Mother, Son Share Experiences in Iraq (Grab your Kleenex)

Defend America News ^ | Oct 25, 2005 | Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo

[SandRat]

U.S. Army
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Tammy Kostoff
Spc. Lauren Kostoff

Mother, Son Share Experiences in Iraq

By Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo
42nd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DANGER, Tikrit, Iraq, Oct. 25, 2005 — It is not uncommon for parents and children to serve together in the National Guard. It is however, unusual for a mother and son to be serving together in a combat theater. For Chief Warrant Officer 3 Tammy Kostoff and her 22-year-old son Lauren, it was just the natural progression in service to their country.

Both are members and full-time employees of the Montana Army National Guard. Tammy joined the National Guard in 1990 and Lauren, a specialist, followed in 2000 when he enlisted as a cavalry scout. When the younger received deployment orders in 2004 for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Tammy volunteered to deploy with the 116th Brigade Combat Team as their resource manager. "I volunteered knowing that my son was deploying and because I wanted to do my part in this effort," she said.

Upon arrival in Tikrit, the chief warrant officer was assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division as a budget officer and took on the responsibility of overseeing three primary funding projects - the Commanders Emergency Relief Fund, managing approximately $100 million spent on Iraqi reconstruction, the rewards for information program and the Iraqi Army fund program. She received a Bronze Star Medal for exceptional meritorious service throughout the deployment.

Tammy has spent most of her deployment at Forward Operating Base Danger, some 70 miles away from her son, who is stationed at Operating Base Warrior. They may both be in North Central Iraq, but their duties have limited the amount of time they have spent together. They were both on a combat patrol together when the younger Kostoff’s unit transported soldiers to inspect schools built in the Kirkuk area funded by Coalition Forces. They also traveled home together this summer on leave.

"Being on patrol with my son was amazing," said Tammy. "I never really knew exactly what he did until I experienced it firsthand. I am so proud of him."

"I was nervous about taking my mom along with us on a combat patrol because of the danger," said the specialist. "You never know what might happen, and fortunately it went really well."

While traveling home on leave, the Kostoffs received a lot of strange looks, and even more questions as they walked through the airport wearing the same name tags.

"It was really neat to be coming home from a combat zone with my mom by my side," said Lauren. The duo was greeted at the airport by their entire family.

Lauren said he has seen a great deal since arriving here in Iraq last December.

As a Humvee driver and gunner, the junior Kostoff has been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge for action during Iraq’s historic election in January when his platoon was attacked

U.S. Army Spc. Lauren Kostoff and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Tammy Kostoff stand together during a visit at Forward Operating Base Warrior, Iraq. Mother and son are both members of the Montana Army National Guard assigned to Task Force Liberty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 3. U.S. Army photo

maintaining security at polling sites in Ba’qubah. After completing the 40-hour security mission his platoon was returning to their base, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device and immediate small arms fire from insurgents. His squad dismounted under heavy fire, gained entrance to a nearby building and proceeded to capture the IED trigger man and the insurgents responsible for the fire attack.

"Lauren’s an adult, but I’m still a mom so I worry constantly," said Tammy. "Being here helps because I have a better knowledge of what’s going on, as opposed to being at home, wondering."

Lauren said he takes the good-natured ribbing from his fellow soldiers with a smile.

"I get picked on a lot because my mom is over here to protect me, but I’m very proud to say that my mother is in the same combat zone as I am in," said Lauren. Adding with humor, "it’s a good feeling, being so far away from home and still having your mom so close to take care of you."

When the deployment ends, both will return home to the small town of Elliston, Mont. and the Montana National Guard. Lauren will take up full time studies, and Tammy will once again become a deputy financial manager for the guard ‘s United States Property and Fiscal Office. "It’s really nice that my mom and I can talk together about Iraq and the experiences we have had here," said Lauren. "It’s really hard to talk to just anyone about what has happened over the last year because they don’t know what it is like over here in Iraq."

More Profiles

Printer-friendly Version

[coconutt2000]

See, that's a solder's mom!

I can't believe the MSM's love affair with Cindy Sheehan, and they completely ignore real people like these two.

[Last Dakotan]

It is not uncommon for parents and children to serve together in the National Guard. It is however, unusual for a mother and son to be serving together in a combat theater.

Hmmm, I thought there was a Federal Law against women serving in combat.

[Theresawithanh]

Wow, thanks again SandRat for another great story!

Bumping!

[SandRat]

[SFC Chromey]

Point understood, but catch up to the reality of the situation. Women are not allowed in Combat Arms. However, as Maj Tammy Duckworth proved some time ago, they can be and are shot at just as often as the male soldiers/sailers and Marines.

For instance there is a female E-5 MP from the TN National Guard that won a Silver Star recently.

Women currently account for 10-15 percent of the military. With the numbers of troops we currently serving we wouldn't have enough without them.

[opticks]

I all for women in combat, but I see a huge problem with her riding in his convoy. That smacks of serious fraternization/conflict of interest if the shooting starts and she ends up leading a squad.

[Steely eyed killer of the deep]

Now that's taking "Your Mother wears Army boots" to extremes.

[Last Dakotan]

With the numbers of troops we currently serving we wouldn't have enough without them.

After the first Gulf War we had to throw men out. Perhaps if we didn't have a politically correct gender normed military men would join again.

[Last Dakotan]

Which one in the picture is the mom?

[El Gato]

Hmmm, I thought there was a Federal Law against women serving in combat.

You thought wrong. There are women A-10 pilots, and no one can say they aren't in combat.

What there is is prohibition on women serving in close combat slots. Basically infantry, field artillery, and armor. Combat support/service support slots are open to women, but there are nuances, they aren't supposed to be in units in direct support of combat units. The problem with that being that support/service units are just about as likely to be in actual combat as combat units They can be in a combat zone, and lots of them are. Don' know if the Army allows women helicopter pilots in air assault and attack units (Apaches). The Air Force and Navy both allow women pilots in fighter/ground attack roles, as well as heavy bomber (B-52, B-1, B-2) units. C-130s are likely to get shot as well, but there are women flying them too.

[Last Dakotan]

What's the point of the prohibition then?

[El Gato]

Which one in the picture is the mom?

The one wearing Warrant Officer rank insignia, and carrying the M-16A2. The son is carrying an M-4. The son also has the mount for night vision goggles on his helmet, the mother does not.

Now that said, who the hell are you to imply that a US Army soldier, who isn't one, looks like a woman? I should sic my female Master Sergeant buddy on you for that. She'd probably clean your clock. She's a newlywed (well less than a year, to a Boeing engineer) and is probably still pretty mellow, for a Master Sergeant that is, so she might let you keep your head.

[El Gato]

What's the point of the prohibition then?

There isn't one, it comes from Congress, they don't need a point.

[El Gato]

There isn't one, it comes from Congress, they don't need a point.

Actually there is a partial point. Close combat puts a premium on brute strenth as well as smarts, particularly upper body strength. It's a fact of life that almost all women have much less upper body strength. (But don't mention that around the female Hog Drivers, you might not like how your car looks with 30 mm holes, from non explosive, non DU, practice ammo, in it.)

[Last Dakotan]

Perhaps I just long for a world where men are men and women are women.

[Last Dakotan]

Now that said, who the hell are you to imply that a US Army soldier, who isn't one, looks like a woman?

Dude's name is Lauren too.

[Texas Mom]

I can't believe the MSM's love affair with Cindy Sheehan, and they completely ignore real people like these two.

Would you expect anything else?

[SandRat]

The one on the right

[SFC Chromey]

I remember seeing a LOT of good men quit because of all the BS that built up.