Today

Sending A Child To War

I’ve had the experience of sending my youngest son on a deployment to Kosovo, when that country was fairly stable. I’ve had the experience of sending Marty off to Iraq almost two years ago now. It wasn’t an easy thing to do in either circumstance. This weekend, I spent some time with yet another family member, prior to him deploying to Iraq. This time it was my sister’s son, who spent lots of time as he grew up with us. My sisters children are like my own children and visa versa and it was as difficult to know he’s going off to war, as it was my own son and Marty.

Even though he’s an adult now, I still look at him and see that ornery child who spent as much time as possible with my sons. It’s hard to realize that he’s grown up and now a man and in the Navy. It seems like only yesterday, that his sister was telling their parents that she didn’t want a baby brother and that they should send him back where he came from. It seems like only yesterday, that he decided to make his own fashion statement as a young teenager, blending the punk rock style with the rap style to create his own special look, topped off with a mohawk haircut. I can close my eyes and still see that young man in my mind. How time flies.

My nephew volunteered to deploy to Iraq and is currently training for deployment at Fort Bliss, Texas. He leaves sometime in March. During their Christmas break, he was able to stop here to spend some time with us, before he had to return to Fort Bliss. It was great to see him, yet very hard to drive him to Austin to catch his plane back to Fort Bliss this morning. It was even harder watching him as he went through the security check in preparation to board his plane. I didn’t want to let him go.

I explained to him how hard it was for me to see him leave, knowing where he was going and knowing the danger that awaits him, even though things have calmed considerably in Iraq. I explained to him, how my maternal instincts took over, making me want to volunteer to go in his place, to ensure that he was safe. I also made sure that he knew, that even though it was hard knowing he would soon be deploying, that I was so very proud of him and what he was doing. Something that many young men and women his age never do. He spent a lot of time talking with Marty. Marty, having been to Iraq 3 times was able to provide him with some very sound advice. I just hope that with the training he receives and the information that Marty gave him, he’ll be able to do his job in Iraq and come home safely, without any mental baggage. Even if he does, he knows that we’ll be here to support him as he readjusts to life back home. Please keep my nephew in your thoughts and prayers, as he embarks on his first military deployment.

Warriors

New Meaning To The Term “Army Strong”

When most of us think about the Army’s Army Strong campaign, we think often think of mental and physical toughness. We picture in our minds what is portrayed in the Army commercials we see on television, seeing trainees being put through the paces of Army training. One recent graduate at Aberdeen Proving Ground’s AIT, gives a whole new meaning to the term.

PFC Siobhan Healy is a 39 year old German native who graduated at the top of her AIT class on Friday December 5th. That accomplishment definitely makes her Army Strong, but there’s even more reasons that she redefines that term. PFC Healy just completed the 63B Wheeled Vehicle Mechanics Course and also scored 350 points on her physical fitness test. She’s also the mother of 13 children.

PFC Siobahn Healy with her husband Christopher Healy and 12 of her 13 children pose for a family picture after her graduation from Advanced Individual Training, Edgewood, Maryland. Photo by SPC Loni Kingston

“I started working out about six months before I went to basic training,” she said. “I was afraid that the younger people would outrun me.”¹

Healy is a native of Germany and has always had the desire to join the military, according to her husband, Christopher Healy. She was not allowed to serve in the German military, partly due to the fact that she’s a woman, but also because of her height. She’s 6′1″ tall. Healy had almost given up on her dream to serve in the military, as she figured that at 39, the opportunity to serve had already passed her by. She found out after talking with a Maryland National Guard recruiter that she was still able to enlist. While she was extremely excited about the prospect of being able to serve in the military, as a mother she was a bit apprehensive because she knew that doing so, could mean that she’d have to be away from her children on a deployment.

Healy is proud of her adopted country and because of her appreciation and desire to give back, she put her apprehension aside and decided to join the National Guard. Because she didn’t sign up for any monetary gain, but instead a desire to serve her country, she declined the sign on bonuses that she was eligible for.

“It was the right thing to do for me,” she said.²

PFC Healy is now a proud member of the 200th Military Police Company, a Maryland National Guard unit that is located in Cantonsville, Maryland. Beyond her new military career, Healy has other goals that she wishes to achieve in her adopted country. She also has the desire to become a police officer. Currently she is attending college, majoring in Criminal Justice and she eventually wishes to work as a police officer for Baltimore City Police Department.³

I was quite impressed when I read about PFC Healy. She is a great role model for our children, as they make their way through school and decide what they want to do with their lives. I find it very inspirational that she has the desire to give back to the United States, her adopted country and is doing so in the National Guard and eventually by working in Law Enforcement. PFC Healy most definitely embodies what it means to be “Army Strong.”

1. http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/12/09/14945-mother-of-13-brings-new-meaning-to-army-strong/ [↩]
2. http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/12/09/14945-mother-of-13-brings-new-meaning-to-army-strong/ [↩]
3. http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/12/09/14945-mother-of-13-brings-new-meaning-to-army-strong/ [↩]

Politics

A Veteran Speaking Out

Lately we’ve all had politics overload this past year, with the Democratic and Republican primaries and now the two candidates having been chosen by their respective parties, to represent them in the Presidential bid. I’ve said all along, that I don’t hold a whole lot of faith in politicians and often feel that our country would be much better off, if “we the people” were more able to be in control of the inner workings of our government. However, I do know, that I will chose to vote for the person who most closely reflects my beliefs. I feel that it’s extremely important that we really listen and research each of the candidates, their past actions and words, before we decide who we’re going to vote for. I also believe, because the war in Iraq is such a crucial issue in this year’s Presidential race, that we also listen to the men and women who are or have fought in Iraq. Listen to their assessment of what has and is occurring there and think about which candidate you feel will do what’s best for our Troops, the Iraqi people and ultimately our Country. For many years, I’ve not voted based on which political party a candidate represents, but instead based on that person, what they promise they will accomplish if they are elected and based on their past history. I’d like to provide our readers with the opportunity to listen to one young veteran, listen to what he has to say about the war in Iraq, his thoughts and beliefs. After watching this video, really think about what he has said. If you have the opportunity, talk to veterans of the war in Iraq and ask them their opinions, before you make your final decision. Be informed, be aware and be an educated voter, one who doesn’t take the candidates words on face value, but instead a voter who is willing to do some digging before you make your decision.

Motivation

For Your Today, They Gave Their Tomorrow

Just a reminder of what our Troops have given, so that we can continue to live the way that we wish here in the United States.

Please never forget the priceless gift our Troops have given us. Keep them in your hearts and prayers and always remember those who have given their all.

Rebuilding

Radio Station Brings News To Villages

Imagine living in a remote village in Afghanistan, where obtaining news from the outside world was almost impossible. In many of the villages, they are so remote, that conditions are primitive at best. People are often isolated and cut-off from the rest of the world.
For we Americans, who are used to having the luxury of our radios, televisions, newpapers and telephones just a fingertip away, it’s hard to imagine what life must be like for the people living in those villages. I know for myself, I would feel very isolated and out of touch with the world.

Sarwar and Islamuddin, the Bermel Radio station jockeys, located on Forward Operating Base Boris, Paktika province, broadcast religious services, play music, educational programs and spread news 13 hours a day to the local area.

In Afghanistan, citizens are now able to have more of an idea what’s occurring in the world, with the opening of a new radio station, “The People’s Radio, located at 92 FM on their radio dial. The creation of the radio station was done with the idea of providing news, advice and education to the villagers. Currently the station, located at Forward Operating Base Boris operates 13 hours per day, throughout the district of Bermel, which is located in eastern Paktika province.

Currently the station is providing over 11 different types of programs. They cover almost every aspect of life for the people in the local villages. The programs range from work and agriculture to health and education. The station also features programs that are specific to women, as well as religious service programs.²

Operating the station are Sarwar, who is a former agricultural professor at Khowst University and Islamuddin, who is an advisor that has over 10 years of agricultural experience. The operate the station as well as host most of the broadcasts.

“We try to do as much as we can for the people here,” Sawar said. “We even meet with them and teach them as much as we can about agriculture. It’s a big part of life for them and we want to make it better for them.”³

So far, the local villagers have responded favorably to the new radio station and the information that it provides to them. The radio station has been in operation for 5 months and thus far have received over 7,000 letters from citizens. Most of the feedback has been positive. Letters run the gamut from offering praise, to making suggestions, asking questions or requesting other programming. The response from the citizens has been so good, that plans are in the works to expand the station. Currently it is operating on a 50 watt system, which has a listening range of 15000-17000sq km. Plans are to upgrade that to a 500 watt system, which will increase the listening range over 10 times to what it is currently, or closer to 170,000 sq. km.

Funding and support for the radio station are provided by Internatinal Security Assistance Forces, which also assists the operations of 9 other radio stations in the Paktika province. It’s great to see these positive steps being taken in Afghanistan. Just knowing what has been accomplished in Iraq and the improvements that have been made, gives me hope that we’ll begin seeing many similar changes in Afghanistan as well, including more radio and television stations, to ensure that those in isolated regions of the country can have contact with the rest of the world, if that is their choice.

1. www.centcom.mil/en/news/bermel-radio-sends-information-to-villages.html [↩]
2. www.centcom.mil/en/news/bermel-radio-sends-information-to-villages.html [↩]
3. www.centcom.mil/en/news/bermel-radio-sends-information-to-villages.html [↩]