Son is being deployed

United States
April 17, 2008 12:11pm CST
Hello all, Well, have received the news that my son will be deployed for Northern Iraq in 01/09. Spent the past couple of hours, well, 24 hours to be exact...thinking about his deployment. My son is an e-3, stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood at the moment. He and his wife and my brand new grandson leave for Hawaii 05/08. After that, she'll come back stateside and my son will be in the "sand". As he said. Just has me so worried for him. For all for these wonderful men and women being sent there. He is in 21B. Comabt Eng. If anyone would like to talk, or have a venting session, please feel free to respond. I'll be there for you, and hope the same in return. Dawn....RaysMom
2 people like this
10 responses
• United States
17 Apr 08
I know this is hard. My boyfriend has gotting word he is being sent over in 01/09 as well. He is at Ft. Bliss at the moment. Over the summer, I believe, he was at Ft. Leonard Wood for a brief time. While he is in Texas, and I am in Maryland with our son, it's difficult now. He's only seen him 3 times. He's already been over once, and he has some issues. I don't know how he will handle going twice. Best wishes to you and your family.
2 people like this
• United States
17 Apr 08
Thank you for your reply. If I may ask, what issues? If you would rather, please feel free to message me in private.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Apr 08
Your boyfriend and my son will be deployed in the same month. I, personally, have sworn off all mil. movies until this whole thing is over and done. My brain is already working overtime, don't need to add to it. I hope that your b/f gets some sort of help for his "issues". I have read that many of the soliders coming home will not get help due to the stigma surrounding PTSD. I am not a professional, but it sounds like he may have this. Good luck to you and yours Peace Dawn
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Apr 08
Thank you so very, very much!! I will definitely let him know that what he does, he is appreciated for it. And I'm sure it will raise his spirits to know that people are thinking about him. I send him goodie boxes every other month, just so he knows we're thinking about him and love him. My son is only 8 months, but I made sure daddy got an Easter basket from his little boy. Taking care of him is what I do best. Again, thank you so much!
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Apr 08
Hey Dawn, My sympathies to your son and his family. Ft. Leonard Wood seems to be the deployment zone lately. My best friend's daughter is in the reserves there, 955th Eng. company I think, and they found out in January that they were being deployed to Baghdad late this spring. She's in Wisconsin now, headed to Iraq in June (we think). Bekkah is leaving behind a son who will be two in May. She won't be able to be there for his birthday or probably the next one either. They had pre-deployment exercises at Ft. Leonard Wood from mid-Feb to mid-March. She got to come home for Easter (which tore her son up) and then left on April Fool's Day... Her mom would probably love to chat with another mom going through the same thing. If you send me a private email, I'll get you Emily's email. My prayers for Ray and his family.
2 people like this
• United States
17 Apr 08
No sympathies...please...Just keep him and all our soliders in your thoughts and prayers. I know it's hard for the Mom and Dads out there who are serving ....missing family is the worse. I will send that email asap Peace Dawn...RaysMom
1 person likes this
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
17 Apr 08
I wish your son all the best, a very safe tour and return home. I know how hard it is when the people we love are deployed for duty, my sister is a Master Sargent in the US AirForce and was sent to Iraq three times already and each time is just as stress full. She is a single mom stationed in England and has a three children the youngest being 10 years old, the older two look after her when she's away serving. I pray for her and all the other brave men and women serving our country, I am very proud of them all. I sent many care packages to her and she tells me how much they all love receiving them especially around the holidays. Is your son's name Ray, I will keep him in my prayers too. Please feel free to contact me if you need a friend to talk to about this.
2 people like this
• United States
17 Apr 08
Thank you for your well wishes. When I spoke with him yesterday, he asked me to look up what he is going to be doing, etc. Well, hearing it from him and reading about his job, scares the be-Jesus out of me. 21B is front line mine location and explosive det. He is only 19. His wife is 17, my grandson is 2 weeks old. Yes, His name is Ray. I think what I looked up talked about IED, or IDE's??? My brain is scrambling to remembering everything. Ray told me not to worry, that he has too much to come home to.I will keep your sister and her children in my thoughts Dawn
1 person likes this
@nowment (1757)
• United States
17 Apr 08
Dawn, Ray will be added to my prayers, I was lucky the four people I know sent over seas to Iraq/Afghanastan all came home safely. It was frustrating however as my cousin was sent there for a year and end up there more than 2, fortunately the other two came home on time and were not sent back. The fourth had some short delay's and is home now, but will be sent to new base in USA soon. My cousin's wife was a wreck while he was over there lived for phone calls, wouldn't really go out except for work just in case her husband called. I can understand it, they had been married for a long time, and are very close. he was reserves but there are not enough qualified for his job so he was sent over. Not enough qualified for his job so he kept having to stay. While there are so many who don't agree with bush sending so many over there still, at least the troops are supported and cared about by people here and appreciated. No mom wants their child over there and even though your son is old enough to make you a grandmother he is still your child, so hopefully he will not be kept there long and will be able to be home soon, shame he will not see so many of his child's firsts. Good luck to you and your family.
2 people like this
• United States
17 Apr 08
nowment, Thank you for your kind thoughts. I am hoping to be able to see him before his deployment. Thankfully, I have a few months to save up for the flight. I am in Wash. State, and he will be in Hawaii until Dec. He will go home to Florida for Christmas. Hope that makes sense.?.? As far as his sons firsts....I told him that they need to get a video camera so his wife can record EVERYTHING. My daughter in law and I are not close, (meaning she will not speak to me or communicate at all with me)...Anywho, Thank you again for your prayers. What is your cousins "job" in the reserves?
1 person likes this
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
17 Apr 08
It will be hard on both of them, it's good that she is coming stateside. My son in law just returned this past September, from his 3rd tour over there in the sand. I was very glad that I'm only 6 hours away, so my daughter spent a lot of time with me and my s/o. And I have to say, he was wonderful about her coming and staying weeks at a time. I wish the best and safest return for your son. We are proud of all our men and women serving our country.
2 people like this
• United States
17 Apr 08
I am so very glad for you and your family that your SIL made it home safely. PLease thank him for me for his service to our country.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
18 Apr 08
Dawn, I know what you're going through. My son followed his Dad and my bootprints into the Marine Corps and recently completed his third tour in Iraq. He could have had any specialty he wanted, but he wanted infantry. Said if he was going to be a Marine, he wanted to go all the way. My prayers continue for all of our young men and women in harm's way. Those prayers will now include Ray specifically.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Apr 08
Thank you for your prayers, not only for my son and yours, but for all of the brave men and women serving. Third tour? My heart just skipped another beat. How do you keep from going crazy? I'm paniced about Rays first tour...Three, can't even wrap my mind around that. PLease give your son from this proud Army mom. Peace Dawn
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Apr 08
left out the word...HUG thanks
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Apr 08
Although I support our troops to the fullest. I have to disagree with THIS war and its motive. Having said that, I believe your son is a very brave man! I support his willingness to fight for our country. i wish him the bets of luck. he must make you a proud mom!
• United States
31 May 08
Update: Ray is being deployed in Sept.
@thuynhu (661)
• United States
18 Apr 08
Well in your situation I wish you the best. And I pray for your son's safe return home to you and his wife and newborn. I know the felling just a bit. I was in the military myself. I just finished with my term. I wasn't sent over to Iraq, but I was in South Korea. I know South Korea isn't as bad as Iraq but the feeling of missing loved ones is to me all the same. And also, my husband just returned from Iraq in Dec 07. It was real difficult for us. I was in South Korea before he left. I cried myself sleep the day he called and told me he was getting on the plane heading over there. But luckily we made it through the rough times of him being away. I'm afraid that he just maybe leaving again probably around the same time your son is, that is if he doesn't get a change in his company soon. Being in the military can be quite rough, but with the support of family and friends, it just makes everything a whole lot better than what it really is. So no matter what just continue to faith and believe that everything will be just fine and it will. God Bless...
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Apr 08
First; Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to you and your husband for your service to our country. hug
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@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Apr 08
hi RaysMom I sympathize with you.It is hard to see your son going off to Iraq. and to be leaving his wife and new son is eveb harder. I live in Southern Cal and have friends whose mates and sons and daughters are now in Iraq. I am left wondering when this war is going to end and how many more of our youth must we lose. I realize our president had his reasons for going to war there but who knew it was going to last this long. I will send my prayers winging their way to you and yours that your son will be okay and will comeback home safely God bless.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Apr 08
Thank you so very much for your prayers. The more for all these wonderful servicemen and women the better.
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@jesbellaine (4139)
• Philippines
17 Apr 08
Oh, he will do good there as he is a good man. Bless you.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Apr 08
Thank you
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