Hello Valorie,

Glad to see (read) you again. I can totally understand your feelings; sometimes we all need a breather and step back from the world's troubles. It can be all consuming and even affect ones health. You have a very big heart Valorie, and I respect that deeply. My heart is not that big: I only like honest Americans; may they be Democrats, Republicans, Muslims, Jews or Christians. I like honest French and Germans too It's not in the label, it's in the character. I do not like Americans that reap the benefits of this great land and yet call it the Third Reich. I do not like those that mislead Americans for their own political gain. I can find compassion for the mislead ones but not for those who do the misleading.

I agree our soldiers gave all people the right to voice their opinions and peaceful demonstrations are part of that. What bothers me is when facts are distorted and blasted throughout the world as "facts". But anyway, we can agree to disagree and that is truly a good thing.

I still see a lot of flags in my home town and surrounding area. In fact, our town square keeps flags up all year and we have at least one "Support the Troop" rally per year. I think you are right though many people have a short memory span.

Congratulations on the upcoming birth of your grandchild. What a blessing!

Susan

Hello Valerie, Hello Everyone:)

It's been a long while that I've written Too!

I completely understand your feelings, Valerie. This war is going a long time. I'm not sure I really realized how long it could be. So many feelings, especially everytime I get a copy of the "Army Times" and the faces and names of all those valiant young men and women who have died serving our country. It hurts so deep! Sometimes I wish I could scream at the people of Iraq/Afghanistan"Look what ours sons and daughters have died to give you" "Make it worthy of you". I want to scream at the true "Islams" in this country and others, who say they are against the terrorists, but yet do not take a STAND against it. I want to scream at our goverment "Stop politicising and get you acts together, TOGETHER, (WE ARE ONE AND THE SAME COUNTRY AREN'T WE?),find a way to make it work,and bring our troops home safe and sound"

My son's battalion at Fort Campbell is gearing up for deployment in October. They will be gone for a year. But my son won't be going with them. After donating blood a few months ago, it was found he has a medical problem that will require 1 year of serious treatment, the good news being, at this early stage there is every hope of maintaining a "cure" level. He is truly upset about this, as he has a good relationship with his Seargents and fellow soldiers. However, the treatment is necessary and he will not be in any condition to help his commander, his fellow troops, and himself while going through it. He feels like he is not doing what he joined for and that he is letting his team down. However, considering he still has 2 1/2 years to go, he feels certain he will make the next deployment.

I, on the other hand, have mixed feelings. I had hardened myself to the reality of his deploymnet, after all that is a big part of the reason he joined the army, to serve his country after the 911 attack.
Then I find out about his medical problem, scared for him, sorry that the treatment will make him quite ill for a time,but so grateful that it was caught so early and he will get the best medical care. And....yes....I have to say it...... RELEIVED that his deployment is not imminent.

Then I think about all his fellow troops leaving and I almost feel GUILTY, at the relief his ILLNESS has caused me:( I have to believe that their is someone else out their pulling the strings in all this. That their is a plan, a reason for it all. His disease was caught early enough to treat. He has time with his new bride, that he can take advantage of schooling while going through the treatment.

One thing for sure, our Post Office is still sending close to 30 phone cards a month from our ongoing "Operation:Phone Home" campaign and you can be certain that we will be sending many care packages to his unit, and they will definitely be on the list for the phone cards we send monthly. We are going to "showcase" the campaign again in the paper and schools again this September to drum up more support. The phone cards only offer 12 to 40 minutes of international calling, depending on value, but every little bit helps, and the attached sentiments speak volumes.


Everyone is invited to send me the name of a liason in Iraq&/or Afghanistan for the troops and I will but them on our list to send phonecards. I choose a different liason each month.

I hope you are all in good health and that you are having a good summer.

God Bless the Troops,

Connie
A Proud Army Mom

Dear Connie,
Isn't it strange how things work out? You can't help but wonder if your son hadn't joined the military how long his medical issue might have gone on before being caught. You sound confident that things are such that he will be cured, so thank God for that. It's funny how things work out.

I hope your son doesn't feel like he let anyone down. His motivation for enlisting came from his heart and his heart is in the right place.

Ft Campbell is sort of my neck of the woods. I'm in Cincinnati, so it's a couple-300 miles away or so. I take it his wife is there with him. I bet she is greatly relieved. I know as a wife or mother, I would be!

It's neat you still got the phone cards going. I have a cousin just deployed. As of last week no one had an address for him. I'll make a call in the next couple of days, if they don't call me, and if it's OK, I'll forward his name to you. I'm sure he wouldn't mind to serve as a liason to distribute the cards.

It's nice to see you post, I'm definitely going to be checking the board more often. It's like rehooking up with old friends!

I'm going to start checking in more freqwently:-)

I still miss the old site. Thanks for your kind words. My son and his wife are doing well. Jason is doing well with his treatment and it may be that within 6 months he will join his unit and finish out the deployment. I believe it does bother him that he is not with his group. He now helps train new arrivals that just came through Basic and AIC and he said some of them have only 2 weeks before being sent overseas. I believe in a higher plan, both personal and universal. It's my belief that it comes from God. That said, it goes without saying that "God helps those that help themselves." :-)


The Phone cards operation is doing well and I welcome any Liason info you can send me, but I believe it needs to be a Staff Seargent, or Chaplain, etc.

I hope all of you are doing well and in good spirits.

Connie
A Proud Army Mom