Posted on 03/29/2008 11:24:00 PM PDT by patriciaruth
Hey Patty!
Wanted you to know - I’m headed to Ft. Bragg next weekend for Sean’s graduation from Special Forces school!
He and Sarah are expecting baby # 2!
May God bless you and your “Merry Band of Patriots”!
And may He continue to bless all of our heroic men and women serving in the US Armed Forces!
Is that the weekend just past or the weekend now coming up?
An update on a Sky Soldier’s stateside leave:
my grandson, from BATTLE co, 2nd/503rd, in Afghanistan just had his 18 day leave, after 10 months in the Hindu Kush, aka “Taliban Central” =
He was apprehensive over the reception he might receive stateside, due to the cr*p coming out of DC and elsewhere - but he found out that what his ole gramma had assured him was true: America is behind you!
He is, as we “speak” on his way back for 5 more months in ‘The Valley of Fire” -
He has 5 more months there before a years break back at base in Italy =
Praying that by the time Battle Co, is sent back to the Korengal for a second 15 monther that things will have calmed down. ()It seems Gates is considering to cut the deployments down to 12 months - only twice that of other branches. Big of him.
On a positive note: My grandson was greatly heartened and surprised that everywhere he went on his leave (He was was in Texas and California with parents, other grandparents and siblings, ) he continually found people at restaurants, stores, hotels, on the street - letting him know how much they appreciated him and his fellow troops.
He even got the royal treatment from other troops on the plane coming stateside when they saw his insignia: “You’re BATTLE COMPANY!” = Drinks were being sent from everywhere and his hand got sore from shaking.
From Houston to Corpus to California - he was treated like royalty everywhere he went. He was blown away.
Here’s a couple ‘excerpts’:
Last week, he and his dad went up to Austin - my grandson is an accomplished guitarist, even played a full set on stage, when he was only 12, with the famous Blues man, Phillip Walker - so he wanted to check out the Blues bands in Austin. He was having such a good time, he suggested to his dad that they stay over night.
The hotel wanted $298 for one night. My grandson said: “Well, it’s not that I couldn’t pay that, it’s that I wouldn’t pay that to sleep anywhere for one night.” (He had on a BATTLE CO. tee shirt) He asked: “Do you, by chance, have a military rate?” A smile lit up the clerks face. “Just a minute,” he said.
He came back with the manager, who shook his hand and ...
the results were that they got a top story, $498 room, for $98.
And when he got to the airport yesterday morning for the trip back, he was taken out of line by the airlines reps - he asked: “Is there a problem?”
“Yes,” they said: “You do not stand in line. Come with us.”
And they put him in First Class! He was stunned. But what a wonderful “icing on the cake” moment for him as he heads back to hell.
I tear up just thinking what this all meant to him as he feared the worse before he came stateside, what with what they hear in the media.
(an aside: he has one of his guitars with him at the Korengal and is their “official” entertainer..)
Note: Just talked with one of my son’s who is a long-hauler. He was driving through Colorado today and was on the highway side by side with a convoy of troops who were head and shoulders visible to motorists.
He said every vehicle going past was cheering, waving and high-fiving them. He said the soldiers were waving back and grinning ear to ear.
Eat your black hearts out, you traitorous liberals. America is with our troops.
For heart warming info about Battle Company, see maine-iac7’s post above.
Thanks for the summary/information/education and for your tremendous work, Patty.
America’s finest, FReepers directly connected to America’s finest, and FReepers supporting America’s finest!
All-in-all, the finest people the rest of the world may never know.
~~AWESOME ..... BTTT!!
God bless you and your family, maine-iac7,
and protect and guide your outstanding,
incredible grandson!! What an amazing man.
Tears and cheers.
Thank you for pings to main-iac7’s grandson’s wonderful reception, especially in Austin - one of our more liberal cities.
I pray for our military each day.
Wow, great stories! I’m glad your grandson felt the love that we have for our soldiers! God bless him and his fellow soldiers.
Congrats on Sean’s graduation! Please give him a salute and a hug from all of us!
Thank you for the Ping, Patty, to this Uplifting and Encouraging Read. Maine-iac7, God Shower your Grandson with Awesome Blessings!
What a wonderful story!!
You should have warned me about getting a box of Kleenex.
Maine-iac7 .... Thank you grandson for his service. God Bless him and keep him safe.
Where do we go to donate to this project?
Update:
Three of our adopted units are in transition, and I have new APO’s for a new unit at Bagram air field, Afghanistan, and for a new NPTT unit at Baghdad.
I have requests from our Stryker unit at Baqubah and from the other two new units.
Stryker at Baqubah requested a Nintendo Wii (among a list of suggestions), and I have shilled for the troops Big Time; but it wasn’t hard to get my optometrist to volunteer to supply one to the new base of our forward Stryker unit. They also asked for Tiger Woods gold game to go with it, and I will order that from Amazon with a donation that came from PigRigger last month.
The new NPTT unit requested some movies and summer supplies. With donations from jtill, SwatTeam, and manna I got them Blue Ice gel packs and requested DVD’s (TV series Scrubs 1 & 2, Tin Man, and movies I am Legend, Omega Man, Good Luck Chuck) with some canisters of Gold Bond body powder.
Anyone who can send sun block/sunscreen with high SPF, high SPF chapstick, and more body powder, please let me know. I’m sure drink mix powder would also be received with great joy.
Also, if bjcintennessee or JustAmy are able to make any more of the cooling neck scarves, please let me know. Other suggestions for summer supplies will be appreciated.
The new unit at Bagram has asked for “Most of what we crave are snacks that are on the healthy side. We’ve been so overwhelmed by candy that we are still trying to eat it. Dried fruits, jerky, granola, oatmeal, and anything in between would be most welcome. We could also use some drink mixes, like Kool-Aid, and some flavored creamer for coffee. The guys go through that stuff faster than we can get it in.”
Nina0113 normally handles Bagram, but she has been ill for some months now. So I am asking for volunteers to send packages to Bagram while we pray for her to finally get well.
******
Email from Stryker:
Dear Patricia,
Tell the one donor [Enterprise] the shaving gel did arrive, along with the other various packages the I ended up sharing with the entire company and they are so appreciative of all of them. Things have been really busy here, .... the guys would love to have a WII with games such as the Tiger Woods gold (the guys are really playing their gaming systems a lot these days. I want to thank you for everything you guys have done over the past months. .... Thank you for all the prayers and packages, as we pray the Lord continues to protect us ... Talk to you soon and God Bless!
CPT H [He was just promoted]
****
Email from new NPTT unit at Baghdad, with a great deal redacted:
We took the hooah picture today. My executive officer will download the digits on to his computer and email them to me. I’ll send it as soon as I get it.
My grandmother is a little older than your mother and is going into senility as well. She has had numerous strokes and has lost use of one of her arms. It is very saddening to see a loved one in such condition.
We will probably end up moving ... at some point in our deployment, however no one can give us any answers as to when that might be.
Right before and after our missions, my team gathers to pray. I will use the passage you sent [a couple verses from Isaiah that Kitty Mittens posted]. It was very powerful. Thank you.
Fear not: for I have Redeemed thee:
I have Called thee by thy Name;
Thou Art Mine.
When thou Passest through the Waters,
I will be with thee;
And through the Floods,
They shall not Overflow thee.
When thou Walkest through the Very Fire,
Thou shalt not be Burned;
Neither shall the Flame Kindle Upon thee.
For I am the Lord thy God,
The Holy One of Israel,
Thy Savior.
(Is.43:1-3)
Hi Patty.
I didn’t send any cooling scarves but I did send some scarves for the ladies.
I should be able to send some drink mixes. I’ll let you know what I get next week.
Mailed April 18, 2008, to MRC, NPTT at Baghdad
1 12x12 box, insured $149.07, postage $13.40
3 TV series:
Scrubs, Season 1
Scrubs, Season 2
Tin Man (new SciFi Channel series)
3 DVD movies:
I am Legend (Will Smith)
The Omega Man (Charlton Heston)
Good Luck Chuck
28 Ice Blue flexible gel packs, lunchbox size
5 canisters 4 oz Gold Bond body powder
Oh, they love drink mix!
Good ..... I will get some out to them.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
Finally got some packages mailed today.
Sent to NPTT:
Box #1 ...
8 qt size Lemonade Mix
8 qt size Kool Aid Mix
2 15oz Flavored CoffeeMate
1 8oz bag beef jerky
12 4oz cans fruit
Box #2 ....
25 4oz. cans fruit
8 qt size Strawberry Lemonade Mix
Sent to Psyop:
Box #1 ....
1 Box of 50 Kudos Granola bars
2 15oz Flavored CoffeeMate
1 8oz bag Beef Jerky
Box #2 ....
34 qt size Lemonade
1 15oz Flavored CoffeeMate
3 8oz bags Beef Jerky
Box #3 ....
2 box of 28 Hershey Energy Bars
20 Granola bars
I will get two or three more boxes mailed in a couple of weeks.
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