Mortuary Mission, Part III
Deployed funeral service student reflects on her service in the Middle East.
by Denise Pfahler 

9 June - 15 November
Denise Pfahler, a 23-year-old staff sergeant in an Air National Guard unit based in Columbus, Ohio, is a student at the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science (CCMS). Her studies were interrupted last year when she was deployed to the Middle East in June 2009. At the time, she didn’t realize she would carry the knowledge from her CCMS labs and coursework halfway around the world and use her mortuary skills for the good of the country. This is the third and final installment of her firsthand account of a Soldier’s life in a war zone. The first two installments, can be read online at www.gijobs.com/mortuary.
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Being deployed to the Middle East for five months officially gave me the title “short-timer.” Despite the long days and rigorous schedule, I felt as if my time there was truly short when compared to those deployed for a full year. I can only imagine the difficulty of being away from family and friends for 12 long months, for there were many times that I just wanted to go home.

Endless Frustrations
My time in the Middle East had its share of what then felt like endless frustrations, but now that I am home and safe, my perspective has changed and I regard these challenges as little more than inconveniences. Our mail was stopped for three weeks, cutting us off from satisfying correspondence with our families. The Internet was difficult to access, not because of our location but because so many of us were trying to get online at the same time to stay connected to our lives back in the States. We were constantly surrounded by people, so there was never the luxury of being alone. At the time, the “togetherness” started to bother me, but now I look back with gratitude that there was always someone there I could talk to. 

For My Comrades
In those moments of frustration, I tried to turn my thoughts to my comrades on the front lines whose lives were at risk and remind myself that it was our mission to supply some security for them and the necessary means to push forward. Somehow, thinking of your comrades makes you a stronger person. You pull through one day at a time … for them … for you … for the people back home. Even we “short-timers” recognized that we must come together to accomplish something bigger than ourselves and that is exactly what we did.

As the remaining weeks dwindled, I knew I would be meeting my replacement within a matter of days. It was a bittersweet time. On one hand, each day brought me closer to my family and friends at home. Yet I would miss amazing people I had met, who I will stay in touch with and forever remember. 

Super Supervisor
Tech. Sgt. Kelvin Roberts, the off-base travel director, was my boss and I learned much from him that I will carry with me in both my personal and business journeys. Although he was my supervisor, he treated me with such respect, served as my mentor and together we made a great team. From him I learned the importance of professionalism in every situation. By inviting my opinions and encouraging me to express my thoughts, he gave me a level of confidence that will serve me well. 

Wingman for Life
Staff Sgt. BriAnne Smith was my wingman and will be for life. We roomed together and worked the same shift together, which meant that we were literally together all the time. Some say that when you spend every minute with someone that you soon grow tired of them. That was not the case with Staff Sgt. Smith. She was the backbone I needed so far from home. She was a source of laughter who taught me that even in difficult times there’s always something to smile about. I have never met a co-worker who was so driven or a girlfriend who was so caring and strong. 

Music Was Our Bond
My Middle East assignment expanded my cultural canvas by exposing me to literally a world of international traditions. Music was the instrument that brought us together. We danced and sang and smiled to Arabic music, Jamaican melodies, Southern rap and Christian tunes. When I hear the music now – for we shared it with one another and brought it home – I remember how everyone danced and smiled as a piece of their home played in their ear.

Lessons will Last a Lifetime
My commitment to the Air National Guard has given me so much more than I ever expected. My military life and my civilian life had meshed before, but not like they did when I had the awesome responsibility of using my mortuary skills to build something from the ground up. We built a mortuary plan to fit military regulations. We created the best continuity plan for the group coming in to replace us. We ensured that if anything were to happen at our base, a plan would be implemented that would get our troops back to their families quickly, efficiently and with the dignity and respect they deserve.

I am ever so thankful to have had a part in that initiating and building process and throughout my career in the mortuary field will forever carry with me what I have learned during the past five months.

A Day in the Life

• My typical shift was 13 hours.
• It wasn’t unusual to work 14 days without a day off. Mission comes first.
• Mandatory physical training was three times each week.
• Many of the things we take for granted at home were challenges there, like finding time to take a shower or do  laundry.
• I planned on studying my National Boards practice book, but when I got off of work, I just didn’t have the energy.