He's Coming Home!!

It's official, he's coming home!!!!!!
Pacific Ocean (March 2, 2011) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) transits the Pacific Ocean. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is returning from a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th and 5th Fleet areas of responsibility supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. (U S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Adam Randolph/Released)

Here is an email from Nick:

Yes we are and not a day to soon! Thanks to everyone who has been thinking of us out here, sending packages, emails, letters etc... they really mean a lot to me and everyone who gets to share them with me. It's been a really long and demanding deployment for us and we are ready to come home to see our families again. I really miss home (especially my girls) and some good ol fashion American soil!

To sum it up in case you didn't know, we fought in both wars; Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn (Afghanistan and Iraq). I can not really speak to much about our operations there. Additionally, we have supported many merchant ships by defending the open and free sea lanes against Pirates (of which our most recent efforts just ended up in the news), that was us. I don't know how much the news covered the story, but just know that for the 4 American deaths that sadly came from this latest "sting" there are dozens after dozens that have been saved! Countless Heroic acts of Sailors putting other lives ahead of their own, putting themselves in danger, without regard to their own safety for people all across the world!

There are many brave Men and Women out here fighting everyday and putting their lives in danger for the safety and lives of others. Not just for Americans but they've put their lives on the line in battler for all people of all countries. I'm thankful to have been a part of it, I'm thankful to have had a role and been able to bring freedom to people who don't have it. I am thankful to have a family that has shown so much support for me while I've been gone... it's not easy. None of us are paid enough for what we are asked to do, what we have seen, what we have been through, what we have cost our families back home, what we have sacrificed...

Pleas remember the Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, and Airman that are NOT on their way home right now. As one Ship, Squadron, Platoon or whatever, comes home, another has taken it's place and assumed "The Watch". They now carry that torch we held for 6 months. Not all of them will make it back, leaving behind families, friends, everything we enjoy "back on the beach" (as we call it)

Even though we are gone on 6+ month deployments there is much training involved in preparing to deploy. We've spent months away from home last year preparing the squadron for this job (war) we've been out here doing. For example, I spent 88 days home (total) in 2010. A few weeks here, a weekend there, the rest of the time was on board ship doing practice exercises or away at training bases doing training exercises so we were prepared to fight on all sides effectively when deployed.

2011 looks like I'll be home about 180 days, broken up a few months here and there before we deploy again before next Christmas. I'm thankful for and will not waste a single minute to be with my girls who desperately are in need of their Father. Candi has done such a great job with them and I am SO thankful for everything she has done while I've been gone. She is truly my rock and means more to me and the girls than anything else in this world. Thank you Candi, I love you with all my heart! I thank those who have kept her and the girls in your prayers and helped them in any way, shape, or form.

Again, I thank you guys for all the support, prayers, packages, emails, thoughts, and for being my family. Whether you know it or not you have each made a HUGE impact on who I am today. I couldn't have done the things I have in this career without your support.

From the ends of the Seven Seas and back,
Nick