The team I replaced is now gone—on their way to the States to their great relief. Getting them out was significant, not only because I can now fully own COSC here, but also because their presence reminded me that I just got here!!! I can now make my own legacy and wait for my replacement (poor bastard). My Staff Sergeant showed up at 6am. He had been traveling all night, getting to the BAF air terminal at 8pm the night before. Such is the nature of travel here. The "air bridge" that connects these bases is tenuous and unpredictable, forcing long waits that stretch from hours to days to weeks.
Things are suddenly rolling at the combat operational stress control hut. My four days of aggressive marketing is paying off with multiple referrals from the Army medics, self referrals, and a meeting with the commander. Our clinic was busy with walk-ins from 1030am through 6pm. In three days I have seen mostly combat and operational stress clients with a handful of people with pre-existing issues like chronic insomnia and anxiety.
The commander is fully supportive of "brain rangers" and our services, acknowledging that we have an important part of the mission, and he wants us to play an active role.
He paused when we were talking and said that the first thing he wanted to do was "Pantherize" us before we forward deploy: make us less obvious as USAF personnel (our uniforms are a rough approximation of the Army's, but theirs are much cooler and fireproof). After the meeting, per his instruction, I made a quick trip to the logistics area and got two new Army Aircrew Combat Uniforms… made out of Nomex! The sergeant stuck Airborne patches on the sleeves and the Sergeant Major gave me an ACU hat (took it to the Afghan tailor to sew on rank). With a slung M16 I'll fit right in.
This leads to what will be my first mission away from our FOB: a unit behavioral health needs assessment in one of the far-flung companies. I guess I'm talking the talk, so I need to get ready to walk the walk. Making a trip forward, circulating with the guys on the front line and meeting some of the company commanders should garner a few inches of acceptance here in the battalion, which in the long run will make my job both easier and more fulfilling.
As the days progress I'm moving towards a rapprochement with my deployment and the anxiety it generates. I'm going to work hard to make it the kind of experience that, when I look back six months from now, I will be glad it is over but proud that I have served in this capacity. Proud that I dug deep to do the right thing for these people who go into harm's way at the behest of our elected officials. That right there, that's at the core of it for me.
Like I told my family, if I am going to go to the trouble of being 7000 miles away from my heart and soul, I am going to make sure that the journey is worthwhile and make sure that my accomplishments represent something that my family and friends can be proud of.
