Posted: 7/31/07
Staff Sgt. Diane Bulman ëadaptingí to being home after Iraq deployment
Editorís note: This is the first in a series of articles about Caledonia area residents who are members of the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division that returned to the United State on July 16. The 34th served longer in combat than any other Minnesota unit since World War II and was the longest-serving U.S. military unit of the Iraq war. Its mission was extended by 125 days as part of the troop surge ordered by President Bush earlier this year.
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Green grass, trees, flowers, hills, squirrels and rabbits are things that Diane Bulman of rural Caledonia may have taken for granted several years ago....but not any more. After spending more than 16 months in the 140-degree heat of Iraq, cool, moist, fragrant air, and the greenery of Southeastern Minnesota are delights to her senses.
"I never realized just how green it is this time of year until now," Staff Sgt. Bulman said last week, as she gazed out the patio door at the green hills north of Caledonia. "The colors are so brilliant, I told Gregg (her husband) I thought there was something wrong with my eyes."
Bulman was one of about 2,600 Minnesota National Guardsmen who returned last month after serving over 16 months "in country." The medical specialist was actually deployed for nearly two full years, as she spent six months training for the combat mission at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
And while the sights and smells of Houston County have a soothing effect on the mother of six, reuniting with her family is priceless.
"Being away from my family for more than a year was very difficult to handle. There were birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas. We thought our deployment was for 12 months," she recalled.
In late January, they were notified their deployment had been extended....for just how long, they were not told. Their commanding officer wasnít even notified of the extension by his superiors, but learned of it via Fox News.
"Anger- disappointment- a big let down- hard to swallow," are all emotions Bulman and her comrades experienced when they received the news in January.
"We didnít know exactly when our deployment was going to be over, but up until the (January announcement), we thought it would be sometime in March. I thought Iíd be home to see the kidsí prom and graduations. Suddenly, all those plans I had been making, all those events I was looking forward to being part of were gone. And we didnít know how long the extension would be for. All we were told it could be up to six more months."
Bulman recalled many in her unit were upset, but figured they had to deal with it and plugged on. But when March arrived, and the realization that they were supposed to be heading home sunk in, it was difficult to handle.
"We were burnt out. Many of us has our sights set on March. Suddenly, March arrived and we werenít going home. March was the hardest month of all. Once we got through March, it got better."
Members of the 34th started hearing rumors in early May their extension wouldnít be for the full six months, but that they might be heading home by July or August.
"I didnít want to tell any of my family," Bulman noted. "I just didnít want to disappoint them again."
When word finally came down the 34th would be heading home in July, "we started feeling better. But we still werenít sure if it would be the beginning or end of July."
The 34th left Iraq the second week in July, spent two days at Camp Virginia in Kuwait, and then headed home.
"We had to refuel in Shannon, Ireland. Thatís when I called home and said we were out of Iraq, out of the Middle East, and on our way home," Bulman said. "Thatís when it started sinking in that we were actually going home."
When the 34th landed at Bangor, Maine, the troops were greeted with a big reception. The soldiers were given cookies, drinks, and cell phones to call home. From Bangor, the 34th flew to Volk Field at Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. The troops were once again met by throngs of people, not their families, however, but reporters.
"I guess with so many of us arriving at one time, it was decided not to have our families meet us at Volk Field. It would have been difficult to orchestrate," Bulman explained. "It was kind of hard knowing my family was so close, but couldnít be there."
The 34thís arrival was quite a media circus, according to Bulman, as print and electronic media reporters were everywhere. "It was kind of overwhelming."
Family members of the 34th had to wait five days, while the troops underwent the normal de-programing procedures at Fort McCoy.
On July 16, members of the Minnesota National Guard based out of Cottage Grove boarded buses and left for the Twin Cities to be reunited with their families. At Hudson, Wis. the buses were escorted by the Minnesota Patriot Guard, a motorcycle group that honors fallen military personnel at funerals, and provides military escorts. The convey swelled, as numerous units from area police, fire, and rescue squads joined in, with lights flashing and sirens blaring.
"It was a great feeling when we finally got to the armory in Cottage Grove and our families and friends were there waiting. The receptions were received in Bangor and at Volk Field were great, but this was so much better. I was home."
Like others who have served in a war zone, itís going to take Bulman some time to adjust to being home. Loud bangs, sirens, or the Medlink helicopter all spawn "flashbacks." Itís been nearly 18 months since sheís ridden in a vehicle traveling 55 miles per hour. "It seems so fast." And itís taking her some time to get used to the "quiet" of rural Houston County. "I asked Gregg to turn on a ceiling fan, the TV, or anything for background noise. It was so noisy in Iraq, and itís so quiet here."
Bulman will be completing 20 years of service in November. She joined the Navy in 1987, where she served as a combat medic, and joined the Minnesota National Guard five years ago.
She will be enrolling at Winona Tech this fall in the two-year massage therapy course with her daughter Katie Jambois, who graduated from Caledonia High School this past spring. Greggís son Kevin Bulman, also a 2007 grad from CHS, will also be traveling to Winona, where he is enrolled at Winona State University. So the three will be doing quite a bit of car-pooling between Caledonia and Winona.
Gregg and the kids plan to have a homecoming party for Diane when sheís ready. Right now relaxing, catching up with "family milestones" she has missed during the past 22 months, and getting used to civilian life are her top priorities.
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