Syncro has to go to the middle east in 2010

I was excited to see a letter in my mail box from Syncro today - I hadn't heard from her in a long time. I happily read it sitting in my car. Then, a few minutes later, after I started driving, I had to pull over and cry for a minute - you'll see what bothered me. I'm going to use her exact words excerpted below.

(Since I last talked to you) I received orders to go to a CIA/Al Queda prison with the army. (Syncro is a female eye doctor/officer with the Air Force.) I was sick. I (blank) the Army and I think it is stupid that they have a mission to provide glasses to the enemy! The assignment was for eleven months! During the assignment, outside contact is severely limited. But luckily my orders were changed. Now instead of leaving (blank) and returning (blank), I leave (blank) and return (blank). I am going to (one of those oil-producing Arab countries).

So please write me (She gives me an address). Use U.S. postage 42-cent stamps. I still feel like I'm going to prison, but at least it is minimum security instead of maximum. My deployment should be safe and relatively comfortable, yet I think of all the things I'll miss over the next 6-7 months. Oh well. I've been lucky that this is my first deployment in a never-ending war that's dragged on for nearly nine years.

For her safety I have written 'blank' where she gave me the exact information. One can sometimes never be too careful.

- Please pray for, or do whatever it is you can do to help, our service men and women who give themselves so selflessly. I'm talking about the people who make such incredible sacrifices while the rest of us are sitting around eating donuts and complaining. It makes me feel ashamed. Syncro is a wonderful, beautiful woman and I am afraid for her. Let us find a way as human beings to put down our differences, and guns, and be the human beings I believe the one creator meant us to be.