Veterans Day Memories

On this veterans day I wanted to share a story from 2006 when I had an encounter with one of my favorite authors. To set this up, you need to understand that I spent nearly the whole year in Iraq  and it became difficult to even enjoy the little things. In my career field I worked 7 days a week and 12 hours a day, some times we flew on missions and that broke up the monotony of doing the exact same thing every day. I believe that 2006 was the hardest year I have ever experienced as an adult, it wasn't a vacation it was hard work while being shot at or just dealing with the hostile environment. At some points co-workers did not make it any easier as well, but in fairness we were all stuck in the same boat so there really isn't a need to blame them because I'm pretty sure I acted like an asshole at times too.

My first encounter with Geoff Johns (http://www.geoffjohns.com/) was around March 2006, I had been working the day shift which was usually 7am-7pm and in the early days of social media I sent him a message and to my surprise I received a response! Now at this moment I was ecstatic, the problem was I had no one to share it with. None of my co-workers or crew members were into comics and I was regularly teased for having comic backgrounds on my computer. So we had a short conversation about comics, where I was in Iraq (which I couldn't really tell him) and staying safe. Over the next few weeks and months we shared short conversations and again this really blew me away, now I was skeptical that this might not really be him but I didn't care it lightened up my day. But that would all be blown away when Mr. Johns attached some files of Infinite Crisis artwork that had not yet made its rounds in Previews or comic book media websites. He asked me not to send the pictures to anyone or post them in any forums, which I didn't do. I knew for sure that I was chatting with one of my favorite authors and this just made the first half of 2006 worth it for me.

By the end of May 2006, I was flying on missions and beginning to hear rumors that I was going to be sent back to the states sometime at the end of June. I figured I would try and repay Mr. Johns kindness and fly an American flag for him on one of the missions and either try to send it to him or deliver it in person at a comic book convention some day. After the mission I sent him a message informing him that I would like to send him something from Iraq, (I wasn't sure this was going to work or even if I would get a response for asking for his address.) He did respond with his address and when I returned to the states at the beginning of July I mailed him the flag with a certificate signed by all the crew members and information from the aircraft. Honestly I wasn't sure if I would ever get to meet the man, I did have plans in place to meet him in Chicago that August but due to a stateside mission to North Carolina, I could not attend or take leave. I was very disappointed but the worst would shortly come.

I found out right after a friends wedding that I would be returning to Iraq for the rest of 2006 and a portion of 2007, this put me in a very dark place. I couldn't understand why I was being sent back, I worked with other people who were mentally fit to deploy. All I was told was that I had the experience and that I really didn't have a choice in the matter. I had never experienced missing the holidays outside of the U.S. before, I know my family had a difficult time while me being gone but for me the trip continued to degrade and put me in a place that I had never experienced before. I have felt sadness and depression before but this time it was foreign to me, I had never been this upset and angry before in my adult life. The hate and anger I had for my co-workers in the states was something I had never before expressed towards them. I couldn't grasp why they had to send me back and on top of that Iraq was dealing with the failure of the surge and we were in prime position for all the shit they pushed out of Baghdad. To say the least I was nervous about what could happen and it didn't help that my sleep patterns were all fucked up and I began to deal with a slight case of insomnia. The work I was sent to Iraq for was the same nearly everyday, we didn't get to fly on missions any more due to a commander making that decision because of flight hours and pay.

I'm sure you are wondering how this all ties together with Geoff Johns and don't worry I promise we will get to that soon. In August I messaged Geoff and let him know that I could not meet with him in Chicago and that it would have to be another place and time. By September I was pretty much telling everyone that I was getting sent back to Iraq and I messaged Geoff and let him know that for the rest of the year I wouldn't be able to make it to any comic book convention due to being sent back to Iraq. Now I don't exactly remember when but Geoff messaged me sometime in early October asking for my address and at first I gave him my home address because I wasn't really sure why he was asking for it. After a few days he clarified and wanted my APO address in Iraq, so I gave it to him and didn't think anything of it. Mail usually takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks to arrive in the war and then it is delivered to our unit and distributed. So around Veterans Day 2006 I received a package from one G.Johns...

Before opening the box, I figured it was from my parents or friends sending me a care package; I happened to just look at who it was from and I looked over at one of my co-workers and said "Who the hell is G.Johns?!" It had totally slipped my mind and I forgot all about him asking for my address, when I opened the box I was completely stunned and immediately figured out that Geoff Johns sent me a box of comics (graphic novels and hardcovers) and they were signed to me. This blew me away and made me really happy, it also helped change my attitude and give me something to look back at; no matter how difficult my job became or dealing with lazy co-workers. My roommate that I was deployed with was also stunned by this, a person I had never met and didn't actually know me went out of his way to send me a box of comics. This is one of the brightest moments I had ever experienced while in the Active Duty Air Force. It is a story that I continue to tell because it is one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me. This gesture no matter how small it might have been, helped pull me out of a deep depression and just made me feel great. I know I wrote Geoff Johns a hand written letter at the time and I'm pretty sure my hand writing was terrible but I sincerely appreciate that he sent me that box. This day it is one of my most prized possessions, there is nothing in the world that can replace the feelings and joy this small box had brought me.

I wanted to tell this story because it is Veterans Day and there is a lot of negativity out there and I needed to write something positive. Tomorrow I can go back to writing about the veterans unemployment rate and the fact that it is really difficult to find work with the skills most of us veterans have from our time in the military. But for today I wanted to express gratitude and share how a person changed my life by just having an online conversation with me.

Cheers and Happy Veterans Day!