deployment!

I've been notified by my employer that I get to take a little trip to Balad, Iraq, this summer for about 4.5 months.

I'd originally been told this would probably happen in November, which would've been perfect. I could've enjoyed the Bavarian and European summer and fall with visits from family and friends.

And I would've been deployed over Christmas, something I was looking forward to. There's just something about being away from home over the holidays with a bunch of others who are away from home. Given that I'm in a humanitarian organization, one of our unofficial duties is to try to help morale.

July. Okay. So be it.

This is a photo of me in Kuwait in about June 2003. I was working the late shift and was on my way to midnight dinner on my little bike. The temp had cooled off to 100 or so -- nice and cool. Daytime temps in June were about 115-120. I'm told Iraq will be just a little cooler. After being in Germany for a winter, I'm sure those 3-10 degrees will make a huge difference!