The Good
- Saturday's volunteer care package event was an astounding success. About 200 volunteers, 2 hours and approximately 550 care packages that should be now winging their way to Afghanistan and Iraq. I am so proud of all the volunteers and our corporate sponsors.
- Last night I packed a personal care package for JC. He wanted a few CDs that he could load into his iPod via his laptop & I wanted to send him snacks (including a last shipment of chocolate before it arrives as soup for the next 6 months) and a few Red Sox items to make him smile. I always go to the same Post Office; they know my name. Well, behind me was this really gruff older man as I signed the customs form and promised I wasn't sending anything dangerous. All the sudden, he taps my shoulder and asks if it would be OK if he pays for JC's care package!! I was stunned; shocked; awed! Of course I said YES. This man made my day and restored my faith in humanity (This comment will make sense when you read down in a minute).
The Bad
- JC's MOS (Army job) is a Master Driver. He is trained to drive everything but tanks. Right before he deployed, he found out that because of his high scores at the shooting range - he was going to be the assigned Gunner for their truck. Even with this; I rationalized that not only do I the trust the men he's with...it's still safer than if he was Infantry. Mil chics - wanna guess what I'm going to say next????
- That's right! JC called me a week and a half ago and announced that they have WAY too many "transportation" people and not enough Infantry, so the approximately 150 people that deployed w/him and ended up at his FOB are all now patrolling villages. "Don't worry" he said; in a week I'll be back on my truck.
- He called yesterday (and texted me - SURPRISE, SURPRISE - I NEVER EXPECTED A TEXT FROM A'STAN. Wonder what that's gonna look like on my phone bill...) and said that even with consistent flow of new troops - his brigade is on foot patrols for at least another 3 months.
- One of my friends (bless her sweet, non-military informed soul) suggested that JC go to his C.O. and REFUSE to do it! He "didn't sign up for that". Uh...pumpkin?!?! Insubordination isn't going to help ANY of them and once Uncle Sam has your a$$, you do what he says.
The Ugly
- While Saturday's care package event was wonderful...there was a little "incident".
- The event took place at a rifle and gun club (queue Redneck jokes) and at the end of getting all this stuff packed up and labeled - we filed out to the parking lot to go home.
- Cars, SUVs, Trucks with military decals in all shapes and forms as far as the eye could see. As we left, a group of us (I'm going to say that there were about 7-8 or us) got approached by two random guys asking what we were doing. Of course - we told them.
- They went OFF on us. "How dare we support the war?", "Didn't we know that the President would bring all the guys home if we stopped sending supplies?", "Why do we want soldiers to die?". I couldn't help it; I just CRIED!! It was so upsetting that people feel this way about those that are sacrificing for us.
- I found out from a friend that these two men are POLICE!! I am so ashamed of them; and am glad they aren't police officers in my city.
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Oh no! Bumbee was doing foot patrols for 10 months! I pray that they end soon for your brother!
ReplyDeleteHope the rest of your week gets better!!
The Good:
ReplyDeleteOh man! That is so nice of that man to pay for it. These darn packages add up! I have RLA's first care package waiting to be mailed for this deployment. Now ... if he could just get me his address. :)
The Bad:
Don't you love the randomness of people that don't know? Tell him you refuse ... haha! I wish I could be a fly on the wall for the conversation when someone refused. I think it would be almost comical to watch everyone's faces and to count the number of f-bombs that would be dropped in the first 30 seconds!
The Ugly:
I'm sorry you had to deal with this. Some people are just horrible. I'll say a prayer that those police officers begin to understand.
Wow, that is really ugly. Some people are just idiots.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is on foot patrols now and he loves it. He was stuck at a desk for the first 4 months of this deployment and wanted to stab his eyeballs out. I don't particularly adore the idea of him wandering around with a gun, but the man is so happy that I can't complain. I love how people ALWAYS suggest that he just "say no". My grandma doesn't get it (despite having been a marine and army wife herself) and keeps telling me that I should have Z not go back to Iraq after R&R. Yeah, right. Not really an option!
And wow, how cute was that old man???
Glad the care package event went so well! That's awesome!
ReplyDeleteI will keep JC in my prayers. I know how scary it is to find out your loved one is doing something other than what they were supposed to be doing. Thankfully with my dad, we usually found out AFTER the fact, but it's still not pleasant to think about.
Shame, shame, shame on those idiots for giving you guys are hard time. I will never ever understand how people can be so awful to those who serve on our behalf. You may not agree with this war, but you sure as damn well can support the troops. {end soapbox rant}
My prayers go out to you and your family. It must be so hard to just wait. I'm so sorry you had to deal with those guys, but very glad the older gentleman stepped up and made it a little bit better.
ReplyDeleteThat is good, bad, and ugly! I thought about those icky cops all day. They made me so angry! It's not like you are sending basic necessities over there. Care packages aren't keeping them there, helping the people of Iraq/Afghanistan is!
ReplyDeleteUgh, those two men should be ASHAMED of themselves!!!!!! Stop sending the troops supplies? Oh yeah, that's the right way to end the war. NOT!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat gentleman in the post office was SO sweet. Oh my goodness, I can see how that would make your day! Your week in fact!
I'm sorry JC has crap duty. All you can do is pray that he and his comrades are super careful and have each other's backs.
I don't know how you military families deal with all of these deployments. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Cole}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Next time you talk to JC? Tell him Justine says thank you so much for stepping up and defending our country!
Justine :o )
that is horrible! were they in uniform? if so, i'd call and complain.
ReplyDeletei've never had anything like that happen to me and i don't know what I would do it if did. there are far more people who accept the sacrifice of our men and women that those who don't.