And I thank you so much for writing this diary. It’s my hope that it goes to the top of the recommended list so everyone will see it and remember. With all that goes on daily in this country, some people definitely don’t remember there are brave souls overseas fighting this fight for freedom.

And there are way too many who would only use these wars and those who prosecute them for their own political gain. Those are the ones who should be on the front lines for a week at least. Let them see what their dithering and graceless lack of principle are costing.

You are both in my prayers along with all of our military. They are the best of us.

People need to see this and to remember who’s fighting in our names. Not for political gain, but for freedom’s sake.

We know well that dull constant dread. Is it better when you don’t hear from them because they’re busy and happy? Or is it better when they’re calling all the time and bitching and griping because they’re bored and uncomfortable but safe? I never really answered that. But all’s well that ends! I know you’re career military and I admire and respect that, but I’m happy that my son is no longer a part of Comrade Obama’s army in Afghanistan.

prayers. I know you hear those words so many times, but please know they are heartfelt. What affects one of our community affects all. May her tour be completed safely.

Take care, penguin

Achance, I can and have answered that question: Better they be calling all the time and griping. It is the soldier’s lot to complain and then just do it anyway. A happy soldier is always complaining. A soldier who Isn’t complaining (to Someone) needs to be checked up on.

I’ve said this before here. I believe I have an obligation to those who have fought and died while in uniform to try to exercise to the fullest extent those rights they preserved that allow me to engage in a political process that allows “we the people” to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity under the Constitution. It’s up to us now to do our utmost to secure the Blessings of Liberty and we honor those who have worn the uniform by so doing. We dishonor them when we don’t. As Raven mentioned, we owe it to those now in the field of battle to do our utmost to make sure they come home to a functioning constitutional Republic as intended and conceived by the Framers.

Thank you, Raven, for sharing your thoughts.

ColdWarrior
www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com

than on the family. The Soldier always knows what is going on. The family has too much time to think and worry. I’ll be praying for you Raven. I guess I missed it, is she in OIF or OEF?
I’ll be on the ground in Iraq in a few months, I think this is going to be an easy one in Baghdad, but there is still talk about us being diverted to Kabul. I guess it just depends on if the CinC wakes up and realizes there is a war in Afghanistan that should be addressed instead of on autopilot.

Thank you, for all your sacrifices.

I’ve always agreed with Mac, deployments seem to be harder on the families left behind. They never know, no matter how often you tell them, if you are truly safe or not and of course, always fear the worst.

Great diary, thanks.

Thank you and your wife.

From one who was in the lost war.

Things become so much clearer when a personal side is shown. Unfortunately for most of the country, the only personal side that’s shown in the MSM is from those upset about the war.

Thanks to Raven for giving us the personal story from the side of a proud family member. Thoughts and prayers for you, your wife, and everyone else in your situation!

This is SO true. May God watch over your family. While I did not see combat, I deployed twice to Kuwait with the Navy. Its much harder on the family back home. Make sure that you connect with the other families. Its invaluable for your mental health.

Please keep us informed and please let us know any contact info so that we may send her mail, if that’s okay.

But the top of the Rec List will give it attention longer.

I agree with all you said except for the “everyone who “signed up for the money or the college education” these were very few of the enlistees I knew and I enlisted in 1989. The ones who did usually didn’t last through Basic muchless AIT. That’s what good DI’s and Drill Sgts. do. The rest were gone not long after Dessert Storm. Any one who has taken the oath since then and the majority prior to Dessert Storm knew the potential price to be paid. I am be very thankful that we do have a volunteer military.
Mrs. Raven, thank you for your service and I pray you come home to Raven safely and soon.

And keep your wife safe.

I was but a blue star mom and now not even that because my son is no longer in the service. I remember well the worry and the waiting and the TV being my best friend at the time. You will be in my prayers.

A military urban legend from early OEF/OIF rumored that Al Qaeda forces were afraid of getting killed by American women. The purported reason was that if an infidel woman killed a terrorist, he would be conveyed to a hell of 72 whores mocking his male inadequacy for eternity.

The myth was debunked, as it would have been irresponsible to allow our side to believe that the bad guys would flee if they saw chicks with guns, but it was a funny little story.

I’ll sleep better tonight knowing your wife has the watch. Thank you for living without her for a little while so the rest of us can breathe free.

are so humbling. Thank you Raven and DW and Everyone that posted for their and thier familiy members service.

make sure you keep the home fires burning Raven!!

From ME to You, MSgt, USAF (Ret.)

Thank you, and everyone else, for your service, and sacrifice!

I will keep you and your wife in my prayers. Your steadfastness in the face of your worry is laudable. I love our military and work with Soldiers Angels but I will NEVER really know the emotions involved in watching someone who has your heart being deployed to a region that is a hellhole. I truly hope you will update us when you get your first contact and PLEASE continue to update us as you can because WE CARE what happens to you and your wife and to the members of the United States Military.

women serving in combat and maybe still am a little.

But since they are over there now, they have my full support, adulation, respect and prayers.

Godspeed!

God bless you and your wife and thank her for her service.

I ran into this sort of idiocy when I wrote an editorial for our small town newspaper supporting the war in Iraq. I received nasty emails and letters and even had libs coming into the editorial section of the paper telling me how stupid I was and how I had no right to express the opinion I had. But the one that really made me angry was the woman who wrote “Obviously you have never had a loved one in harm’s way or you couldn’t possibly have the attitude you do.”

The funny thing about that was, my husband was about three months away from retiring after 20 years in the USAF. During the time he served I spent many a sleepless night wondering where he was, if he was safe and when he would come home. When my daughter was six weeks old, he deployed to Saudi Arabia leaving me alone in a foreign country to prepare the family for a move to Nevada. I wasn’t even cleared to drive when he left, but I went ahead and did what I needed to do and was proud to do it. On more than one occasion my husband deployed while I was facing major surgery (On one occasion it was thought I had uterine cancer and was facing a hysterectomy). On top of worrying about his safety, it was left to me to care for my children and my home and to reassure my mother in law and other family members that he would be safe. I did all this and more, priding myself in the fact that I did not rely on others to handle any problem I faced. It was the only thing I could give my husband, that peace of mind that I would handle life while he did his job.

I was lucky. My husband was Air Force, so he generally served out of the line of fire. However, that doesn’t mean he was guaranteed safe. But to assume because I supported the ouster of Saddam Hussein was because I had never worried over a loved one was the ultimate folly.

To this day I and my children are different people than we might have been because we spent months worrying over the safety of my husband. The funny thing is, rather than making us anti-war and anti-U.S., our experience has made us believe more strongly than ever how important a strong national defense and willingness to defend freedom around the world truly is.

I find, not always, but quite often, those who blather on about how only those who have no loved ones in danger could possibly support a war are ones who have NEVER experienced such worry themselves. Because generally, the more folks brag about something, the less likely they are to have been through it. The more indignant they are about something, the less they’ve generally dealt with whatever it is.

Our military and their families deserve every honor they’re given and more. I pray every day for God to give these men and women and their families the strength and courage they need to make it through the worry and pain. If some of these anti-war anti-military nuts would take some of the energy they spend saying nasty things about those who serve and put it toward supporting our military and their families, perhaps THEY would find their own minds changed instead of waiting for others to change to suit them.