Heros onboard!

[Mac]

I fixed it......its hard to put this out and not offend anyone.....
(I guess I'm just a proud father.)
Chas

You have ample reasons to be proud, Chas. Don't let anyone browbeat you into hiding your pride and joy!!

-Mac

[Bioscache2]

Chas, welcome back Ben for me and congratulate him on a job well done. As for the 'guilt' its common across the military. Its a less servere version of survivor's guilt. Soldiers feel it too for making it back safe or just being back while others deployed. You just have to know that you and Chas did their part and did their job well. And really, thats all anyone can ask for.

[Patrick]

As for "offending anyone" I'm sure -Patrick will get over it

( Patrick , Dig them shirts! I have extras if you just pm me your address )

I'll echo Bud's comments and ask you to pass on to your son my thanks for his service. Chas, you have every reason to be proud.

As for his lousy taste in shirts, we can work on it.

[U.P. John]

He's probably the owner of the biggest can of whoopazz in that stadium.

He can wear whatever team's shirt he wants.

I'm glad he's an active part of our future.

Thanks to two great parents for all the success they've passed on to the next generation.

Michiganders are down, but we're not out, and step out of the way please. We're going to be the backbone of this new America that's blooming out of the ashes here. Young men like him inspire me to work harder to provide for their legacy...

[SPANISHVETTS]

I am glad you guys are having a good time together.

Tell Ben to be careful. We lose a lot of good men the first 90 days after they return home. AFN TV/radio tries to prepare the troops for the ¨going home shock¨ but there is just no way to instantly change the mine set from combat to peace - it takes time.

I would love to have a Platoon made up of men like Ben.

Take care and stay safe,

Igeaux

[Fergwan]

Chas,

Remember, we (military) do what we do so people can be offended and have a right to be the way they are!!! I have been in for 18 years and love to hear from the people that complain or do not support the military. My wife thinks I am crazy, but I will defend THOSE poeple until the end, otherwise what is the use of having FREEDOM right!?!
Tell Ben to hang in there... trust me, I do understand, I have a total of six years in the Middle East (now I am broke by PJ standards and cannot return) and wish I could return to help. Remember, we do what we do so people can live and act as they do...

Ferg

[Chas]

Thank you all for your thoughts here


Say John, the first few rounds are on Theresa and myself brother

Chas

[Chas]

Ben left behind a DVD full of photos, so heres a few of them for you to see.
As you can see, most people there enjoy our soldiers protection and the kids just love these guys. My hope is that one day these children will make a choice to be good or bad, and hopefully the impression these brave men and women leave on them will help them decide for their generation.





There is always hand out from the parents and gifts of candy and soccer balls for the kids.


They dont look afraid of our soldiers at all to me.....


These brothers are world class soccer players that won a world championship for Iraq, first in decades and Ben has played it most of his life, this was a big moment for him.....


There are thousands of photos and i will post more as i find them worth showing, but this is alot of what we do there.

Chas

[Chas]

A "hot" lunch from home...regardless of the heat they have to wear equipment any where they go.




Rocket attack, these vehicles have saved my son more than once.



He is proud to show why he is there......

[GerryLP]

Chas,

There are plenty people that show their pride daily. And today, it was no different. I went to lunch today with some of my military crew members to Apple Bee's, and after they served our food, the waitress came back and said that our food bill was paid by a family of 5 sitting at the opposite corner on the other side of the bar. My troops got up, and went over their table and thank them. I remained behind because I wanted to find out if any of my troops had one of our coins, so that we could give it to them in appreciation, but none of them had any on them. I could not just let this opportunity pass to do the right thing, so I got my USMC coin that my boy gave to me, and I gave it to the husband. He and his wife thank me and my crew for our service to the nation, and I thank them for saying thanks and recognizing my troops.

Folks like these are the ones that support our troops, and they perhaps cannot/do not come to our web site and thank us in writing, but they are nonetheless thankful and are out there.

GerryLP

[Shadow]

Thanks Bud, I have found out over the last year or so that not everyone supports our troops and I dont need to offend any of those folks. Also for some reason we have this "guilty" feeling (if thats the proper term) that our son is home but we feel badly for the parents of children still overseas.
Its hard to put my finger on it but thats the way it is for us, our son made it through his first tour, we pray that the rest of them return safe and sound.
Ben is waiting for his new orders for his time at Ft. Riley as a Drill Sergeant....so you may here his name soon from your son in-law!

Thank you for your support, Chas

Please, for what ever this is worth to you, don't mistake disagreeing with the war for not supporting the troops.

I'll support a troop to the end of the earth. They're doing what they're instructed to do and doing it damned well I might add That huge cashe of weapons your son and his squad found proves it
People have thier own reasons for not approving of/agreeing with or supporting the war or the administration and I respect that. But to ever dis a troop for thier part in it???? NEVER!!!!

Don't worry about piissing anyone off. They'll get over it or they won't. either way, life will go on.

And don't feel bad about having your son home and safe. As a parent, you should feel that way. You're not wishing ill will on anyone else.

After all, everyone can't be in the theater at the same time

Your boy did his time, served well and proudly. Now he goes on to hopefully train others to do the same and survive as well.

As long as you're there to support the other families of the troops still there...all's good, and from the sounds of you, having never met you, I'd say you likely are right there for them

Give him our best and we'll keep watching the thread.

Gordon

[ScatRat]

Chas,

There are plenty people that show their pride daily. And today, it was no different. I went to lunch today with some of my military crew members to Apple Bee's, and after they served our food, the waitress came back and said that our food bill was paid by a family of 5 sitting at the opposite corner on the other side of the bar. My troops got up, and went over their table and thank them. I remained behind because I wanted to find out if any of my troops had one of our coins, so that we could give it to them in appreciation, but none of them had any on them. I could not just let this opportunity pass to do the right thing, so I got my USMC coin that my boy gave to me, and I gave it to the husband. He and his wife thank me and my crew for our service to the nation, and I thank them for saying thanks and recognizing my troops.

Folks like these are the ones that support our troops, and they perhaps cannot/do not come to our web site and thank us in writing, but they are nonetheless thankful and are out there.

GerryLP

I was on my way home from Frankfurt, Germany after finishing a business trip awhile ago and stayed at the hotel across from the airport. When I walked in the lobby, it was full of Army troops waiting for their flight. After I checked in, I went down to the lounge to grab a "cool" one. The troops were all waiting around for that flight. I engaged in conversation with some of them and found out their plane had broke down and they were having to wait for repairs. They were on their way to Iraq. Being ex-Air Force, I didn't ask too many questions. But, I offered to buy any of them a cold drink if they wanted. They couldn't have any alcoholic beverages, so I bought as many of them I could a bottle of water or a soda or whatever they wanted besides alcohol. Quite a few of them took me up on my offer and thanked me. Most the time I replied, "Don't thank me. You're the ones who deserve the thanks. I hope this helps a little"... and I left it at that. Our troops deserve all the support we can give them. They put their lives on the line every day to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. I wish more people understood that.

Humbly submitted.

[Chas]

Gerry,Shadow,Scatrat, Igeaux,Mac, Bud, Jane Ann,Ryan, Patrick,Ferg, John....Many Thanks for your words and support

Ben has decided to change his MOS to Psych-op, so he is going to learn to jump at Ft.Benning in a few weeks. He is doing his class work at Ft.Riley now and will transfer to learn the jump procedures.
He said he will deploy with Special Forces groups and that when they go it is for less time but they still do the same amount so he will go back and forth a few times.
He is still going to become a Warrant Officer and fly helicopters, thats his goal and from what he has done already I'm sure he will achieve it in short order.
He bought a small boat at auction in Kansas and has been having fun with the guys tubing and cat fishin.....enjoying the Freedom they have protected so well for us all.
Hooahh

Chas

[Chas]

Ben is going to Ft. Sill for a month of classes to prepare for jump school, then its off to Ft.Benning and Ft. Bragg to finish training.
While his Mom is worried about his safety, I am jacked to know he has the fortitude to jump out of a plane and do his job.
HOOAHH

[Bonnell]

Thanks to your son. Semper Fi.