Ticket to Paradise - 16 Feb 2009 - 0700

Yesterday we got word that we would finally be heading out. We packed our things and prepped to leave. After a quick briefing at back in the OTHER tent 4 about the flight and contingencies, the Platoon went out to the bag pile to load them on pallets to be trucked to the plane. I stayed behind to watch weapons and bags as my wrist is still a bit sore. Shortly after that was completed we loaded up on our C130 and took off for our layover destination. After a short flight our layover was nothing more than a refuel and go. We took back off and headed for our next base. When we stepped off the plane it was like we were in Hawaii. Palm trees, sandy beaches, girls in bikinis offering Piña Coladas and crushed ice. They then put us up in the Embassy Suites and told us we all won the lottery, also that we could go home. The war was over. Except, none of that happened. I just wanted to write something different than the same old shit every day. We get told we are leaving, we pack, we get our hopes up, we go to bed the same place we did the night before. The bonus this time is that I have no sleeping bag. So here it is. Up to the part where we got on a plane the story is true, oh and the ice shack. The girls are actually a squad from the St Louis Rams Cheerleading squad that came out for a USO tour. The picture of the beach is a large board they painted here for a fun run. Our bags were palletized and on the truck on the way out to the runway. We were waiting on the buses which we were told would be there in less than 5 minutes, when like a poorly written, horribly redundant script from the twilight zone, we were told that the flight was cancelled due to ice on the runway at our layover point. We luckily had not turned in our tents yet as we probably would have been sleeping in the OTHER tent 4 again, which btw smells like a foot now! The issue now is that all of our bags are palletized and irretrievable, exactly like the last day in Ft Sill, only this time we were in a freezing ass tent with nothing more than our carryon baggage. I kept a travel pillow but no blankets. People were again scrambling to the PX to buy blankets and shower shoes. I chose not to, but rather to just go to sleep and end the misery. When we were told it was cancelled, the majority of the Platoon just laughed. I’m past the laughing stage. I think I passed that the night we had to sleep on the concrete. I really can’t see us leaving now for the next couple of days. There is a lot of betting going on on how long we will be here now. I said Tuesday night. On the bright side, no more baggage watch. I’m simply disgusted by the lack of anyone being held accountable for the manner in which our Platoon has been swept under the rug since September. I overheard someone in the tent last night mention something to the effect of, “Can you imagine a company doing business like this? They would go bankrupt.” We’ll get a “Tough it up” or a “Hey, you’re the one that signed your contract.” That’s true, I did sign my contract. I signed and said that I would be go to war and be an Ammo Specialist, this extra bullshit was nowhere in my contract. I would love to be at our FOB (Forward Operating Base) running our ASP (Ammo Storage Point). THAT is what I signed up for, not to watch a god damn stack of duffel bags as an E6. My contract is up in 2013, I don't foresee another reenlistment. Watch for another installment of PreMob coming up as I doubt Ill have any news in the near future.