Later this evening I'll say goodbye as a friend goes off for his deployment to the Middle East. As a chaplain, I'm sure he will have many opportunities to serve. Also one of our other staff members is off for his deployment. I myself depart Saturday for six weeks of training in how the AF does military chaplaincy. This will include a practice deployment training scenario in the field in Florida somewhere for about a week. After this training, I should be deployable myself. I'm looking forward to the school, though I must admit I will miss work. I truly enjoy the day to day work that we do and the people we work with. It will be a sad return as I will only have a few weeks left with one of our chaplains who will be leaving for better things. I've truly enjoyed working with all our chaplains.
The hardest part about leaving is trying to explain it to the littlest ones in the family. My two year old daughter sat on the porch the last time I was gone for an extended time asking if this way the day "daddy" was coming home. She's already aware that I'll be leaving again. But the truth is, it is still an honor, even with the cost to serve. Even when the time comes to deploy for an extended time to the theatre of operations, I do so recognizing the freedom and life that we enjoy here in this country is not guaranteed, but it must be preserved with much work and sometimes much cost.
