I am so excited and relieved to be back to may to my big, safe, heavily guarded Army camp and little aid station! I knew I would be out in the middle of no where Iraq in austere conditions, but I was not entirely prepared for the living conditions. I haven’t slept out of a military vehicle in years and I have become quite accustomed to having a shower and clean clothes at least every few days! There wasn’t a Port-a-Jane in sight!

But as you can see, I was able to keep my spirits high and I almost filled a 50-page notebook with notes, poetry, and journaling! I also read two books and listened to ten pod casts, which I am rarely able to do any other time. I really, really missed having some type of communication and I never realized how heavily I rely on the Internet these days!

Missions like these really make me realize how lucky I am to have my health and how blessed I am to be able to serve me country regardless of the sacrifices my husband and I make daily. Sometimes, I feel like such an trailblazer and adventurer. I mean, how many women are able to tell their children and grandchildren about the time they earned their Combat Action Badge during a mortar attack, or how worried you were when the dust storms were so bad that helicopters couldn’t fly, or ground convoys could not get you supplies for three days because it was too muddy and wet to reach your Assembly Area (AA)?

I am also deeply humbled everyday by the knowledge that many service members and their families have paid the ultimate sacrifice to guarantee America’s freedom. It never fails to amaze me how much effort and cost our government has undertaken to make being a Soldier much more safe today then it was just three short years ago. I have witnessed so many improvements to our vehicles, our personal gear, and the life support services we are now so very lucky to enjoy.

Even in the 12 short years I have been a Combat Medic, the advances in Army Field Medicine are astonishing! These advances are quickly making there way into the civilian and private sectors as well, which means my family and yours are able to receive state-of-the-art life saving treatment right at the scene of an accident, just as we Soldiers are able to receive at the point of injury. Amazing indeed.

I apologize to waiting so long to drop a post! I am sure you can tell, I have had alot on my mind lately, and I can’t wait to share my ideas and new stories with you soon!