He's going to Iraq...

[SweetPoison]

Or Afghanistan ~ I so can't remember which. My daughter's boyfriend called us last night and he will deploy June 1st. I can't stop thinking about it! They are just kids. 18, 19, 20. He joined the Army 4 months go. FOUR.


He is going to the one that we are pulling out of ~ he will be security ~ Iraq?

Hell I forget ~ but the other place is really bad, apparently. He is the sweetest kid and I am so proud of him.

If you ever need a prayer to go somewhere ~ here's your place.

 

[iPadCharlie]

He (and you and your daughter) will definitely be in our thoughts. And if one is so inclined, also in our prayers.

 

[David79]

I have a cousin over there so will keep you guys in my thoughts!

 

[Superbike81]

All depends where he goes as to how dangerous it really is. I've been to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once. I'm Air Force, so it's safer most of the time, but my duties brought me "outside the wire" once a week or so, but even then, it all depends where you go and what you do. Not every soldier is walking the streets, doing convoys, or hiking through the mountains. But those who are, are well trained and have an excellent support system available to them.

I wish him the best, his training has given him the tools to survive even the worst situations, now it's up to him to apply those skills and take it seriously (you would be surprised how many people don't take things seriously out there).

Oh, and don't be surprised one bit that they are deploying him 4 months after he joined. We've been in this war for almost 10 years now, that's longer than any war America has been in, by a LONG shot. The Army's 15 month deployments are really wearing on their soldiers and many are not re-enlisting, so they need all the fresh people they can get out there.

If you get his mailing address send him care packages with things like snacks and pictures as often as you can, it's a great morale booster to get mail from home.

 

[henry2]

Find out what likes in snacks and other things that he likes so you send to him in the sandbox .I send my son or daughter a care package of things that they like to snack on or personal care products that she can not get in base PX ..

They have Ipads as there main device over there for all around use in there tour to read e-mail or send a e-mail through the wireless set up in there hooch or to surf the web as need here and there for things ..They had loaded with games and movies and music that they liked loaded onto there ipads

 

[SweetPoison]

He (and you and your daughter) will definitely be in our thoughts. And if one is so inclined, also in our prayers.

Thanks, Scott!

I have a cousin over there so will keep you guys in my thoughts!

Our prayers are with your cousin as well ~ thanks, David!

But those who are, are well trained and have an excellent support system available to them.

This is good to know ~

wish him the best, his training has given him the tools to survive even the worst situations, now it's up to him to apply those skills and take it seriously (you would be surprised how many people don't take things seriously out there).

Thank you. Well ~ he's got that gun he always wanted ~ he is in Infantry ( I don't think I spelled that right! )

The Army's 15 month deployments are really wearing on their soldiers and many are not re-enlisting, so they need all the fresh people they can get out there.

Do you really think he will be there for 15 months? He gets to come home for a month before he goes ~ they are excited about that!

you get his mailing address send him care packages with things like snacks and pictures as often as you can, it's a great morale booster to get mail from home.

Ya know ~ we have tried for this now, where he is now, at Ft. Hood. My daughter was going to send him a box of books and whatnot, as he claims he is bored and they all have no cars and he has no friends, like boot camp, and so on. But Alex won't give it to us/her or his mom. He states he is "trying to fit in here" and apparently getting care packages are just not cool at this stage.

Tells me he still has a little more maturing to go...

Is this common for the young ones?

Not to mention he was trippin due to all the rapes occurring on the base there. Posters and flyers all over, in buildings, laundry mats. Lots of rapes! I was like WTF? Men and woman ~ I googled it and it is quite common!

They have Ipads as there main device over there for all around use in there tour to read e-mail or send a e-mail through the wireless set up in there hooch or to surf the web as need here and there for things ..They had loaded with games and movies and music that they liked loaded onto there ipads

For some reason I don't think the lad will be iPaddin it, Henry. But, hey, ya never know! Once they got to Ft. Hood, they were all given back their cells and now he is getting a new one ~

Thank You, Henry!

 

[iPadCharlie]

Is this the same guy that you bought the new iPod Touch for? If he has that and there is WiFi available, at least he can send some pics of him in his uniform!

 

[Superbike81]

Well, being Infantry, he is going to be put in some combat situations, it comes with the job unfortunately. I can't really tell you what he's facing out there, because it's different everywhere you go.

As far as the 15 month deployments, that used to be the standard, supposedly it has been reduced to 12 months, but I'm good friends and neighbors with a couple high ranking Army enlisted guys (E-8 and E-9) and they say unfortunately a lot of these guys are still getting extended beyond the 12 month mark, which means they end up staying the same amount of time as before. Expect him to be there for a year, and be happy if he gets sent home early (uninjured of course).

Young guys don't want to look "needy" so just give him some time. Once he actually gets out there and sees everyone else getting care packages and some bawling their eyes out when they get pictures of their family, he'll get you that mailing address real quick. Even the most hardened soldiers get emotional when they get a letter and photos from their family. Snacks and stuff like that are great too, but make sure you ask the post office to check the International Mail Manual for restrictions depending on the country he's in. For example, many countries don't allow beef to be sent there (which means no jerky).

Rapes? I haven't heard of any mass rape incidents, but I've been living overseas for the last 8 years. But yes, sexual assault is a problem in the military, especially in the barracks (Army apartments where the lower ranking and/or single people live). I wouldn't be too worried about him getting raped. The biggest threat to his health once he is deployed is vehicle accidents and improvised explosive devices (roadside bombs).

I haven't seen the latest figures, but last I heard just as many soldiers are injured or killed from accidents as they are enemy fire.

 

[SweetPoison]

Is this the same guy that you bought the new iPod Touch for? If he has that and there is WiFi available, at least he can send some pics of him in his uniform!

umm....Scott. That was over $200. He bought that himself! Where did you get the ideal I bought it? Hell No.

lol!

 

[SweetPoison]

Young guys don't want to look "needy" so just give him some time. Once he actually gets out there and sees everyone else getting care packages and some bawling their eyes out when they get pictures of their family, he'll get you that mailing address real quick. Even the most hardened soldiers get emotional when they get a letter and photos from their family. Snacks and stuff like that are great too, but make sure you ask the post office to check the International Mail Manual for restrictions depending on the country he's in. For example, many countries don't allow beef to be sent there (which means no jerky).

I haven't seen the latest figures, but last I heard just as many soldiers are injured or killed from accidents as they are enemy fire.

I have heard this too! Good Lord.

I bet they don't want to look needy. I am going to let my daughter read this ~

Thank You!!

 

[iPadCharlie]

Hey Guys!

My Daughter's boyfriend just came home with the new Ipod4! It IS like a mini iPad!

That post was from back in October Marie! My memory isn't that good!

 

[SweetPoison]

Hey Guys!

My Daughter's boyfriend just came home with the new Ipod4! It IS like a mini iPad!

That post was from back in October Marie! My memory isn't that good!

And....that post up there tells you somehow, someway, I bought it for him?

You are trippin, babe.

FOCUS.


lol! Couldn't resist.

 

[iPadCharlie]

I mean I didn't know that he bought it until I looked it up!

I guess I wasn't clear. I am only on my 3rd cup of coffee!

 

[SweetPoison]

uh huh.

 

[henry2]

Mail Call is one of the biggest thing to a person when overseas is because someone still is thinking about you when you are there ..

most of the guys i know where single and married when we shared a tent overseas togerther there was a thing about care packages amoung the group you shared the package with everyone ..You got the first cookie but you passed it around to your mates inside the tent because they are your family inside that world and you live and die beside them as a family for they are the ones who pick up and dust you off and they are the ones who let you cry on there shoulder when the world has kicked you so hard that you are haveing a hard time getting up ..

So it better to have more than need than to not have enough ..

So when you send him something make sure it large enough for him to share with every one else in the tent ..

When packing personal soap and other products double ziplock bag them to keep there smell from getting into the food items inside the package also or just send them in another box..

also books or chess board is also agood way to help them pass off duty time and bread machine mixs was one of the things i sent my kids when they where overseas for they would make up bread mixs before a partol and come home to the smell of fresh bread in the place and that was a treat for them ..