The End of Deployment, Finally!

Where to start.....  Ok, I am finally done with deployment.  Well, we actually pulled back in on on November 25th, but I've been busy to say the least... 

 I believe I last wrote from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September.  Wow, that really was a long time ago, it seems like it just happened!   The USS Ronald Reagan and the rest of the strike group proceeded into the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.  Our Detachment  set up shop in Bahrain and we spent the next 6 weeks in the desert!  I say desert, but I  guess a better way to describe it is as a really, really, really hot place.  But not only is it hot, it is like 90% humidity seeing as it is located directly on the Arabian Gulf.  The first day we were there it was 115 degrees.  In that kind of heat you would start sweating the instant you get out of the car.  It really was unbelievable.  

Bahrain was an interesting place to say the least.  It is a very westernized Middle Eastern country.  Almost everybody speaks English and all the signs are in both Arabic and English.  You can get around as an outsider with little or no trouble (they drive on the "right" side of the road!), but you do feel out of place seeing as though it is still a Muslim country in the Middle East.  Men all dress in the traditional head dress and white robe and the women are in head-to-toe black (seems kind of hot to me).  Bahrain life can be very similar to American life with the exception that in America there are trees and grass and everything isn't covered in sand...  There are all types of cuisine to eat as well.  You could spend a whole month in Bahrain and never eat all the restaurants.  They've got traditional Middle Eastern food, French, Italian, Japanese, and American (Fuddruckers, McDonalds, Chili's, Starbucks, KFC, Krispy Kreme etc).  They've also got great shopping!  You can go to the mall, where they've got all the big name designer stores, or you can go to the souq (like an outside mall/swap meet), where you can buy knock off (you name it) or even get a custom tailored suit made for EXTREMELY cheap!  I might have bought 3 suits and 6 shirts....  I've heard it said before that Bahrain is like the Reno of the Middle East (Dubai being the Las Vegas).  Saudi Arabians come over the bridge every weekend to party.  Evidentially Allah cannot see over the bridge...  The party in Bahrain, however, stops during the month of September when Ramadan starts.  Ramadan is a Muslim holiday observed for a whole month celebrating when the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.  During this time Muslims fast all day (from dawn till dusk) and then celebrate at night with parties.  It is illegal for anybody to eat or drink in public during the day, ANYBODY! (not that you can get food anywhere because restraunts are all closed till nightfall)  Even if you are not a Muslim the police will fine you (up to $2500) for offending this observance.  As an American one might say, "What? That's not fair.  I am not a Muslim, why do I have to do this?".  The answer to this is simple:  because that is life in the Middle East, and "you have to!".  Just think about that the next time you feel like you are being "oppressed"  here in America...  We have it good!  Something I wished they took as seriously as Ramadan (or just more seriously than they currently do) is driving.  Driving rules in Bahrain are sort of like the Wild West.  The bigger guy will usually win!  Even though there are quite a few nice cars on the road, it seems as though driving is a new concept.  You can go as fast as you want (even though there are posted speed limits), turn signals are not existent and stop lights are optional (not really, but people just don't feel like stopping sometimes).  I didn't actually witness many accidents, but there were times when I would be like, "was that light pole on it's side yesterday?" or, "who knocked down that solid concrete barricade?"  It was sporty to say the least, but sort of fun to get to drive like NASCAR! 

I really haven't said much about the work we did from Bahrain, but it was "standard" (take off, land on boat, stuff our faces in the wardrom, get shot of boat, land on runway).  We did get to see all the "sandy" countries though.  In the Middle East, besides Bahrain, I have been to The United Arab Emarites, Oman and Qatar.  I didn't do anything there but get gas, but I can say I have been there.  One thing I can say about the work we did is that it was tiring.  We usually took off at 7am and got home at 7pm.  After that we would be spent.  A typical night consisted of us calling for takeout.  You can get anything delivered in Bahrain, absolutely anything! (maybe even toilet paper in a pinch...)

Bahrain was a good time, but I was glad to say good bye.  Leaving Bahrain meant that I was that much closer to seeing my wife and family!  I was sort of hoping for a nice down period on the way out of 5th Fleet, but we actually did a lot of flying.  We did an overnight in Goa, India, hits into Malaysia and Singapore followed by another port call there.  Next we did an overnight in Brunei and then another overnight in Guam before finally arriving in Hawaii, USA!  Good lord it was nice to be back!  I must admit the best part was getting to see my wife and family.  My parents, Shannon and her parents all came out to welcome me home in Hawaii.  We had a marvelous 2 days to catch up and enjoy the island of Oahu.  After our quick vacation it was time for me to get back on board for my last 5 nights of deployment, but not by myself....  My dad and father-in-law came aboard with me.  The Navy puts on this thing called Tiger Cruise.  It is a chance for us Navy people to show our families what we really do at sea.  It was really great getting to show my two dads what I really do for a living.  The USS Ronald Reagan really did put on a great show for the Tigers.  There were tours everyday which went to just about every part of the ship and the Airwing even put on a flight demonstration.  I think that my dads can call themelves salty now!

The 6 month journey finally came to an end on November 25th, 2008, two days before Thanksgiving.  My two seasoned tigers and I were greeted by our wives and many hugs and kisses.  We pulled in at 9:30am and we were home by 10:00am.  What more could I ask for?  Give me a beer and the couch, thats it.  Do it!  All I can say is that it is good to be home.  There is no place like home (just like Dorothy used to say) and no place like the USA.  I am proud to say that I got to help protect our freedom and our way of life, because America is the best country in the world, hands down!