I returned from R&R last week refreshed and ready for another round.  Well, maybe that was the wrong choice of words for around here but prepared for duty none the less.  The R&R program is one of the outstanding successes of this war.  It breaks up the deployment into manageable lengths and really lets you get your feet out of the fire for awhile.  IRR's get to participate in the program just like anyone else and it does help.  You can fly home on the Army's expense or jump off on Europe for a couple of weeks and get a guaranteed fifteen days boots on ground at your destination of choice.  I took the home option and had wonderful time with my wife and managed to get some skiing and ice climbing in too.  You can't possibly get farther from Iraq, both physically and mentally, than by playing in the Colorado mountains in the winter.

All of the troops in my battalion have had the opportunity to take R&R.  This is a great achievement driven by determined support of the Battalion and Brigade chain of command.  It is such a powerful morale booster that even watching someone else leave for their R&R lifts the spirits of both those who have yet to go and the ones who have already returned despite the personnel strains it creates.  Several of my NCO's recently took R&R and I'm seeing renewed energy in everyone. 

You are eligible for R&R after 90 days in theater and it can be taken up until 90 days prior to departure.  Units have different methods of determining who goes when based on the number of slots that are available at any given month.  I was quite surprised that I got the opportunity to go at all given I arrived here almost halfway through my unit's deployment.  It is something to look forward to when you make that unexpected trip over here.