The Longest Weekend

OPERATION JOINT GUARD (1997-1998)

Medical Briefing:

18 September 1997

BITTERSWEET

Should I be excited about going or torn apart with sadness?. How will Keegan handle Mommy not being there to kiss away his boo-boos? NINE MONTHS! Will Dave get adequate rest being a ‘single-parent’ as well as a student? Seeing Hungary is a childhood prayer granted…but why now, Lord? Why at this crucial time? Two years old—he is so young. But…he adapts well and is very confident. Will that change? Will he feel deserted? No, no. Don’t think like that. Dave is going to talk about me every day with him. I must remember to trust God. He is in charge. "All things work together for good for he who loves the Lord." "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It will be a growing time for me. I’m sure of that, at least.

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MSG Burke:

Newspaper Clipping:

SGT Summers:

Newspaper Clipping:

24 September

BUY DRAMAMINE

It has been a long and stressful week and it is only Wednesday. Making sure all the CTT was completed for the RTT validation…I’m just thankful I had already completed my tasks early: NBC, qualification, and shots. Paperwork is the main problem. All of the S3 was sent to Hungary already, so… we are making do as best we can. The line for the computer is a joke and passwords are sacred. All of S1 will be sent tomorrow, so we are rushing to complete POM packets. PROBLEM: No copiers! Well, I guess we will lease one…but will it arrive today? Just four more days…Weekend Warriors, you are about to go on the longest weekend of your lives.

SGT Bauer/Bus:

25 September

D-DAY

We are now considered Active Duty Soldiers. It’s time to load up our duffel bags full of OCIE and send them on their way to Fort Benning.

28 September

DON’T THINK ABOUT IT

We are on the bus to KCI now and many are quiet and reflective. Most of us just said goodbye to our loved ones and we find it hard to look others in the eye. The others are conversing, avoiding the topic…joking. Laughter is the best medicine. I just keep telling myself that I’ll think about how much I miss Dave and Keegan later. Not now. I’m one of the lucky ones who still haven’t said good-bye. I don’t know how I am going to handle that moment yet. I’ll think about it later. Word to the wise: Don’t listen to ‘Goodnight Saigon’ by Billy Joel on the bus to the Airport.

SPC Irma Anderson:

BON VOYAGE?

We arrived late, late, late in Fort Benning, GA tonight and all are emotionally and physically drained. Instead of allowing us to go right to bed, they made us do personnel paperwork until 0100 hours. We have a 0600 wake-up and a full week or two of training and testing before we are allowed to go to Hungary. Now that we are here, we just want to get through this as fast as possible. The plane rides were uneventful as I constantly fought back my emotions…I would drift to the idea of Keegan’s sorrow, and have to immediately shake my head and try to think of other things. Our parting was quick…too quick. The media was there and wanted to interview Dave and me. The questions were hard to answer without letting down the wall I seem to have constructed against my sorrow. I am so very sad but not for myself…for Keegan and Dave. It will be extremely hard for them. God please help us all deal with the emotions and comfort each other—even if it is by ignoring the actual topic. I just wish I could hold Keegan and tell him again how much I love him. Lord, let this pass quickly—let the time fly! I wish I could wake-up and it would be finished. But, alas…it has only just begun.

Front Page News:

We all have a story to tell; this one is of my soon to be roommate and her husband.

The story of Irma and Darnell:

The rest of their story: