[DM]

Good morning! I am just really proud this morning. *added w/a little sadness for the reason*
There is a unit of Marines from IL leaving for IRAQ today. They are gathering at the Arsenal for a service before their escort by several area Police Dept's to the airport. There is an estimated crowd of 5,000 people lining the streets waving flags.
There are a couple of young men from our area in the same unit.

Our military men and women are proud to be serving our country, so I am proud of them and what they are sacrificing for us.
I am praying that each and every one of our brave men and women return home safe, no matter where they are from, or whether they are overseas or on bases here. I respect what they are doing, so we can continue to be free.

Let's all continue to keep our troops in our prayers.

God Bless Them All!!

[greta]

I am so glad that there was such a great turnout to send them off. I know that means a ton. I hope every single one of them comes back safe, sound, and quickly.

[DM]

Yes Gret~ but it's all our military, like your DH that I am proud of. This unit is just a small fraction of the whole pic. I thank your DH for his service also.

[MelodyL]

Daisy:

If I lived near you, I'd be right there cheering them on.

It's so important that they know we love them and are so grateful for what they are doing to serve their country.

They are always in my prayers.

Melody

[KathyM]

Daisymay

It's nice to know there was a large crowd to see them off. I'll be here praying they will be able to complete their mission and return to us soon - safe and whole.

With each minute that goes by, I become more worried about my son. Tomorrow morning, it will be ONE WEEK since my son left on deployment. That's a LOT of minutes! His base is on the west coast, so I was not able to see him off. He promised me over the phone he would call when he got there. He's not attached to any apron strings - we just wanted his address to send him stuff. There was also some confusion about exactly where he was going. At first it was Iraq, then he led me to believe it was Yemen. I highly suspect he's in Iraq. We left a message on his phone to call us as soon as possible.

My ex-husband has been trying to reach him too, but now my son's phone isn't working at all. My ex thinks he's in Iraq because he said he tried to talk my son out of going - said he could use my illness and his "only child" status as an excuse. He also told him not to mention his position (auxiliary special forces, guarding the base) or location to me because he knew how much it would upset me. Yeah, I'd be upset - but lies upset me even more. My ex never did understand that part about me.

I just want to know the general location - i.e., name of country, other than "desert." I honestly feel like I can't breathe until I hear from him. I know I have to be patient, but everything else in my life will have to be on hold too - can't think straight.

As obsessed as I am about my son, I will also be praying for your ((marines)).

[SandyC]

Thanks for posting DM! How wonderful to have such a send off. I will keep them in my prayers.

Kathy, as a mom I know your worried. But try to hang on. If he's overseas they may be in an area where there isn't reception for the phone or they can't have them turned on. My brother was on the border of Turkey during the first Gulf and we hardly ever heard from him. A letter here and there. They are probably settling in and getting orders, etc. As you know, in the military they are first priority and then family. I am sure your in his thoughts and he's concerned because he can't call you. Don't be surprised if you get a letter before the call. I am thinking cell phones could travel airways and be detected so maybe they aren't allowed to use them until they are at their final destination.

Hold on to your heart, I know it's hard. Hugs to everyone who has family or friends in the military.

[KathyM]

Thank you SO MUCH Sandy. My head knows this, but my heart just screams.

This has been something that has worried me from the day he was born. There were a lot of babies born that day - all boys. I watched and laughed at a local news clip about it, then someone told me it was because there would be a war when these boys come of age that would make Viet Nam look like a cake-walk. That thought terrified me because Viet Nam absolutely consumed me as a kid.

I didn't believe her and blew it off, but it always stayed in the back of my mind. I figured I could raise my son in a way that would not take him on that path.

Over the years my husband would occasionally suggest the military as an option for our son after high school, for discipline reasons. You should have seen the fights we had over this. I agreed to a point, but his experience in Germany was during peacetime - his life was never really in danger, and he didn't have to kill anyone. My husband could not guarantee me that war would not break out, so we fought and I held my ground. I never saw the need to inflict the military on my son in order for him to grow up to be a man. My son never held any interest in causing harm, inflicting pain, or killing anyone - why should he learn these skills in order to be a man?

I finally gave in to the idea that I may have to sacrifice my only child to a horrific war. I found it a little ironic that the war in Iraq was declared three days after my son's 19th birthday - the average age of soldiers in Viet Nam.

Was that lady right back in '84? Oh well, I tried - and it's not up to me. I can only hope and pray he comes back to me safe and whole.

Thanks for listening.

Daisymay, I didn't mean to hijack your thread.

[ewizabeth]

God Bless them all and be with them throughout. I'm so glad they had a large gathering before they left DM!