We're back at Fort McCoy, WI, for our demobilizing process.  This consists of standing in line for paperwork, blood draws, and hours of briefings about veterans benefits and counseling.  There's no civilian clothes, alcohol, or leaving base allowed, so we're a pretty captive audience.   

It's really weird all the emotions that are hitting us right now: extreme excitement to get home, nervousness about what it's going to be like when we get there, sadness about leaving the friends and routine that we are accustomed to.  Since we're a split unit (ND and SD) and there are also others from MN and Ohio, as well as the fact that some of us will leave the MPAD to go back to the units we came from, when we leave tomorrow that's quite possibly the last time I'll see some of these guys.  Many of us will cross paths again either for business or social visits, but we've all been around enough to know how the best plans to stay in touch don't always work.  For lack of a better way to phrase it, that part is a total bummer.

But Friday night at when our plane lands in Bismarck I'm sure that will all wash away in my Eddie's arms!  I can't believe the date I've been daydreaming about and counting down to is finally here in just a wake-up!

Being away really allowed the opportunity to reflect on how fortunate I am.  Even if I don't say it enough, every card, letter, email, care package, and inquiry to my family meant so much to me these last 15 months.   Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of me, Eddie, my family, the 129th MPAD, and other servicemembers and their families. 

I'll see some of you TOMORROW!!!