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