22 December 2011

Christmas time in....Fallujah, Bosnia...and...

the Soldier  and the Cop side:  It’s that time of the year when half the population gets all happy and glad…and the other half seems to get all depressed and sad.  But my goal today is to bring a good story to all.
As some of my readers know, I retired from the police department in May…but I was asked to come back part time and help with some stuff.  I thought it was kind of funny when I heard about a young copper complaining about actually having to work on Christmas day. 
SFOR 14 Christmas and Eagle Base, Bosnia


I stopped and thought for a minute and tried in vain to bite my lip and not speak up…but you know how I am.  I just spoke what popped into my head:
“I worked 32 years as a cop and was happy to have had the job.  In all those years, where I was on the schedule to work the day Christmas came that year, I only asked for it off ONE TIME.  I worked every single holiday I was scheduled to work for 32 years….and I never complained.” 

However, looking back, working on Christmas in California as a police officer/ sergeant, wasn’t so bad.  What was really an adventure was working on Christmas day in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004.  Or, the year before in Bosnia.  Even that wasn’t so bad.  In Bosnia, we got the day off and had good chow in the mess hall.  In Iraq, the Marines we were working for gave us half the day off. 
...and Rumsfeld said all the vehicles we had in Iraq were properly armored...

But what really made things better on my deployments was all the nice things sent to us by family, friends and some folks I never had even met before.  Thanks for supporting the troops. 

Yesterday, I went out to run some errands.  As I was parking my truck, I parked next to a very nice 1967 Chevy…I noticed on the back the owner had placed a Viet Nam Vet sticker. 

As I was getting out of my truck, the Nam Vet was walking to his.  He saw my Iraq Vet sticker and he said: “Thanks for your service.” 

I looked at him and said: “Thanks for yours.” 

I think vets coming home these days do have some things to get over, but I think the public sure treats us a lot better than some of the past vets. 

Now, for those who may have to work this Christmas at some police department, stop your whining and be happy you have a good job and you’re not in some shithole like Iraq for Christmas….and we didn’t get overtime in the Army. 

Merry Christmas

8 comments:

SAM said...

Merry Christmas Dude!

NavyOne said...

Hmmm, I have worked for the last two Christmases. I have this year off. (I am on-call though. . .)

God bless our guys over there.

Paxford said...

Merry Christmas CI :)

Pax

Coffeypot said...

When the wind is blowing and the temp is in the single digits I flash back to standing bow watch in port and freezing my ass off. Then I remember that somewhere in this world a soldier, sailor and airman is stand a watch, too. Be it in the cold, the heat or in paradise, they are there and I am safe. So thanks for your helping make in 2004 and 05 safe, too.

CI-Roller Dude said...

merry christmas...
Coffeypot, is the bow the front of the back?

Anonymous said...

1. Merry Christmas.
2. Thank you for your service.
3. Thank you for writing about it so well.
V/R JWest

Old NFO said...

Concur with all, and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Jeff said...

CI Have a safe and great Christmas and thanks for all the shifts you have done at times like these. Kids make for a great Christmas and with that newest twig on the old family tree you should be in for years of fun.
All the very best.