Time is too slow for those who wait

It's been over a month since we've heard from our Soldier who sent a very short email saying he's fine and heading back to the air base to continue the work on rebuilding it.

He sent heartfelt thank you notes with cancellation marks of Oct 1 to several dear friends who sent awesome boxes of  much needed supplies as well as fun stuff to him and his platoon. His letter was upbeat and newsy. He took a blank envelope apart to write on the inside of the envelope thus proving one doesn't need a pad of paper to write a letter. His letter without any corrections....

Thank you for your support and for going out of your way by sending that awesome box of supplies for my platoon. Your care package has brought us all smiles to our dirty faces. Last month has been interesting for the platoon. We have been split up doing all kinds of missions. From delivering mail to giving the French Army a ride. We are all doing grate. Two days ago we were stuck in traffic for some time but none of us mind because it was all the refugees going back to their homes. There are signs of destruction everywhere, but every time we roll through there’s all ways signs of growth and new life. Once again I would like to thank you for thinking of us out here. Your support has made the mission A lot more important knowing that you are back home cheering us on!

Notes from other soldiers

Thank you for everything – SGT Chavez

I really appreciate you sending all the goods – PFC Jackson

Thank you from the bottom of my heart – PFC Panfry

Thank y’all for everything – PFC Palmer

Thank you for the good stuff!! – no name

Thank you for your support – SPC Kang

Thank you for everything – SPC Butler

There are additional names that are difficult to decipher

And our Soldier, being the man that he is, copied the letter several times to send to others who were so kind to send packages to him and his platoon. 

The letter (postal cancellation October 1) reveals a window of time prior to the beginning of the Iraqi offensive on Mosul. He's doing good things and feels useful to the combined effort. And is very grateful to those he knows as Mom's calligraphy and high school friends and family friends. 

Letters and packages are taking as long a three weeks to arrive. In an age when correspondence via the Internet is done in milliseconds, waiting weeks is cruel and unusual punishment.

The latest bit of news gathered via spouses of those also serving with my son tells of our Soldier's company moving closer to the front lines to help train and advise Iraqi forces. May his training serve him well as he instructs those who are charged with driving out ISIL from their country. 

How much prouder can a mother be? There isn't a quantifier to measure proud, but if the chills that emanate from my core can be used as a gauge, I'd say being proud is off the charts.

Our Soldier, the Sapper

When our Soldier was five years old I knew he was born to the military. I could see by his behavior and temperament that he would wear a uniform one day. When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up during the interview for Kindergarten, he answered without hesitation that he wanted to be in the Air Force just like his dad. He was a part of the JROTC program in high school, but when it came to enlisting, he chose the Army and chose to be a Combat Engineer aka "Sapper" for his military career.

A Sapper is considered an "elite combat engineer". The tasks of Sappers go way back to Roman times. They built the 'engines' for battles. Catapults, battering rams are among the early 'engines'. According to Sapper history, it was Napoleon who created the first military engineer corps. During the American Revolution, the Continental Army deemed there would be a Chief Engineer and two assistants. The ratio between Infantry and Combat Engineers today is just a tad bit more. Sappers make up less than one percent of the Infantry troops. 

Modern Sappers serve as an auxiliary to the infantry with mottoes that send chills up and down a parent's spine. "We pave the way", "First In - Last Out", and "Essayons" French for "Let us try".  Before the infantry will be sent in, Sappers forge ahead clearing IEDs, breech buildings using explosives, build fortifications, set perimeters........the list goes on. 

After reading about Sapper history, I should not have been surprised that our Soldier decided on this field. He was always interested in the military watching movies and documentaries as well as reading books. He once asked me to take him to Barnes & Noble for a book. He and his brother loved going to B & N to scour the couches for change. (They once found enough change to purchase a pack of Pokemon cards.) So when he said he wanted a book, it was let's go. I didn't even ask what book -- which turned out to be "Backyard Ballistics". 

With Dad's help, the boys made a catapult and a potato-shooting gun. The catapult could have lifted a heavy rock to send it far and wide, but Dad didn't completely hook it up considering we live in a populated neighborhood. Soldier knew something was wrong, but lucky for neighbors nearby he couldn't figure out why. 

His boyhood dream was realized during his early Army training days when he learned about C4 and other munitions. He has set detonators to blow bridges as well as heavy doors and other fortifications. And apparently he's very good at it. 

Our Soldier has made us proud by receiving several merit medal awards for going the extra distance during training missions. He earned the call name "Sapper Ghost" which certainly sounds cool, but do I really want to know how he came by that name? 

With little media news pertinent to our Soldier, we can't help but wonder what his new normal is working and living in Iraq. He did write a friend that there is much destruction, but also new life as ISIL is pushed back from Mosul. As a parent I cannot help but feel apprehensive knowing my son is a part of a front line unit. The phrase, "First in. Last out" brings chills knowing a Sapper unit will go ahead and clear the way for other troops. But I also know from accounts of his previous training missions that he will do the job and it will get done. Let me wallow in the pride I feel for my Soldier. Please let me cast aside all maternal fear to make room for more pride.

Five years ago today

It was five years ago today our eldest son pledged himself to the United States Army. It was the first time I noticed the emotional battle between being fearful for his safety and feeling pride for this choice that he made all by himself. 

2011 was the year our troops were being withdrawn from Iraq, but our military was still heavily involved in Afghanistan. After the obligatory six weeks of basic training our Soldier was sent to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii to further train as a combat engineer with the expectation of being deployed to Afghanistan. Again the balancing of fear and pride weighed heavy in this mother's heart. Then, joy of joys, the Sequester put the kibosh on his being deployed. I attribute the power of a mother's prayers for President Obama's signature on the Budget Cuts of 2011.

Our young man spent his enlistment time enjoying the beauty and bounty Oahu has to offer as well as continuing his training in the duties of a combat engineer. He received numerous awards and added many accomplishments to his official Army record. However, his desire to be deployed remained at the forefront of his Army career goals. 

He re-enlisted and was sent to Ft. Campbell, KY, the home of the famed 101st Airborne and was attached to the 39th Battalion Engineer Brigade. He graduated from Air Assault School and continued his combat training and received another medal and additional commendations. 

PRIDE was winning!

During one of his training missions, he valued all the accumulative training he had received to complete an intense training mission on his own. He was the only soldier who remained 'alive' from his unit able to complete the mission. The photo of him being picked up after this mission shows a young man who is tired, exhausted, very hungry, and totally filthy, yet there was a look of genuine pride emanating from his whole being. 

Our soldier knew he was ready for deployment after that mission. He was very excited when his company got their orders to deploy to Iraq. They are among the 400 from the 101st sent to secure and rebuild Qayarrah (Qwest) Air Base located 50 miles south of Mosul.  Qwest is essential in aiding the Iraqi forces in retaking Mosul. He departed for Iraq at the end of August for not more than 270 days (9 months). 

FEAR was easing its way back on the scene.

We have received two brief emails from our Soldier sent during the first few weeks of deployment. It's been nearly a month without any communication from him. We rely on the news media reports on the offensive to reclaim Mosul by the Iraqi forces. While we are being reassured that American military will remain behind lines, Iraq is considered a combat zone meaning our soldiers remain on high alert 24/7. 

Without any communication from our Soldier, a mother's imagination can wander to some dark places. Enlisting support from family and friends near and far has helped to maintain my personal commitment to the idea that embracing pride is much better than dwelling in fear. I keep the words of my nephew who is veteran of the Marine Corps front and center. "He's with a group of men that are better equipped than any other unit in the world. They are also the best trained. Their cadre of leaders are the cream of the crop and most important of all - he's with his brothers. They've got each other's backs." 

I trust our Soldier's training and I trust his confidence to be the best soldier he can be. I, in turn, must learn to be a strong Army mom and maintain a strong stance to embrace Pride instead of Fear.