So Far, and yet So Close

So about a week ago I found myself starting to contemplate the ways that technology has really changed life for those of us who leave home to fight our country's wars. It was actually around the time that I got off the phone after calling my dad to wish him a happy birthday that it struck me. Here I am on a forward base in the middle of a combat zone and yet I had just called my dad from an air-conditioned trailer for no greater reason than to say "Happy Birthday". After that conversation I logged on to my email, which allows me to write to my family and friends nearly instantaneously without regard to time zones or geographic location. Then I spent a little bit of time surfing the internet to look at real estate listings, including photos and video, for houses I may consider buying when we get back to the states in a few months. Finally, I watched a couple episodes of my favorite TV show (Dexter, by the way. I'm addicted.) And then went to sleep with the A/C blowing on high. The next day I flew on a mission in the helicopter while listening to songs from my crewchief's iPod playing through the aircraft's intercom system. It pains me to try to think of what life will be like when Michenna (who doesn't know what a VHS tape is, by the way) is my age.

Medevac. Taste it again...for the first time...again.

Well, it didn't take long before I got right back in the swing of things out here. On only my second time on the alert here I got to do my first Medevac out of Basrah. Before you get too excited, you should probably understand that we didn't carry the patient (the other aircraft did) and it wasn't exactly a case of life or death. Basically it boils down to someone that had lost their voice. I'm not sure if they thought that it was perhaps in the helicopter or what, but we ended up taking him down to Kuwait to look for it.

So it wasn't a terribly exciting evac, but it's a start, right? Now I just have to keep waiting for the next.

In another bit of interesting news, I think someone tried to hack into my blog and leave me a nasty little message. Nothing threatening mind you, just somewhat insulting. At least, I assume that was the intention. Maybe he was just giving me advice. Here's the exact wording of the comment he made about my last post:

i think my 12 year old has somthing like this too. ow ya, stop leaving your e-mail address in the PC or you might get alot of junk mail one day.

It's not that I'm not grateful for the advice, because I truly am and normally I would have gladly published this to my post, but I felt it would apply better here. Yes, the joys of having to use a public terminal, even a military-use-only public terminal. Also proves that the Army will take just about anyone. Though I do have to give bonus points for the proper use of "your".

Well, the van is now leaving to take me back to my tent for the night. Hope you are having a great day and I'll keep you posted, at least as well as a 12 year old.