And so how did it come to this?

A year ago I never would have imagined I'd be back in Iraq. There was no reason to think I would be deployed again. The Battalion I commanded at the time was not scheduled to deploy and I'd just been selected for Army War College. If anything, my future was very stable it seemed. Armed with that knowledge, I had finally gotten off my ass to pursue a lifelong dream - playing the banjo. Things sure did change in the space of a few months.

Towards the end of last July I was with my beloved Movement Control Battalion conducting training in Fort McCoy, WI. I didn't suspect anything when my phone rang. It was my commander - someone I spoke with almost daily. But instead of the normal chatter this call turned out to be something else. Another battalion within the Sustainment Command I belonged to had recently seen both its commander and Command Sergeant Major fired. My commanding general wanted to know if I would be willing to leave my current command and take over this troubled battalion. The kicker was that the battalion was deploying to Iraq. I was stunned and honored at the same time. Fortunately, my CG didn't need my answer immediately. After about a week of careful consideration, counsel with mentors, questions answered by the Army War College, and a lot of prayer I reached a decision. Yes, I would leave command of my beloved MCB and take command of the other battalion. Soldiers in need of leadership can never be denied. My banjo would come with me.

After passing the colors of my old battalion in September, I grasped the colors of my new command shortly after. The unit is a Combat Sustainment Support Battalion based in Fort Lee, VA. That's where this journey really began. The months that followed saw me spend countless hours at the headquarters rebuilding the command team, developing the staff, eliminating the deadwood, and infusing the entire battalion with a passion for teamwork and mission success. The predeployment training included time at lovely places with names like Fort Hunter Liggett and MacGregor Range. All the while, my banjo and Army War College studies traveled with me.

So that's how I've arrived back in Iraq - a country I've deployed to three times previous (I kept a blog on my last deployment - http://fortsam.blogspot.com ). Now I've returned for a fourth time. Only this time I'm here as a Battalion Commander and an aspiring banjo player. This is going to be a fun journey. I'm glad to have all of you visiting to follow along. Bear with me for a few entries to catch you up to the present. Then we'll stay on track for the present. Take your shoes off, sit a spell, and listen to me spin a yarn about my Soldiers, my various locations, my command, my studies, and my pursuit of banjo excellence.