or "Old Timer"

Just a quick check in today, with a note that caught my attention on the way to lunch.  Yesterday marked my 13 years Time In Service (TIS) date.  That's a long ass time.  Even more attention grabbing is the fact that I am only 7 years away from a 20 year letter, with which I could formally retire from a career.  Of that 13 years, the US has been engaged in conflict in two environmentally awful places (culturally...your culture is your culture, do as you wish, not my place to judge) for over 10 years.  If my trend of deployment rotations holds true, and the talks from the US stay close to what is discussed, this would be my last deployment in the OIF/OEF era.  Weird to think about, right?  I'm not sure if I remember what the Army was like before these wars.  That ever-looming threat (motivator) of "you better take this seriously, because it's not a question of 'if" it's a question of 'when'" will no longer be valid.  Sounds boring.  Chew on that.  K