My son went to Iraq 3+ years ago. The ability to speak/message with him via Skype was incredible and kept me from going crazy. It was a totally different experience from when I was deployed many years ago.

He's doing his job (and sounds like he's proud of it!). The best thing you can do is send him letters every couple of days. They have all the entertainment (games, videos, etc) they need but old fashioned letters from home are the best. The occasional box of goodies helps too! ;)

I plan on writing a journal type letter and mailing it to him once a week...also sending him the comics out of the newspapers.. I heard that the soldiers over there like the comics. And yes there will be goodie boxes, at least once a month.

oh my how it's changed when dh was in the navy in the 70's...it took forever for letters (free mail, for war zone) to get to his ship...

now with all the computers it's such a different thing) i can't tell you not to be afraid, but what I did do was realize this was his JOB, that took him out of town...and the more upbeat you are the better...

just remember what you send should be "neutral" news...as fragile as politics are there....

We know a couple of engineers there working for defense contractors now and several over the yrs who have done it. My DH had a few engineering classmates who did deploy in the early yrs of both wars. My DH almost took a job as an engineer for Lockheed, it was tempting at $250k for 12 months but the restrictions like not being able to come back into the US for 12 mo, even on vacation was too much of a burden on me, even for that pay. The engineers we know there now have almost no allowed communications and certainly none on their locations or activities. If you go as defense contractors you go out on your own basically and are allowed little family contact and what is allowed is strictly monitored and controlled.

Military deployment there is certainly not what most Americans would like to think it is. There is a certain amount of small risk, as there should be assumed for any military operation but definitely not what Iraq was or the early years of Afgan. I read an article last spring on the many, many amenities they are afforded and have basically come to expect and are none to happy to give up as troup drawdown is starting. Due to budget cuts last spring (sequester cuts) they lost the 24/7 hot sandwich bar and were down to 2 hot meals a day. I saw plenty of WW2 & Vietnam war vets commenting on that article, that really brought the luxurious conditions to light in Afganistan for me. The simple fact of free internet communications alone v/s writing letters hoping they find their recipients of the past is one big one.

I would focus on keeping up his spirits, sending lots of care packages etc...the time will fly by faster than you think if you stay busy. ~ liz

Our son went there at the beginning of the war..he was in the Air Force as a loadmaster, they delivered whatever was needed in a cargo plane behind the lines.

I'm pretty sure that helicopter mechanics seldom get into harm's way ... and it's been winding down to very low levels of risk for the front line guys, the trainers, recently.

ole joyful

My GD's husband is there now. He is in the Air Force, but in the mobil command center, repairing those trucks etc that break down etc. This time he does not have to go out and get them ( I hope) like he did in Iraq/Iran. But having a husband in the Submarines for several years during Korea, and a son in the AF, and a son in law AF retired and a DD in the AF, you learn to deal with time away and put things in God's hands and hope for the best.Curious, how long and what boat was your husband in? Mine was in quite active duty, as most boats are, during the Korean war.

Tony joined the Navy in 1990. He was on a fast boat(the ones that find Russian subs) and a boomer(the ones with the "big boy toys") and the newest kind of sub (they really carried the 'big boy toys"). The names in order he was on them were the USS Boston, the USS Maine and the USS Florida. He retired in 2010 with 20 years of service. So I am used to long delays between emails and letters and I know he has a ton of people to write to, so if I only get letters or emails once in a while. I will keep up with him via my DD she is his best friend....they talk everyday....

My SIL is there now. My DD came home while he is away. She gets to Skype with him. His job is classified so we don't know what he is doing. We do know his is one of four guys liviing in a packing crate, but it beats a tent.

My son was in Afghanistan in 2010, US Army. Of course I stressed and worried the whole time, even though he was in technical support/security. There were times when he had to travel between bases, and that's when I was on full tilt.

Before volunteering for the tour in Afghanistan, he was in Army-south, involved in missions in South America. The drug cartels don't like us any more than the Taliban does, so that was stressful, too. During that time, we weren't able to have communication, but in Afghanistan he was able to use his cell phone. He never seemed to have a set schedule--calls were unpredictable, but just hearing his voice was glorious!

We contributed to the USO effort, and tried to stay positive. Please say thank you to your young friend, for me. Thank you, also, to all who have served, and/or have loved ones who are serving in the military.