Anyone with Sailors/Soldiers/Marines in War Zones and Combat Areas

 I don't know that FMF and the Expeditionary Warfare Pin are the same thing. FMF is a qualification earned as corpsmen serve greenside with the Marines. FMF:Fleet Marine Force. My son is working right now, but I'll call him later and have him explain it all to me again.Link to Warfare Badges

 As far as I can determine, earning FMF means on to the next thing, lots of times it's the basis for new assignments, not necessarily green side either...and pretty critical for promotion and to remain in the military as well. When my son made FMF, there were others that did not, and left the Navy when their enlistment was up.Please understand that the "due dates home" are not exact...they can vary as much as two weeks....and please do not post or refer to them here, especially as the time draws near. Your sailor's unit rep will be in touch with you to tell you when "the" day actually is...and please do not share that information here. I think I had over half a dozen phone calls and the actual date changed 3 times in those phone calls over 10 days. A sandstorm can throw a big monkey wrench in the whole thing...

John is wise to allow "snow days" ...if they are early or on time, wonderful, but most often there is some kind of delay that can make you real frantic.  Plus...there is no way to be absolutely sure.  When my son got to his actual leave date, the plane broke down and they had to wait an extra 24 hours.  Then, they are often flown somewhere else where they can have a long (several days) layover. 

As far as OPSEC is concerned, I always had my son's location only as in Afghanistan and I was very vague about the dates.  "Time getting shorter", "soon", and "anxiously waiting" were as close as I got to being specific.  In fact, I think I waited a day or two before I said he was back.  (Okay...Part of that was me being a good girl...but I must admit, the largest part was I was terrified I'd jinx his safety if I said anything ahead of time.) 

John, you've nailed the sock needs...Fox Sox for when they can wear them, for the absolute luxury of the sox!! and when those boots just rub so much on the shins (my son said they use duct tape to stop the rubbing on their skin). But Fox Sox soak up so much moisture that they are not good for wet conditions. Cheap white tube socks for everyday and yes, they toss them out for the most part.

What was it we used in Scouting for blisters...mole? is that what it was called? the thin brown stuff to keep boots from rubbing?

Your son sounds like mine "mom, just send what I tell you to send..." which at that time was all the stuff needed to rehab an old dart board set...repair stuff, and of course, they got a lot more than he bargained for...but whoever uses that dart board probably did not need darts, etc for a long, long time!

Duct tape is very handy...doesn't work well for duct work, I hear, but it holds the rest of the world together.

Would moleskin work to go undert that duct tape where those laces go up the leg?

Chief88...I know we stress keeping busy to keep the bad thoughts away, but it sounds as though you are keeping too busy.  Relax...breathe...set a timer for 30 minutes and go in your back yard and watch clouds floating past. 

YOU can NOT furnish a school with all they need.  Maybe you could contact a church or scout group to help.  Write a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper asking if anyone has ideas on who you can contact.  There are many community groups looking for a worthwhile project.  How about checking with your local high school principal?  If all the kids donated 1 spiral notebook each, you would have more than enough!  As I said, you can't to it ALL yourself, but you CAN spread it around.  (Maybe you can involve the clueless folks in your life...it would be good for them and good for you!)

Most of all, take care of yourself!!!  Your son does not need a Mom who is falling apart!  Give the meds a chance to work...many of them take a little while before you notice a difference. 

Chief, MT and Susan are right...please take a breath, and calm down.  I know it's very simple of me to type those words "CALM DOWN" but you need to take care of you. If you are not sleeping, and what the doctor sent is not working, then make an appointment with your doctor, tell him the amount of stress you are carrying in person, and ask for suggestions. Second, you cannot take on more stress, you can do what you can do...you are not responsible for a whole school in A...you are not. Keep the packages flowing to your son and his unit, of course, but do not build up any more work for yourself. Maybe one package from you for the school, and follow MT's suggestion about the church or local schools. Contact the PTA there. Give them an address to mail the packages to...tell them to mark the outside "school supplies" and you have done what you should and can do.

Get outdoors, it's spring. Mow the yard, dig in the garden, hell...dig a swimming pool by hand, walk the dog until he refuses to go....do some physical things that will tire you out and work with your sleep aids to help you rest. "Stay busy" doesn't mean take on the world's problems, girl!! Go sit in the quiet of a library and read a book that doesn't say the word "war" one time. Rest.

Those remarks people make? you're right, they are stupid remarks. We would like to think from just ignorant people, not non caring people, just ignorant. And our kids would want them to remain ignorant of the pain of having a child in a war zone, because that's how they are. Altho I did have a time or two when I said to a couple of folks who didn't have a clue "and where does your child serve? oh, yeah, he doesn't..." and walked away. Cuz I'm bitchy like that sometimes....I'm really not suggesting it, but I have to tell you  I had momentary thrill when they could not respond...because they simply DO NOT KNOW the pain and the fear.

I join all here in praying for you to get some rest, take some breaths, hug your dog, and take it one day at a time. Your son is well trained, he's serving with other well trained young warriors like himself, under a command that is determined to bring these young Americans home safe and sound to you. Let that commander do the worrying, you do the packing and sending. Our kids have to stay focused on the job, not worrying about those of us at home.

Please know you are in our prayers, and please, take a long walk today. You are not alone, and you don't have to do it all by yourself.

Henry sez..."there ain't nothing like cat naps"....try one today!!

TDM Adorable!!!

Stop and Smell the Roses

I'm sharing this little video for alot of reasons here. One is because it is very touching, this PTSD and disabled vet and his dog. Another is because my son once told me that "we might say we miss our girl friends, wives, and moms, but we miss our dogs."  I believe in dog therapy. Please send your warrior photos of the dog, the cat, the monkey, whatever pet he/she loves. And for  you as well...hold that dog close, pet that cat into the night. I don't know if you've ever read the little blurb I posted in the discussions when my son was deployed, but I have to tell you, many nights that little dog took it all on herself to hold me together. After I lost my big mix pit Boomer, I thought I could never depend on another dog like I did him, but his little Rosie stepped up, well trained by him. Those dogs KNOW your pain. Let them hold it for you sometime. They don't mind.

Well I am back from Ft Sam Houston ! TDM I am so sorry that I didn't get a chance to meet you.. Maybe next trip..

I have to say I had an amazing mothers day.. Had a nice long chat with this man who later I found out was 2nd in command of all of Ft Sam Houston !!! Wow, he invited me up on stage ( they had Commanders Cup on Saturday which is when 6 different companies compete against each other ) just before they were going to start handing out trophies and such.. He went and got my daughter and he introduced us to everyone and had my daughter explain to all three thousand soldier ( future medics ) why I was there... OMGosh I could not believe all three thousand starting applauding... I just kept applauding them... Amazing memories were made that day ..

PBear, we had to put our mix Pit Boomer on a diet, from 117 lb to 89 lbs...he was still huge, but he had a lot of love to lug around. One cup in the am and one cup in the pm of diet dog food...and diet treats. He was my inspiration to drop 30 lbs, I need him now...I've gained 15 since November! I must really miss him!

Yep, the words we hate to hear and hate to say "no news is good news." Here's the prayer for a call to come soon...we'll wait with you.

Susan, just waking up and will post more later, but please, hug that Marine for this Doc's mom  please? You can hug that other one, too...boy, I'm beat, big wedding last night....

I'm sure everyone has seen this one...but pass it on to your sailor/soldier/marine .....

Folks, on May 2nd our family got a new member, Joseph Wesley...weighed in at 1lb 6 oz. He's up to 1 lb 8 oz now, after a couple of issues. He's in a great children's hospital in my hometown where he lives with his parents, his mom is my niece. Funny thing, his due date was Aug 19, same birthday as my sailor! Since I know how good you all are at praying, and sending those strong vibes, I ask you to add Joseph to your prayer list.

I think we can tell young men in a hurry did the packing. Geez.

TDM, what a sweet baby, born on my birthday too :)  Absolutely sending strong vibes and all the rest.  Just stopping by to mention a new group, if there are any corpsman wives here? A wife just started a group for Camp Lejeune Corpsman wives and is hoping for new members to join her.  Her husband is on the USS Mesa Verde and she's new to it all, so hoping for some support - http://www.navyformoms.com/group/camplejeunecorpsmanwives

RE care packages, I started adding them when a mom told me last summer her son was asking for Q Tips as the sand gets everywhere, and I know sandstorms are kicking up along with the heat now.  

Also, on the Customs form, you know how Box 10 says “If non-deliverable” and gives three choices?  I check the box marked “Redirect to Address Below” and write in “Please deliver to Chaplain." Haven't had a box returned yet...

You can buy the large zip lock bags, the LARGE ones, place all food items in smaller zip locks. I did that, and then packed in more zip locks. My son said there were never enough zip lock bags, everything has to be protected from the sand.  Every zip lock is reused. Every food item needs to be "cater wrapped". Buy the cheap saran wrap from Sam's/Walmarts, it's the stickyest. Wrap each item over and around. If you have thin bubble wrap put a layer on the wrapped item and wrap it again, then put in the zip lock. And then put it in the box inside the big zip lock.

I got an electric hot water kettle for Christmas, it's great! It brings water to a boil pretty darn fast, for coffee or tea. I use it for jello, etc. It would work great with instant oatmeal, ramen noodles etc. It was about 20 bucks I think, at Target. It's metal and sturdy.

Two links...the first for using tampons for wounds (Includes info about condoms for guns) and the second about Kotex being first manufactured as bandages during World War l.

http://www.snopes.com/military/tampon.asp

http://www.snopes.com/business/origins/kotex.asp

Who knew???  LOL

Welcome, Vicki...the group that no one wants to join, but we never seem to leave. It's true, someone is always around and you are not alone. This is where you can admit you cry in Walmarts, eat too much ice cream, and only sleep on the days you hear from your son.

MT, that's hysterical. I have no patience with the boot camp folks either. On a new group on FB and it's going to be interesting to not say....or see one of my other veteran moms say..."your kid is safe, stop whining."....

Vicki, my job here is to try to make sure we keep OPSEC regs in mind when we post, so not too much information about where your son actually is, or what he's doing...this group is about you and your support during one of the toughest times in your life. Your son is well trained, and surrounded by others who have his back...we will have yours, and try to keep you on even keel, so when he does call, he hears his mom and not a hot mess like we sometimes become during a deployment like this. Truly, you are not alone.

Susan, they all talk about becoming a contractor...I consider it a "phase". I haven't heard about it in a while, and now my son is older, I think it's had it's day.

Vicki, my son is a corpsman, currently stationed here in Texas.

Chief...soy!! Estrosoy, or estroven something like that...at the grocery store. buy it take some...SOY, ladies!! stops a lot of the sweats and flashes, it helped me sleep when I went off of HRT. Also, for sleeping I simply took Benedryl. Besides, I live in one of the allergy capitols of the world...but it knocks me out. And it's cheaper than all that other stuff.

Told my son about the condoms....and you grabbing them up..."because my son's deployed, he'll need these..." wonder what the heck they thought about that?? ha! My son has learned just to stay the heck out of the way when military mom moves on on the game plan.

My son has always been a "MacGyver" type (remember the TV show?) but I think a war zone brings out that streak in all of them.  I'd love to be able to interview our troops and ask what they did if they needed something that was unavailable. 

Another skill they seem to develop over there is bartering.  My Navy son quickly learned that if the Navy didn't have any whatever, the Army had them stockpiled.  Presto!  A trade was made and everyone was happy.

I was floored to learn my son was the "chef" when out and about with that George Foreman Grill and the rice cooker....he was Nacho Man here in my kitchen. Problem solving and creative thinking on the fly is one thing the military teaches already really smart young men and women.

 Wonder if you could send bags of corn masa (and a roller) for tortillas, with cans of refried beans. No cheese, but still. My next door neighbor growing up made her tortillas with a fat wooden dowel as a roller.

Soy...learned about it when I managed a Starbucks, the soy lattes (ugh!) so many women drank, I'll take that Estroven pill instead, the package was about 5 bucks back when I bought them. Susan, that's a shame about the Benedryl, it's affordable and it really knocks me out. I have some other friends with your same reaction tho, it's all about the metabolism.

Meet Snoco, he's a little dog, whose mom leaves today for A. and she's found Guardian Angels, which is a group who locates fosters for the pets of service personnel deploying over seas.  If you read back and look at the photos, you can see this dog is one of us, he knows that pain. He has been with "she" (that's what the foster is called!) since January when his "mom" started special training to prepare for deployment. He got to see her once a month but now she's gone for a year.

Go say hello, I invited him to come visit...he's adorable, and I so appreciate "she" that is taking care of him.Snoco's Facebook page

I really liked the Generals ending comments:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/a-marine-gen...

Hi all I have been pretty busy lately and sorry I normally check in to welcome our new folks etc... I posted on my FB page about my Soldier son was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari Malformation - the easiest way to describe what it is.. a hernia in the brain.  He has a couple more tests which include a test to check the flow of his spinal fluid and a spinal MRI. When he got back from last deployment he started having intense migraines. Nothing the dr.s gave him did anything for it.. I am still amazed at my soldier he still went to work everyday and didnt complain other than to the doctors. After a verbal confrontation with a ranking medical officer they decided to run a CT scan. The radiologist missed it but thankfully the neurologist didnt. His prognosis is up in the air pending the next two tests. After some research I am pretty darn scared right now, this could end his military career and I can tell you that will be devastating to him. So we are on a wait status right now.  Inga sent me a link to a group on FB of folks that have this and the stories are scary but there are some great outcomes too.  All of his information has been sent to a neuro surgeon. Thankfully my brother is a Navy doctor and is now involved helping us with finding a second opinion etc.. If he has to have surgery I will be going to Missouri to be with him and his wife. Luckily for him he has a mother in law and grandmother in law who are nurses, his grandmother is a nurse, his mom is in school (which means I know nothing) and uncle a doctor. He has a good support structure. I will let you all know more when I know more.. I had to be careful on facebook with what I put because he can see it LOL and I don't want him to know I am scared shitless (sorry for this word)

I am also starting to wonder what these guys encountered in Iraq I know of 4 others in my son's unit that have some odd affliction since coming home.. I know everything I have read about my sons issue says it is something he may have been born with.. but some odd things are going on with these guys...

Debby....You are living some of my worst fears.  I will be praying for you and your family as you travel this path.

As you stated you have a number of things going for you such as family members in the medical field, so you are ahead of others in your position.  Good luck to you.

Thank you everyone! I told my youngest last night and told him DO NOT call your brother freaking out DO NOT call your father freaking out.. .so what does he do?? HE calls his brother.. At least he didnt call his father.. it was bad enough when the boys were deployed and he called me 3x a week.. i swear I spoke with him more when they were deployed than I did the entire 15 years we were married (haha) I am sure I will get a call eventually from him.. My youngest son did check out Inga's link to zipperheads and now he's going to get a tattoo of a zipper to honor his brother.. as if he needs another one...

TDM my friend its ok you missed it.. :) and when I know more you will know.. I will probably need a shoulder and a shot of jack.... My soldier and I did talk today and he appears to be ok with the idea he could get articled out of the Army (I suspect he's just putting up a brave front).. but I told him to wait and see what happens.. he will have to have surgery its just WHEN will he have it.. after he has it he will have to go in front of the medical review board and they make the decision..

We did get good news today about my nephew.. he got a call from his recruiter today who told him to give notice at work.. his paper work is done and he will be leaving for basic.. He had to follow my husband though and join the AF I am not sure exactly what he will be doing but I am very happy he's going soon..

Again thank you all for the support.. its funny when things are sucky I always come here to vent.. :)