The Big Scare

Let me give you a little bit of background information before I dump this story on you. I originally joined the Army Reserves back in 2003, but shortly after realized it is a much better idea to be on Active Duty. Reserve units don't have as much training, equipment, members, or money. I also figured if I was on a 6 year contract with the reserves I'd deploy more than if I was on a 3 year contract with the Regular Army. Plus, you get WAAAAY more benefits if you're Active Duty. Ok, so the first Active Duty unit I went to was here at Fort Campbell. I was assigned to an infantry brigade. I was only there for about six months before they started packing us up for deployment. Just a week before I was set to fly off to Iraq, I was asked to stay behind and teach some pre-deployment stuff for new Soldiers that were going to be constantly coming into the unit while they were in Iraq. So, for over a year I worked at a school while my home unit was in Iraq. Once they returned I was supposed to go back and rejoin my Battle Buddies, but I didn't. I then moved over to work at another training unit. I've now been working here for almost a year. About two months ago, my old infantry unit decided they didn't want me on their books anymore, so they asked the school to reassign me as their own. They did. Now, I belong to this third unit. Today, my old boss came over to the school and told me to get my things together because I am getting on a plane in a few weeks headed for Iraq! What a curve ball!!! The unit I'm in now isn't really a deployable unit right now, so I have nothing in order to get myself ready for 15 months away from home. I don't have equipment, or a weapon, or my pre-deployment training and briefings, or all my shots and doctor's visits, and not to mention my will isn't in order! Normally you at least get to go home and say goodbye to your family and give your landlord 30 days notice, but now I just have a few weeks to pack up my whole life!