Home from IRAQ
By relundad
@relundad (2310)
United States
August 2, 2008 10:19pm CST
I am so excited today, my sister is in the US Army and was deployed to IRAQ, she has been there for 15 Months and she is due home at 3:15 a.m. We are all in Savannah GA awaiting her arrival! I can hardly wait! This tour has been such a hard one for my family.
Everyday you turn on the TV and so many soldiers have lost their lives. You pray that you never get that announcement and your heart goes out for the family that does get it. Its an emotional roller coaster when you go sometimes for weeks without being able to talk to or hear from your loved ones.
Also its scary because so many of the soldiers are coming back with a lot of mental issues that they and their families will have to live with. Many are suffering from depression. Many are committing suicide even after they return as their lives are forever changed.
Do you know of anyone personally related or not that has served in this war?
6 people like this
11 responses
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
3 Aug 08
hi relundad I am so glad for you, and hope you all get to really enjoy having your sister back and for 15 months, that is great news. I feel for all families with men and women in the armed services in Iraq, it must be so hard not knowing from day to day if they are safe or not. I have no loved ones personally related but a number of my friends have sons and daughters in Iraq and i do feel for all of them. I know several of my friends husbands have come back and have had mental problems from the war. One even tried to kill his war but he was suffering from that post war trauma sydrome, and thought she was an enemy. scared both of them silly but he is getting help now and already is better. thisis one mean old war and does notlook to be done any time soon.
Ido applaud the courage and dedication of all our young men and women serving in Iraq.
2 people like this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
3 Aug 08
My ex husband was in Iraq for about 9 months from 2003-2004. He was one of the "lucky" ones that came back with PTSD. If you ask me, based on medical history he shouldn't have been sent over to begin with. To make matters worse, he went over in his original MOS (which hew as trying to avoid) and was on the front lines. Crazy thing is, even though it messed him up, he would og back in a heart beat.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
4 Aug 08
He is my ex husband and he does still suffer. He was so bad when he got back from Iraq that he was actually discharged from service which is sort of a shame because he renlisted after being out for about 3 years all to avoid getting sent to Iraq. I guess you never know what they are going to do. Had he gone over and held the job he was in at the time, he wouldn't have PTSD. I wonder how many people realize that the military can put you in any MOS you have trained for when it comes down to war time?
@relundad (2310)
• United States
4 Aug 08
PTSD is very serious and depending on the degree sometimes it goes un-noticed and the situation gets worse. Hopefully your husband is able to handle. I volunteer for AVVA and many of our members still have active symptoms and you know that the Vietnam war was many moons ago. So it sometimes can be a lifelong illness and literaly people live their lives suffering. The family and friends of the veteran endures alot too.
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
3 Aug 08
i dont know anybody personally who has served in the war. but i live in a marine base town, so we are definitely a patriotic and supportive community.
i am so happy to hear that your sister is coming home safe! please tell her that We appreciate and thank her for her services!!
God Bless America and God Bless Our Troops!
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
3 Aug 08
It's so good to hear that your sister is coming home safe. My husband's best friend is currently in Iraq. He has been there before but I'm not sure if this is his second or third tour. He just left last month so we have a while before he comes home. Enjoy your time with your sister.
1 person likes this
@littleowl (7157)
•
3 Aug 08
Hi relundad I am really happy your sister is coming home today..as you say it must be awful to keep waiting and scary you may get the announcement you don't want..I have never known anyone in the army and none of my relations are either..but my best wishes to you and your family for your sister returning home and may you all have a really good and happy time together whilst she is back..your friend littleowl
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
3 Aug 08
How lovely for you, you must be so excited, relieved and happy! I do not know anyone in the war but have heard lots of so sad stories of deaths. It is nice to hear of someone coming home!
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
3 Aug 08
My son did three tours in Iraq with the Marine Infantry.
His dad is a retired Marine and saw tours in VietNam and Desert Shield/Desert Storm. I retired as well, but never forward deployed to a war zone.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
3 Aug 08
Ooops, hit enter too quickly.
I'm glad your sister is home safely. Please thank her for me.
@kbjunior15 (1309)
• United States
3 Aug 08
Words can not say enough thank you's for people like your sister that provide the very freedom that we live under. Please let her know how grateful we are for the lifelong commitment she has taken on so that we can continue to live life the way that we so. Thanks
@Jenaisle (14078)
• Philippines
3 Aug 08
I have a nephew and as far as I know, he's doing fine. I pray for him everyday and I know how it feels to be waiting for any news from him. I hope that when he comes back, he'll still be whole and the same jolly fellow we once knew.
