GMO2003 said:
I was just wondering if there were others out there that had similar experiences and how you made the best of it
I started a GMO tour with the Marines in July of 2003.
Workups included 2-3 weeks at Ft AP Hill in VA in Oct 2003, a month at CAX at 29 Palms in Jan 2004 (freezing cold!), followed by 2 more weeks at the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, CA. During this time we were part of 4th MEB and deployed individual companies to Kabul and Djibouti, though neither I nor my fellow GMO with the battalion deployed then.
Deployed to Afghanistan from May-Dec 2004.
Came home, extended my GMO tour for another year because nothing I have ever done in my life has been as enjoyable and rewarding as working for the Marines.
Next set of workups included another trip to Ft AP Hill in April 2005, a month split between Stability/Security Ops training at March AFB and R-CAX at 29 Palms in June 2005 (boiling hot!).
Deployed to Iraq in late August 2005, due to go home in March or April ... at which time I plan to burn the ~100 days of leave I have on the books before heading to Portsmouth for anesthesia.
So ... by the time my 3 year GMO tour is done, I'll have spent about 17-18 months away from home. I'm married and have 3 kids (ages 8, 6, and 4) and of course it is hard on all of us.
I'm fortunate enough to have easy access to email and phones where I am. I talk to my family daily, and play Scrabble, Battleship, Sorry, and Monopoly online with my 8 year old son several times per week (via games.com). My 6 and 4 year olds miss me, but seem to be handling it better than my oldest.
Despite the family separation, there have been enormous up sides to deploying with the Marines.
- The sense of mission and community is very big.
- Huge reduction in administrative hassles while deployed. I haven't done a routine 5-year-physical or any med board paperwork in months.
- There's nothing like the privilege and honor of taking care of a wounded Marine.
- Points on my GME application.
Whatever I do for the rest of my life, I'll think I'll be forever comparing what I'm doing at the moment to my time with the Marines, wondering if the sense of community and purpose measure up to my GMO years.
I don't think there's any trick or tip anyone can give to make family separation easier, but for me at least, enjoying what I'm doing, recognizing the importance of my role supporting the infantry, and - above all - just being here for a wounded PFC or Lance Corporal are what get me through it.