Dennis and Stephen Henley filling sand bags together. Department of Defense photo.
Posted on 09/24/2006 1:50:13 PM PDT by SandRat
CAMP RAMADI -- It has been nearly four decades since Dennis Henley filled a sand bag in a war zone. Dennis and Stephen Henley filling sand bags together. Department of Defense photo.
In 1967, he was a Marine Corps corporal in Quang Tri, Vietnam. This September while visiting Camp Ramadi, he found himself once again holding a sand bag, but this time the chore proved to be a very special, emotional moment as the individual standing beside him with the shovel was his youngest son, Marine Corps Corporal Stephen Henley.
Dennis’ 20-year-old son Stephen is in his final days of a deployment to Iraq with the Marine Corps Reserve Battalion out of Jacksonville, FL. Stephen is the senior communications technician on a riverine small craft unit.
This is Dennis’ third tour in Iraq. He served in Baghdad in 2003 and returned in 2004. Dennis is a security officer at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division Central District that oversees $2 billion in reconstruction work in Baghdad and Al Albar Provinces. Dennis has observed the construction of new schools, health care centers, water and wastewater treatment plants, electrical projects, and police and fire stations while in Iraq.
The Henley family knows something about service, honor and duty. Dennis served six years with the Marine Corps, 20 years in the U.S. Army, and retired five years ago as a Chief Warrant Officer 4. Three of his sons joined the Marine Corps, one the Army, another son is a fire fighter, and his daughter is a deputy sheriff. Stephen is the fourth son to serve in Iraq
“We didn’t direct our children what career choices to make. We left that up to them,” Dennis explained.
On Sept. 14, Dennis visited Camp Ramadi, where he had the opportunity to say hello to Stephen. Upon return from an all-night patrol, Stephen showed no signs of fatigue upon seeing his father.
Stephen’s unit conducts missions on the Euphrates River supporting special forces operations and ground troops.
Stephen expressed gratitude for the opportunities he has earned as a Marine and pride in service to his country and the people of Iraq - as did his father.
Acting Major Doug Thomson of the British Army has also found himself in the rare position of serving in the same place and at the same time with his two sons, Stuart and Alistair.
Acting Major Doug Thomson has found himself in the rare position of serving in the same place and at the same time with his two sons, Stuart and Alistair. Photo by Press Information Centre, Basra.
“I have to say I’m very proud to have them serving with me,” says Doug.
Doug, 44, was born in Biggar, Lanarkshire and has served in the British Army for 28 years. He currently serves in Southern Iraq as the Quartermaster at the Headquarters of the National Support Element, and is responsible for supplies and services at the massive Shaibah Logistic Base, near Basra.
Doug’s sons both served in Gutersloh, Northwest Germany, before deploying to Iraq. Finding themselves with their dad in Iraq was quite an unusual experience.
Stuart, 24, explained: “When we met here last week it was the first time we had been together since Dad was at Leconfield, near Hull in 2002. It was really quite emotional.”
Christine, mother and wife, is the one left at home. Christine also has experienced her father serving in the RAF, and is understanding of her family being far away.
“I understand that this is not easy for Christine with all of us being here. But her father was in the RAF. She knows it’s what we joined up for. It’s part of Army life. And now with our sons off her hands Christine can pursue her dream to become a nurse,” explained Doug.
With so much family history centered on the services, it’s hardly surprising that sons Stuart and Alistair joined up. As with the Henleys, Doug Thompson emphasized that the call to service was an individual choice in his family.
“I have to say there was no peer pressure from mum and dad for the boys to join. It was their decision,” said Doug.
Stuart, who serves with 1 Logistic Support Regiment, seems to share his Dad’s feelings.
“Although I became a driver and radio operator like my Dad, it’s not about him, it’s what I wanted. It’s good security, I get to see the world and go on adventurous training and exercises,” said Stuart.
Stuart was in Iraq in 2003 at the start of Operation Telic.
“It was quite mind blowing to be back here again and see the improved facilities here at Shaaibah. I didn’t even recognize where I was before,” he said.
Doug’s younger son Alistair, 22, now Lance Bombardier Alistair Thomson, has been Army-mad for as long as Doug can remember.
“Yes, I was following in my fathers footsteps,” says Alastair, “he’s in the Royal Logistic Corps, but I wanted to go another way - artillery, he tried to get me to join the RLC but I was not having any of it.”
Alistair serves with 26 Regiment Royal Artillery. This is his third tour of Iraq. It seems that the family love of the Army could well continue with the next generation of Thomson’s, who are on the way. Stuart’s fiancé Sarah is also in the Regiment, and both he and Alastair are expecting to be fathers by December.
“I’m looking forward to being a granddad,”says Doug who also loves to play golf. “You don’t get much golf out here though,” he joked.
(Compiled from official DoD sources)
Those Gd green things, I must have filled a million of those things. Fill them up, empty them out, every troop carries three or four, second day in a position you must improve it, Fill 'em up.
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