Iraq Bound

I received word yesterday that a friend of mine was just called up from IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) for 4-6 months of training, followed by a yearlong tour, most likely in Iraq. The friend in question is 38 years old, a valued executive at an online research company, and hasn't worn a uniform in a dozen years.

My thoughts and prayers are with this friend as he is confronted with something he never thought could happen and now gets ready to ship out. God protect him.

I find it almost unbelievable that this has happened. Given all the buzz about setting a deadline and getting our troops out of Iraq, you'd think that activating someone after 12 years would be, at worst, highly unlikely. But here we see it in action. Yes, it has gotten that bad.