That is just awesome that he got to come home for Christmas!

My brother came home also for a few weeks. He goes back on Saturday for 3 more months. He was home in time for his son's 6th birthday too. I think it will be harder to say goodbye the second time around.

Rebecca

Jeff this is incredibly moving. Thank you for sharing, I wish your 'nephew' could know just what his service means to some of us. They are indeed in our prayers - the church I attend is very small but our soldiers are always remembered in prayer on the alter.

Frances

Bec that's great to hear. Ya gotta make every moment count. What branch is he in and where is he stationed?

He is a Vol fan isn't he? :-)

He is in the National Guard 1175th Road Hogs out of Jonesboro, TN. He is stationed in Kuwait and leads a supplies convoy into various areas in Iraq. When he gets back, he will be retiring with 22 years in the service. While in the Army, he had been stationed all over the place and is ready to hang up his boots and stay in E. TN. He was finishing up his last year before retirement when the call came to go to hell.

Oh yeah, he bleeds orange!

I pray for our servicemen everyday. My nephew has done a tour over there too.

Jeff, how wonderful you got to see him. My son Ben is stationed in Baghdad. He went over in Sept, due to get back in early 09. Like your brother, Rebecca, he got caught in the back-door draft: he was in the Army reserves for 8 years, got out in 98, and they came after him in 05 for this mess.

I so appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers, not just for my son but for all the service men and women in harm's way. I'm incredibly grateful that this time, unlike Vietnam, we're supporting the troops and not confusing their honorable service in the war with the blame due the government that sent them there.

On topic for the forum a bit more, his dad who lives in Maine sent him a 4' fir Christmas tree. He set it up in a common area and people just gather around it to smell something green. He said if you want to gain a true appreciation of the green beauty that is TN, visit Iraq.

Marty

"I'm incredibly grateful that this time, unlike Vietnam, we're supporting the troops and not confusing their honorable service in the war with the blame due the government that sent them there."

Absolutely! If nothing else, at least we seem to have gotten this part straight this time.

As for green stuff -- how about we send a bunch of tillandsias over there? Green and growing, easy to transport and care for. Heck, I'm almost serious.

I vote to send tons of Kudzu over there!!!

LOL! I'll sign up for that!

My brother left yesterday. He didn't come by to see me before he left, but called me from Atlanta airport. I think it was a lot easier that way.

Rebecca

I found this today; it's worth the two minutes:

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php

We're going out to the SEAL graduation - Trident ceremony in March.

When my son was in Iraq, I had his wife send him a pot with some dirt from his farm and some grass seed. He planted it, had it on his desk and kept it "mowed". Everyone really enjoyed looking at it.

I pray for our soldiers, too. I pray for their families, too...it is so hard for moms, dad, wives/husbands and kids when they are gone. I know! You never stop praying until you can put your arms around them again.

Just to ensure equal representation....

The Sailor's Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, the ship was out steaming,
Sailors stood watch while others were dreaming.

They lived in a crowd with racks tight and small,
In a 80-man berthing, cramped one and all.

I had come down the stack with presents to give,
And to see inside just who might perhaps live.

I looked all about, a strange sight did I see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stockings were hung, shined boots close at hand,
On the bulkhead hung pictures of a far distant land.

They had medals and badges and awards of all kind,
And a sober thought came into my mind.

For this place was different, so dark and so dreary,
I had found the house of a Sailor, at once I saw clearly.

A Sailor lay sleeping, silent and alone,
Curled up in a rack and dreaming of home.

The face was so gentle, the room squared away,
This was the United States Sailor today.

This was the hero I saw on TV,
Defending our country so we could be free.

I realized the families that I would visit this night,
Owed their lives to these Sailors lay willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom each day of the year,
Because of the Sailor, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve on a sea, far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The Sailor awakened and I heard a calm voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice."

"Defending the seas all days of the year,
So others may live and be free with no fear."

I thought for a moment, what a difficult road,
To live a life guided by honor and code.

After all it's Christmas Eve and the ship's underway!
But freedom isn't free and it's sailors who pay.

The Sailor say's to our country "be free and sleep tight,
No harm will come, not on my watch and not on this night.

The Sailor rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent, so still,
I watched as the Sailor shivered from the night's cold chill.

I didn't want to leave on that cold dark night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

The Sailor rolled over and with a voice strong and sure,
Commanded, "Carry on Santa, It's Christmas, and All is Secure!"

HONOR, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT

I guess this is just another thread that a lot of us have in common. My daughter has been to Iraq twice, just came back from Germany in Sept. and went into reserves with the promise that they wouldn't send her back for at least a couple of years. Guess what?! Her unit got called up and she left a couple of weeks ago to go to Bagdad. I started a prayer garden the first time she was sent over there and that was the beginning of my head-over-heals love of flowers.
I'll be praying for your folks also.