Soldier's Diary: Back from Iraq, Capt. Dan Says Goodbye as He Goes on Leave
Clarksville, Tenn. — Editor's note: U.S. Army Capt. Dan Sukman just finished serving a one-year deployment to Iraq. For previous entries and his bio, see the Soldier's Diary archives. • 'Soldier's Diary' Readers Respond to Captain Dan Yesterday afternoon we finished our reintegration with an awards ceremony for the company. We tried to make it fast, as that was the only event that stood in the way of block leave. Leave started this morning, and for most of my soldiers, it is the first day off in many months. For those who took mid-tour leave from Iraq in December, it's the first day off this year. Just another in the long list of sacrifices that has been made. I am truly in awe every time I look at the soldiers in my company, in my battalion and in my brigade. For the most part, the reintegration period has been fairly painless. We come in to work each day; however, the day has typically lasted anywhere from two to three hours. Most of that time has been sitting through briefings covering topics such as how to recognize depression, symptoms of suicide and how to reassimilate with the family. Capt. Dan Sukman Capt. Dan Sukman Capt. Dan Sukman with a fellow soldier in Iraq. Cap. Dan Sukman Members of Capt. Dan Sukman's brigade ride on transport plane back home from Iraq.
