Farewell to a shipmate

IS2 was a reserve sailor with me in Iraq, then shifted over to Afghanistan when I did. It turns out that he was supposed to be home in September, but he didn't know it. How can this be? The Navy issues us demobilization orders when it is time to go home. The Navy cut IS2's tour back much shorter than expected, but no one had communicated this to him. (We are supposed to periodically check the Navy/Marine order writing authority on BUPERS to see if our orders have been modified, which I do from time to time.) IS2, I hope for his sake, caught a flight out of here a few hours ago. Then he will return all his gear, visiting all the stations he had to on the way over here, just as I will. I believe the process takes an additional week to "demob."