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As many of you know, rkdian is my cousin. Her son has finally gotten through all his Marine Corps training and has arrived in Iraq. Send him and his worried mom your positive energy and pray he gets home safe & sound.

I will be thinking of him and his mom.

Ah jesus mary and joseph! couldn't you have convinced someone he was gay?:-5:-5

I really hate this! Tell her not to worry too much, we'll try and share the load. And for sure when he can start getting care packages, let me know!:-4

Please send her my love !! :-4:-4:-4

My love and prayers are with them both:-4:yh_pray

For sure they are both in my prayers. Hopefully he will be home safe and sound soon.

Love ,best wishes & prayers to both of them:-4:-6

Accountable;769466 wrote: As many of you know, rkdian is my cousin. Her son has finally gotten through all his Marine Corps training and has arrived in Iraq. Send him and his worried mom your positive energy and pray he gets home safe & sound.


PM me his address. I guarantee he gets a package from "home".

My Heartfelt wishes are with them, and you ACC. :-4

My thoughts are with you both, rkdian

Love and best wishes to both :-4

:-4

grh;769479 wrote: Ah jesus mary and joseph! couldn't you have convinced someone he was gay?:-5:-5



I really hate this! Tell her not to worry too much, we'll try and share the load. And for sure when he can start getting care packages, let me know!:-4
I would, but you're cloistered better than a celebrity at rehab! :yh_frustr

Email me.

Best wishes and positive vibes beaming as I type ACC...........Best of luck to your family x:-6

OMG!!! Thank you all! You will never know how much seeing this has affected me! Thanks cuz for putting it out there. Ironically, I go today for the COSC training for his unit. It is 8 hrs. of driving for 2 hr. training session. Basically, it is to inform the family of stress related issues brought on by combat zone deployment. The goal is to help make me aware, so that I can help or at least recognize, should the need arise. It is not only directed toward the service personel, but the family left at home as well. (Our imaginations don't usually follow a healthy, happy trail in this situation.)

I heard from him yesterday. All of his basic needs are being met quite adequately, for now. Today he goes out into the unprotected zones for the first time. They are well armed and well trained. I have put him in God's hands (as have many of you! :-6 ). Blessing to all and THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!

rkdian;769665 wrote: OMG!!! Thank you all! You will never know how much seeing this has affected me! Thanks cuz for putting it out there. Ironically, I go today for the COSC training for his unit. It is 8 hrs. of driving for 2 hr. training session. Basically, it is to inform the family of stress related issues brought on by combat zone deployment. The goal is to help make me aware, so that I can help or at least recognize, should the need arise. It is not only directed toward the service personel, but the family left at home as well. (Our imaginations don't usually follow a healthy, happy trail in this situation.)

I heard from him yesterday. All of his basic needs are being met quite adequately, for now. Today he goes out into the unprotected zones for the first time. They are well armed and well trained. I have put him in God's hands (as have many of you! :-6 ). Blessing to all and THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!


Here's a hug for you, rkdian. We do not forget about you while you are there.

I would be happy to give his address and email to those who want it. I am not putting it up here for obvious reasons. I believe ACC has it (if he reads his emails ), also.

Thanks again for all the support!!

hey If hes allowed to receive fun emails, I dont mind sending some to keep him entertained. Not sure a young guy would want serious emails off a 40 yr old about her day but funny emails I can do aplenty :-6:-6:-6

rkdian;770251 wrote: I would be happy to give his address and email to those who want it. I am not putting it up here for obvious reasons. I believe ACC has it (if he reads his emails ), also.

Thanks again for all the support!!
Yes I have it. PM me if ya'll want it.

May he soon return home safely and keep well.

rkdian,

I hope you don't stress out too much - stay positive, our hope are with you.

sending you and your son lots of prayers and best wishes! :-6

Just thought I would put a small update up. My baby has been gone 6 months, and will return in 6 months. I guess that means it is all suppose to be downhill from here. :wah:

Upon deployment, he was one of the Marines who secure areas. This is a very dangerous assignment. By the grace of God (all those prayers you guys offered up :-6), he was re-assigned to a PTT (Police Training Transition) Team. He and 5 other Marines are training IP (Iraqi Police) to handle situations on their own. There have only been 3 times he was in any real danger and one of those was from a wild dog who was wounded. Currently, they foot-patrol the streets with the IP, 6 Marines and 6 IP. It is anticipated that by June, the IP should be trained well enough to handle most situations on their own. My son and his brothers in the Corps will remain at the base on-call should any circumstance arise which makes it necessary for them to back up the IP. He is looking forward to watching the same DVD for the 1000th time. (Though he is not looking forward to all of the down time so far from home, or anything else for that matter, this is GREAT news for his mommy and wifey who wait anxiously for his return.)

Again, thank you all for the outpouring of love!! I pray that this end soon and our loved ones be returned to their homes. I pray, also, that upon their return, they are treated as the heroes they truly are. When my boss tells me to do something I don't care to do, I can quit that job and get another one. These folks don't have that luxury. This is the reason we must support the troops even if we can't support the war. End of rant.....:-4 THANKS AGAIN!!!

I'm glad things are going well, cuz. Ask somebody if there are any FIGMO calendars still around. We also called them short-timer calendars. FIGMO is Finally Got My Orders and it's a countdown calendar.



They were usually some kind of military cartoon picture like a helmet or boots, or something completely inappropriate that a bunch of guys would put on a locker door drawn with 90, 100, or 365 numbered parts. It looks like a paint-by-numbers thing, except the numbers are consecutive. The idea was to color in one block each day, you get the idea.



Ask if they're still around; they'd be completely unofficial and not for sale, I'm sure. Get one for yourselves and one for him. If nothing else, it'll make a funny souvenir for later days. I tried to find one online and there are pictures of old ones already filled out, but no blank ones.



Big hugs to you & yours. :;yh_flower

I heard from my baby yesterday. After 3 months of quiet, they were fired on. The Marine patrolling beside him was hit. The injury was to his leg. He will survive, but got his ticket home and a lifetime membership to the DAV (Disabled American Vets). My son is now afraid. He asked me to make sure "things are in order" just in case. Keep the prayers coming for all of them. God Bless!

rkdian;827553 wrote: I heard from my baby yesterday. After 3 months of quiet, they were fired on. The Marine patrolling beside him was hit. The injury was to his leg. He will survive, but got his ticket home and a lifetime membership to the DAV (Disabled American Vets). My son is now afraid. He asked me to make sure "things are in order" just in case. Keep the prayers coming for all of them. God Bless!


Omg that must have shook you up some,, needless to say your son. Im praying like mad for him, and all of them:-4:-4:-4

I think he is the only one who can answer that completely. I am sure one of the reasons he would give is that our country has given so much to us, this is the way he felt he could give back. Our liberties don't come free, and he for one thought them worth fighting to retain. If I would have been willing to sign for him, he would have enlisted on his 17th birthday. I refused to lock him into that kind of commitment, so he joined on his 18th. Though I fear for him every minute of every day, there is nothing he can do that will make me more proud of him. I don't know many young men who would die for a family member, much less total strangers.

Yes, the incident has him very upset. What scares me is his fear. His concentration and self-confidence are perimount to his returning to us safely. I am, however hard it is, in the process of fulfilling his request. One of the things I am struggling with is getting his wife to get her passport. I think she subconsciously believes if she can't go to Germany if he is injured, he won't be injured. I, on the other hand, got mine in order before he left stateside. I am a bit anal about having my ducks in a row.

My thoughts are with you and your baby RK, may he be home with you soon. :-4

rkdian;827988 wrote: I think he is the only one who can answer that completely. I am sure one of the reasons he would give is that our country has given so much to us, this is the way he felt he could give back. Our liberties don't come free, and he for one thought them worth fighting to retain. If I would have been willing to sign for him, he would have enlisted on his 17th birthday. I refused to lock him into that kind of commitment, so he joined on his 18th. Though I fear for him every minute of every day, there is nothing he can do that will make me more proud of him. I don't know many young men who would die for a family member, much less total strangers.

Yes, the incident has him very upset. What scares me is his fear. His concentration and self-confidence are perimount to his returning to us safely. I am, however hard it is, in the process of fulfilling his request. One of the things I am struggling with is getting his wife to get her passport. I think she subconsciously believes if she can't go to Germany if he is injured, he won't be injured. I, on the other hand, got mine in order before he left stateside. I am a bit anal about having my ducks in a row.


Ahhhh RK:-4

You must be so worried about your beloved son. All of my thoughts and good wishes are with you now. I'm thinking about you so often:-6

You guys are the bestest! Thanks and God bless!!! :-4

Hey Sweet friend!! I miss you and it is nice to see you!

I am so glad your son is okay, I know you were a mess, but handled it like a champ!! Do you know where they will send him next?? Forgive me if you already said that....

May God bless you and your family!:-4



P.S. please empty out your pm box....

Hey Wendy!

I DO know where they will send him next....HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a double edged sword. He will still be in Iraq for 5 months. IF he comes home early, it is because he is seriously injured, or worse. So tell me, how do I pray for his early return??:(

I'm not sure if I am handling it like a champ. I try to keep a stiff upper lip, but like you, in the quiet of the night.......

Some young men wander through life trying to find meaning, purpose and fulfillment.

Apparently your son has direction, conviction and core values at a young age.

Wonder where he got that from ?

Good Job !

I don't know how I missed the OP on this. Sorry to be so late.

I know exactly how you feel and I think you are doing GREAT.

My husband just arrived "over there" for his second tour.

I will add your son to my nightly prayers.

We're here when you need us, cuz. :yh_flower



Here's hoping for an on-schedule return. :yh_flag

Nomad;828155 wrote: Some young men wander through life trying to find meaning, purpose and fulfillment.

Apparently your son has direction, conviction and core values at a young age.

Wonder where he got that from ?

Good Job !


I think he must get it from Acct's side of the family. :-6 Thanks, Nomad! I really cant take credit though. It truly does "take a village to raise a child".



LilacDragon;828244 wrote: I don't know how I missed the OP on this. Sorry to be so late.

I know exactly how you feel and I think you are doing GREAT.

My husband just arrived "over there" for his second tour.

I will add your son to my nightly prayers.


Yours will be in my prayers also, LilacDragon. What branch is your hubby in?

rkdian;829186 wrote:

Yours will be in my prayers also, LilacDragon. What branch is your hubby in?


My husband is Army National Guard. This is his third deployment in 4 years. We laughed about it just before he left this time! Sometimes we think he might be home more if he was active duty. LOL!!

My son is a Reservist. It really does seem like the National Guard and Reserves are the ones fighting this war, doesn't it! LOL:-4

I received that dreaded email this morning that begins, "It is with heavy heart....". We lost 2 fine Marines on Monday and another was "not seriously" injured when their vehicle hit an IED. They were part of my baby's batallion. PLEASE KEEP THE PRAYERS COMING! These families need your prayers also. To protect their privacy, I will only divulge they were members of the 2/24 Marine division. Thank you all!!!!

Prayers to all. Your son's okay?

rkdian;838460 wrote: I received that dreaded email this morning that begins, "It is with heavy heart....". We lost 2 fine Marines on Monday and another was "not seriously" injured when their vehicle hit an IED. They were part of my baby's batallion. PLEASE KEEP THE PRAYERS COMING! These families need your prayers also. To protect their privacy, I will only divulge they were members of the 2/24 Marine division. Thank you all!!!!OMG!

I do hope your lad's safe, he's in my thoughts :-4

rkdian;838460 wrote: I received that dreaded email this morning that begins, "It is with heavy heart....". We lost 2 fine Marines on Monday and another was "not seriously" injured when their vehicle hit an IED. They were part of my baby's batallion. PLEASE KEEP THE PRAYERS COMING! These families need your prayers also. To protect their privacy, I will only divulge they were members of the 2/24 Marine division. Thank you all!!!!

My daughter-in-law heard from him last night! He was not even a witness!:D I have volunteered to attend the funerals as a representative. Not something I want to do, but they would be here if it were my son. We have to be there for one another, or we will all go crazy. All of you have become part of the military family without even knowing it!! Congrats, it's a great one to be a part of!!:-6

Ahhhhhhh RK.........I'm so sorry to hear that. You must have been devistated when you received that email:-1 Sending my best wishes to you and family:-4

You are good to represent your son at the funerals.....but that certainly a hard thing to do.....

rkdian;839544 wrote: My daughter-in-law heard from him last night! He was not even a witness!:D I have volunteered to attend the funerals as a representative. Not something I want to do, but they would be here if it were my son. We have to be there for one another, or we will all go crazy. All of you have become part of the military family without even knowing it!! Congrats, it's a great one to be a part of!!:-6
Yeh, that's definitely the right thing to do. Ya make me proud, cuz. :-6