Letter from Joe

Joe has sent a letter to my blog world. I originally started this blog for Joe to follow while he was gone. It turned out that it was blocked so he couldn't see it. I am anxious for him to read all of my post when he returns on FRIDAY! Grab a Kleenex because I haven't stopped crying since he sent it!


Well, finally Sarah and I are nearing the end of another long six month Air Force deployment to the Middle East. As I sit here anxiously awaiting the freedom bird only a few days away, I think back on the more memorable events over the past six months that Sarah and I have shared.

It all started back in July when I left…the week of the beach trip. With heavy hearts we both boarded airplanes and blasted off into the unknown. Sarah’s destination was a beautiful beach with Anna Cabana serving up spritzers and Will “Linen Pants” Buffet grilling steaks on the barbi. My destination was a not so beautiful land-mined beach (with no water) with Habeeb serving “egg product” omelets in the chow hall. Though thousands of miles away once again and missing one another, solace was found in the arms of family and friends and made the first month bearable.

Month two began fast and furious as our defending 2007 Teacher of the Year reported to duty at Abilene’s newest prestigious Craig Middle School. While she was restraining herself from murdering her precious 8th graders, I was restraining myself from beating the life out of my “first-time-to-combat-and-I-am-scared” copilot as he tries to repeatedly crash us into the Qatari desert during his failed landing attempts. Bin Laden once again slipped through our fingers as Wyatt and I chased him around Afghanistan with bombs and mortars by the score.

Month three, and we are approaching the halfway point of the deployment. Winter is in the desert air as the average daily temperature dips below 120F finally. October brings the first Sarah-hosted Halloween costume party to the new house and my Squadron Commander, Colonel Allen dressed up as a woman (weird). I take a brief hiatus to Kandahar, Afghanistan to fly an unhealthy B-1 “home” on three engines after catching on fire and emergency diverting to the nearest “suitable” (mined) airfield.

Month four with Thanksgiving dinner and fireside naps at the Stutes to look forward to for Sarah and laboratory-made omelets at the chow hall for me. Wyatt swings by the base for an afternoon on his way home and doesn’t miss the chance to make fun of the Air Force and our cushy deployment life. I guess I never knew it was possible to deploy without Burger King within a two minute walk from the flightline, Wyatt reminds me it’s possible. About twenty combat sorties under my belt by now for me and my iron steed, with the Taliban on the run. I pledge to Wyatt to try to have them completely exterminated by the time he returns from Thanksgiving break.

Month five arrives and I do a pretty good Santa impression flying on Christmas Day delivering iron presents to the naughty little Taliban. Sarah invests in our first imitation Christmas tree and lines it smartly with wrapped presents shaped curiously like shoe boxes labeled “To: Sarah – From: Santa Joe”. I knew Santa shouldn’t have left his credit card behind. The Stuteville family and friends warmth is felt 8,000 miles away in the form of pictures, letters, prayers and 15-minute phone calls and gets us through another deployed holiday.

Month six and time to start packing up to go home. Wouldn’t you know it, time again slows to a crawl as thoughts of stepping onto Abilene soil and sitting down at the Stuteville family dinner table fill my mind. As I formulate a plan to retrieve the Tahoe car keys from Sarah’s grasp upon my return, B-1 flying operations don’t skip a beat.
Our squadron surpasses the 1,000 bombs dropped milestone which equates to 10,000+ Afghanistan and Iraqi-based American soldiers lives safer. That’s a nice thought to come home with and one I would like to share with you all.

Before I board the plane home to Abilene, I would like to thank all of you for supporting me and for supporting Sarah over these last six long months. Things haven’t always been easy, but like my parents used to tell me, nothing worth having in life is. This deployment wouldn’t have been possible for me without all your thoughts and prayers and thanks to all of you, all of our deployed soldiers are a bit safer these days.

See you soon,
Joe.