WTF?!!! USA Style

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,

These three words are awesome and can be used to describe any type of situation, but especially with the Army. As I re-deployed (Military speak for coming home) from Iraq, I thought I could escape the WTF moments at least temporarily (for a full explaination of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot see my previous posts on Iraq) I sure was wrong. It seems to have flown to Kuwait across Germany, knocked on my door and slapped me in the face as I prepare for my transition to Korea. Apparently the USARMY likes to spend lots of money to accomplish things that could be handled locally. Things were going Army smooth as far as Korea is concerned. (Army smooth is when things are going off without a hitch and in the back of your mind you know a WTF event is about to happen). I received my orders (the notice that says you gotta go to Korea) and everything seemed to be going well. I was just ready to hang up the phone when the following conversation took place:

USARMY: Sir you are all set on your orders.
ME: That is good, is there anything else?
USARMY: No. Oh wait there is one more thing, where do you want to inprocess? Ft. Lee VA or Ft. Belvouir DC (Military speak for getting into to the
government payroll, shots etc.)
ME: (Thinking WTF?!!!) A... (long pause) okay, you know I live near Ft. Lewis in WA why can't I do it there.
USARMY: Well we can try that but since you aren't going to be stationed there they won't know how to put you on the system and it would be too much of a hastle.
ME: (At this point my inner voice is yelling WTF?!!! louder) Can you please try?
USARMY: Okay. I will do that Sir.
ME: I have one more question, who do I talk to about getting my stuff shipped to Korea?
USARMY: You can do that at Ft. Lewis. The number is blah blah blah blah.
ME: (My inner voice at this point is ballistic in shouting WTF?!!!!) So let me get this straight, I can get my goods shipped out of Ft. Lewis, I can get my identification card activiated at Ft. Lewis but finance and medical stuff must be done in DC?
USARMY: Yes sir, I am really sorry. Have a nice day.

WTF?!!!!!!! In just a few short days this WTF process will begin again. I can't wait.

Here we go again

The long anticipated time has once again quickly arrived. I cannot believe it has been over eight weeks since I re-deployed from Iraq. Each day I knew that my time to go to Korea would eventually come. Three trips, hours of endless television and a whole lot of delayed anxiety later, I am now on the cusp of leaving for Korea. In two short weeks, I will once again be in uniform, and be uttering WTF as I am thrown back into the fire. Butterflies have once again found their way into my stomach. Questions of the unknown attempt to dominate my thoughts. Clothes and other items have piled up in my condo as I attempt to figure out what I need for the next year. I am very happy that I will see my family for Thanksgiving. Thoughts of meloncholy fill my head as I begin to think about Christmas and my inability to participate this year. I will long for ski slopes of Utah, taking my parents' and friends' money in a friendly game of poker and other made up whacky card games. On the other hand, I am likely to experience a whole other aspect of Christmas. I can only think of A Christmas Story and the Peking Duck and Fa ra ra ra scene when I think of Christmas in Korea. That should be fun as well.

Here we go again....