Day 403: Transition

Welcome to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, home to the Warrior Transition Program (WTP). Being deployed in an army uniform provides many challenges to a Navy sailor as we often have felt like fish out of water...hahahaha...man I've still got it! In an effort to ease the transition back to Navy life as I knew it 12 months ago, this 5 day program was set up to help us sailors relax and reflect on our deployment and how to use our experiences as a way to enhance the lives of our friends, families, and fellow Sailors. Workshops on post-deployment stress, adjustment issues, and reintegration tips are just some of the topics covered. Sounds like fun. It also serves as scheduled, mandatory "me" time in preparation for the onslaught of social gatherings, kiddo activities, and "honey do" errands that are waiting for me.

Here are the highlights of my INTENSE schedule that I have been subject to thus far:

Day 1:

Flight arrives from Afghanistan
2 hour bus ride to Camp Arifjan
Brunch
Discovery of Free Milkshakes
Did I mention FREE milkshakes
Shopping for work out gear that doesn't say "US Navy" on it
Table Tennis
WiFi internet at Starbucks
Table Tennis
Dinner

Day 2:

Cleaning my Pistol and Rifle
Weapons Inspection #1
Re-Cleaning of my Pistol and Rifle
Inspection #2
Re-Re-Cleaning of my Pistol and Rifle
Asking someone who knows what they are doing to help clean my Pistol and Rifle
Inspection #3
Lunch
Catching highlights of the US Open
Working Out
More window shopping
More Internet at Starbucks
Dinner

Day 3:

Gear Turn-In - Yay!
Weapons Turn-In - Double Yay!!
Lunch
Powerpoint Presentations/Workshop
Internet Time
Hit the Gym
Dinner

Day 4:

Interactive Workshops - sharing of deployment experiences
Down Time
Lunch
Medical Outprocessing - make sure I don't have PTSD
Post Office errands
Dinner

Day 5:

Guam or Bust!!