AUGUST IS FOR THE ATTACK SQUADRON THE SHADOWHAWKS

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

 The Shadowhawks are an Electronic Attack Squadron & are deployed on the Bush aircraft carrier in the Gulf.

 

There are 216 sailors assigned to the Shadowhawks -- 190 men and 26 women.  They received pillowcases when they arrived on the ship, so no need to worry about pillowcases for this adoption.

 

I received this sweet message from our POC:  “…it is so hot out here.  But it seems wrong to ask for anything.  Whatever you do will be received well by our Sailors.  And, thank you for what you are doing, not just for us, but for every Sailor life you are touching.”  He went on to say that our ideas for them would be far better than anything he could think of & he didn’t want to ask others for input as he wants this to be a huge & total surprise.

 

So, Moms we have our work cut out for us …  One thing I thought we should keep in mind is that they will be receiving their boxes right around  9/11 – the reason they are deployed & still fighting this war on terror that the other side started 10 years ago.  Let’s make certain that our sailors know:

                         “We Will Never Forget.”

 

Many will have sad memories of that day – NYC, DC & PA, let’s do our best to put a positive spin on things. I was thinking for a theme - “Picnic in Central Park”.  Central Park is a GREAT place for a picnic!

 

And, August is ‘National Picnic Month.’  In Central Park, people read, play ball, throw Frisbees, children blow bubbles & draw pictures with sidewalk chalk. There are artists painting & drawing, people writing or talking.  Of course, we can’t do anything about walking a dog (& pooper-scooping), but people jog, do yoga & catch some rays while playing in the fountains.  And, of course, eat!!!  (So we need food/snack items.)

Perhaps items can be red, white & blue to acknowledge American endurance on the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11.

Shipping will be August 22 – 27^th.

 

These are just my thoughts.  So, let the discussions begin … !!!!

 

MESSAGE JUST RECEIVED THAT THE FEMALE SAILORS ARE BEING TAKEN ON.  If someone wants to help in some way, contact Lauren.

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

I have gals donating Victoria Secret, Mary Kay, Clinique samples, etc.  I talked to my gal sailor contact here (reservist, full-time recruiter) today.  She told me that the cosmetics/makeup will be so much fun for them.  No restrictions on make up as long as they pick colors appropriate for their skin tones.  She told me that she can't wear purple eye shadow and red lipstick, but on another gal, it would be fine.  (Personally, I think every woman can wear a shade of red, but I get what she was saying.)  And they will be off the ship occasionally when they can really glam up.  She also said that she's been known to peel melted chocolate off the wrappers!  More suggestions from her--shaving creme, tampons, kotex, razors  I sent the message out on facebook to bring those with an aside to the guys to bring beef jerky, Easy Mac, and chocolate if they'd rather. LOL. 

 

The "Quad-Cities" isn't really quad, but the name has been with this area for so long, it won't change.  Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa; Rock Island and Moline, Illinois, are the big ones, but also East Moline, Silvis, Colona, Coal Valley, Carbon Cliff and more (all Illinois) and in Iowa, Pleasant Valley, Mount Joy, sometimes Eldridge.  We're on the Mississippi River where it runs east to west, the only place it does on its long route.  I-80 and I-74 meets here, too. John Deere has its world headquarters here as John Deere started his factories in Moline on the river.  The other big employers are Alcoa and the Rock Island Arsenal where they make the m-wrap (armor for the military vehicles) and small arms. My engineer husband retired from there and went back as a consultant.  Not only do we have family history there (his g-g-g grandfather was the first civilian employee before the Civil War), but he worked on the m-wrap that probably saved our sailor's life in 2008.  

If you google Tugfest, you'll see something about the 25th annual Tugfest between LeClaire and Port Byron last weekend.  They stretch a LONG rope across the Mississippi River and have a tug of war.

Quite the metropolis!   Still feels like small town USA.  I didn't grow up here, but on a farm in Iowa about two hours west.  So that's the long story of what the Quad-Cities is!

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

That is really a neat history!!  (I know I'm dating myself, but I couldn't think of another more appropriate word than 'neat').  I think we went thru there when we took our children camping across the country when they were young - because we traveled Rte. 80 back to NH.  I just didn't know it was known as that.  Wow.

Can I ask, what happened in 2008 that the m-wrap saved your sailor's life?  So many, many things have happened in our history since 2001, I sometimes get my timeline confused.  Whatever, I'm so glad it worked!

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

I hesitiate to tell the story as I don't want to scare moms!  But here goes.  He was IA (individual augmentee) assigned to an Army unit to run an armory.  What he didn't tell me was that he was doing convoys also.  May 21, 2008, I got a call--first words were, "Mom, I'm ok."  So I knew something had happened.  He was driving a five ton truck, fourth in the convoy.  The other vehicles got over the culvert, but his didn't.  Fortunately, it exploded when the back tires of the bed went over, not the cab, but the m-wrap protected him and his passenger.  However, his knees slammed into the steel dash and he lost consciousness for a few seconds.  By the time he could think, the passenger was trying to bale out of the truck.  He had presence of mind to pull him back in because he was afraid it was an ambush.  Thankfully, it wasn't.  He'd already been under mortar fire earlier in the day and there was a rocket attack that night at the base where he was taken. 

The bed of the truck with its cargo was flipped over, one wheel and tire was something like 400 feet into a field. 

The Navy says his knees are a mess, but he keeps toughing through it.  They and we believe he deserves a purple heart, but the Army never turned in the paperwork.  His Lt. didn't like him because he refused to replace his "lost" weapon until he could account for the supposedly lost one.  We just found out this week that there's a whole month of medical records that are missing from his file from May 2008.  I will keep battling.  Everyone agrees he deserves it, but until we get those documents into the permanent file, no one can do anything.  We just didn't know the problem.  Fortunately, we have copies of everything from A-stan even though the Army didn't file them. 

 

 

This picture might be in Oliver North's next book about heroes! 

[Denise (Dee)]

Hi Ruth

Thank you for sharing your story - our children do try to protect us so much especially those in the military - I constantly get "don't worry, I'm safe".  I hope we all realize the true danger our children are really in no matter what then try and tell us.  But to talk about it and face it daily would make us all go crazy.  Moms are tougher than we let on or our kids realize.  Protecting our "cubs" is what we do best and no one better get in our way.....right. 

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

Thanks for sharing Ruth!  Why do our kids think they can 'protect' us by not telling us?  I think it is our mom-heart that let's us hear between the words so that we can pray for our children constantly.  But it is terribly sweet of them to try to protect us & keep us from worrying ... as if that is going to happen!

Dee's right, protecting our "cubs" is what we do best and everyone else had just better stay out of the way!

[lauren]

ok you have not scared anyone....lol....thank goodness for the wonderful R.I. arsenal and the armor they produce for the vehicles

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

Just wanted to let everyone know that the POC's addy is posted where we put such things.  With packing parties happening everywhere I wanted to be certain you all have it when you need it!

Time to part-ay!!!

[nancy (ian's mom & tanya's mil)]

Will be packing a box (that will probably turn into two of course) on Friday and getting it out next week. Have lots of goodies and some squirt guns as well.

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

I think squirt guns are just soooo much fun!  I am certain that the sailors will think so too.  Maybe I'll have to take a quick run to Target and see if they have any in their left-over bins right by the doors!!  And, then, I'm packing my car with everything and I will have a nice neat living room!  My family is gonna be so happy with me.  LOL

[HisMom]

oh shoot I just had a great idea to tie in with the "We will never forget"  Little Elephants!  I am going to look around and find some and pack those pachyderms and ship their little wrinkly buts off to new homes.

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

HisMom -- you are amazing!  What an absolutely perfect idea!  You are brilliant  :)

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

Got this email from our POC this AM.  He did say no to the squirt guns (guess that applies to all water toys).  But here it is:

 

Donna,

Here I go again with Mr. Poopy Pants saying no.  Squirt guns, although fun, would pose a hazard if the decks get wet.  With the aircraft leaking oil and other fluids water usually causes problems.  I suppose if they get here we can hold them until we return home and hand them out.  I am excited also and our Sailors do not know things are coming.  It will be a giant surprise to all.  I have been on many cruises over my 25 years but I have never been a part of a program like this one.  This will put smiles on faces at the hardest part of the cruise.  We have been here a long time and people are getting emails about needing school supplies and new shoes for the kids for school and summer ending.  That is a big time in most families lives and my guys, including me, are not there to put things in motion so they think, and think.  The distraction of these boxes may just be the medicine they need to kick start those engines and press through the rest of this deployment.  Please thank everyone involved for the effort and kind thoughts!  We truly appreciate you all!

XXXXX