Iraq Diary, Pt. 1: For Soldiers Leaving Home, It's Hurry Up And Wait

Hundreds of National Guard and Reserve soldiers from New York and Vermont are deployed in Iraq. For the next year, they'll serve alongside regular Army units, patrolling neighborhoods, doing reconstruction work, and fighting insurgents. In the coming weeks, Major Eric Olsen — a chaplain from Saranac Lake — will be sharing his audio diary, trying to give some sense of his daily experience. This morning, the journey begins at Fort Drum's Wheeler Sack Air Field, where the 2nd of the 108th Infantry battalion gathered in late February for their flight overseas.

Next Monday, Major Olsen's audio diary continues from Kuwait.