500 Goodbyes
Thursday 21st May, 2009I’m pretty sure I am the first person to say this…
“I don’t want to leave Camp Bucca, Iraq and I tried to extend for another year.” Yes, the simple truth is that my time at Camp Bucca was abruptly ended. Yesterday I received last minute notice that I was leaving to move to Kuwait to assist the redeployment efforts (getting the rest of the State of NJ’s troops back to NJ.)
So, in less than two hours, I had to hurry up and pack and say goodbye to all of the friends that I made there over the year I was there. I missed a few people I really wanted to see. Over all, there were almost 500 people that worked for me and I wanted to do something special for each one of them.
I gave out coins and decorative maps of NJ (Thanks to the help of a great friend, Mary-Anne D'andrade) and whatever else I could. Luckily, the local Iraqis threw me a party the night before for my farewell. Unfortunately, there was another party in my honor at another site last night on the base that I didn’t even get to! 8>(
Over all, I’ll miss Bucca. Yes, there was a tear in my eye as I rode out of there.
Here is a picture of the sun setting as I left Bucca.
“I don’t want to leave Camp Bucca, Iraq and I tried to extend for another year.” Yes, the simple truth is that my time at Camp Bucca was abruptly ended. Yesterday I received last minute notice that I was leaving to move to Kuwait to assist the redeployment efforts (getting the rest of the State of NJ’s troops back to NJ.)
So, in less than two hours, I had to hurry up and pack and say goodbye to all of the friends that I made there over the year I was there. I missed a few people I really wanted to see. Over all, there were almost 500 people that worked for me and I wanted to do something special for each one of them.
I gave out coins and decorative maps of NJ (Thanks to the help of a great friend, Mary-Anne D'andrade) and whatever else I could. Luckily, the local Iraqis threw me a party the night before for my farewell. Unfortunately, there was another party in my honor at another site last night on the base that I didn’t even get to! 8>(
Over all, I’ll miss Bucca. Yes, there was a tear in my eye as I rode out of there.
Here is a picture of the sun setting as I left Bucca.
email:Kim | website:
Hope you have a safe journey!
email: | website:
Parting is such sweet sorrow!
email: | website:
We'll make sure you get lots of "hello" when you come home!
email:Rodney Brown | website:
And one more welcome home.
Thank you 1LT Eric Petrevich for continuing to honor and protect our country. See you when you get back.
email:Carol Cricenti | website:
Job well done. Thank you for all you have given up in the past year.
email:norma dealcala | website:
Sir, I know it was hard. I actually worked until my last minutes. Rafic did not want to let go.