As you can tell from the picture above, this is my wonderful husband Todd, putting out a "We support our Troops" sign. We put this out the day my brother Curt left for what we could only assume would be Iraq. He couldn't tell us where his final destination would be, only that he was heading out on "float" and would call us as he could. We got several pictures along the way via email, things like him, with the United Arab Emirates (sp?) in the back ground. And we had a very strong clue that he was indeed headed to the middle east to be part of the first batch of troops deployed "in case there were to be need for war". This had only solidified the tears I'd had when George W. Bush was elected. I cried, because my brother had just gone into the Marines the July before, and I KNEW if he was elected that it meant we'd be heading off to war. I just knew. And I feared for my brother. He was only 18, and I knew that if he indeed had to go to war, it would live with him the rest of his life. And here we were, watching the news knowing he was there, and not knowing what that meant for his future. As it turns out, my brother was there, on the front lines when the war started. And he survived through two tours of duty before being medi-vaced out to Germany because he had been blacking out. We would later find out that he had a heart condition called Dilated Cardiomyopathy. He had his ejection fraction tested, and was just a few numbers above the heart transplant list. He was able to come back some, with meds, and taking it easy, but his life has forever been changed by this. Not only because of the war, but because of the little souvineir he got from the military. The closest they could figure is that it may have come from one of the vaccinations that he received before heading off to Iraq. It may have some how attacked his heart.
So, this week, I'm dedicating my way back to the troops, and the long standing support that there is for them in this household. I know the pain of a family waiting to hear from their loved one. I know the terror in hearing that your loved one is being sent to Germany, and you don't get to know why. And I also know the relief in hearing that they're really ok, and will be coming home. Its not easy having family in the military, so I not only dedicate this to them, but to their families, and all they have to endure to help their soldier through the hard times.
This is all coming on the coat tails of the election results. I really truly hope that we as a country can now unify and stand behind our future president and give him the best chance to do the most he can for our country. We've all asked for change, in some form or another. And this is the change we've been given. I look forward to seeing what the next four years will hold for this man we've chosen to lead our country. I just hope that these deep divide lines that were there before the elections can lessen, and that we just all move forward in a better direction together!!!!
I know he's talked of change for our troops, and I think in this time, as much as any, we need to make sure that they know we're standing behind them 110%!!!!
If you'd like to get in on the Way back fun, head on over to visit Twinfatuation!!!
8 comments:
More people should stand behind our troops! Whether Republican or Democrat. These men and women freely give their lives to keep us safe here in the States!
Oh Jamie...what a wonderful Way Back When-esday. My hat is off and my heart full of appreciation to your brother, and all who have willingly served our country so selflessly.
I'm with Brandi, party affiliation should make no difference. Support Our Troops!
Thank you for playing along with Way Back When-esday, Jamie!
Many, many thanks to your brother and all the others that have served in this war or any other. Without them we wouldn't have the freedom that we do! Thanks again!!
Support our Troops!
Our troops will forever be my biggest heroes! I could never thank them enough for everything they've done for all of us. Without them, we would not have all that we do!
I've never understood why anyone wouldn't support our troops. They go out and put their lives on the line daily for all of us here. My hopes are with your brother that his condition will improve. Thank you for this wonderful Wednesday post.
Please thank your brother from my family for serving our country and sacrificing so much for our safety.
what a lovely idea to set aside a post just for the troops.
I'm with everyuone else, can't understand how anyone can't support them. Even if you don't like war, you should ALWAYS support the troops!
Great post Jamie! We have lots of military experience in our family. My Grandfather was in the Army as was my Dad, who has a Purple Heart from Veitnam. My oldest brother is a career Navy man and has been in several of the wars over around Iraq. Definitely scary and I don't even know the half of it.
So sorry to hear about the effects its had on your brother. I know my Dad has lots of visible and hidden scars that he still deals with every day...
God Bless our Troops!
Wow Jamie! I know it's hard. And my heart goes out to your brother and your family. I had the same thing happen to my husband when he was in the Army. They sent him off and we had know idea where he would be. It turned out he was in Djibouti, Africa but there were still a few things going on there like bomb threats from terrorists. It was scary. I cried alot. And I know about those vaccinations. They are really scary. My husband ended up being hospitalized for emotional illnesses after he came back and they had to discharge him from the Army. Hubby thinks it was the vaccines. It was the hardest thing we ever went through. We used to go to the BAMC Hospital on Ft. Sam here in San Antonio, TX and that's where they send all the burn victims from the war once they get back from overseas. There were lots of men there with burned faces and prosthetic legs (one or both legs). I just wanted to put my arms around them. SOrry this is so long. I really wanted to share that story.
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