A Battalion's Story: Off To Afghanistan For One Year

FLYING MILITARY CLASS From late March until mid-April, the First Battalion, 87th Infantry moved in waves through Germany, Kyrgyzstan and Kuwait to a small airstrip about 150 miles north of Kabul. Damon Winter/The New York Times

One Battalion’s Wrenching Deployment To Afghanistan -- New York Times

Pvt. Johnnie Stevenson spent his final hours at Fort Drum alone, trying to put his game face on. He played some Ludacris on his iPod, then turned it off. He unpacked his 72-hour bag, then repacked it. Did he have enough toothpaste and spare socks? Had he paid his bills? Was he ready for war? For a year?

Capt. Adrian Bonenberger took a drive through the farmland of northern New York to absorb one last view of the St. Lawrence River. To drink one last cup of coffee at the Lyric Bistro in Clayton. To savor one last moment of real peace and quiet before heading to Afghanistan. For a year.

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My Comment: This an interesting story that will take a year to play out. I look forward to future articles from the New York Times on this battalion.