Here Again

‎"I can't believe I'm back here again," were the first words I heard from a soldier when I entered Iraq in May of 2009. As I prepare to fly to Kuwait and then Afghanistan early next week the same sentiments are wandering through my mind. Dan Morrison and I will be working as embedded journalist with a Marine infantry unit in the Helmand province.
Dan and I have have spent four months filling out paperwork, purchasing required items including ballistic plates and flight suits,
finding an editor that will actually vouch for us (a big thanks to Mark Furman at KVAL) and basically putting our lives on hold waiting to find out if we would be allowed access to the military.
Just last week we were informed that our initial request to embed was denied and it seemed that all was lost, but just five days ago we received our paperwork and all those familiar feelings of excitement and dread came forth.
Why would anyone want to do this?
I can sum it up best with this story.
I was on the phone with my aunt the other day discussing why, why, why am I doing this? I gave her a lengthy story about historical importance, sacrifice, adventure and so on. Somehow this lead to a conversation about her daughter who is in college and now has very passionate values on big ticket items like poverty and over consumerism. My aunt's response to my cousin's new opinions is, "Ok so what are you gonna do about it?'
Here is where I stopped her and I said, "See that is why I am going, that is exactly it."
I hope that clears it up for some of you, and you can thank me later for not peppering everyone else with the same questions
"Why are you in school, why are you a teacher, why are you a banker, why are you a nurse, why are you a runner, why do you like bacon?"
We are what we are.