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

I have been wanting to get on here for awhile now.  I think I've had a little PTSD from this last deployment myself.  I just wanted to come back and say Merry Christmas to all the moms with sons and daughters deployed right now.  My heart and prayers are with your families.  I'm just very emotional during this season with gratitude.  At Thanksgiving our church had a time to open the mics up and let the congregation step up and say in a few words what they are thankful for.  I'm from a big church.  As the pastor explained how to search for thanks in our heart my thanks was already a lump in my throat and tears behind my eyes. I knew what I was thankful for and made my way forward in both services.

I had many words but with time constraint gave it in a few words.  I said that  in Feb. of this year I faced one of my worst fears as a mom.  I never wanted to see my son in the military going to a warzone even though his dad all his life kept encouraging him and saying he would be in the Navy.  When he signed up I just hoped my fears wouldn't be realized.  Then when he told me of his deployment God assured me he would be ok.  He did it in a dream and he also gave me Psalm 91 as my promise.  I lifted my hand in the air toward God as I felt he was reaching down to grab mine and tell me that He wouldn't let me down and would get me through this deployment.  In September my son came home safe and sound.  I am crying right now as I write this again.  I still and will evermore be grateful and as I read in an email from our frg that his next deployment this summer is going to be in one of the three places, Spain, Africa or return to Afghanistan, my insides just prayed God help us again.  I

What I feel is this.  My heart is with Navyformoms and this particular group.  What God helped me and our Battalion and my son through this year is not exclusive just for me and for this year.  He will do it again if we return to this area and he will do it for all of your right now.  Grab God's hand.  Read Psalm 91 and put your son or daughters name in it.  Write it down and tape it up and look at it all day.  I had it taped next to my sons face on my computer all year and it's still there.   God will not disappoint.

Pray for my son.  He is having some PTSD.  Not while he's awake but it's happening while he's asleep.  I'm so thankful he's married.  His wife told him what's happening and he's going to the doctor this week.  He has always talked in his sleep since a baby but he is talking more and walking in his sleep and doing things in his sleep.  Keep us in your prayers and you are all in mine.

PS  I'm sorry I haven't been on here much.  I have been working two jobs still and preparing everything for his holiday visit.  I'm so excited.  He is coming home for Christmas.  He missed last years and he will be deployed next years so this one is very emotional for me.  I just want to wrap him up like a present and keep him.  Ha.  Love all you moms.  Be strong. 

ktssong! thank you for your post and we are so HAPPY!! that you'll have a great Christmas with your sailor this year! Check out this youtube posted by Molly of Molly's Adopt A Sailor. She was with the boot camp sailors at Thanksgiving:

Texas Doc Mom thank you for sharing that with me.  I love cadence calls.  In fact I keep telling myself I'm going to order a CD with some on them to exercise too.  This one really touched my heart this morning.  Thank you. 

So, something has been weighing very heavy on my mind lately. I don't really want to ask this question, what happens if your son or daughter gets hurt or sick or other situations. What is the military protocol of how they get in touch with the families or make some type of contact? Is it the same for all, or does each branch do it differently. Is it a phone call? Sorry, I just really don't know anything about this topic except what I see on TV shows.

JerseySusan: I know when 133 had a IED explosion last month the Ombudsman said on their Facebook post that all involved families had been notified...Since I had left my cell at home that day, I called the Ombudsman...She told me they call the families to let them know of such incidents..

With our youngest son being over there & he's not in the Navy, there isn't any Ombudsman group or person that we are aware of, attached to his unit. I feel so grateful with our oldest son that at least the Navy has Ombudsman's to give us up-dates. Other than this website giving me strength, it's a very different & lost feeling with our youngest not knowing anyone back home here attached to his unit.

JerseySusan: I would have thought no matter what branch they are in, that there is a liason for the families...so that you could receive updates on a regular basis..Tyler's command gave out a deployment booklet before they left with several battalion contact names, emails and numbers for the families to use while they were gone...Our Ombudsman group even sends out a regular email with updates while they are deployed.

Joanie, we do have all that with our other son who's in the Navy. It's been a true Blessing having the Ombudsman. Even if you don't need them, just knowing they are our contact, helps give us "Peace of Mind", just in case we need them on our end. But when our youngest went over there, we have absolutely "Nothing" "Notta Thing". I don't know if its b/c he's Special OPS & they just don't have a liason for that particular group. :(

Thank you Ktssong,your words really encourage me.I have to keep reading Psalm 91.I know my son is in God hand.Praying for all our troops out there and waiting for them to come home safe! God bless all of you moms and have a Merry Christmas!

Rough past weekend over there. :(

SUSAN!!! can you hear me screaming and jumping up and down? how exciting is that ???!!!! Good for you and for those two great kids of yours!

I think probably  Special Ops will have their own regs on contact and information, but in an emergency, I'm sure you can use the Red Cross info to get in touch with them. I think most military units have web sites...don't they?  on those sites should be something about family readiness, contact info, or a chaplain's contact info. I'd try that.

Just FYI...I had BakeAWish.com mail a birthday cake to my son in the desert for his Dec. 21st birthday...It arrived today and  Tyler said it was awesome....

would anyone happen to know if our sailors at the sandbox would be able to use a money order there.  I have some family who want to send my sailor a money order.

Maybe a Visa card, yelomoon? then they can use it at any base that has anything to sell, or online to buy what they want. I don't know that money orders would have a place to be cashed in.

thank you for your reply

Hi Susan...It has been a long time since I've said anything, But I keep checking up on you ladies.  I just wanted to remind you to PLEASE take good care of yourself.  Stress can be just as harmful when it is good, as when it is bad, and you have been picked up and slammed down quite a bit recently.  Remember to take time out for yourself.  Hugs, MT

Susan...I echo MT, please take some time to rest, and all those good people who you have lost so recently would want you to hold those sons close and enjoy that love as much as possible. My heart, all of our hearts, are with all of you who know and love that little town of Newtown, and the grief so heavy there and across this nation. Take some time for you and your sons, today! As to the video, if it's up on facebook, message me your page and I'll drop by to see it, you just have to mark it "public" so people who are not on your friends list can see it. If you have the original videos still on camera, you can load it to youtube to share easily.. 

We just had to say our goodbyes Sunday to our Corpsman going with his Marine team to Afghanistan.  Was supposed to be January 7 but they moved it up.  Trying to figure out how to put this heart back in my chest.  This is so hard and so scary.  I am so glad to have all of you for support.  Never would I have ever imagined having to bear the pain of two on deployment.  Praying for safety for all.  Merry Christmas.

Tamme..TWO on deployment, Bless you. We've had several moms here with multiple kids deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan at the same time, I have the greatest respect for them and for you. We'll be right here, you are not alone, please do not ever not come here if you need to talk...we will be here. 

Susan, thank you. 

Thanks so much, Susan and TexasDocMom.  I know you know exactly how I feel and it means so much to have you for support. 

They are on the go, and it didn't catch up with him. If anything, ANYTHING was wrong, as in injury, you would know immediately. No news is good news. 

You would be contacted immediately....especially now in the 21st century! Think how those moms in the old world had to wait.....

TexasDoc.....My answer to my M-in-L ,husband & rest of the family was pretty much similar to yours. I guess I was just second guessing my answer as well. I just needed to hear you say that too.

Whatever I can do, JS! hope you hear from him soon, and probably you will, they encourage contact over holiday periods, let us know!

I can not retrive my ombudsmom newsletter. forgive me for my lack of spelling.

Yelomoon are you 133?  If so I can send it toyou..

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

 
 Today...I wish you a day of ordinary miracles-
 
 A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself.
 
 An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
 
 Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.
 
 I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in...
 
 The fastest line at the grocery store.
 
 A good sing along song on the radio.
 
 Your keys right where you look.
 

I wish you a day of happiness and perfection-little
 bite-size pieces of perfection that give you the funny feeling that the Lord is
 smiling on you, holding you so gently because you are someone special
 and rare.
 
 I wish You a day of Peace, Happiness and Joy.
 
 They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour
 to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to
 forget them.

Paymaster...Thank You...All those Miracles did come through for me during the past week. The only one I'm waiting for, is the phone call from our son.

Yes Joanie I am 133!

Merry Christmas to all!! Here's the prayer again today that each of you picks up the phone, or clicks on facebook or your email and has a message, voice or face of your deployed sailor, Marine, soldier or air man! And we want to hear about it! If you don't get that call today, remember you are in their thoughts just like they are in yours and as soon as they have time, they'll be in touch.  Again, come here if you need to talk or cheer....and congrats to Inga for her daughter's phone call from the Sec of Defense!! 

We were lucky to get a call from our deployed sailor despite me not hearing my cell phone the first time he called. When we came home from our friends' home, we heard his message telling us he was trying to call us and he would try my cell phone.  Probably will never erase that message. 

My son has been gone from home for many years but this is the first Christmas that I don't feel in touch with him and am really feeling my favorite Christmas song, "I will be home for Christmas."  Hopefully he will be here next year.

Merry Christmas to all loved ones with a sailor not at home.  They will always be our babies, no matter how old they are!

Merry Christmas!!  We were blessed with a call from our deployed Seabee!! 

I was very thankful for the call. Who ever allowed her to call I want to give a big Thank You shout out!!

Yes, Our Prayers were "Answered"........Our Greatest Gift of All........"Skyping with our Son Christmas Morning".:)

Whooo RAAA!!! love coming here to read about phone calls home!! 

Are we allowed to send sterno stoves to loved ones at the sandbox?

For my fellow corpsmen moms: 

The Corpsman’s Christmas Poem

'Twas the night before Christmas as I flew o'er the Marine Base,
When I spied a young man who seemed out of place.
His eyes showed compassion, his hair a bit long,
But his head was held high and his body was strong.

His air was confident, his uniform smart,
But what impressed me most was the size of his heart.
For he embodied honor, one of this country's best,
And the words U.S. NAVY showed large on his chest.

As I stood there in wonder and gazed into his eyes,
the words that he spoke took me quite by surprise.
"What's wrong Santa, haven't you ever seen a sailor before?"
I sensed something special and longed to know more.

"To be honest, this field thing wasn't part of my plan,
But God didn't give me a boat or tin can."
The words he spoke next surprised me all the more,
"But I'm as proud of my Navy as I am of the Corps!"

"Don't worry Santa, that I'm a sailor you see,
For when a Marine goes down they will still call on me.
They'll forget I'm a sailor, they'll call in my stock.
At the top of their lungs they'll yell ,"Get me the doc!"

"And I'll answer that call, anytime, anywhere.
Though I know I'm a target I really don't care.
I'll face incoming fire as I race cross the land,
And use my very own body to shield a downed man."

"Working long hours and into the night,
My unit's battle is over, but I'm just starting to fight.
For the life of every Marine is sacred to me.
I refuse to surrender them to death, and in that I'll find victory."

"And yet I'll take the time to comfort a dying man,
To sit down by his side, to reach out and hold his hand.
For it takes as much courage to care as to fight.
For just as the poem says, many don't "go gently into that night."

"Santa, it's not any one uniform that makes you a man,
But rather it's those ideals for which you choose to stand.
I draw my line here, it's long and it's plain.
For pain, hurt and suffering are the things I disdain."

I know very well that I may lose my life,
So that a Marine may see an unmet child and young wife.
So Santa, it really doesn't matter if they don't like my hair.
I'm a Navy Corpsman, their Doc, and I'll always be there."

"I follow the brave docs who have come long before,
From Belleau Wood, Iwo, and Lebanon's shore.
As history proudly shows, they all gave their best,
And for those who have died, surely they're blessed."

"At Inchon, the gulf and times during Tet,
Our brothers have fallen, but we carry on yet.
For we carry their honor and legacy still."
As I held back my tears it took all of my will.

I had to leave him there for I had other plans,
But I knew in my heart that the Corps is in good hands.
As I flew away I heard his laughter, it rang so loud and clear.
"Hey Santa, how 'bout a nice pair of boots for the 26 miler next year?"

---Merry Christmas Doc, wherever you are!

Yelomoon, that's a good question. I know my son had an electric skillet, and maybe a Foreman's grill to cook with in Iraq. 

Aww, TexasDocmomom  would I be allowed to copy and post on my fb?

oops sry for the misspell.

Absolutely, I got it off of the Corpsman Page on FB....

we ended up getting a lil micro stove and then 2 containers of butane/propane mix. Postmaster said for the area that my seabee is in,the only restrictions are pork and porn. If anything happens I will keep you posted.  Thanks.

Im thinking our seabee will come back and say  " why didnt you just send me a coffeemaker"   :)  That would be our luck. 

Yelomoon...they'll figure out how to heat it when the gas is gone, they are very resourceful. Find out if they have electricity, if so, send an elec skillet.

Sounds lke "they" are more concerned about getting a hot cup of coffee. From what I understand it is a 15-20 min. walk each way from housing to starbucks :)

easiest H2O to get to is out of the shower they wouldnt drink it even if they boiled it.  Dollar general ships may send water.  Thanks T-DocMom.

Our son requested me to send (Purex 3 in 1 Sheets).  I didn't even know what they were. Although Walmart apparently carries them,(ours didn't), I ended up ordering them on-line. You use 1 sheet for the washer,then transfer it to the dryer & it already has a softner added to it.

JerseySusan...I hate to say this...but those sheets are not going to make their clothes smell any better at all....says the mom who heard "BUT THOSE CLOTHES WERE CLEAN IN THAT TRUNK, MOM!"....the dog loved their odor,tho...