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

Ok so here is what happened in my complete meltdown moment.  In my haste to restore my living room after a 2 day paint  job I moved a sliding door that ripped out the wire from the phone jack on the baseboard.  I did not even realize this for about 2 hours when my son said that there was no dial tone.  I went into a complete panic and lost it.  I was sure that my son would try to call as he has for the last 2 weekends of which I missed both the calls.  Thank God my mom has a 15 foot phone call to connect the modem with the main phone jack that I broke. It was late and I could not get to a store. I was ready for the call that so far has not come.  I know that each call is a gift and that I should not waste time waiting and hoping but that is what happened. I will be ready  now and even have a back up cord.  I too have a son who is somewhere doing something.  I only know where he landed and that is it. The last  weeks have felt like  years and there is still a long way to go.  So once again I thank you for keeping me company today as I continue to put the living room and bedroom together.  I am going to take up something that is less exhausting in my spare time.....

For some reason, when my son was in Iraq, I thought it would be a good move to change from Time Warner phone to ATT. ATT started transporting my number EARLY....and when I had come to my senses and asked to cancel it so I would not lose any service while he was deployed, they had "lost" my phone number. The same damn number we had had since was 3 years old.  Cell service was not good enough from there...and I missed at least 3 calls before I could get the "New" number to him. Finally he called while I was at work...in the middle of a huge U of TX event while I was standing by the hotel managers ( I was a banquet mgr) and by God I answered it, and walked outside to talk to my son. When I got "spoken to", I told them to kiss my ass.  About that time, 3 of the people who had been standing there (and with whom I had worked with at UT for about 12 years, as well as being the folks in charge of the event) went to the the hotel manager and told him in no uncertain terms that if I received any crap about accepting a call from my son in Iraq, they would take their business elsewhere. So, when I was called "on the carpet" it was to receive an apology from the hotel manager, as well as "permission" to carry my personal cell. Like I was going to stop. ATT kept saying they could not "find" my number right up until I filed a grievance with the Tex Attrny General's office and then wow! two days later I had my phone number back.  

In other words, Julie, I know EXACTLY about that meltdown, girl!! To hear my son say he heard his home phone number was "not available" broke my heart!! He was calling HOME. Hope you hear soon!!!

Just got a phone call from my son in the desert...Wow, was it great to hear his voice...Only been gone 2 weeks...but it was good to talk to him....He said they're all settling in and getting to work...

Joanie!! sleep well tonight, lady....it's the best sleeping aide around, a voice from the other side of the world....

It's about time I checked in.  I returned on Sept 13th in the evening and went to work the next morning and haven't had time to catch up.  You have all been so supportive through the entire deployment and I can't thank everyone enough.  This was a place special to my heart.  I did get to see my son.  I left labor day and drove halfway, then the rest of the way the day after.  I thought I would be there maybe two days early but it ended up being about 6 days early because of the delay like Malamamma said.  How exciting that was to see her.  And I can say when we drove onto the base and saw all the signs on the base that families had made knowing this is what they would see from the buses before they saw us, I can only say goose bumps ran up and down my arms and legs and when they gave us the exact time to be there goose bumps went all over me.   I will try to upload a picture of my son and I hugging.  He was on the third bus he told us in a text so while we were counting buses and watching for him to come out the front door, he jumped out the back of the bus and came up behind us.  I have a video of it and we both screamed with excitement.  Just saying that right now made me cry again.  He looked wonderful.  We spent two days together then I came home.  I knew he was ok because the first thing we did was get his gear and then go looking for a pizza place the guys he was out there with told him about a pizza place called Tony's that he wanted .  He didn't have an address he just said it was there in GP.  We picked him up in his new jeep and he plugged TOny's into the GPS and said there it is...let's go...His wife said, "It says it's 1,000 miles away" "I'm not driving there"!  We all laughed....Then he said stop....there's a building that looks like a pizza place...and it was it l....it was a pizza miracle...So we went to the Apt. he had never seen set up that they picked out  when we all said our goodbyes before he left and she and I and her dad all decorated it up and it was amazing.  He was soooo happy.  He put on his everyday clothes and grabbed his guitar after we had pizza and we sat on the patio and played music and it was a happy day for me and him and her....All I can say at this point.....I'm a changed woman.  I am overweight for my short height and always feel heavy but I haven't lost a lb but I feel light as a feather.  I've been back to work a full week and all my co-workers say they can tell a huge difference in me.  Not that I was  bad to work with but they said I've been so funny last week they forgot how crazy I used to be.  My sense of humor has multiplied.  I am laughing all the time and cutting up.  Everyday I feel better and I look back over this year and say Thank you God for bringing him Home.  This is all I asked for.  Thanks everyone.  I have to go get a tissue now...  I just made myself cry again.  Love you all.

Sorry it was so long but it's a good story.Home21.jpg

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So those I just posted if you click on each one.  The first is me and my son, then him and his wife, then him and their dog and then him playing guitar and then us the day before I left relaxing by the pool.  He wanted very little when he returned.  One, to see us, two a pizza, three to play music, four to relax and do nothing by the pool.  All of which we did and it was good for all of us. 

I rec'd a phone call.. it was timed and we got cut off but it was the best!  

Does anyone know whey they are timed?  

Also.. how does the mail work per say.. does it go to a mail station close to where they are and gets driven there or???

He is staying busy and told him his first box was on its way. He was happy and sounded good.  I really miss him but you know after hearing from him,, I am happy he is doing what is in his heart and he is able to fulfill that.  Dangerous I am sure, leaving this country as an American, military or civilian is dangerous BUT my son chose to serve this country, chose to volunteer for deployment and chose to represent this wonderful country and I am damn proud MAMA>  

Here is to all our sons out there serving.. God Bless them and God Bless this country.       Hooyah!!!!!

Joanie....I'm so glad you got your call.  Isn't it amazing how a few words can set your mind to rest? 

Mama Walrus....I'm not sure about your timed call, but if he was using a phone set up for the guys to call home, it may be so everyone gets a turn.  Don't worry about it...most phone systems over there have lots of static and many cut-offs. That seems to be just the way it is.  Even cut off, you sound as though you are feeling MUCH better!

KT...What can I say?  I thank you for sharing your beautiful son with us.  In fact, the happy tears were flowing so hard, I was in danger of flooding my keyboard.  Hmmmm...Mama, wife, dog, and music...sounds like a good country song.  lol  I can't tell you how happy I am for you.  You payed the price and now you have the rewards you so richly deserve!  Enjoy them...and please keep coming back.  It is ladies like you who give the new Moms something to cling to.

wow, just wow....Ktssong....tears flowing here, your joy is so contagious, you've been waiting so long, and he looks SOOO GOOD!! handsome sailor and gorgeous wife, and giddy mom, that's a great homecoming!! Thank you for sharing it!

mama walrus, cut off phone calls are very normal. They have phone banks, or phone buildings, they wait in line and try to cram it all in. And the service can really stink. But!! you heard his voice, you're going to have a much better week!

I do want to echo MT's thoughts on coming back here...the new moms need each of you as your sailor/marine comes home, and others return to A-stan.  I love coming here to see chief and MT and all the others keeping their voices heard in support of all the moms and dads fighting this deployment crap.

Happy day to all, come here whenever you need to, whenever you can to read and support...you are not alone, and it never leaves you,even when your sailor is home safe and sound.

KTS....Just the "thought" of "Your Big" day being "Our Big" day in the future sends all my chills up & down throughout me. I can't "thank" you enough for sharing your Joy with all of us!!!

Long range benefit from son's deployment: he was never a "sappy guy" full of endearments (surprise, surprise)...but when he called from Iraq...I heard, "I love you mom" every call...and pretty much every call ever since...one time when he was CL, he called me back to say "I forget to tell you I love you, mom". I am delighted and had to ask why..."you talk a lot on deployment, mom, about the people you love and who love you and how horrible we were to our moms as teenagers..." Now, he was no angel, but he was no really bad guy either, the regular stuff...I had to smile. And be glad to hear that comment every time we speak, still. 

I had no phone call after all I went through this weekend but I am so happy that so many of you did get to talk to your kids.  I also have a much closer relationship with my son after I spend time with him right before he was deployed. H e expressed so many emotions  and fears that for the first time I felt like he really opened and actually said I love you too instead of love you too.  That really meant something to me so TDM I can see how the service is life changing and that our kids need us in different ways now than ever before soI will stand tall and be there for him when he does call agin which I hope will be sooner than later...

KTSSONG thanks so much for sharing your photos what a special moment and to have had such a special reunion is just wonderful.

ktssong.. wow, I can feel the emotion through the pictures.  I can almost feel the hugs being shared there.  Thank you for sharing.. ;)

I should clarify.. the phone was not cut off per say but it had a timer. This voice would come on and say you have 2 min remaining, you have 30 seconds remaining and so on....I was just curious why that was set up? 

Stil curious on if the mail address is somewhat close to where are usually stationed at?

Mamawalrus, it sounds like your son used a "pre-paid" phone card, & that was the remaining minutes/seconds left on the card?

Just spoke with a Marine wife here at the rec center (she's taking a course here at our community college) and she said it sounds like a phone card. She said the phone banks in A do have someone telling you "you have 10minutes" etc but it didn't do it repeatedly.

Mail address...it follows the unit.

Does anyone still use   Moto Mail  ?

TexasDoc, I never heard of that until I just clicked on the site you provided. Is that something they have to sign up as well on their end?

No, they don't, or they didn't when I used it with my son. You basically email a letter (reasonably short and no photos, at least then), it's sent to the area's server, printed out and taken where ever they are and delivered. Granted, not as quickly in Iraq or Astan as it probably is aboard a ship, but still.  It's handy if a dad or mom knows a child is ill in the US and has to go out on patrol, etc....I just dropped "thinking about you " news gossip stuff, so he'd get mail on patrol. I'd be interested to hear how or if it works with these classified destination deployments.

Thanks guys.. I will have to ask him about the pre paid phone card, never thought of that.  i wonder where he would of bought it.  

On Motomail, you can sign up at Marineparents, com.. I think I heard it only works if they are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. But it is worth checking out to see.  

Thank you for all the nice comments about the pictures.  Here toward the end of deployment I finally figured out how to put them on here.  Yes, of all the groups, I will be visiting this one as frequent as I can.  I now know what this experience can do to a mom.  I'm still not sure if my son knows how hard it hit me as a mom but I just don't think I'll ever tell him that because it will only make him feel bad.  I said I would be supportive of him and so this group and having navyformoms is where us moms can come and open up our hearts to each other so we can be that support to our kids we told them we'd be....even if we are crying where they can't see us and hurting where they may never know, we can stand proud at the end of the day arm in arm as moms and say we love you and will do whatever it takes to help you through your committments.  I still believe the old saying behind every good man is a good woman....I believe those women are not only wives but moms and grandmas and sisters that are all supporting them...

The calls I experienced didn't always have timed ones but the ones that did have timed ones usually happened when they were outside the wire and when they were at wartime transition time.  Now that I've seen some of his pictures of the sand blowing up and not being able to see, I told him I could understand how hard that would be and he said those pictures are just a little sand mom, that was typical good day....I can't even imagine a bad day then.  So he is sharing more and more and it's good. I asked if it was hard to talk about and he said no, it's helping him too.  So as it comes I ask a little and he shares then I gently steer us to another topic so it doesn't stay too serious.  My thinking is it will come out more and more as he relaxes more and more.  I cannot say enough about Family Readiness Group and the Ombudsman.  At the beginning I didn't understand what they were all about and now after this deployment, I can't imagine doing it without them either.  They are awesome people.  And when we were on the base, guards and workers and soldiers, everyone, so helpful and friendly.  So far the last two years since my son has been in the Navy has been eye opening and has given me a deeper appreciation for our military and their families. 

Love you all.   

ktssong.. ditto on the FRO.. My son has not been gone a long time and she has called me and emailed me.  What a blessing!

I am sure feeling pretty good today. Our son called yesterday!!!! AND, we have an address for mailing!!! WAHOO!!!

Chief88-I will look into that phone card account on-line ,thanks.

I can't thank everyone on this site. All your suggestions have been "extremely" helpful, and I check into everything to see if we can use it.

ktssong, just saw your photos, awsome!! What a happy family:) Hopefully my grandson will be coming home this fall, we're already planning our trip down. So happy for all of you.  

Lori! your son has been in my thoughts, wondering how he was doing (and you, too...). How is he? and his attitude, is he doing good? ready to get out of "light duty"...and surgery...please keep us updated. Please! 

Susan! address means packages, get busy! glad you got to hear his voice and hope you're sleeping well the next few nights.

You can register for Moto Mail on the moto mail site.

My son is gone for almost 3 weeks now,I didn't talk with him since last Friday,sems like forever.It drive me crazy that I can't  hear him,I don't know where he is,i don't know anything about him.I am waiting for a letter of a phone.Until then I trust God that he is safe  in His arms.To all of you ladies,I pray for you and for all our boys in the military.May God bless all of you and keep you strong until you will see your child again.

Ana, you've come to the right group. Hang on and hang in there...you are not alone. Your son will call or email when he can....take care of yourself!

Ana, I'll be praying you hear soon from your son. Angel, I know how you feel.  We get so excited when our son calls, but it's hard after we hang -up. My husband & I seem to always over analyze if he's really OK. Either his tone in his voice or maybe something he said. It's hard....It's very hard.

hi,  my daughter a navy seabee will be at camp leatherneck in about 3 wks or so.

Thank you ladies,I have to be strong and trust God,and Susan I can see myself doing the same thing,after I am going to talk with him I am not going to be sure if he is ok.Angel am sorry about your son,I worry about that too.Keep all of them in my prayers.

NBC Weekend Today Show with Lester Holmes, did a segment in Afghanistan this morning. Not sure what it was all about, I only caught the last 10 minutes of it. During those last 10 minutes they did show a lot of the troops.

You were a lot braver than I was, MalaMama!  At least when my Seabee was over there, they went over and came back home over a period of several weeks.  (That way, the transition is blended.)  If I had done the calendar thing, sure enough, he would decide to return in the late group.  I don't think my spirits could have taken seeing all the days marked off and no son.  BTW...He DID choose the last group for return...and when, after many delays, the day finally came and everyone was packed and waiting to leave, they were told "OOPS!"  The plane broke down and it would be at least one more day.  (I agree that if he is finally leaving, I want him to have a safe flight!)   He said there was a mad scramble for beds (now filled with the new guys) and so on.  I was laughing so hard I was crying when he told me that some of them literally went dumpster-diving to retrieve nasty sheets or whatever. 

Everyone seems to be doing very well, and I am so glad.  However, there is a saying "This, too, shall pass"  It seems to apply to both the good times and the bad.  (I am still amazed at how fast I would shift from one to the other!)  I remember one day I was just a tiny bit sad, and decided to clean out the linen closet, refold everything, and put stuff back where it really belonged.  It was a great idea until I found a very old folder with his early school drawings under a stack of sheets.  I not only started bawling, but I stopped everything and sat on the floor looking at all of them and remembering when...  (I think I left everything on the hallway floor and came here to find an understanding ear.)

Hi everyone....I haven't left the group, just trying to stay busy.  Anyone seen the story this morning?  Does anyone know anything about Integrity?  I saw the story and emailed him to ask "Are you okay"?  I finally got an answer of "Those were some of our guys" and a sad face with "I love you Mom".  That was all it said.  Talk about FREAK OUT.  I do not watch the news, but this story came up when I got online.  I have the biggest headache now I think I've ever had.  At least he's okay.   Just wanted to share........anyone can email me privately if they want to tell me about integrity please.  Thanks! 

Oh, Susan...this  is out of my league, but I am so feeling for you. I was so afraid my son would be caught in some loophole like this, but he says they will only call him back up in extreme emergency. They offered him everything under the sun to keep him but he held fast to leaving and going to school.  Bees are so well trained and critical to the job at hand, your son must have something special about him, the Navy only fights to keep the very best.

I know you're tired, but it's close to the end. Even if they keep him another year, the deployments are already scheduled and they do not send them if they are short time, as far as I know. At least that is how it is with Marine units. Prayers for you, come talk to us, you are not facing this alone.

I am so sorry Susan, but maybe it can be taken higher.  Something like that happened to my Bee.  He signed up for 2 years active and so many (I forgot) years in the reserves.Just before he was due to get out he was told he had to extend so he could go to Kosovo.  (Yes...this was a while ago.)  He reminded his boss about his contract, and the boss went to HIS boss, etc.  My son would hear that he did NOT have to go, then someone else would say he did.  Things shuffled back and forth until it actually went to the Pentagon and the verdict came back that he was going.  (So much for "contracts"!  lol)  In the end, it was a wonderful experience for him, but it was terrible to "count" on something and then have it not happen.  Let us know what happens, Susan.

Yup...About those Contracts. I remember back in June, when one of our Mom's from a different group was extremely upset & very discouraged that her son was one of the 3000 hand picked "involuntarily discharged. He was in for 14 years & he only had 6 months left to reach the 15 year mark which would have aloud him to receive the benefits of the Temporary Early Retirement Authority AND, he was nominated for Sailor of the Year on his boat. She was absolutely devastated about it.

Susan...... I know how you feel.:(( Stand Strong in your Faith & Know there's a Reason for everything. Don't give into your tiredness. Always remember when a door closes, another one opens. I know its unfair. We will all send our prayers your way that everything will work out.

Well, my heart just dropped to the floor....my son is a gunner's mate and was supposed to be working in the armory in the desert...Just got a message from him that he is working on CSE as security....Appreciate all your prayers please!

Awww...Poor Joanie!  That is why those of us with experience keep saying that even when you know where they are and what they are doing, you don't really KNOW!  (I was lucky...I never learned about the worrying stuff until it was over.)  You've had my prayers, and they will continue.  All you can do is keep telling yourself that nothing has changed...you just know more.