Another disappointing e-mail (at least from my perspective) from my friend stationed in Iraq:

Wow...what a crazy past couple days. Life over here often changes in a heartbeat and that's exactly where I find myself right now. Most of you know how I've been wavering on the "getting out, staying in" question for the past six months, but yesterday I made it final. I just signed my life away for the next 5 years.
I know, why why why? Everybody I talk to can only tell me how much they want me to get out of the army. But I think that was the problem, I was listening to what they wanted me to do, rather than what I wanted to do. So, after a sleepless night, I walked into the re-up officer's office early yesterday morning, and committed the next half decade of my life to Uncle Sam. Wow...
Today was the swearing-in ceremony and I felt like I was in a coma, words came out of my mouth like somebody else was saying it. I heard this guy named _____ swear to protect his country, honor the constitution, and all that...just hard to believe that guy was me.
My plan is sound however, I charted out my career path which, if all goes well, will send me to Ranger school when I get back, and then have me going to Special Forces selection by the end of 2006. If I don't pass (but I will), my fall back is to go to warrant officer's school and learn to fly helicopters. Either way, I win. I like the army life...nowhere else can you focus so entirely on self-improvement, and I feel I still have a long way to go.
To me, life is about challenges. After meeting them and succeeding, you ramp up and find other peaks to summit. That's what this is all about...what are my limits? And there's no doubt the next 5 years will test just that. Most guys will tell you that after they re-up they feel like they just swallowed a lead weight, but I feel exactly the opposite. A little nervous perhaps, but excited to see what's around the corner...both body and mind are going to be pushed to the envelope and I can't wait to be there and see how I measure up.
What a crazy couple days... ;)
Stay cool and I'll talk to you soon.
-K

I really thought he had reached his breaking point with the Army, so hearing this is pretty disheartening. I hope that he is still planning on swinging through New York during his leave in January so I can ask for a better explanation. At least it sounds like his training will take him out of direct combat for a while, but the idea of him in the Special Forces worries me.
Bush, if you're reading this (and I'm sure you are), get the fucking troops out of fucking Iraq right fucking now!