Military perspective from Afghanistan

[ElizK]

This is an excerpt from an email my brother sent me. He was deployed in Feb, should be home this month or next. Did you know this kind of stuff was happening there?

It’s been quite an adventure… still have a little more adventure left… At this point, I’m a lot less jumpy, even when we get attacked here on my base. (the occasional rockets/mortars that get fired at us seem to be more of a nuisance than a threat --- of course there’s a very healthy dose of denial built into that, but hey! It’s working for me.) Was working on email last night when that last rocket hit. It landed about 20meters behind us --- REALLY LOUD! Whole building shook with the impact. A little freaky… The fire dept (next door to the hospital) actually took some shrapnel. Anyway, no one was hurt. Just rustled to get all the patients out of the hospital into the bunker where we sat for 90 min for no apparent reason. Grrr… All is quiet on the western front now.



The crappy thing about the news on this war (Afghanistan) is that things are happening DAILY, people are still dying, and suicide bombers are still attacking – and this never shows up in the news, anywhere. It makes it a little easier to call home knowing (his wife) has no clue what’s really happening, but it seems like no one really knows what’s happening here (and maybe the work is unappreciated).

I'm so sad that our military feels unappreciated. They have chosen to put their lives on hold for us... regardless of how any of us feels about this war.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

It's incredibly sad. DH and a number of his freinds/people he graduated school with are dealing with this. It's a sigh of relief everytime we get a call after deployment that they are home and are safe. Unfortunatey, a good number of them are SEALs, and it's incredibly irking to know when they're gone, we won't know much until we get that call.

I posted earlier today that my brother got his assignment (he's still in bootcamp) for 82nd Airborne. I am incredibly excited and incredibly proud. But there was a twinge of, "Well, I know you're going to the Middle East," as well. Just remember that they are incredibly well-trained. There are still large portions of the population that are very aware of what's going on (and a good chunk of them play the denial card, too).

I stoppd watching the news when DH was away... I just couldn't deal with it emotionally.

Please know him that not a day goes by where we, as a family, don't consider our brave troops, their families, and the sacrifices they make. God bless and Godspeed.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

NBC Dateline had a good story Sunday about Operation Anaconda and "Rescue on Robert's Ridge" from the early days of OEF in Afghanistan. DH and I watched the 2 hour special. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13154349/ or this will take you straight there http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13233811/

Just remember the news does not report a lot of what is happening, good and bad. There were numerous mortar attacks at my DH's camp in Iraq, and that did not make the news. I think it is a pretty common occurance. DH did not tell me most of this until he was home safe, thankfully! Most of the good stories never made it on the news either.

Glad to hear he will be home so soon.

 

[EthansMom]

I think there's a lot (good and bad) that we aren't hearing/seeing any more in the media about our troops serving in the MiddleEast.

I had been sending care packages to our troops overseas through http://www.anysoldier.com. I highly recommend it! It's amazing how a package of junk food or even just a letter picks up the spirits of one of our service members.

DH's aunt was deployed to Iraq last month and I've been sending packages to her (and her troops ~100) since then. She and her troops really appreciate knowing that folks back home are thinking about them and wishing them well.

 

[transparant]

I think there's a lot (good and bad) that we aren't hearing/seeing any more in the media about our troops serving in the MiddleEast.

I had been sending care packages to our troops overseas through http://www.anysoldier.com. I highly recommend it! It's amazing how a package of junk food or even just a letter picks up the spirits of one of our service members.

DH's aunt was deployed to Iraq last month and I've been sending packages to her (and her troops ~100) since then. She and her troops really appreciate knowing that folks back home are thinking about them and wishing them well.

I highly recommend this too! It's amazing what a picture from a child and a *Thank You* letter will do. I've got 18 70lb boxes ready to go out to Afghanistan by the end of this week (I work for Give 2 The Troops) - The guy/girls love it!

I'm grateful that I do hear so many stories (a lot of good - but bad as well) through my job. I am so grateful for the fantastic job that our military does!

 

[phorsenuf]

This is an excerpt from an email my brother sent me. He was deployed in Feb, should be home this month or next. Did you know this kind of stuff was happening there?



I'm so sad that our military feels unappreciated. They have chosen to put their lives on hold for us... regardless of how any of us feels about this war.

My son is over there and he tells me the same things about the rockets. he says he hates having to get up in the middle of the night to sit in a bunker for 90 minutes until everything is all clear.

Where in Afghanistan is he stationed? My DS is in Kandahar. He's an MP.

 

[ElizK]

My son is over there and he tells me the same things about the rockets. he says he hates having to get up in the middle of the night to sit in a bunker for 90 minutes until everything is all clear.

Where in Afghanistan is he stationed? My DS is in Kandahar. He's an MP.

My brother is in Kandahar, also. He's a doctor.

I'm glad to know that there are a lot of us "civilians" who care a great deal about these people. I need to make more time to be involved. That "anysoldier.com" and "give 2 the troops" sound like wonderful programs!

 

[poohandwendy]

Big cyber {{{HUGS}}} out to your brother. Just as the news does not reflect the reality of what he is seeing over there, it does not reflect the reality of the millions here who have the utmost respect for and appreciate your brother and all of our servicemembers.

God bless him and all of our troops!

 

[ElizK]

Big cyber {{{HUGS}}} out to your brother. Just as the news does not reflect the reality of what he is seeing over there, it does not reflect the reality of the millions here who have the utmost respect for and appreciate your brother and all of our servicemembers.

God bless him and all of our troops!

You make an excellent point!

 

[Sleepy]

You would be surprised by what happens regularly in that area involving our military when there is NO war.