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My Son Andrew

Ever since my son was ten years old he would play with his Army toy soldiers with his cousin. He would set up camps in the backyard with mountains, hills and roadways. All he ever talked about was joining the Army and serving his country. In high school he did all he was able to do. He played baseball and football but the one thing he loved the most was being in the ROTC program which he was in for the full four years. In his senior year he was promoted to Cadet Major and was the proudest he could ever be. Toward the end of his senior year he talked to his Major and told him he wanted to enlist so he went to the recruiting officer and signed up. He had to wait till after May 1 as that is when he turned 18 even though he had his mother's and my blessing. After spending his time in boot camp he came home for a short time after he graduated. He was then sent to his duty station in Hawaii where he was there for training as a mechanical engineer. Upon completion of training he came home for a month before he was deployed to Afghanistan at the age of 20 where he stayed for a year. It was hard for us to celebrate his birthday as he was in a dangerous place and so far away. We were fortunate that we would get a short phone call from him maybe once every other week at the USO station on his base. After all this I am extremely thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ for watching over him and keeping him safe and in good health. I am happy to say that come October his service will be done and he will be home. He is now 21 and It has been 15 months since I have been able to hold him in my arms.

Joe Shaughnessy
Boston, MA

4th Generation military

I was the 4th generation in my family to serve in the military & I couldnt have been prouder EXCEPT when my oldest son decided to enlist in the ARMY in late 2007. As a retired officer I had the great pleasure to swear my son in by giving him his oath of office. I was so nervous. You could tell the soldiers at the MEPS STATION were definately NOT used to having a enlistee's mom swear someone in, a dad yes, but rarely a mom.
Shortly after my son left for basic my husband, (he served 34 yrs,) was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. We waited until our son was home on leave for the holidays to tell our oldest. After he got out of basic/AIT the ARMY allowed our son 4o come home for 2 weeks prior to being deployed to Iraq as we all knew it would be the last time he would see his dad alive. Our oldest deployed in early SEPT 2008 & had only been in country for 3 days when his dad passed. He made it home in record time & was there for his dad's service. Our son is now on his 3rd deployment.

Mary Garrett
Key West, FL

Life is a Serios of Minor Adjustments

Zakry, my precious son, was born, 9 ½ weeks early, on April 19, 1993 weighing only 2lbs 13oz. He was born by emergency C-Section due to severe fetal distress and a grossly underdeveloped esophagus with no connection to his stomach. In utero, he was unable to swallow amniotic fluid and void it out of his body where it would normally make its way to my bladder for my body to dispose of it. My body, unaware of this complication, naturally produced more amniotic fluid on a daily basis. My condition was known as Polyhydramnios. Every time I moved, it was if a tidal wave was crushing Zakry and his heart rate dipped to dangerously low levels. Sadly, the physical distress that both Zakry and I suffered could have been avoided. I was active duty Air Force at the time of my pregnancy and the doctor treating me, Colonel ______, received two separate ultrasound reports that spelled out the dangerous conditions both Zakry and I were experiencing. She remained firm there was nothing to be concerned about and made me feel as if it was my entire fault somehow. I cried many times in her office begging for help because I knew something was terribly wrong. At one point she actually crossed out my high blood pressure reading and wrote down numbers that reflected a more normal blood pressure. She simply said, “There is no way your blood pressure is THAT high”. One could assume Colonel _____ was just an inexperienced doctor. My personal opinion is she was grossly negligent and showed blatant disregard toward my prenatal care in the hopes Zakry would pass away in utero. After all, if that happened, the military would not have an expensive dependent and I, as an active duty soldier, would have ZERO medical malpractice recourse. Shortly after Zakry was born the military discharged me honorably under a Dependent Hardship Discharge. And my medical records "disappeared" after that. Luckily, an Airman I got a hold of at the hospital found them in a box buried underneath a bunch of paperwork in a hospital Closet.

Teresa Napierala Pyle
Manchester, TN

THANK YOU ALL AND GOD BLESS AMERICA..............

I just want to thank all of these people for their service to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA..........Thank you for serving.......I go to every Veteran's Day and Memorial Day celebrations in our small town just to say thank you. I also want to thank all of the families of these veterans or those who are serving for the sacrifice they have to deal with on a daily basis, missing their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers.. Being an ex-wife of a Vietnam vet, a best friend of a Vietnam vet, a daughter of a Korean war soldier, and having several nephews who have served in the Army, the National Guard, and the Marines, I just want to thank you with all of my heart for your service. God Bless you all and please come home safe...........

Ruth A Fox
Fort McCoy, FL

My Sailor and My Marine

I am the proud mother of a Marine and a Sailor. My son, the Marine, knew he wanted to join the Corp when he was 8 years old. Nothing could dissuade him from his decision. I fought with his High School Guidance Counselor when he wanted to drop down a level from an impossible to pass history class. The counselor kept saying "It's not a college prep class." I said he is not going to college, he is going into the Marines. "Oh, he is young, he'll change his mind," she insisted. My reply to her was "You don't understand, and you don't know him, he has wanted to join since he was 8 years old and he is not going to change his mind." She relented and, low and behold, he passed the class. He turned 18 in October of his senior and was itching to go, but thankfully his recruiter told him to finish high school first, it was the best thing for him and his future. He has now been serving for almost two years and has been working hard, having been promoted to Corporal in May of this year. His sister, not knowing what direction to take, joined the Navy. She has been serving for 4 years and is a Petty Officer, 2nd class. It fills my heart to bursting to have my children serving our great country.

Louise Jones Koenig
Manassas, VA

I am a proud Army Mom

I am writing this to let you know how proud i am of my son PFC Nicholas Chavez who has been serving in the Army for 2 yrs now he went straight from school at 18yrs of age and is currently deployed to Afghanistan at camp Clark. He is my youngest son and i miss him and wish he would hurry and come home. There are times i don't hear from him for weeks at a time and i can't help but wonder what if? I know he is happy doing what he does he has told me on several occasions, even though i don't understand the whole war fighting thing i am very proud to call him my son he is fighting for something he believes in and to keep us free.

Kimberly Chavez
Phoenix, AZ

My Marine

Dana is third generation to serve this great country of ours, he was bred to serve in the U.S. Air Force but instead chose to become a U.S. Marine. I never knew the impact that my son has had on his friends, siblings and myself the day we dropped him off at the recruiters I had all of his siblings and several friends the ride home was so quiet and all had tears streaming down their faces. For three months I was on pins and needles, as much as I tried I was not able to hold in the emotion and pride seeing him in uniform and the pride that his brothers showed was overwhelming. I am so proud of my Marine and although he is a member of one of the toughest forces in the world, he will always be my son may Marine.

Dana M. Shelton Sr.
University City, MO

Mixed Welcome

I only served one tour in Vietnam, late in the war. However, I came home twice on short leaves before my final homecoming. In the course of those 3 homecomings, I was spit on, called a baby killer and called a mercenary. By the final homecoming it was becoming expected. When I came in and finished processing at Ft. Lewis, I took a plane to Spokane WA where I had lived once to pick up some things I had left there in storage. While there, I went do dinner at a restaurant where I had worked. I was in uniform. While I was eating, the other patrons ignored me, obviously avoiding looking my way, with the exception of one elderly lady. She looked like a retired librarian of something, very stern look on her face. She stared (at the time I would have said 'glared') at me the entire time she was eating. When she finished eating, she paid her bill and then approached me very deliberately. I thought to myself "Oh no, I REALLY don't need this, not here, not now!" When she reached my table, she said, in a loud, gruff voice "Young man, did you just return from Vietnam?" I resignedly said "Yes ma'am." Then she stuck out her hand and said "Well I just want to shake your hand and tell you thank you." I was gobsmacked, After shaking my hand, she turned and left the restaurant. That was my mixed welcome, but that last act meant the world to me.

Clifton B. Sommer
Spencer, WV

For My Brother And His Comrades!

My brother, Lawrence John Sheehan Junior, is a Combat Veteran, having served his tours of duty in Vietnam, 1st Battalion, Ninth Marines, one of the legendary Walking Dead. Amongst other issues that he suffers from, Lawrence has Combat Associated PTSD.

My fiancee and I have started a non-profit organization, A Circle Of Warriors, in his honor. It was his dream, his vision, to create a group that offers peer-to-peer Vet support. We are hoping that in starting this non-profit, we will be able to benefit other Combat Veterans and their families, and heal the wounds they suffer, especially the ones the eye does not see.

Our plan to to be able to offer these services to all Combat Veterans, where ever they might be. We are not completely off of the ground yet, but we don't plan to 'GIVE UP THE SHIP!'

Susan I. Sheehan
Glendale, AZ

Left Behind At Chosin Reservoir

This is Joseph "Mack" Harper. He was in the 3/31st/7th ARMY. He was killed in the early morning of Nov 28, 1950 at Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. His remains have never been recovered and returned home. We hope he will eventually be returned to us. Many other families await the return of their loved ones. At least we know that Joe was killed. Other families don't know what became of their lost soldiers.
Out of the 3300 of the 31st Infantry Battalion who started the battle, only about 385 were still alive, unwounded, & able to catch up to & reach the retreating Marines. All the others were killed or captured. "Left Behind". The US Army soldiers' contributions and significant sacrifices at The "Frozen Chosin" were not recognized, and were even denied, for decades. The stories of heroism & courage of these soldiers should never be neglected or forgotten.
I have had the honor to meet many of these Army Heroes. They are true Heroes.

Joyce Harper-B
High Point, NC