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

Susan!! there are no "buts" on the day when you hear from your son in  war zone, you get to CELEBRATE!!! good for you!!! We need that good news here!!  And we know you need it, too...we are all happy for you!

I have a feeling this young soldier will get some attention, the word is out! I hope his family can get to him quickly.

I just read on facebook that my nephew is in Gettysburg this weekend, don't know if it's for work or pleasure. Message me with the soldiers info and I will get it to him.

John, all I know I posted in the previous post, an email needs to be sent to marla@mymilitarylife.com she is the one with the information. Also she will know if it's still necessary! thanks!

Just got word from the sandbox that the cub earned his FMF pin. So excited & proud of him!!!!

Congratulations to your cub Victoria...that's a significant accomplishment!

 

Yes, it is!! double congrats...hearing from your son and learning he's made it to a real Doc!!

Congratulations Victoria! You should be very proud. :)

a real Doc now TDM? really?

 

 

yes, John, really...the tradition of the FMF qualification is that once it's achieved by corpsman, that Corpsman is recognized by his Marines and Marines everywhere as the "Doc".  To the Marines, it's the sign of the highest respect, calling a corpsman who has proven his merit, and busted his butt to earn that title to serve along side them in combat the Doc.

To me, as a Navy brat, those guys in the clinic where I went everytime I was hurt or ill, they were all doctors to me, and they do great work. To my son, as a corpsman, his greatest honor is when his Marines told him he was a "real" Doc after he earned that FMF qualification and serving with him in the sand. I don't question his thoughts on this, he earned it just like Victoria's son has done. Marines do not call every corpsman Doc.  When I tell a Marine, old or young, that my son is a Navy corpsman, pretty much the first thing they ask is if he's a field Corpsman, a real Doc. I'm always very proud to say, yes, he's earned his pin.

I'm not casting aspersions on any other corpsmen, they are all heroes to me, but I am the mom of an FMF corpsman, a Navy vet called Doc by those with whom he served in a war zone, and I'm very proud of him.

By the way, John, glad to see you've heard from your son!

I'm not starting an argument here, gentlemen, let it go, please. I'm just telling you what my son, an FMF corpsman and my brother, a US Marine,  as well as many other Marine vets told me over many years of living in a Navy town.

 If you're looking for an issue to fight over with me, this isn't it. Surely your son has been recommended for trying for the FMF pin, vette, and I'm sure that counts in a war zone to those young Marines.

I do appreciate that the stories being shared from Aghanistan on other boards are not being shared on this one, thank you. Thanks to all who realize that just because your loved one tells something to mom or dad, he/she is not telling it to the general public.

Have a nice night. 

Good for you Cancer!! yes, I felt the same way, you can tell they want to stay on the line with "home" so I make that list...I could talk about the Spurs (actually kept the sports articles out of the paper so I'd sound like I knew what I was talking about, but he knew...), the dog, the neighbors...how his old high school was doing on football...whatever!!

Thanks, Susan! for letting me know...I was wondering...the kind of thing you hope is happening! God Forbid any of you have kids that end up in San Antonio, I'd get there for you until you could, that's for sure.

 

 Happy 4th to all, Got a call from the lad last night. and he is back to a big base, after 3 weeks camping, putting a road in the middle of nowhere to ? Good to talk to the Lad. Showers and clean clothes, Huge!!! All he wanted in his box ,that is ready to ship ,is  little pine tree car freshers,  The place stinks!!! all the boys boots, socks, and what not! Thats is one I would have not thought about!! a new one for the boxes!!! Happy 4th!!

 

I'm thrilled you got your call Lisa...and thank you very much for sharing that idea!  I'm sure more guys than your lad and his group could use them, and they are cheap and easy to send.  Heavens...I bet one could be tucked in with a letter.

Lisa! good for you, sleep well this week!!

How about those baking soda based powders for sprinkling on carpets for doggie odors...they could use them in their trunks, on and under their bunks....they absorb a lot of odor. I've also used coffee grounds (yes!). I used to bring big bags of them home from Starbucks for my compost and discovered after the car was in the shop that they even cover that dirty oil smell, they just absorb it. We've used them in disgusting fridges as well. The coffee odor beats feet stink any day. Just bag them up and leave them in the smelly area.  And maybe some good ol incense in some light fragrances.

Don't you just wish everyone could be made happy by just getting a shower and clean clothes!

I sent my son a box17 days ago is it normal for him not to get it yet. I sent out another box today with some cans in it. After ready chief88  comment about what happen to the chili, I'm a little nervous Hope it will be ok. I sent Chili too. Butusually how long does it take to go to Afghanistan.

From what I've heard on Afghan mailing, 17 days isn't too long...depending on where they are, can take some time. I would suggest putting every food item in a zip lock bag. If the bag stays clean, they always have a use for them. I also would put a garbage bag in the box, then put food items in the ziplocks and then put them in the garbage bag in the box.

Thanks for the help

 

Christine, we try to talk in general terms about locations in Iraq and Afghanistan, we do not deal in specific locations just to be sure we do not share information that might not be "out there" on web sites and other boards.

Many moms and dads on this board with kids in Afghan and Iraq, feel free to share your feelings and thoughts here, just remember OPSEC regs, no locations, arrival, departure info and no last names. thanks!

Christrine, I understand where you are coming from...I would have LOVED to have been in contact with other parents with kids near my son.  However, I can promise you, this group will give you as much comfort as anybody could while your son is over there.  If Jason is willing, and his buddies are also, maybe you could communicate with some parents directly.  (My son would NOT have been willing!  LOL  He joined the Navy to get away from "home"...not to have Mom looking over his shoulder.)  I respect that he is a grown man...(however, I think he sometimes forgets he is, and always will be my baby boy.)  I thank God for this group and the beautiful women in it who were always there for me, and now are here for you.

Ladies and gents, too...been away from a computer (and no smart phone for me) so I've missed some days of checking posts, altho I did jump on my niece's computer to check to on this site. Susan from SC, wonderful thoughts on that deployed status, and Susan and Chief, hang in there...I do have a photo of Baby Joseph and his mom, he's up to 3lbs 4 oz's...and when I stroked his head and chatted to him, he smiled! over and over...my niece was laughing, said he never smiles that much back to back...that baby knows who will spoil him rotten!

Thank you for sharing Baby Joseph with us.  Still praying for that special bundle!

Hello Ladies... Glad to see we have some good news.. especially little baby joseph!!

I am going to Seattle in a week and a half for my parents 50th anniversary and my brothers going away.. he leaves for afg soon ... I really can't believe that I am gearing up for another deployment ... My son's are teasing my brother though telling him he will have it easy in an a/c tent and probably better food... I was told there are 3 types of medical facilites he can be at and some more dangerous than others.. I will find out more when I see him..

former sailor has more tests for his TBI coming up so anxiously awaiting the results of all of that...

Army son has met with the neuro surgeon and they are not going to surgery they do not think the issue with his brain is big enough yet but someday he will have to have it.. he's been refered to a headache specialist and he is doing injections in his neck..he has been headache free for the first time since he was in Iraq so that is my good news..

 

and after reading the post about care packages ......I remember my first care package I sent out.. had a melt down in the post office I'm sure bystanders were worried I might have a gun.. LOL .. I didnt know I had to do the customs form.. and panic set in cause i couldnt remember everything in the box.. the poor woman behind the counter reached out grabbed my hand looked at me and told me, "its ok dear just do the best you can... and I will keep your son in my prayers" 

 

Yep meltdowns happen in places other than walmart...

Dang! ya'll just reminded me I was suppose to take Dan's box to the PO today. It's still sitting on the dining room table.  :(

DOD causality list  I couldn't locate this young corpsman's name or rank on the DOD list.  Please use the DOD official link/announcements to share these tragic events on this board. The last thing we want to do is share information with family members or loved ones who may not have yet been notified by presenting it on a public board. Thank you.

Blessings to this family, and to the family of the  young Marine from the 1/5 lost this week as well.

Nic, we are parents and loved ones of deployed personnel, we have no influence. Our advice hinges on support for one another, we want our kids to come home safe and sound.

If the Navy wanted him in Afghanistan, he'd be there.

Nic'sWife- what is your husbands rate? Just curious, chain of command is the only path to take I believe. My son was given the choice to go greenside out of Corpsman A school and that's what he wanted. As parents, we were hoping he'd go blueside and be stationed at a hospital but that's not what HE wanted.

Good morning! my apologies for being missing in action, but just put a dear friend on a plane home after a week of sadness and the loss of another dear friend last weekend...and I don't have a smart phone, so I had to just jump on the internet when I could...so tried to keep up. Welcome to Tenn mom, and any other newbies and lurkers, we hate to see you  here, but will always be around, as you can see...someone always steps up!

Afghan news  just spotted this on my catch up the news morning read, and there's a photo, so thought maybe someone might see someone dear....and a reminder to not share too much on the board. This unit taking the hits, our prayers with them every single day...and with their families.

Susan my concern was that someone confirm that their loved one is with this particular battaltion in Afghan. I worry, because I have heard of some strange situations, that some louse reads our posts, connects Mom A to a corpsman or seabee serving with Unit xyz deployed overseas, and then works back to get home phones, more personal info, and then Mom A's phone rings or she gets an email from a stranger who says he/she knows her deployed child, and the kid needs this or that and money or even more personal information is shared....there are creeps out there as we all know, and I don't want them making any connections here on this group. This group is for support of one another, maybe making some connections with other moms/dads that can be shared by private messaging or whatever. So, as my son once said "mom, be the bitch on there, and jerks are less likely to hit it."  So, I keep reminding us, especially as we get newbies on here, I do not generally direct it at any one person, just all of us. I've been guilty of it myself and have had that same reminder directed at me...and I'm glad of it!

Reading a book called "Until Tuesday" about a therapy dog named Tuesday, with an Army vet as the author. That vet was in the same spot in Iraq very early on that my son was deployed to with his Marines. I find it easy to read about Tuesday, but so hard to read about the Army vet and learning so much about that particular area. Secondary PTS, do you think?

Marine Recon training on Discovery channel

This is amazing....

When my son was in Iraq, he requested supplies to repair the dart boards he was finding as they hit some of the smaller bases, etc. Since Afghan doesn't seem to have those, maybe a dart board set or two? I'd include the "repair" stuff and maybe a small upgrade in darts.

Yeah, I like that "don't wait up" line, Cancerthecrab...what a hoot!

I hope they still carry pepper spray to keep from being swarmed by them....they are in such a tough spot (beyond the whole WAR ZONE thing..)...we raised them to be loving, nurturing adults and that's the opposite of what they have to be there in many instances, like with the kids.  And the kids....what would our boys think if they went out in their town and saw a foreign military force patrolling? Mix all that up with religious faith and fevor, fear, and normal kid stuff...it's just too hard for me to comprehend.

I'll always remember the storieds my Viet Nam vet friends came home to tell us about how the kids were used and the things they would attempt and do to harm our troops.  No wonder our troops adopt dogs there instead of people!

Great news! sleep well tonight, mom....

When I was growing up my dad would make the jerky and place the jerky on a rack in the attic space of the house during the summer.  It was always very hot of there and it was a great place to dry the jerky.  He would leave it up there 24 hours and it would turn out great.

Austin Marine to receive Medal of Honor  We're hometown proud of this young man, and  sad he had to do what he did to earn this medal.

 From my local paper, the first one is video from our local Time Warner folks:

The Military Times said Meyer will be honored for the actions he took Sept. 8, 2009, in Ganjgal, a remote village near the Pakistan border in violent Kunar province, where he charged into a kill zone on foot and alone. Meyer told the Military Times that he carried the four men out of the area, which had been under fire for hours.

Killed in the September battle were Gunnery Sgts. Edwin Johnson, 31, and Aaron Kenefick, 30; 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, 25; Hospitalman 3rd Class James Layton, 22; an Afghan interpreter and at least eight Afghan security forces members, according to the Military Times.

"Already wounded by shrapnel, Meyer found (the Americans) dead and stripped off their gear and weapons, and helped carry them from the kill zone," the Military Times reported.

Meyer could not be reached for comment Wednesday night at his home in Austin.

In interviews with Marine Corps Times in November, he said he felt "like the furthest thing from a hero" because he did not find his fellow troops alive.

"Whatever comes out of it, it's for those guys," he said at the time. "I feel like I let my guys down because I didn't bring them home alive."

News of the award was first reported Tuesday by Leatherneck, a Marine Corps Association publication, and by the Marine Corps Times, an independent newspaper.

Both said Obama called Meyer on Monday to break the news.

Good Morning

I am always so happy to hear about homecomings.. Lori I hope Joe is doing well and heals ... I think of him often ...

 

Susan, good news that your son came home for even a few days/hours....and that he knows who to turn to to share those memories and experiences AND that he's looking to the future. Hope he utilized some of those groups we've discussed here to help him past those experiences in his deployment, and I hope they help.

Lori, think of Joe so often, hope he's healing in and out....and you too, mom. And kiss his cheek for this mom of an HM2, please.

Chief!! send us that photo! how cool is that flag pole?

I apologize for my distraction of late. A Navy mom friend of mine, whose son is a deployed Bee, is having a tough time. Her son's God son, Jake, is 7 years old and has a brutal cancer. I think I've shared about him before here. His time is coming closer, and my friend's Seabee cannot get home, to be with this child or his friends who are losing him Prayers for all, if you can.  It's so bizarre to hold that Baby Joseph, who is a medical miracle and then see this little boy so taken over by this horrible disease and nothing can be done. Hug all your kids that are close by....and I pray every morning that each of you will get that phone call, that chat visit or email from your child in harm's way. Thank you for your service, ladies...and gents, too...

 

TDM - I am so sorry... I do remember your asking for prayers for Jake...Stay strong... I know its not easy though..

 

Hello all.  I have just joined this group - a little early because we're still pre-deployment.  I've just been so sad since I got the news from my son, I felt like I needed a head start on this site.  I'm glad I have some time to come to grips with this ~ I am usually pretty level headed, but not right now.  I want to keep a grip on myself, otherwise I'm no good at all to my corpsman son, our other son, or my husband.  And.... I'm off to a whiny start!  Sorry - I'm sure tomorrow will be a better day.

I would also like to welcome you, Janice and Eurekamom.  I check out all messages here, but don't talk that much anymore.  Not only do I have my son back home, but he has decided he will be getting out this fall.  I really thought he was going to go for retirement, but each deployment seems to hurt his family more, so this is probably a wise decision.  Eurekamom, you are NOT being whiny...you are being honest.  This is the one place you can (and should) say exactly how you feel. Trust me...Whether you call it all your blood pooling in your feet, rocks in your stomach, or something else, we have all felt the same thing.  The "Walmart Meltdowns" can occur any place at any time, and I think we have all had them.  (The one I remember the most was when I was sitting in a coffeehouse one evening listening to a country music band.  I can't remember the song they started playing and singing, but it was one that instantly filled me with grief.  To take my mind away from where it was going, I glanced at a dark window...  Outside, I noticed that the building across the street had a huge, lit up American flag fluttering on the roof and that was the end of my composure! )

 

This is the place we can talk about such things...along with all the pride we feel, the funny stories our kids tell us, and so on.  "Outsiders" may not understand, but this place becomes "home".  Love, hugs, and prayers for all of you!

Welcome Janice,

My Seabee daughter has been in Afghanistan since early summer and seems to be doing all right.  She enjoys carepackages with snacks.  I also send her magazines, toiletries, and a few fun things.

Welcome Janice and Eurekamom.  Its nice to see another Northern CA mom here. 

Hi all Just got back from seattle got to spend time with my parents for their 50th wedding anniversary and got to say good by to my lil brother.. . I set up yahoo msging with him and his wife and showed them how to use it... told him to setup an account on youtube and make it private so he can read stories to his daughter and have her log into it and watch her daddy.. I told my sister in law to join us all here for added support... then on my way to work today it hit me.. my baby brother is leaving for AFG soon I wanna be sick but then I can't complain I have had an entire year with no loved ones in the sand.. that is a record in my house...  he has to go down to an army base for specialized trauma surgery, he's a surgeon but as I call him "KIng pee pee fixer"  he's a urologist and does that fancy micro surgery.. so he wont be going immediately but the reality is now here.. I am glad to read that some of our mom's have gotten phone calls.. that is awesome!!!  Take care mom's we are in it together!

Yes, welcome back Debby, here we go again! Welcome to the new moms as well, you're in the right place for support, venting, crying, screeching, laughing, sharing, and all around meltdown extravangzas...some one is always home, you are not alone.

going to share this video, it's an older one, but it's so good...and it'll get the tears out and you can move on with your day...

Thank you TDM for posting that song! It is so beautiful and moving.. don't know why I never heard it before.

Elder bull from military family needs help

If you know anyone in the area of Ohio, please share about this sweet old pittie bull, she's not being allowed to live on base at her family's new station, and they are all heartbroken.

Hope you are all doing well, getting through the days and nights, getting some rest and avoiding the heat! Finally going to get hot in Texas, we'll be hitting 110 in Central Texas this week more than once!

I guess it's "welcome back" Navy 08....hope you can hear from him soon!

Hey everyone missed you all the last couple of weeks, I've just been swamped w/ work & life. Anyway.....So excited the boy is enroute home for 2wks. I have know idea when he'll get in, I'm guessing sometime tomorrow morning ish. If the next 3 flights go according to plan. As of last night everything was good to go. So I wait w/ fingers crossed.(I'm now going to paste this to my other groups so some of you may see it more than once) He's probably going to have a fit, but I can't wait to smother him w/ hugs & kisses...Lol

Victoria, it's amazing how their attitudes towards hugs and kisses change while deployed....he'll love it! have a great time!! wish it was cool, cool weather for his R and R!!