4th of July - Rich's Story

Some reflections on Independence Day 2016.


Another holiday away from home.  Although I have missed many holidays away from my family by my count this is only the second 4th of July - the first time being in 2009 in Iraq. Lisa, Grant, and Betty are taking the long weekend in Arapahoe, NC, while TJ is at Camp, and Sam is on her own in NY, while I am finishing up my duties at Fort Knox.

Sigh. I'd rather be with them.

Last night I put on my American flag shirt and went to a cook out put on by some of the staff and cadre who are supporting Cadet summer training at Fort Knox, KY.  Since the forecast called for rain all day on the Fourth it was my one opportunity to appreciate the holiday in true American fashion; beer, bratwursts, and stories around the picnic table.  Of course, the topic of the moment was impending storm that was due in the area in the next hour or so.


Last night was my first real tornado experience. I have received Tornado Watches in the past, but last night was the first time I got a text Tornado Warning. I kept on watching a movie until I heard the faint sounds of a siren in the distance. Huh, that's odd. Then the sirens went off near my apartment. Loud. Clear. Loud and clear; it was time to move to the basement of the apartment complex as others emptied their small studio apartments for shelter. We spent the next fifteen minutes waiting for the sirens to stop and the rain to pass. One good thing about technology is that you can track these storms as they go by. And it did; the rain passed, the sirens silenced, and the skies lightened.  I have no idea if and where a twister touched down.


This morning I ran "Four for the Fourth" - a nasty, humid, slog across Fort Knox. I've been running a lot in the past twelve months but this morning I had to find my motivation from Facebook as one of my running friends ran 4 miles. Fort Knox was in between rain storms and I seized a window of opportunity to run under sunny skies. However, the relative humidity was close to 100% and I ended the run drenched in sweat.


I am spending the rest of the day working at a water logged Fort Knox, KY as Cadets are allowed to enjoy a half day off from their training. Unlike years past, the weather is not cooperating and the rain is off and on like an unreliable lawn sprinkler; you can never be sure if you're going to get soaked or when.


This year I didn't get fireworks. I'm okay with that - although I did see someone's Magic Kingdom Fourth of July Fireworks display on YouTube.  I'll catch the fireworks with Grant in September when we go to the Magic Kingdom on our Father and Son trip.