From Zero to 3

Up until this year, I haven't known anyone who was deployed to Afghanistan. And, now I know 3 men. One of them is a High School friend, I worked a summer job with one of them many years ago, and the last one is an acquaintance through a family member. My friend from High School was recently injured so, he is actually on his way back here to the states. And, he is able to retire now so, he will not be going back. Even though he suffered an injury, I'm thrilled for him and his family! But, since he was injured, it seems to have made it even more real for me, that I still know 2 other men in Afghanistan. I don't hear from the guy I worked with back in the day and I worry for him all the time. I don't really know if he is ok. I don't know how things are for him in Afghanistan and I just keep him, and his safety, on my mind and hope that he is doing well. The friend of my family member was deployed in June so, he is halfway through with his deployment. One of his friends posts a lot of pictures of him and his unit on Facebook and always tags him in them. Seeing those pictures is surreal for me. There is a lot of sitting around behind big rocks while holding huge big boy guns, smoking cigarettes and probably just chatting away their hours. To be honest, the first set of pictures he and his friend posted back in June, brought me to tears. Even though they were all posing and goofing off, I couldn't help but be taken by the sheer danger of it. There is never a time, when they are outside of their rooms, that they aren't holding their guns. Someone is always looking out in the background so that, even when they are trying to pass the time and feel a little normal by goofing off a little, someone is always looking out for their well-being. It is poetically disturbing. So, I worry for the 2 men that I know in Afghanistan. I hope for the quick recovery of my friend who is on his way back to the states. I wish I could keep in constant contact with my ex-coworker, or at least hear from him once in a very short while, so that I can know that he is safe. And, I keep an eye on the pictures of my family member's friend on Facebook, and his few Status Updates, and that helps me to know that he is doing ok. But, for now, I wish them all a safe deployment to Afghanistan, and a safe and healthy return to the states.