Out-processing, US Marines....

[tabaqui]

I may have to change the subject line. However. What I'm trying to discover is - if you are current US Marine/Reservist, and are being discharged, where in Iraq would your out-processing begin? I'm trying to figure out where Marines leave the country from. Al Asad Airfield? An airfield in Kuwait

Comments

[maccaj]

Most of the people I've known who have served in Iraq have flown through Landstuhl (Germany) on their way back to the east coast. From what *very* little I know, it is especially common to fly through Landstuhl if one has any medical issues (e.g. injured, bacterial/viral infection etc), because their medical center is where a lot of that kind of intermediate staging is done (getting soldiers healthy enough to deal with the longer flight home). The people I know - all Army - flew through Landstuhl regardless, even the ones who were fine. I'm quite sure that not *everyone* flies through there, but it would be a reasonable base to pick if you do have to take a guess at it

[tabaqui]

Awesome info, thank you.
:)

It rather jives with what i was told in another comment, so all good!

[zombie_owen]

Like someone else said, you probably never will find this information since it's highly classified. Unfortunately, you'll have to do a bit of handwaving unless you can find some novels in which mentions of outprocessing are made.

And you might want to be a little careful about how you phrase things in your story in regards to how this particular marine reacts to the idea of 'retiring'. If zie is a super gung-ho marine, zie won't even think about it as retiring. You know, the whole 'once a marine, always a marine' thing. If zie isn't all that gung-ho (for example, only joining because of parental pressure and getting out as soon as possible), then the reactions will be very different.

[tabaqui]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'zie'? This character isn't any sort of G.I. Joe and, like, i think, most people who join up, had an idea of a finite time to serve and then out to the 'rest' of their life. That, at least, is my experience with the military people i've known.

Handwaving will have to do, though i did get some very good info.

[tamtrible]

zie is one of several competing gender neutral third person singular pronouns not implying lack of gender/sapience.
It kind of seems to be the forerunner, other than they-used-as-a-singular.