Welcome to 2008 - now back to your regularly scheduled war

Tonight I heard someone say, "Hey, its 2008."  Then those of us working the swing shift at the TOC (tactical ops center) looked at the red digital clocks, found the one that said 00:00 L, and nodded in agreement.  I went back to my computer scrabble game, the fires guys to my right went back to the AFN channel showing the Air Force vs Cal game, and everyone else settled back into their routines.

 

Many nights in the TOC are like tonight--quiet and uneventful.  We pass the time with various computer games, chess, scrabble, books, and magazines.  And mIRC of course.  mIRC is the military chat network that we use to stay in touch with everyone.  When you see someone watching their mIRC screens it is very similar to the computer nonsense running across the screen from the movie, "The Matrix."  We have to monitor up to a dozen different chat windows so you find yourself just staring at the windows, and, in true military fashion, everything is abbreviated and in specific formats which all appears like Matrix code to first timers.

 

But TOC duty is part of the TACP world that never quite makes the highlight reels.  In an 8-12 hour shift, sometimes I may only do 15 minutes of real work (cf "Office Space).  Of course it is sometimes an hour of chaos, followed by hours of boredom.  Every day is just like the previous one (like the movie Groundhog Day), so a common reply to the 'How ya doin,' is either "Groundhog Day #17," or "Living the Dream," or "Whats a 7 letter word ending in C?"

 

Guys tend to watch so many movies that entire conversations can contain only quotes from movie lines.  So you tend to speak in the 'Man Code' all day long and rarely have a real meaningful conversation.  Guys mostly talk about the movie they watched, the game they just played, or the injustice most recently suffered.  

 

January 1, 2008, rolled in just like the previous 27 days, including Christmas.  In times like these we don't take Christmas off, we don't go out for New Years Eve, and we don't have weekends.  I have just worked my 27th straight 9 hour TOC shift, and I am a lucky one.  Many guys work longer shifts (12), and for many more days.  And we are lucky compared to the guys working at the smaller outposts.  I have a regular mattress (twin), some sheets hanging for my own "room," warm showers, electricity, and plenty of food.  I have it made.

 

War is a very methodical process.  There is no day off.  And if you stop fighting you start losing.  I have found these principles exist in the civilian world also.  In my personal battles for what is good and true, I cannot take a day off.  I cannot stop fighting the temptations to make immoral choices.  Every day is a day the bad guy may attack.  And you must be ready.  I am responsible for protecting my family, and, as a man, I am responsible for fighting for my princess. 

 

In 2008 I encourage every man to fight each day for that which is most important--not wealth or status or accomplishment, but for those who look to you for safety and protection.  Fight for your wife, fight for your kids, and fight for the truth.  Fight for those who are unable to defend themselves, and fight for freedom.  Never give up, but as God encouraged Joshua, "Be strong and courageous."  Sometimes the fight is close, obvious, and action-packed.  But sometimes the fight is slow, drawn-out, and subtle.  Bring it on 2008!

K12