"ARRIVED IN AFGHANISTAN" - Video

30-31 May 2010

Arrived in Bagram, Afghanistan. Moving down to Kandahar for a while.

"THE WAITING GAME IN KUWAIT"

29 May 2010 Well hello again. Just off the 11 hour flight from D.C. and a 45 minute drive through the desert and I'm now officially in Kuwait. Oh yes, it is HOT! Clocked in at 113 degrees today. Basically to illustrate - stand in front of ten hairdryers on high. That's what it feels like.

I'll probably be here for a day or two. Currently living in tent city. Line after line of tents with servicemembers just waiting for a flight to Afghanistan or Iraq - mainly Afghanistan these days.

So the flight over here, well, this was the first time I've ever upgraded a ticket with my miles and I must say - totally worth it! I've done this flight a few times now, but this time was cake. Great food, great drinks, able to lie down and actually get some sleep. I will definitely be upgrading on my way home.

Mainly just checked in here, did a travel claim for my expenses and received my M4 Carbine and security rounds. Finally getting closer.

Writing to you from the USO here on Ali Al Salem Airbase in Kuwait. Gotta give the USO a huge shout-out. They've been really good to us. We had a 6 hour layover in D.C. so they took care of us with free chow, drinks and a comfy place to sit.

The layover was actually a blessing in disguise because Toni and Alyssa drove up to the airport to hang out. What a blessing! I met them in the airport parking lot and we sat in the van and spent some time together. It was hilarious because Alyssa was sound asleep when I showed up. After a while she finally woke up - you should have seen the look on her face. Her eyes spread wide and she was definitely surprised to see Daddy.

After about an hour we went inside to pay the parking fee and had to say our goodbyes...again. That was no fun. Even though Toni and I shed a few tears the first time we said goodbye last Sunday, Alyssa did very well. This time, however, was completely different. She kept holding me saying, "but I don't want you to go." No matter what I tried to say, she just keep repeating, "but I don't want you to go." That was really hard. Finally Toni had to carry Alyssa out of the airport crying, "I want my Daddy." I took a lot of discipline to just stand there and hear her yell for me.

I just got off the phone and Skype with them, so it was great seeing my girls on the computer. I think it really helped Alyssa too.

That's all for now. My next update should be from Afghanistan.

Did I mention it's hot.......

"LAST FAMILY DAY" - Video

22 May 2010

We had been planning on this day for a while. Alyssa was ready and excited. It was my last Saturday and I'd fly out Sunday, so we decided to go to the National Zoo in Washington D.C. as a family. We also told her that we were going to ride the train so she was extra excited. We drove up to the Metro and jumped on board. She had a fun ride looking out the window and holding on to the rails - she did not want to sit.

After the long Metro ride (should have drove in closer), we took a short walk and ended up at the zoo. It was a really special day to just spend time with my girls looking at the gorillas, elephants, lion and monkeys (Alyssa loved the monkeys).



I had turned in my government Blackberry a few days earlier. It was liberating and strange at the same time to not have it on my waist constantly buzzing. I know Toni liked it and I started to like it as well. I didn't check my email once that day. Kinda nice. I had gotten so use to having it around, but I do know it ate into my personal time with the family. For that, I'm sorry dear.

Anyway we had a rather fun time and went back home completely exhausted - not looking forward to the next day.

"GOODBYE MARINES"

21 May 2010
Today was my last day at work. It was a little hectic, but definitely good to see and say bye to the Marines in my shop. They're all combat correspondents and television broadcasters. We make up Marine Corps News. For a send off, they treated me to lunch at a Chinese buffet in Crystal City near our building. Man, it was good and we all probably gained 15 pounds from the food. I'll sweat it off later.

During lunch, I told them all two things before I left: To take care of each other and never settle. It seems like the past year, their care was in my hands and I've really enjoyed working with and mentoring them. Now they were going to have to take care of each other. As a Marine broadcaster, I'm a big quality nut, so I wanted them to remember to never settle in their work - something could always be changed/tweaked/edited to make a story, video, photo better. Our unit just came off an incredible wining year in Department of Defense media awards, and I think that mentality of never settling helped put us over the top. I want other Marines around the Corps to look at our shop as the beacon in what we do.

We've been sending Marines from our unit to Afghanistan for the past couple years to fill these AFN (American Forces Network) TV billets. SSgt Clint Firstbrook just came home and Cpls. Bryan Lett and AJ Lugo are currently there - they're doing an awesome job, I'm so proud of them as a leader. The nice thing about having/managing these billets is that we get a little more say than the average Marine into when we want to go. This was my turn, I'm excited about the opportunity - especially now that I'll be in a leadership billet. Last time I deployed to Iraq in '03, I was low man on the totem. This time I'll have more of an opportunity to lead - I'm looking forward to it. I chose this rotation during much of the Summer and Fall so Toni and Alyssa can keep busy with all the family vacations to Ocean City, Md., and Assateague Island, Md. I hope that should help pass the time for them in my absence.

"DADDY HAS TO GO AWAY"

20 May 2010

Today was one of my hardest days as a father - it was the day I had to fully in depth tell my beautiful daughter, Alyssa, that I was going away on a trip for a long time. I'd be deploying to Afghanistan for six months. She'll be three in August.

After work in D.C. I came home to eat dinner with Toni and Alyssa. When we finished up dinner, Toni left to go out with a few girlfriends from our church's MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. It was a night for Alyssa and I to spend time together, break the news to her and communicate as father and daughter.
The weeks leading up to this night I had told her little things about me leaving, but I don't think it ever fully sunk in - for her as well as for me. It wasn't real - yet.
During bath time, I started doing some explaining about leaving for Afghanistan and being away for a while. Still fresh on her mind, I had just come home from a two-week trip for Marine Week Boston, so she understands what it's like to have Dad gone. I could tell she was getting a little upset. After bath time, I put Alyssa in her pajamas and we headed downstairs. A while back we all attended a Sesame Street show geared toward military families on Andrews Air Force Base. Each family received a DVD set with the characters that told a story about deployments. Alyssa and I would watch that tonight for the first time.

Cozy in the finished basement, we dimmed the lights, snuggled on the futon and popped in the disc. The basis of the story was Elmo's father leaving on a long trip. All the little talks we had started to sink in for her as she watched the different emotions her furry red friend faced and expressed. Reality was now sinking in. At times it seemed like she was purposely moving a laying away from me in defense. (That could also be me over analyzing her).
If you were watching, you'd probably see my eyes starts welling up before Alyssa's (most have told me deployments are harder on the parents than the children - I didn't believe them, but I'm fast reconsidering). Elmo and his father talked on the computer, wrote letters and said goodnight to the moon each night. It was good for Alyssa to see all the ways we could stay connected. By the end of the 30 minutes we were both hugging kissing and, yes, crying. I wasn't sure how much she would understand, but she understood enough - we were about to go through something tough.

Also within the film Elmo and his father exchange something special. I had an idea. We went upstairs and I sat her on our bed and I gave her my woodland boonie cover. I told her that she could wear it whenever so she could remember me. She started crying and was hesitant to take it - I think because she understood what it meant. I then gave her something special that was between Toni and I when I went off to Iraq in 2003. We had a medallion that on one side had the Marine Corps emblem and the other the words: "The Lord watch me and thee while we are apart." It was split in two and placed on two chains. Now each of us would have a side and when I returned the necklace would be complete again, much like our family. She really liked it.

It's funny because I think she and I grew much closer that night. In between the hugs, kisses and cries she would hold me and tell me things I never heard: "I'm going to miss you Daddy. I don't want you to leave. I love you so much." It seem liked every time she reached over and place herself in my arms I'd lose it. I guess I didn't realize how much I'd miss her when we were separated.

So when I'm out there in the middle of nowhere missing my wife and little girl - this too shall pass.

And to Alyssa: "I love you too....."