21 January 2008


Dave “TFB” Bremer went home today. (That F___ing Bremer).

Dave has been in Afghanistan for three years. The first year he was deployed as a member of the Maine National Guard. He worked with some MPRI contractors and applied after his deployment. Came back as a civilian and stayed two years, until family obligations called him home. Every other story he told (and he told many) started with “back when I was in uniform” in reference to his time here as a soldier.

I first met Dave back when I was the curriculum developer at D-1 supply depot. I had to go to Logistics Command to recruit students, and since Dave was the LogCmd mentor and I asked him to take me and introduce me to the right people. On the ride over, he told me how he acquired a tough-looking scar on his face. He got it as a young soldier (back when he was in uniform) horsing around in the barracks. I suspect adult beverages were involved. He fell into a wall locker and got a cool gash below his right eye.

Dave was the joker in our office. I had to log off my terminal whenever I left, or I’d return to find that another guy received a love letter from my email account. He was always ready with a story or anecdote, usually from when he was back in uniform, about some foolish thing he did at one time or another. Along with “back when I was in uniform,” another favorite saying of his was “that’s gay,” which was applied to almost everything anyone else did, implying latent homosexuality of the victim. Come to think of it, maybe Dave had some issues with his own masculinity...

Dennis, Dave’s interpreter Wasi, & I took him to the airport where he took off his body armor for the last time, handed it to Dennis, shook hands, and walked to the terminal. Afghanistan is probably one of only a few countries on earth where heartfelt goodbyes include the departing saying, “I hope you guys don’t get killed on the way back.” How sweet, I think I’m going to cry.

Fair winds and following seas, Dave...you homo.

Out.


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