Jump TAC Operational in Texas

[Jim von Krieg]

Hello all my Blitz friends,

After a year in Iraq, with a rocket or two fired my way, I am once more on American soil. As General MacArthur once proclaimed, I can now echo his sentiments: "I have returned."

After a very long flight from Kuwait to Germany to New Hampshire to Texas, I arrived at Fort Hood, Texas at 1328 on 4 November and recommenced life. It was a beautiful 75 degrees and blue sky.

I'd like to thank the Pease AFB greeters, their children and the families who turned out in large numbers to welcome us home at our first US stop.

I was actually disappointed when we were first told we were not returning through Bangor, Maine, but the people at the New Hampshire stop were as welcoming home to us as the great people of Maine. I have a new tradition from this stopover which many of us will proudly carry from this day forward. We were given a star cut from the retired flags of the community.

I actually have a four day weekend off. I have not had one of those in over a year. My wife and I went to her favorite restaurant. It felt good to drive on an actual road and not a dirt/gravel road. Then we stopped off at Best Buy to browse. I love walking through the big screen TV area. Today is more of the same and a trip to Barnes and Nobel thrown in.

Well enough of my personal blather... I was going through Matrix CS while I had some down time in Kuwait... I must say I loved chatting with Jason from my tent in Iraq after we turned over responsibility to our replacements, then working through some of his demo scenarios while in another tent in Kuwait... I liked what I saw, a true master artisan crafting his work.

Take care and I'm definitely glad to be back...

Jim