After 23 years, I'm finally done! I was 19 when I joined the Army in 1988. I grew up and learned to be responsible quite fast. I traveled and went to one "war" while on active duty. In 1992, I left active duty at the age of 24, ready for the world, I thought. But less than 24 hours after I returned home, duffle bag still in the living room floor, the Rodney King Riots broke out. I questioned if I should have come home at all. I was really torn for some time after that. I mean, you expected to fight the enemy. You know you need to watch your back with them, but here I was looking out my front window watching my neighbors burn down our neighborhood. I didn't get it, and in that moment I really toyed with the idea of turning around and going back into active military.
But I didn't. I did, however, remain in the Army Reserves, where I attended weekend drills and continued to be "on standby" for my active duty comrades for the next 20 years. Thankfully, that never happened.
On March 15, 2012, I officially became a member of the Retired Army Reserves. Oh what a happy day. Don't get me wrong, I never hated the military. I got tired of it from time to time. I dreaded possibly being deployed again, but being in the military taught me so much and over the years I was blessed to met some amazing people, who are still my friends today.
In fact, just this past weekend, April 14-15, I was blessed to be able to travel to Huntsville, Al., to hang out with some of those military friends. It had been 20 years since I'd seen any of them. We all served together at Ft. Ord, Ca. and in Operation Desert Shield/Storm in Saudi Arabia. With these guys I can truly say I've developed a bond that will last a lifetime.
Even after seeing them for the first time in two decades, we fell back into the comfortable groove of friendship, as if we were picking up where we left off. Thank God for FaceBook, for it was there where I found most of them again.
For two days, 1 1/2 for me, because I spent most of my first day in the Chicago airport, (that's another blog) we sat around and remembered all the good times, the bad times, the bad things and the good things we did those many years ago. It was as if, I had never left these guys. They were the same. They were genuine. They were my friends. They are still my friends today. I love these guys. Jimmie Sprague, Kurtrell & Rosa Jackson, Michael Sloss, Dwayne Mayberry and Dave "The Boss" Ross. 8th Evacuation Hospital SUPER 8.
I look forward to getting together again next year.
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