Today’s Letter Back Home is a special one.  Duty Manager Robin Symes received this thank you note from a Soldier who frequently visits the USO in Basrag.  Symes wrote the following paragraphs to accompany the letter; they reflect her thoughts on a “Day in the Life of a Duty Manager in SWA.”  We love her thoughts and we love the thank you even more.

“What a day.  The AC in your room just went out and you’ve heard that temperatures will almost reach 100 degrees this afternoon.  You had to wait 30 minutes this morning for your turn in the bathroom only to get a cold shower.  The wind has been blowing for hours, the sky is dusty and you can taste dirt in your mouth as you walk to work.    You received bad news from home and there are rumors that the base will be rocketed tonight.  And then SGT B drops off a thank you note that makes you realize that for all the troubles you might have, your life is easy compared to those who have been separated from family and friends far longer than you and have been serving in far more difficult conditions.

All it takes is a “thank you” from a Soldier to remind you why you came to Iraq in the first place.  All it takes is a “thank you” from a Soldier to remind you that you have been allowed the honor of serving members of the greatest military in the world.  All it takes is a “thank you” from a Soldier to remind you that you represent the USO and all those who have donated their time and money as a “thank you” to America’s warriors.  What a day, indeed.”