This is the first part of my second deployment I have been on planes for the better part of three days but because we are traveling through time zones I've lost almost a day and a half.
I started my journey at 8:45 a.m. Phoenix time on the 21st of June 2011, when I left my home with Hazel and Lorraine. Hazel and I took Lorraine to the southards house so she could go with them to see How To Train Your Dragon at the theater. After dropping her off we went and got me one last cherry coke from Sonic before leaving then went on base to pick up my weapons to go to the air port.
Hazel dropped me off at about 9:30 we said goodbye and I entered the terminal to start why would become a nightmare of a time trying to get to Norfolk for my flight to Afghanistan. I checked in to the ticket counter and checked my three bags my weapon and then my computer and camera gear, so five bag in total. The airline was great they didn't charge extra for the bags it would have been three hundred for the two extras. So with my tickets in hand I went to security to begin my travels.
Having arrived at the airport the two hours early they ask I was naturally two hours early for my flight. So I found a nice spot on the floor near a plug and began topping off the charges on my electronics. I meet many very nice people while sitting waiting for my flight and received many thanks and a few people who would pray for my safety.
Finally the time arrived for me to board the airplane it was around 12:15. The plane I was in was a smaller size plane so it had two seats on one side and three on the other I was on the side with two. I found my seat and I was in the aile next to a very nice woman, Theia. She was a retired high school biology teacher and was headed to south carolina for a wedding. We sat and talked a bit while the other passengers where getting on board. It came time for the plane to leave and all the passengers weren't on yet so we sat for about 20 minutes until everyone was on.
By now I was getting worried it looked as if I was going to have to run across the Dallas fort worth airport to get to my connecting flight on time. Then the pilot got on the intercom and said due to an electrical problem we would yet be able to leave and the guys working on the problem would have an estimate on the time it would take to fix in a little bit. A little bit turned into almost an hour, so by now I was missing my connecting flight. The pilot got on the intercom again to let u's know the plane had been taken out of service it had a major problem that would require a day or two to fix. All the passengers got off the plane.
And the nightmare began:
Now all hundred something passengers needed to rebook flights to get to where we were going. We formed a line to talk to one of the agents at the gate to arrange our flights. I stood in this line for another hour and a half before I got to the lady. By this time I had pulled out my iPad and looked up flights from Phoenix to Norfolk and had found a few that would get me there. During my time in line I also began making phone calls to SSgt nabor and tracie to find out when my flight from Norfolk was leaving and if I had a time I needed to be there by.
I was at the ticket agent and I had set my mind on needing to be at the Norfolk base terminal and checked in for my flight to Afghanistan by 12 on the 22nd. I told the lady finding tickets I my situation and she was very kind and found me flights that would get me to Norfolk at 8:44 on the 22nd giving me plenty of time to get to the terminal on base.
The flights she got me went like this. I was leaving Phoenix to go to LA on a flight at 4 it would land in LA at 6ish. I would then get on a red eye flight leaving at 10:45 to charlotte. That plane would arrive at 6ish in the morning. I would then get on one more flight leaving at 7:40 ish and getting into Norfolk at 8:44.
Those were the best flights she could get me and it got me there before my 12 timeframe I gave myself. I would make it I was happy it had worked out... Or so I thought.
I got my tickets from the agent and she gave me a food voucher for ten dollars, wished me luck and I ran because I only had 20 min to get to my flight to LA. On the flight to LA I meet two lady's from Australia who had been vacationing in the states we talked for a bit then the plane left Phoenix.
We landed in LA and got off the plane now at this point I started to get a little worried about my bags. I had switched airlines and terminals. The last thing I wanted to deal with was missing a bag or the biggest headache my weapons. I tried to put those thoughts aside and I found a place to eat as I had four hours to waste before my flight. The only thing that sounded even remotely appetizing was the california pizza kitchen. I got a pepperoni pizza and a drink which cost $13. I then found a nice chair with a plug, plugged in my iPad and watched an episode of phineas and ferb. I then read my book.
The chair I found with the plug was a a bit away from my departure gate so I got up and went to my gate about an hour before boarding time. While sitting in my seat near the gate I see Marines, a lot there had to be almost 30 all in civilian cloths but still screaming "I'm a Marine". Two of them sat in the empty seats next to me. We talked for a bit one was going to be and electrician and the other legal. They had just finished up at their combat training and where heading to their tech schools.
It came time to board the plane, little did I know the woman who arranged my flight had found me a seat in first class. So they attendant called for all people sitting in zone 1and 2 I looked and mine said zone 2 so I got up to get my seat. Surprise to me I'm in first class. It was awesome I had leg room I fell asleep for about 3 hours of the flight. We got to Charlotte and I decided I needed one of those neck pillows for my long flights across the ocean. They had been $15 & $16 at most places I had seen. But I was going to suck it up to be comfortable. I got off my plane in charlotte and what do you know the news stand right next to the gate had neck and lap pillows in a set for $20 how could I resist. After making my purchase I went to find my next gate.
The gate was across the airport I was in a hurry but not running as I would make it to the gate with a few min before boarding. Is I walked I worried about my bags again, but told myself it will be fine I'll be good my bags will find there way to me. As I approached the gate one of the attendants there Michelle I believe was her name, pointed at me and beckoned me over to her. As I walked over I see at her feet one of my checked bags, the one with all my computer equipment. She explained that she had been waiting there for me and my bags had arrived on a flight sometime that night and 4 were loaded onto the plane and this one they took out so I could put it in the over head area. I thanked herald told her what a relief it was to know my bags had made it to me.
Finally I border my last flight, the one that would get me to where I needed to be to get my flight to Afghanistan. This last flight was a cake walk I had a whole row to myself, as did everyone on the plane, so I napped the whole flight.
I had arrived now all I needed was to grab my bags and get a cab to the base to make my flight. That turned out to be like the rest of my trip, more difficult then it seamed.
I found my bags at the bag claim and pulled out my wallet to grab my travel card to pay for a cart for my bags. I thought to myself I'll pull out my ID as well I would need it out to get on base. To my horror no ID card. I franticly checked all my pockets and my carry on bag. The last plase I remember seeing it was as I was boarding the flight from LA to charlotte. So I started there iq went to the airline bag claim desk and got the number for the charlotte airport to see if it had been turned in there. The first guy transferred me to lost and found. They weren't open so I called back and got Michelle the one who had helped my with my bags at Charlotte I told her what had happened, after teasing me a bit about how she managed to keep track of my five bags I couldn't keep track of one little ID. She called a friend who raced over to the plane I was on from LA, it was just about to leave, to quickly check around my seat on the plane. He came back with nothing Michelle told me she would keep looking and if she found it she would destroy it. I thanked her for all her help and began to try to get a new ID so I could make my flight.
I started by calling the Luke operator to get the Norfolk operator. I got it and called Norfolk gave me the number to their ID office. I called and talked to a woman named Toya. I explained to her what had happened and how I needed a new card and quick. She told me where her office was and that they weren't on the base so I could get to them with out trying to go through the gate. She was going to leave one of the people there open until I arrived so I could get in and out quickly. I took all my bags outside to a cab to begging the trek to get a new ID the first cab I talked to wanted $30 to get to the terminal on base and an extra... He calculated... $200 for a stop at the exchange, where the ID place was, wait for ten minutes for me to get my ID then to the terminal. $230 was way out of any reasonable price range, from behind me a lady said we can do that for you and cheaper. I recognized the cab company as the one I had used last time to get from Norfolk to the base terminal. She took me into their little office did some calculations and gave me a price of $98 I caould do that since I was having them drive me all over the place.
The driver and I packed my bags in the car and began the journey to the exchange. We got there and let me say that exchange was huge it was more like a shopping mall then an exchange, it had two floors. I got directions and went upstairs for the ID office. As I was walking down their hall Toya saw me greeted me and took me to a guy who was waiting for me. We got my ID made in about 15 min. During the time it took to get my card done I received a couple phone calls Just as my new ID was done and I was securing it in my wallet my phone rings again it was some 702 number. I answer and it was michelle they had found my ID I had dropped it on the LA flight but instead of turning it in to gate for lost and found one of the flight attendants had taken it over to the USO. Michelle had a rep from the USO on the line with her and we arranged to have my old ID sent back to Hazel.
Having now all the stress off my back of a lost ID and missing my flight, for I still had an hour and a half, I got back in the cab and the driver took me on base to the terminal. Finally I was here and it had only taken 24 hours, or 21 since I gained 3 hours traveling to the east coast.
When we arrived at the terminal I saw a quick glimps of someone I thought I knew from CST. I unloaded my bags to a cart and began walking to the terminal. I looked over and yep it was Senior Master Sgt Gardenhire, from CST. We had this joke that we were stalking ea h other because in training we would run into each other all over the place. I looked up at her, she was still a ways off, and said ma'am even now you stalk me. And I shook my head at her, after the greetings and getting through security we both checked in for our flight that was leaving in almost an hour. As we check in and annoncement was made, our flight was being pushed back until latter that night and a hotel has been arranged for u's to go take a nap, shower, do what we need.
After arriving at the hotel I skyped Hazel and Lorraine, then showered and took a long nap. We got back on a bus for the terminal again at about 7:30 p.m., this time to leave. At the terminal, I ran into most of the PAs from training we chatted and had a good time. I grabbed a burger from a shop there as the last thing I had eaten was the pizza. It wasnt long after we border the plane.
Our first stop was in Shannon Ireland we got off the plane and walked around the airport. I found a store with deodorant spray, as I was about to check out I say a keychain with a clover and the name Lorraine, si I got that for my daughter. From there we got back on the plane and went to Germany where we got more fuel and picked up some Army guys who had been stranded there for four day.
We left Germany for Manas which brings me to now, we are in the air flying toward our first military stop of the trip. With any luck we will have a flight out of Manas in a day or so.
