Dana’ Diary Friday 9pm Kuwait time

My oh my…I arrived back in Kuwait tonight after leaving Al Asad , Iraq. I think Caveman Holzworth actually got a little teary-eyed saying goodbye to me today.

What a great visit! Having the opportunity to spend my Thanksgiving with the troops was a once in a lifetime experience that I will not soon forget. The marines and sailors at Al Asad were very nice and always willing to talk to me. They jumped at the chance to be able to send a message home to their families.

I think the most valuable thing I learned from my time in Iraq was that our US Troops are the most highly trained, highly motivated individuals I have EVER met! You can put them a hot desert, away from their loved ones, away from civilization, and they will still greet you with an energetic HOORAH! That is dedication. I am a better person just because I got the chance to be a part of their lives if even for a short time.

I look forward to my time in Kuwait. I am exhausted and I miss my family, but then I think about how I am here for less than 2 weeks and I get to go home. These men and women are here from 6-18 months. I have no right to complain.

The living conditions on this Army base are not as good as in Iraq (which were mediocre.) I am in a big green tent with a plywood floor and 4 bunk beds. So far, I am in this tent alone. Everything in here is dusty. Everything EVERYWHERE is dusty. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will also be dusty until I reach the comfort of my own shower back home.

I am scheduled to meet with our very own deployed Battalion 11 out of Saufley Field. I am very excited about this visit because we have been following this group since before they left Pensacola. It is so cool to me that we were not only there when they left and will certainly plan on being there when they return home…but we are also here right in the middle of it all. Seeing first hand what they are doing, how they are coping, and what they miss about home. Again…this is an incredible opportunity and I am honored to be able to be the one to share it with you all.

Until next time…

Dana