Day 16 - Conversation With A Contractor

Spending the holidays deployed to Iraq is something many members of the armed forces are currently doing. It has placed a distance between thousands of families. Not only do military members feel the disconnect caused by serving, but contractors as well. As I work with contractors and military alike, I began to notice their discontent as the holidays grew closer.

One event was with another translator that works in a nearby office. As he walked down the hall, head towards the ground and hands in his pockets, I noticed he wasn’t the same man I had seen so many days in the past. This day, he was grim. Now looking in my direction, I stopped just shy of my office door to talk with him. Normally the friendly guy who would walk into the office just to say hello or offer a handshake, it was apparent that something was troubling him.

During the course of the conversation, I began to learn why he was down, understand and relate to his situation. Three months prior he had filled out paperwork so he would be able to get a flight back home to spend the holidays with his family. Speaking in broken yet understandable English, he expressed his disbelief. Each day he had returned to the travel office, spending countless hours asking questions, only to return after being told “maybe tomorrow”. For months, that phrase would haunt him as each day he looked forward to spending time with his family.

Having just purchased his first house in his home-country, he was eager to spend his first Christmas with his family. Because he was a foreign-national contractor, his request for a flight was not as high as a priority as military members going on leave or on their 96-hour pass. Because he isn’t a citizen of the United States, does it mean he hasn’t sacrificed? Does it mean his worries and concerns bear less meaning than those of others? Since being here, he has been a hard worked, a go-getter, and a true friend. He deserves, much like every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine, the chance to spend time with his family when his time is due. This day, after three months of wanting and waiting, we come together to make he concerns known.

With several phone calls, emails, and personal visits to high-ranking officials here on camp, he is one his way home for a well-deserved three weeks. Strength in numbers has always been a key factor in winning any battle. That day, offices came together to accomplish the goal set before us. As he soars high in the sky for his trip back to his homeland, we all know that we did our part to ensure he could enjoy his holiday season. Although the remainder of us will spend our Christmas with each other, we put the needs of someone else before our own, demonstrating the true meaning of Christmas. This day wasn’t about receiving cards or care packages in the mail, hanging lights, or singing carols. It was about coming together as a team and, thousands of miles away from home, emphasizing the real meaning of the holidays.