It is never easy when someone dies, they are leaving a family behind and people that love them, even when they are nearing their time to die and have lived a long full life. It is even harder, I think, to lose someone suddenly and unexpectedly when there isn’t that time to prepare and tell them everything you want to say and to thank them for all they have done for you. I don’t know, maybe sometimes preparation makes it worse but in some ways it makes it better, because you don’t make plans to see them later because you know you won’t.
Last week while I was traveling I got some horrible news about a friend who was in the JAG Corps with me. While on her honeymoon (after waiting over a year and a half to take it) she was in a boating accident while sightseeing and died. She had just gotten back from a year long deployment here in Afghanistan. In fact, the day I landed in Afghanistan was the day she was leaving. Our last exchange was about how we hoped to catch each other and that she was excited about going on her Honeymoon finally.
We had gone to the same JAOBC (army schooling with me). She was a CPT (Captiain) in the Corps and she really did enjoy what she was doing, she enjoyed being in the Army. She and I weren’t really great friends during JAOBC, we were friendly we just didn’t hang out all that much, but we met up again at one of the follow on courses and hung out a lot during that course and became friends. We started exchanging emails and pleasantries about what each were up to and how things were going. As I said, she had deployed to Afghanistan and when I found out I was coming here she contacted me and offered any assistance she could give. We started messaging back and forth more frequently; she was answering all my questions and giving me advice. She was helping me get prepared more than anyone else. She, too, has deployed as an individual and so she was able to give me some pointers and insight about the deployment what to expect and what it was like, it was great especially getting a woman’s point of view on things.
Like I said sometimes when it happens suddenly you don’t get a chance to tell them everything you want to say. I never got to tell her how helpful she was. I said thank you but I didn’t know how much help she was until I really go here and started getting settled. I was able to ask her those questions that seem stupid and petty that you don’t want to really ask for fear you might seem way to naive, but I could ask her and she never made me feel stupid. Without her I wouldn’t have been half as prepared as I was for this deployment. She was a true example of an Army Officer, a Judge Advocate and a friend. She will truly be missed and I continue to pray for her husband and family.
Last week while I was traveling I got some horrible news about a friend who was in the JAG Corps with me. While on her honeymoon (after waiting over a year and a half to take it) she was in a boating accident while sightseeing and died. She had just gotten back from a year long deployment here in Afghanistan. In fact, the day I landed in Afghanistan was the day she was leaving. Our last exchange was about how we hoped to catch each other and that she was excited about going on her Honeymoon finally.
We had gone to the same JAOBC (army schooling with me). She was a CPT (Captiain) in the Corps and she really did enjoy what she was doing, she enjoyed being in the Army. She and I weren’t really great friends during JAOBC, we were friendly we just didn’t hang out all that much, but we met up again at one of the follow on courses and hung out a lot during that course and became friends. We started exchanging emails and pleasantries about what each were up to and how things were going. As I said, she had deployed to Afghanistan and when I found out I was coming here she contacted me and offered any assistance she could give. We started messaging back and forth more frequently; she was answering all my questions and giving me advice. She was helping me get prepared more than anyone else. She, too, has deployed as an individual and so she was able to give me some pointers and insight about the deployment what to expect and what it was like, it was great especially getting a woman’s point of view on things.
Like I said sometimes when it happens suddenly you don’t get a chance to tell them everything you want to say. I never got to tell her how helpful she was. I said thank you but I didn’t know how much help she was until I really go here and started getting settled. I was able to ask her those questions that seem stupid and petty that you don’t want to really ask for fear you might seem way to naive, but I could ask her and she never made me feel stupid. Without her I wouldn’t have been half as prepared as I was for this deployment. She was a true example of an Army Officer, a Judge Advocate and a friend. She will truly be missed and I continue to pray for her husband and family.
No comments:
Post a Comment