The cat is out of the bag!

I have been keeping this on the down low for a while but I feel it is important to mention it now. Last May I was told that I was deploying to Iraq with the 41st brigade April 2009. See there are two brigades in the Oregon National Guard. One of them is deploying April 2009. That is around 3000 soldiers. The state has known about this deployment for almost two years now.
Two weeks after I was told I was deploying, I was told I am not deploying. That was a relief. See, I have been in the military long enough now to know not to count on something until it happens. My boss had called me last May and told me I was deploying. I told Cassie and I don’t think I told anyone else =). April was a long ways off and I knew things could change. Luckily I didn’t tell anyone because I was told I wasn’t deploying!
Then a few months after I was told I wasn’t deploying, I was told I am deploying again. This time three weeks went by and then I was told I am not deploying. Once again I had told Cassie and pretty much no one else. Maybe a few friends but not family. I didn’t tell family because I didn’t want to worry them if I wasn’t going to deploy.
Why am I deploying and then not deploying? Yes I am full time on active duty order with Recruiting Command but I “belong” to my infantry company still. If you look at the Oregon National Guard as a whole, I belong to my infantry company but I am on orders with recruiting. Basically recruiting is “borrowing” me from the infantry. This way I can work full time and I do not have to do anything with my infantry company unless they deploy.
Around October timeframe I was told I might deploy again only this time I have not been told I am not going. Recruiting command wants to keep me with them so they have basically offered me a full time position to be on there books but it would not be effective until mid April. My unit leaves for deployment end of March or first week of April. Right now recruiting is working with my infantry unit to come up with a solution to this.
There are basically two roads to go down. The first, I deploy with the 41st brigade. They will do 4 months of training state side and about 12 months in Iraq. The 41st won’t actually be in Iraq until sometime in the summer but I would still leave for “training” within a months time from this blog. Second, recruiting works it so I can stay and all is well.
The reason I let everyone know now? Well, I do not have a definite answer to weather I am going or staying so it is better for you to know now and not a few days before I go.
I want to answer a few simple questions. How do I feel? I want to stay of course. I want to be here with my family. How does Cassie feel? Think about it. She is my wife. She does not want me to go but she understands.
Now that you know that I might be leaving soon what can you do? Really, not much. Pray for me and my family is probably the only thing you can do. Please don’t e-mail, call, or get in touch with Cassie and ask how she is doing. It is totally ok for people to contact her and offer her a word of encouragement but if twenty people call her and ask, “how are you doing?”, all she will think about is me leaving.
If you want an update on my deployment situation, I will give one on this blog. If it is not on this blog then I do not have any new information. I love you all and thank you for your support.

Mike

Please keep my family in your prayers.