Well the 21st has come and gone. Eleven days before he was to ship out his entire unit, 1st AD were told they were staying four more months. Although it was not completely unexpected he, my son, has relayed that it has been quite demoralizing and that many in his group that were going to reinlist are now discussing getting out. He is worried about the effect on his unit. He has 3 more years on his enlistment so he is not among those who were planning to reinlist at this time.

I want to say a prayer for all the military families, especialy the wives still in Germany waiting for their husbands to come home. The 1st AD was stationed in Germany when they deployed to Iraq. I can't imagine the suffering and hurt they have gone through when they learned of the exstension. My son is single and strongly motivated but I detect a bit of hurt that the military didn't do what was expected. I know he will buckle down and do what needs be done, but this is sure hard on his mother and I, he has been there a year and I will be glad when he is out, even if he may eventually have to go back.

Just wanted to share.

Sure-Shot...

Any way individuals can send him some care packages... and if so what would be appropriate? Let me know... PM or email reply is okay. Let's keep this fellow's spirit up.

Tell mom to keep her head up and likewise for you dad. The prayers are there but is there anything else I could do to?

Michael

Thank You Ranch Dog, appreciate the thoughts. I think he is ticked because he had a week in the alps and three weeks home planned. I think his biggest worry is the effect on others in his unit as they work well togeather and anything that hurts moral can cause problems. As for care packages we had one sent within days of learning he would be there through the summer. However, if you do want to send something to the troops to be shared I learned last summer since it hits 130 plus most days they really need things like lip balm, sunblock, small dog flea collers (to put around their boots and keep the sand fleas etc. off them), anything with deat as far as repellant, non sugary mix to go in their canteens to help with the staleness of the water (we send powdered gatoraid) crackers and summer sausage are also a hit. Don't want to send anything that will melt or go bad with the heat. Last and most important, paperback books on anything that they can take their minds off things. Science fiction, westerns, you name it. They have nowhere to go so something to read really helps.

If you send stuff realize it will be passed around as we have a fairly large family who are into care packages.

You can send it c/o SPC. SHAUN LOUN C CO. 1/36 INF. BN 2 PLT. Attached to Taskforce 1/37 UNIT 93029 APO AE 09324-3029

Mission accepted and will get a bunch of things out Monday or Tuesday. I assume he enjoys hunting and fishing so I will include all the latest hunting and fishing rags? Hope that's okay. I'm pretty sure I have some smoke cured feral hog sausage that doesn't need refrigeration so that hog will get to see Iraq. Will also follow up on the rest of the list.

Flea collars - who'd have thought???

I think I might have some around here that I picked up cheap, and never used due to various reasons.

Sure-Shot...

My wife, Linda, and I went out shopping for your son and his brother's in arms right after dinner. Also met with my ranch buddy's at noon and they are in charge of rounding up paperbacks. Those will follow as I want to get this stuff in the mail. Didn't have any smoked feral hog sticks in the freezer but got plenty of other goodies.

I'm a USA vet as is my wife. We both know what it's like to be on the other side of the world and see that brown box arrive! Another note... my wife is from Aberdeen... she has turned into a pretty good South Texas bride!

Michael

Bless you and your bride. I am sure that none of it will go to waste. As of 12:42 last night when he called me, his unit is headed south to talk to some folks about turning in their firearms and to remove a certain cleric that has warrants out for murder and has been raising a private malitia against the US. I expect it will be getting hot in more than one way. I am also sure he and his friends are up to the task as long as they are allowed to do the job.
Again thanks and let your wife know that I hunt the Wynoochee and my favorite get away is Ocean Shores. I am sure she is familiar with both.

Ah heck... now you did it. She wants to grab her M99 and treck along with you on one of those hunts! She's a great gal that I met later in life. Not into hunting and shooting because of her experiences in a field hospital in VN. She figured out real quick that if she wanted to run with me she would have to pick up the rifle and get over what she saw and experienced. Dang if her first whitetail wasn't a 12 pt (eastern)... kind of ruined her.

We will keep after your son in prayers and support!

Sure-Shot,

My son is in the 1st CAV which is there to relieve your son. He's there for 18 months. I'll be back there in about 6 more weeks myself.

CD

CD good to hear from you. Hope you and your son keep yourselves safe. The 18 month thing - my son said he heard rummers they may get extended again, which would put them at 18 months. With 3 years to go on this hitch I figure he is likely to get to visit there again before he is done or perhaps Afganastan. I hope they do come out for awhile as it is probably good to get away from it for a time. Again good to hear from you and will keep you and your son in my prayers.

CD...

I would like to keep up with you also. Anything you need, give me a holler.

Michael