I will keep his and his mates' well-being in my prayers.
And give him my family's thanks.
Only just seen this - just remember its something I assume he's always wanted to do. This probably sounds facisious to those not of a military background, but it's an adventure . I got some strange looks off my family a few weeks ago when I said I'll be sort of disappointed when Afghanistan finishes.. I see it like this - Surgeons don't wish people to be ill, but they love the challenge of sticking a knife into someone.
He'll have some tough times and he'll have some great times - especially when deployed on Ops - I think the emotionally lowest and highest points of my life have been in Afghanistan, and I wouldn't change that for anything. I hope he feels the same way about it afterwards for both his, and all of your sakes.
Just don't be surprised when he asks for some seemingly stupid stuff to be sent out to him - it's odd some of the things that put a smile on your face! (I get my favourite Twinings teabags sent to me!)
Only just seen this - just remember its something I assume he's always wanted to do. This probably sounds facisious to those not of a military background, but it's an adventure . I got some strange looks off my family a few weeks ago when I said I'll be sort of disappointed when Afghanistan finishes.. I see it like this - Surgeons don't wish people to be ill, but they love the challenge of sticking a knife into someone.
He'll have some tough times and he'll have some great times - especially when deployed on Ops - I think the emotionally lowest and highest points of my life have been in Afghanistan, and I wouldn't change that for anything. I hope he feels the same way about it afterwards for both his, and all of your sakes.
Just don't be surprised when he asks for some seemingly stupid stuff to be sent out to him - it's odd some of the things that put a smile on your face! (I get my favourite Twinings teabags sent to me!)
I will offer the advice to not try to get him to talk about things though- he'll decide when, if and to whom he'll talk about things with. From experience, people thinking you need to "talk" actually just makes you NEED to punch them in the face
I laughed reading the bit about the night sky Henry - I remember doing pretty much that in some random bit of Iraqi desert. Just looked up, seeing more shooting stars than I have ever see, seeing the band of the milky way and just going.. "wow". I think in more remote areas of the US you can see that, but being from the giant floodlight which is the UK, that was a pretty unique moment.
I didn't do my first tour of Iraq until I was 26, I'd done 2 years in N Ireland by then though. Since 2004 I've done two tours of Iraq and three tours of Afghanistan (Brit tours being 6 to 7(ish) months long) - my current job means I spend 4 months a year out there for the foreseeable future. But it's what i'm paid for and I enjoy it, so no complaints here - I'd go away more.
I will offer the advice to not try to get him to talk about things though- he'll decide when, if and to whom he'll talk about things with. From experience, people thinking you need to "talk" actually just makes you NEED to punch them in the face