My name is Tabitha Giddings, I’m a Bucks student and I was in the Air Force when I was deployed to Kuwait .
It wasn’t the first time I’d deployed, but it was the hardest thus far; as I left  to get on the bus that would take me overseas, my young son clung to me and did not want to let go.  Though we talked about me leaving plenty of times before, it was as if he had just understood what was happening for the first time; this was the beginning of my tour in Kuwait.
There were no words to really explain how I felt after saying goodbye to my family; my son’s expression that stayed with me the whole flight. I had a long time to think about it.
But another kind of uneasiness seized my emotions: over 6,000 miles away would be a place that I would call home for the next four months. Though a short time compared to others, I still faced the difficulty of being away from family and being on foreign land.
Jetlagged and exhausted, my fellow airmen and I in-processed, rested for a little while, then started work the next day.
Meeting the people we would be replacing was the first order of business; learning what we needed to know for a smooth transition of personnel was vital, so as not to impact the organization of operations.
I worked in Passenger Service Operations, one of the several sections that fall under the category of Logistic Transportation. On a daily basis I came across soldiers coming and going into and out of theatre, whether high-ranking officers or civilians on official business.  I had the privilege to work alongside civilians, whose presence greatly enhanced the capability of our mission.
As with any work environment, there were conflicts of personality. The military is a composite of people who have come from different organizations and backgrounds and have different views on life in general. All of these factors came into play, because each person’s unique personality resonates with others every day. It is exemplified by decisions that can affect group dynamics positively or negatively.
Internal work concerns were minute in comparison to the bigger scheme of things. The most important job was tending to the needs of soldiers, especially those who have been through the harshest of conditions in war, those who were a little down about being away from those they loved, and those who simply needed a listening ear and just needed to be treated with dignity and respect.
There were those that I came across who were just angry and there was nothing that I could do to console them. There were those who had suffered a loss while being deployed, as well as those who missed out on the birth of a child.
Family is so important to me, so when I think about my time in Kuwait, there is one person that comes to mind. In a conversation with a young airman over lunch, I had come to understand that his wife was expecting their first child in a few weeks.
It bothered me, and when I asked him how he felt about it, he said, “I’m okay with it,” explaining that his wife was used to it and that her father was in the military.  I wanted to fight for him, to ask if it was possible for him to be granted furlough for such a life-changing event.
Those of us who take the oath and go into the military know there will be small sacrifices and the possibility of grave sacrifices.
In an effort to alleviate the angst of being away from home, there were accommodations to make Kuwait more ordinary: A Thai restaurant, fast food places like “Pizza Hut” and “Subway” to name a few, spa and nail salons, AAFES (shopping centers), a movie theatre and the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR).
Attending church services was another facet of deployment life.  Spiritual nourishment was essential for me.  I joined the choir and really took pleasure in being around the other members. Sharing a part of myself in that way was liberating; it helped me to open up, relax and settle into my temporary home.
There was much emphasis placed on the importance of the “Wingman” concept; that is watching out for one another, encouraging others, friends and co-workers alike to get involved in social gatherings.  Going to the Thai restaurant or to an organized event at the MWR was one way of establishing camaraderie among one another outside of work. I appreciated this part of the bonding experience with my fellow wingmen.
When I was promoted to Technical Sergeant in early May I was ecstatic, and received many congratulations and encouragement from fellow airmen.  It felt like progress was being made as far as my military career; this lifted my spirits and gave me a higher sense of self-assurance.
There was a ceremonial pinning on of stripes. I gave a short speech and gladly accepted my place as a newly appointed, mid-level Non Commissioned Officer (NCO).
My husband and family celebrated and congratulated me on my accomplishment via teleconferencing. Being able to do this was just as important as receiving my promotion.
Advancement of technology and this particular deployment location made it possible for me to communicate with my family via Skype.  Being able to visually see my family made the hardship of not being with them physically more bearable.   Deployment was hard for me, but I felt it was more difficult and a much bigger sacrifice for my family.
As I said before this was not my first deployment, but it went better than the last.  The experience of my previous deployment was very unsettling.  Our location was constantly under attack and we never knew if or when a mortar was coming or where it would land. I could always hear them, they always sounded close, and it is something I could never get used to.
Lives were lost as a result of some of those attacks…
There were good times though!  My experience is a firsthand account of the positive roles military members make in people’s lives.
I had the great pleasure of meeting local children from the surrounding village during my deployment in Iraq.  The basis of the interaction with the children was to further build upon the established relations with the natives in that area.
It was a day of fun and learning for the visiting children who came to the base.  It was so pleasant to be around them and watch their excitement as they used exercise machines in the gym, played outdoor games and ate foods that were otherwise a rarity for them.  It was an event I was glad to be a part of.
I liked working with my fellow airmen and with others from all over the world.  I have always had an open heart and mind towards learning new things, meeting new people, and gaining an understanding of other cultures; finding out where they come from, what their stories were and what brought them to Kuwait.
This social aspect part of life while in Kuwait was the highlight of the deployment. It’s was always nice to come across noteworthy people… it kept things interesting.