Rising above the politics

Laughter, tears, banter, hugs and more group hugs could be heard and seen clearly and loudly at the Misawa Airport lobby this morning. Many from our squadron showed up to see our friends and colleagues go to their temporary assignment in the sandbox. There were others waiting to see their peers leave as well.

It was amazing to see so many people from different upbringing, background, religious beliefs, and political standpoints. We each had our own reason for joining the military. We have our own story to tell, some longer than others. Some more interesting. And here we were together, equal in our show of support to our friends, co-workers, and loved ones as they leave to complete their portion of a job that needs to be done. There was no talk about politics, who is right or who is wrong. Today was their day.

As we spent the minutes waiting for them to board their 0955 plane, we talked about the same things we have talked about again and again. "If you need anything, e-mail me; Don't forget to... Did you remember when.... How's your wife... What are you going to do...Tell me when..."

They left today to do a job. They will arrive in their Areas of Responsibilities and do their job. They will return after their tour of assignment is over having done their job the best way they know how. They will complete it with a sigh of relief knowing they accomplished something. They will leave knowing that not everything was accomplished. But another group will do their job as well as they did. Maybe not better than our friends, colleagues and love ones but they will do their job to the best of their own abilities. When their turn is over, another group will go and replace them.

Once they return back here, they will wake up the following morning, put on their uniform and do what they know best: their job. They will do it without fanfare. They seek no attention and shun the notoriety of limelight. They will go to work day-after- day because they know it needs to be done.

They are overworked and understaffed; they will laugh, cry, complain and vent, and yet it amazes me that they return again and again to do their job. There is no profit-sharing nor productivity rewards included with their duties. At times their recognition appears on a piece of paper with their unit logo, a letter in a frame, a piece of wood with their name and accomplishments etched on it, an email and congratulated by their peers. Yet despite what may seem like the lack of the red carpet fame or media blitz and glamor, they do their job well. They perform their duties with the simple attitude: it needs to get done.

Tomorrow, we will notice that our offices will be missing that laughter that made everyone else laugh, that joke that everyone groaned at...we will notice their absence. For a few months we will be left to our own and deal with our own changes, carrying their work load, assuming their responsibilities to our already busy and heavy work load.

But on Monday, many will return to work again laughing, crying, and venting. On Tuesday, they will again complain but you will see them again on Wednesday to do their job to the best of their abilities which they consistently do everyday.

This summer we will receive new co-workers who will be our friends, colleague and become part of our family. We will see some move on alongside with Time and with their new assignments. Each will do their job to the best of their abilities. We will hear laughter, crying, complaining and venting.

They will continue to do so until their time of commitment is over. They will leave with a sigh of relief that it's over. They will leave looking towards the future with a slight turn of the head to remember the past. They will sigh satisfied knowing they did their job to the best of their abilities. They will go to their "new assignment" and be as successful, if not more, as they were in their military job. They will leave knowing that not everything was accomplished. But another group will come. They will do their job, maybe not better than they did, but to the best of their own abilities. They will not receive any public recognition or reward. They will be overworked, understaffed and unrecognized. They will laugh, cry, complain and vent. They will not earn the red carpet fame nor the glamor of the media blitz. But they will go to work day-after-day doing their job to the best of their abilities. They will go with this simple attitude: it needs to get done.

What a privilege it is to be with these normal and average group of friends, colleagues and loved ones.