15 months to map the future

[unhappycamper]

15 months to map the future
By Vince Little, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, February 26, 2008

BAGHDAD — Many soldiers shipped to Iraq on 15-month tours believe their lives will have to be put on hold for a while. Going into her first deployment, 1st Lt. Myra Waldher was no exception.

But shortly after arriving here last October, she says her outlook changed.

Waldher, of the 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, who works as a battle captain in the unit’s tactical operations center, is now using the time to make plans for the future — perhaps even life after the Army.

“I’ve been given this wonderful opportunity to spend 15 months reflecting on what I want to do when I get home (and) what direction my life has been on,” said the 24-year-old from Spokane, Wash. “Before, I thought everything would be on pause. Now I have the ability to control what direction it goes in, map out where I want to be.

“It’s a good chance to step back, plan your life and get ready to go again. I’m getting more out of this deployment than I thought I would.”


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52819