Deployment Destination #2: The Philippines

One thing about being married to the Marine Corps is that your husband will inevitably be deployed at one time or another. On the positive side: Matt's deployments in his current unit here in Okinawa are very scheduled, predictable and short-lived. They are pretty much never surprises, and I am prepared way in advance to keep the schedule clear around February and October. Well, October is here, and so is Matt's second official deployment - this time to The Philippines. Unlike his last deployment to Thailand, he went over with his own unit - the guys he works with on a daily basis. While I really don't know exactly where in The Philippines he is or what he's doing every day while he's there, I do know that the operation is called PHIBLEX (I think that's how its spelled - it's an acronym of course!) and many of the other wives around here have husbands that are a part of it. All I have to say is, "My husband's in The Philippines right now," and I get, "Oh, PHIBLEX" in response. Another thing I DO know - Matt is having to sleep out in "the field" a lot while he's there (meaning: in tents). I have no idea why this is necessary, all I know is that we aren't able to Skype when he's out there:)

Another difference from his last deployment to Thailand (that operation was called Cobra Gold for anyone interested:) was that instead of taking a flight, he had to take a ship. Actually, it is called an HSV (High Speed Vessel), and there are only TWO of them in the entire world! The one that took Matt to The Philippines I believe was HSV-2. Also named "Swift"...like the fox from David the Gnome... my favorite late 80's/early 90's animated television show... Anyway, the HSV made it from our island of Okinawa all the way to The Philippines in 31 hours, and it wasn't just Matt's first time on an HSV - it was also his first time on a real ship of any type! Dramamine was taken, but he had absolutely no problems with sea-sickness, thank God!

The night before he left, we went out to one of our favorite little restaurants on the Sea Wall - Transit Cafe

Us goofing around outside of Transit

Packing

Matt burning all the IP's off his new woodland camis (I know that's a lot of military lingo for one sentence!)

Bustin' out the Boonie Cover!

This is the HSV-2 Swift that he rode on

And the OTHER Swift... you KNOW I had to do it! :)

The truth is, I don't mind Matt being deployed a month or two a year, because that seems like nothing compared to those couples who have to be separated for years while the husband goes off to far more dangerous places like Iraq or Afghanistan. I feel blessed that Matt doesn't have to do that sort of thing for his job, but I am thankful for everyone who does. Two deployments in the last 6 1/2 years (almost) - I think I can handle it! :)

Thanks to all our friends and family who not only follow this blog to keep in touch with us, but for all of your love and support - we both truly appreciate it!

'Till next time...

-C