Welcome to 400 Wake-ups, a blog, a journey, a story about the 352nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, also known as the 352d CSSB out of Macon, Georgia. Orders for Operation New Dawn were cut and issued for a 400 day deployment. As my husband always reminds me, it could be less, it could be more...nothing is in stone with the Army. And nothing could be more true. He counts down these weeks and months away in terms of how many wake-ups he has until he's home. Hence...400 wake-ups...maybe less, maybe more...but let's start with that.
The 352d CSSB has a very unique and historical mission. They will be instrumental in the draw-down of operations in Iraq. They are a logistics unit and thus very knowledgeable about transporting gear and people in and out of country. As one speaker said at the Deployment Celebration yesterday (hardly a celebration, but we must be brave and jubilant in the face of adversity anyway), "You will be going over to bring back stuff...maybe some stuff you broke the last time you were over there." A much-needed laugh erupted in the auditorium. And so while CNN and Fox News proclaim that our troops are out of Iraq, our men and women of the 352 are rolling in.
They are mentally prepared and battle-ready. They have trained for months specifically for this mission. They are, as we say in the Army, Army Strong. And as we say in the unit, WE GOT THIS!
As for those of us back at home base, tasked with keeping the bills paid, cars running, children fed and clothed, we got this, too. For some of the family in our unit, this is their first deployment. Anticipation is high, anxiety is great. But this is our 3rd mobilization and while I know the nights can be long and that bed can be pretty cold, I look forward to the challenges I have given myself for the next 400 days; polish up my French for our Parisian holiday in the fall, organize all of my family photos into one album, complete with captions, learn how to digitally scrapbook on Photoshop, and on and on. The journey of 400 wake-ups starts with a single list. But as we say in the 3-5-deuce,
Just 396 wake-ups to go...
One day at a time. We'd say 399 sleeps on oir house. :)
ReplyDeleteHow long have you been a military wife?
We are about to have another deploy here as well in the next few months.
Hayley
Www.gooseandlovie.com
400 wake-ups.....I love it! What a great way to count it down. I will have to calculate how many we will have left after he returns to Afghan after his R&R.
ReplyDeleteI will be here reading every step of the way! oxox Thank you for doing this and writing this all down.
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