Great to be back in the States

[Don Abele]

Well, I'm finally back in the States and boy is it nice to be back. Of course, it would be better if I were home with my family (who are still up in Boston).

In the mean time, no rest for the wicked. I'm off tomorrow for a three day trip up to Great Lakes (my command is sponsoring a recruit division) and then mid April I'm down to Ft Lauderdale for three weeks as my Sailors will be providing security for Fleet Week. Hopefully after that I'll get some time off to head up to Boston and see the family.

I'd like to thank everyone for their well wishes while I was deployed and ask that all keep our service members still over there in your hearts and prayers (especially since I'll be right back over there in nine months!!!).

Be well,

Doc

[Bob Lloyd]

Welcome home and thank you for your sacrifice and service.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Don - Welcome Back! Not sure exactly where in the Great lakes you will be - but should you make it to the south shore of Lake Superior - my door is always open!

[Dewey Torres]

I will be my turn to "stand the watch" again soon enough!

[Dennis Peacock]

Welcome back home Don..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim O'Dell]

Good to have you back, Don. Sounds like you will be a busy man. Hope you find time to be with the loved ones some how. Jim.

[Bruce Page]

Welcome back Doc!

[Mike Henderson]

Welcome home! It's great to come back, isn't it.

Mike

[Gene Howe]

Thank YOU !

And welcome home.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Welcome back!! (I'll save the 'welcome home' for when you get back up to Beantown).

[Keith Outten]

Welcome home Doc........

[Dave Anderson NH]

Glad to have you back Doc. You know you always have a welcome up here in NH should you get a need for a woodworking fix and time allows. Stay safe.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Welcome home Doc!

[John Olson]

Welcome home Don. Hope you get all the time with your family you want. But more important you get to go in the shop and make them all presants.

[Belinda Barfield]

In the mean time, no rest for the wicked. I'm off tomorrow for a three day trip up to Great Lakes (my command is sponsoring a recruit division) and then mid April I'm down to Ft Lauderdale for three weeks as my Sailors will be providing security for Fleet Week.
Doc

It's good to have you back Doc. It's even better to have you back safe and sound.

Ft. Lauderdale in April, truly no rest for the wicked!:D

[Glenn Clabo]

Welcome back Doc...and thanks for taking care of my son!

[Rob Cunningham]

Welcome back Don, and thanks for your service

[Lee Schierer]

Welcome Home. Glad you're back safe.

No matter where I traveled in the service coming home always felt the best. I wouldn't trade what we have here for any other place I've been.

Thanks for keeping us safe.

[Don Abele]

Thanks everyone. It really is nice coming home - home in this case refering to the United States. I won't be home with the family until mid-May when I get these other trips out of the way. I'm REALLY looking forward to that homecoming.

Steve, Great Lakes is where the Navy sends everyone to bootcamp in Illinois. It's north of Chicago. Just got in here a couple of hours ago. My command is sponsoring a recruit company and we are here to attend their commissioning ceremony tomorrow (that's when the company if officially formed up and becomes an actual division - in this case 178).

Belinda, initially I used the word weary (as it did fit), but when I reread before posting, I thought wicked fit MUCH better. The trip to FL will be a lot of work, there's a huge area to secure and an expected 8,000-10,000 people a day to screen and monitor. BUT, there's also a lot of "events" that I have to attend as the senior command representative. So time for some relaxation as well.

Again, thank you all so very much.

Be well,

Doc

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Doc, nice to hear that you've returned safe and sound.

Regards, Rod.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Welcome back Doc. Thanks for all you have done for all of us!

[Dave Ray]

Glad your back, safe and sound Doc. Thanks again for your service.

[Tom Hamilton]

Welcome Home Don!

Best regards,

Tom, in Houston, standing at attention and saluting with respect and admiration!

[Jim Kountz]

Welcome back Doc, glad you returned safe and sound, thank you for your sacrifices you have made for our great country!!

[Mat Ashton]

Just wanted to say thanx for your service. I'm not American, Canadian living in Australia, I see the valuable service the US is doing overseas in trying to keep the peace and bring civility to the masses.

[Jim Becker]

Welcome back, Don!!!!!!!

[Keith Starosta]

Glad you got home safely, Doc! Welcome back. Thank you very much for your dedication and service. Continued prayers for you and your men!

- Keith

[Don Abele]

And...I'm back again...

Just got back from our trip up to Great Lakes, IL to visit with the new recruit company at bootcamp that our command will be sponsoring. Amazing to look at those recruits and imagine that I looked/acted the same some 22 years ago :eek:. It was a good visit though.

Spent today up near Keith O. in Yorktown, VA. There's a naval annex there called Cheatham Annex that's mostly facilities and supply related, but there's a reserve unit there as well. That unit is Communications and Sensor Division 46 which has now become Division 26 and belongs to my command. So me, the CO and XO went up to visit with them during their drill weekend. Was a beautiful day in an amazingly beautiful area. Another good visit.

Now, I should be stable for the next month or so - no trips planned. I have a lot of "office" work to catch up on and also need to get ready for my next trip in April/May down to Fleet Week. As I said before, "no rest for the wicked"...though the wicked is becoming weary!!!

Be well,

Doc

[John Fricke]

A BIG thank you for all you do for our country

[Dick Latshaw]

Hey Doc -

Hang in there. Glad guys like you are on our side.

[Dan Mages]

Welcome home Doc! I bet you are glad to be out of the sandbox.

Thanks again! :)

Dan

[Don Abele]

...I bet you are glad to be out of the sandbox...

Yup...but I still have sand in places that I shouldn't :eek:

Be well,

Doc

[Gene O. Carpenter]

Doc,
Welcome home Sailor,It's great to have you back in the States and I for one Salute you!
Gene

PS; Those hidden grains of sand will eventually wash off!:)