War Beckons

"This is my fourth deployment to the Middle East and I learned on the second to recognize what's going on with the crew. With our final port visit before we reach our destination now well in our wake, an overcast has descended upon the mood of the ship. For the past month, there's always been something between us and there, whether it's a port visit, an exercise or an extra page on the calendar. No more.

Though we're not quite there yet, you can see on every experienced Sailor's face they know it’s time to get serious. They talk about the things they have to get done in the short time left. And they’re more vigilant on watch; more businesslike throughout the day.

You can tell by the questions the first-time deployers ask over and over again, that they feel the change too, and they sense something dark over the horizon. No longer do they ask about when the next liberty port is scheduled and what the port has to offer. Mostly, the first-timers ask a variant of one question: “How long?”"
The destroyermen