Dad Leaves Ailing Son to Serve With Marines

Fox News ^ | 3-4-03 | Fox News

[eyespysomething]

LOMA LINDA, Calif.

[eyespysomething]

This is a tragic story. Prayers to the baby, prayers to the parents, prayers to the doctors.

[Catspaw]

Prayers to this dear child, his parents and all those involved.

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

Amen, Prayers for all parties involved. Loma Linda is a great hospital with superior results.

[eyespysomething]

"We're doing what we need to do for our family and, hopefully, for other families."

BUMP!

[goodieD]

I'm sure the military would have allowed him to spend time with his son until he died.. I'm not ready to saint this guy yet.

[eyespysomething]

> Sellers, 37, second in command of the unit, had trained for months for the deployment and was concerned about bringing in a new member so late in the training, his wife said. <

Tough decisions. No one here is a saint, but he is doing his duty to his country.

[RaceBannon]

This guy also has to face reality. It is his wife and siblings that he has a connection to, the infant does not know him as Dad, he is just an infant.

That being said, a death in the family will send him home for emergency leave. His duty in the unit can go on while they await the transplant. If the transplant does not go on, his son will die, just as they are prepared to do.

Just sitting at home, waiting for his son to die, is not where I want to be when the situation has been going on for a period, with absolutely no chance of me being able to help or change the condition.

Going back to work, waiting for the word is where I would be. When the transplant comes, he will get leave to go.

When the baby dies, he will get leave to go.

Either way, he is unproductive and only sitting an wallowing in pain and suffering, and is needed by his country. He is unable to change his condition or position. The Major made the right move. Sad, but right.

[SJSAMPLE]

We've got 200,000+ deployed or deploying. This guy's presence (or lack of it) isn't going to make the difference. His place is with his child.

[Catspaw]

It's his choice to make.

Let's hope a donor can be found for his child, and the family of the potential donor knows that by donating the heart of their child will possibly save this baby. That's more important on quibbling about whether he should've deployed or not deployed.

[JoshGray]

The man should be home with his family.

[Happygal]

His wife is the bravest one in this equation IMHO.

[American Soldier]

If he were a skill level 1 rifleman I'd be inclined to lean your way. But carrying a Major's oak leaves is a little different...it is tough to come up with a new XO. His absence would negatively affect the performance of the unit, which could mean unnecessary deaths in his unit, which he ought to regard as his other family.

If it were just some B.S. deployment to do "peacekeeping" somewhere I'd say definitely stay home, but where there is an almost certain prospect of combat the equation is different. However, in his shoes I might actually fear that my own grief would hurt my ability to serve effectively, and would consider taking a short period of leave to try and deal with the issues and recharge my emotional batteries.

[homeschool mama]

Please read post 12. Thank you.

[homeschool mama]

Well put. :o)

[GovernmentShrinker]

Given the info about his training and position, replacing him at this time could result in some other child or children losing their father(s). I don't have a problem letting this man and his wife make the decision they think is best.

[DonQ]

Actually, this Marine has made the best choice for his son. If he were to try to stay home, there'd be all sorts of trouble for him including the very real possibility that he'd be discharged from the Corps - which would mean the end of his paycheck, his subsidized housing, and, more important, his son's access to FREE champus medical care.

Additionally, while his son is receiving that free military dependent medical care, his son's case is plugged into the entire federal health care structure, such as Bethesda Naval Hospital and so forth, so the kid is in an optimal pipeline for transplants and medical innovations. It should go without saying that, the Marine Corp and DOD, for the sake of public relations if for no better reason, will make absolutely sure the child is getting the best care while his dad is off in the new war.

If dad were a civilian, especially if he became a civilian suddenly by being dumped from the Marine Corps, his son would have virtually none of those advantages.

[Enemy Of The State]

who are you to say where his place is? He is the commander of the Unit, which has spent months training for what is about to take place...You cant just bring in another joe to do the work that you know like nobody else.

Apparently you've either never served or you have never served in a position where so many other lives were dependent upon you.

[Johnny Gage]

Prayers lifted for little Dillion.

And a "Military Supporters"

. . . . . . . Johnny Gage MEGA PING . . . . . . .

Freep mail me if you want off my list

[homeschool mama]

bump :o)

[ewing]

Prayers up indeed!