Personal Rituals

After all our Pre-combat Checks and Inspections are completed just about each and everyone one of us has some sort of personal ritual they go through before a mission. For some of us we ensure that the modular pockets on our protective vests are arranged how we want them. For others its a quick email/text/call home. Some carry a good luck charm or religious medallion, or a memento from home with them (mines a Bud Light bottle cap my bartender flung at me when we first met). Some quickly recheck a photo from home or stow it somewhere inside their vests or uniform blouses. Some might have a certain song or music play list they'll listen to.

During and post missions we all have our rituals as well. Depending on location you may find some of us unwinding from a day on the road listening to our favourite music, watching a movie, reading a book, or writing a letter/journal entry. One of my favourite way to unwind on the road last deployment was to fire up the camp stove, and if I wasn't cooking a meal, pop up some popcorn in my canteen cup, then either play some cards or gaze at the stars and plan what to do when I got home. Sometime before I settled down for the night I'd write a page or two in a letter home, or an entry in my journal.

Once we complete a mission one doesn't see as many rituals. Some may say a short prayer of thanks, some call home before they even unload their gear, some make a B-line straight to the Internet or the Mess Tent. Others read any mail they may have received. No matter what the ritual they all have the commonality of helping us get through the situation we're in and get back home to our loved ones in one piece.

Be safe.

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