Somewhere Dangerous

We’re being mobilized,” said the Commanding Officer. He gave us a few seconds to absorb the news.

“Go ahead and tell your civilian employers that you expect to have orders by the end of next week. Tell your families that you won’t be home for Christmas.”

The assembled officers and senior enlisted personnel looked around at each other, not certain how to respond. The news was not a complete surprise, but nobody had expected it to be so soon.

Someone managed to ask the first question that we all wanted answered. “Where are we going?”

“I can’t say.”

Telling your wife that you won’t be home for Christmas isn’t easy. When I arrived home that evening, the first thing I did was give her a big hug.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I told her, holding on a bit longer than normal.

“Why are you sorry?” she asked, dreading the answer.

“I won’t be home for Christmas this year.” She went limp in my arms.

“Where will you be?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Will it be local or…”

“Overseas. And when I do find out, I probably won’t be able to tell you--at least not right away.” We both knew what that meant. This wasn’t going to be a pleasure cruise.

I was going somewhere dangerous.

Somewhere Dangerous

We’re being mobilized,” said the Commanding Officer. He gave us a few seconds to absorb the news.

“Go ahead and tell your civilian employers that you expect to have orders by the end of next week. Tell your families that you won’t be home for Christmas.”

The assembled officers and senior enlisted personnel looked around at each other, not certain how to respond. The news was not a complete surprise, but nobody had expected it to be so soon.

Someone managed to ask the first question that we all wanted answered. “Where are we going?”

“I can’t say.”

Telling your wife that you won’t be home for Christmas isn’t easy. When I arrived home that evening, the first thing I did was give her a big hug.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I told her, holding on a bit longer than normal.

“Why are you sorry?” she asked, dreading the answer.

“I won’t be home for Christmas this year.” She went limp in my arms.

“Where will you be?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Will it be local or…”

“Overseas. And when I do find out, I probably won’t be able to tell you--at least not right away.” We both knew what that meant. This wasn’t going to be a pleasure cruise.

I was going somewhere dangerous.