Alright ladies and gents, consider this the revival of the Old Man! Three years past his first deployment to Ramadi, Iraq, we’re up for round two. Time and place? Sometime this spring to somewhere in Afghanistan.
This time it’s a bit different. He's got a different, more sensitive position with the Corps. As opposed to his previous job as a typical grunt, the more unknown his accomplishments and day-to-day tasks are, the more successes it will bring the Marine Corps at large. He’ll be on a teeny-tiny team of silent heroes. No media coverage, no news stories, no magazine columns…Just him, (and what’ll likely become a very large beard grown just because he can) making his way through the Afghan war zone alongside the Infantry Marines in the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine regiment. All working together on a quest to maintain the safety and security of the people and continue building the infrastructure of a nation. A feat that is incomprehensible to most.
What does this mean to me (and you)? I’m going at it alone, folks. No comradery of a 1200 strong Marine Battalion with eager family members ready for their return; no “Letters from the CO”; little family readiness support from the Corps; no campaign-trail recognition from Michelle Obama/Oprah for military spouse sacrifices. Did I just say that out loud?
Just me, my feisty little girl, who, by the way, is going through the mommy-won’t-admit-but-unequivocally-so, terrible-twos phase; my newly earned Master’s degree and what my mom calls: first real job; my keyboard; and my rants and raves encompassing all, as I press ‘send’ into the vast emptiness of cyber space…Oh and of course my family, located states away, that has always provided unwavering support. (Yes, they are self described, myself included, as the HO’S – Hancock, Hill, O’Sullivans. You see where I’m going with the need to blog?) And hopefully the occasional phone call from around the world.
The goal of round two? Augment my faithful followers of 1200 1/6 family members and Ramadi fans with those of the 3/4 Marines and families, and get offered a blogging spot on Military Spouse Magazine. A girl can dream, right? So I’m saddling up my boot straps, gathering up the blogging followers and bracing my Flat Daddy (literally, his neck is ‘broken’) ‘cause living in the sticks surrounding Lejeune, I’m bound to run into a tree or two.
So read me, or don’t. But as of now, Old Man Hancock is back in action! (And yes, I was karate chopping my hands wildly in the air like Ben Stiller.)
First task in order…bloggy makeover. Any suggestions?
