Getting Ready To Go

It feels like time moves way too fast. I'm sure I won't feel that way soon, but for now the days are burning away much too quickly. I have almost everything done that I can do at work before I leave. Lots of paperwork and medical clearances. I'm still having problems with the uniform issue and the slow security clearance. For those of you who aren't aware of what's happening with Air Force uniforms, we are in the early stages of transitioning to a new combat uniform. For people deploying to Iraq, these are supposed to be issued prior to departure. Because I'm not deploying in a traditional method, and the time line is so short, there has been lots of confusion and blank stares when it comes to getting these. As it looks now, I'll be wearing the Army uniform while I'm deployed. When I depart the local area for my pre-deployment training with the Army, they will issue me their uniform if I don't have the new Air Force uniform. I don't really mind, I'm just a bit disappointed with the Air Force for not getting me what I need - Go Army! I'm sure everything will work out, and who knows, I might get those Air Force uniforms before I go.

While I might have most of the military stuff taken care of, I'm not even close to getting the things around the house done. I need to do all those things on the "Honey Do" list like cleaning the garage, painting, vehicle maintenance, etc. For those of you who have not deployed before or are not in the military, think about all the personal things you would need to get in order if you were going to leave for a year. The list is long. One of the biggest challenges is trying to find someone reliable to take care of the kids. With the wife working full time and me being gone, we need someone to be available to get the kids on and off the bus, help with homework, food, housekeeping, etc. We've been looking at Nannys and Au Pairs - it feels like a full time job just trying to find the right person. While it's a stress on me, let's not forget the stress on the spouse who now becomes a single working parent for a year. There's plenty of stress and anxiety for both of us. Even with the experience of a couple previous deployments, it's still a stressful time in our house, but I'm sure it will all come together by the time I leave.