DAY 5: Roller Coaster

Elation

I check in with the Passenger (Pax) Terminal and confirm that my flight is still on – I’m excited! I stay up and around midnight I shower and pack. Then it is off to the chow hall for a midnight meal at 2:30am.

I’m overloaded with my gear and waiting at the bus stop when a friendly Brit stops his truck and offers a ride. We have a nice chat and he’s quite happy to be here in Qatar. He was last deployed to Basra, Iraq – an area that once was fairly stable – that has unfortunately started to unravel with the civil war and chaos that has overtaken much of that country.

Deflation

I then check into the Expeditionary Theater Distribution Center (ETDC) to pick up my Individual Body Armor (IBA) at 3:30am, and I am ready for the 4:40am show time at the Passenger Terminal. Pax rep confirms the flight is still a go. But wait, this mission is designated only for cargo. “You’re kidding me?!?!” I express in utter dismay.

Alone

To make matters worse, the pax rep indicates there are no missions scheduled for the next 72 hours. So, now I may be stuck here in Qatar for three more days – ugh! Everyone else – except the mouse and cricket, of course – has departed for their destination. Traveling alone is usually not difficult for me, but with the convergence of the day’s events and the fact that I am now all alone in the tent, it all really hits home. At this point, I’m not sure if my deployment will turn out to be a success or not.