MAJOR JOHN TAMMES, InstaPundit’s now-demobilized Afghanistan correspondent, sends this report on his homecoming:

I was gladdened to see you are able to keep up the Afghanistan photo-updates with a new correspondent. You seem to have good luck with us Army Majors, yes?

You and Arthur Chrenkoff remain two of the best sources of “what’s going on” in the ‘stan.

I just wanted to drop you a line letting you know I am back home, demobilized and all that. I did attach a picture of the greeting we got while passing through the Bangor, Maine airport (these folks had been there since 3 AM, when they had greeted a Marine unit coming home – wow).

Everyone here in the western Chicago suburbs has been absolutely magnificent. I have had everyone from my neighbors to my son’s kindergarten teacher come up to me and thank me for what I have done. If nothing else has humbled me over the past 14 months, that sure has. I actually had two Korean War(!) veterans thank me – I could hardly stammer a reply.

I guess this has made me understand the plight of the Vietnam veterans more than I ever thought possible. It has been a bit of a challenge, without going into boring detail, to readjust to home. I cannot fathom how my predecessors who served in Vietnam managed with a much more hostile or at least less friendly reception.

Sincerely,

John Tammes

P.S. Thanks to you, and others, I was all hyped up to read John Scalzi’s “Old Man’s War” when I got back. It was checked out from the library in my town, three bookstores I checked (I like to browse them and pick up a coffee) were out of stock – finally I ordered it online. I am halfway through, and it is really, really good.

Yes, it is. And I’m sure that John Scalzi will be happy to hear that his book is getting good reviews from such a source.