Gulfport...

After just under 72 hours, since leaving Kuwait, we arrived in Gulfport. What a mess. From Kuwait, we had 90 minute layover in Germany. Four hours later we stopped in Shannon, Ireland. GREAT BEER, even at 7 in the morning! Eight hours after that we hit the Big Apple. We landed and I noticed the snow. Less than fifteen hours earlier we were surround by sand. Anyway, we were scheduled for a two hour later and then the snow started falling. They cancelled our flight but other flights were still going. We tried to switch carriers but no one could accomodate our numbers. The decision was made to hunker down at a hotel but the closest one was over an hours drive away and that did not account for the driving conditions. The decision was made that we would stay at the airport.

We were scheduled to leave NYC at 0600 but due to more snow, union workers, misinformation etc. we did not leave until one. Needless to say, tensions were high, very high. Our skipper tried to throw his rank around but that does not go over too well with civilians and certainly, not with union workers. Once we were back in the air, the mood shifted from tense to anxious. We arrived in Gulfport at 1530. We had a police escort form the airport to the base where we were met by a small group of family, friends and military mucky mucks. For those that had family fly out to meet them, the sight was incredible. One of officers has a family made up of four daughters, his wife and a jack russell terrier. Seeing the commander swarmed over by the people that certainly missed him more than anyone isomething that I will never forget. A couple of the guys met their newborns for the first time....whew. A scene similar to these will unfold for

me in a couple of days.

I cannot wait.