Life in Iraq is Groundhog Day, everyday. I lived on a very small base, my schedule did not change from day to day, and I interacted with the same people for a year. A wise colonel told me at the beginning of deployment, “This deployment is a marathon, not a sprint, pace yourself.”

 

During the deployment, there are good times, bad times, and other times that you think, “Did I sign up for this?” 

 

Working in a hospital, we were very busy when there were a large number of causalities. Those times, all employees on the base, even non-medical, would report to the hospital and help the injured.

 

I made friends, and we became each other’s support group. By the end of my deployment, we were like family; my friends are the ones that helped me survive the really bad days.