Pre-deployment pomp and circumstance

Today was the first time I had chance to witness the pre-deployment ceremonies. I understand the purpose for them. The purpose being to give the soldiers a warm send off, tell them thank you and that people care about them and appreciate what they are doing. To me the most honored people there were the Patriot Guard. There were a lot of Senators, the Governor and High ranking officers that all made speeches. Most of the speeches were too long, stroking ego's, irrelevant and giving people information they would not absorb.

To know that the soldiers were leaving the next day just made the timing of this ceremony very cruel. Cruel to the soldiers, their families, and friends. I say that because the timing of this ceremony, they were required to be at, robbed them of a precious final day before they leave and rubbed their nose in the sacrifice they are making.

I do believe these ceremonies are important. I do believe they need to happen. I just think it needs to be between a week and a month before they leave, not robbing the family of that precious final day.

It all made me happy that when the RagingDave went, he just went without all of this Required Army Hoo-Ha when we just wanted to be with each other.