yours, your wife's and your Army family) in my daily prayers as you begin this new journey as a well-trained brave American soldier.  "Thank you" are two very small words but filled with an overflow of gratitude for you and all soldiers in all branches of the military.  Do take care.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010 - 05:48 AM