The Heart of the Matter..

There are many out there who say the United States doesn't belong here. There are many more who believe the United States should be here but for the wrong reasons.

Someone asked me the differences between my last tuor and my current tour. Granted, I am only a very few days into this trip, but already I have seen many differences. The biggest being we in the International Zone (IZ) are being attacked far less than we were exactly one year ago. Exactly one year ago, I couldn't walk out of the Embassy without a bulletproof helmet and vest on.

Do I think we are making a difference here? In my personal opinion we certainly are. Sometimes I think the individual differences aren't so good, but the overall picture looks bright.

Do I see us packing up our rucksacks and sleeping bags in 2 years and heading back home? No.

The number of people coming back here for 2nd 3rd and even 4th tours is growing. I do see this as a benefit in the long run. As those of us who have been here get burned out, the recruiting effort will go out the roof and I see our pay and benefits eventually heading back toward a rise as opposed to the decline we are one again experiencing.

Once I get into the field, I will hopefully have a better perspective. Being stuck in the Embassy, I know how one feels to be cut off from the outside world. In the mean time, I will keep my nose stuck in these "Cold Case" files, trying to locate people and evidence in order to keep the bad guys who are already in jail in their cells.