"Congratulations, and welcome to the rank of HM1. I know you will tackle these duties with ease and I pray that other junior and senior ranks can be as hard of workers as you are." With that, Chief Master Sergeant Hamlin pinned on the newfound rank, shook hands, and sent him on his way. Deone had done it at last, he had made HM1. So now, HM1(FMF/SW) Soma who had achieved it in only 10 years, stared at the door of his hotel room. The ceremony was still going on, but he was ready for peace and quiet.
Deone, who was deployed to Quatar and staying in a hotel solely because he was deployed with eleven airforce officers as their only 'Doc', sighed a happy and yet painful sigh. He missed his family, his friends, and mostly his wife. Michelle was supposed to be the one pinning him, just as he pinned on her LCDR rank only four months prior. The first three months of his eight month tour had gone fast, he had worked excruciating hours to ensure his officers had all their medical needs taken care of. Now that they were, and with officers being 'too proud' for sick call, Soma was waiting for something to happen. Anything at all to happen. He had five more months to still do stuff. Removing the card key from his left blouse pocket, he opened the door and stepped in.