Lessons Learned

It has been about a month since I "blogged". That is perfectly fine because almost nobody is reading this blog anyway! "Life After Afghanistan" is not as exciting as "On Call in Afghanistan". It is kind of like the TV show "MASH" and then its sequel "After MASH". The original is so much more compelling. But, my life goes on and I have to make sense of it. Reality is that I "blog" for myself primarily. In Afghanistan, it kept me sane. I was able to think about the intense experiences I was having, write about them, and then put them behind me. That was absolutely necessary because the patients just kept rolling in every single day. Now, back home things are not nearly as intense. But, that does not mean that I do not have things to write about. After all, I want to go on living and be normal!

My military career is coming to a close rapidly. I have less than 8 weeks until my last day in the U.S. Air Force. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am excited. Yesterday I received the official papers stating that I will be discharged honorably from the military on June 30th. I will see my last military patient on June 9th. I will likely wear the uniform for the last time on June 17th. On July 1st, my new life will begin on my first day as a sports medicine fellow at the University of South Carolina. I will not have much time to transition. Perhaps that is a good thing.

I have been reflecting on my military career quite a bit lately. I just returned from an amazing vacation to Germany. It was one of the highlights of my career. I stayed 4 nights at Edelweiss Lodge and Resort. It is run by the U.S. Army and is for American military personnel only. The resort sits at the base of the highest peak in the German Alps. The scenery is breathtaking there. I had time to think about a lot of things. For 11 years I have been in the U.S. Air Force. It has been eventful to say the least. There have been good times and bad times. There have been some great moments and also plenty of low points. I am proud of my service. I have learned a great deal. As I prepare to leave the military life and enter the civilian world, it seems only right to write about the most significant things I have experienced. The remainder of my blog is going to be a collection of "Lessons Learned". ENJOY!