I'm back. I've been back about six months now. I had some readjustment issues, but they seem to have been sorted. Here is my new "rack". I recieved a peacetime award for my wartime service in Iraq and my CAB was submitted just before I demobed, so I'm sure I'll never see that. In addition, I found out my reserve unit dinged me for not completing a task before I left for the war. Did I mention I was doing it on my own time? When I returned I reminded them of the old saw that you get what you pay for and that from now on there will be no such thing as a free lunch. It is good to be short and I cannot wait for 2010!

I spent some time in Fla after I returned and looked up some old grade school buddies. How times have changed! Javaland isn't what it used to be! My wife was favorably impressed by Tampa, so I suppose there is a faint glimmer of hope, but I'm not counting on it.

My return was wonderful. The airport let my wife and kids down to the gate to meet me. I do not think I shall ever forget that moment. We recieved our certificate of occupancy for the house we started building before I left 1.5 hours before I landed in DC, so we were all able to spend the first night in our house together. It really doesn't get any better than this.