Enjoying time off while it lasts

When things are good, it's usually an accident

On Tuesdays and Fridays, The Sun is publishing e-mails sent by Jason Henderson, 23, a 2002 Naperville Central High School graduate who is serving in Iraq, to his mother, Cathy Henderson of Naperville.

Today we publish an excerpt from one of Henderson's undated e-mails.

So we are back at Eagles Nest and what a change. Things used to be pretty terrible here, as in 8 on 8 off. Now we show up and its 4 on 18 off, or so I'm told. I don't even know how that works, but its pretty sweet. The only other thing we have is a patrol every day. This has gone from the worst OP to the best almost overnight. Which has left me suspicious.

I know there is that old saying about not looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I think whoever coined that had never been in the army. When things get good in the army, it's usually an accident. To top it off, once somebody high enough up recognizes the accident it is rectified, quickly. It is as if they are upset that they haven't been getting the optimum work out of you for the past few days. So the next few in turn will be as busy as they can make it.

Personal time rapidly becomes a thing of the past, because they figure you got enough of that before they caught on. All told, I am enjoying this time off. It is comfortable and relaxing, but I am certainly making no assumptions about it lasting.

Jason O Henderson

"Stout Hearts, Strong Legs, and Fertile Brains"

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