And more good news.

Abe · Post by **Abe** » Jul 12 2003 6:26 pm

During the storm, my son just got back home after mom, sister, and brother in law picked him up. I had little children duties so I stayed home. He just graduated from Air Traffic Control School in Pensacola, Florida and is transferring to Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona.

http://hikearizona.com/dex2/album_page.php?pic_id=128

Billy · Post by **Billy** » Jul 12 2003 8:34 pm

Ben is a good looking young man, takes after his Daddy. It's nice that Ben will be stationed close to home, I'm sure you're happy about that. How cool, I remember my first duty station, but it wasn't state side and that was fine by me! I wanted to get as far away from my family as possible; we weren't really close

My first and only permanent duty station was in K-town (kaiserslauturn, Germany) I loved it, and I hated it. I was not a marine, I was in the Army HHD 108th ADA brigade, I was a pencil pusher, and ran the mail room for the Brigade. I also served as a fill in secretary for the Major in the S1 section (paper pushers) of the Brigade, and for Colonel Butterworth and his Lt. Colonel underneath him. However, most of my time was spent in the field as part of the roving guards, assigned to a 50 cal; not fun! When I wasn't in the field, much on the time I would be TDY competing on the Machine Gun Competition team, (not my choice, I was a good shot and my First sergeant put it in just that manner). There was only two other females on the team besides me, the rest were all men. We competed against French and German military teams, and since there were no female accommodations on their bases, us women were treated like Queens! We stayed in nice hotels, ate in nice restaurants, and were showed around the towns we went to by our Colonels, Lt. Colonels, and other high ranks affiliated with the competitions. Our poor fellow teammates (the men), had to suffer, staying in the barracks, sleeping in bunks, and eating mess hall food

Sorry about that, but the men and women in the service had a love/hate relationship with each other.

I loved the military and serving for my country, but there were a lot of things that happened that gave me a sour opinion about women serving in the military, there is definitely a place for them, but they should really be forewarned what it will REALLY be like, before they sign those papers and take that oath.

I'm happy for you and your family, that Ben will be so close to home.

Abe · Post by **Abe** » Jul 13 2003 6:56 am

So you were in the Army...heh?

Thanks for sharing your experience Billy.
Yes it is good to have him near-by; however as you and I well know there is a good chance he will deploy later.
Thanks

hikngrl · Post by **hikngrl** » Jul 13 2003 1:40 pm

My son just got orders to Georgia. to the 513th MI Brigade. Based in Georgia however they are in Kuwait right now! Makes me a little nervous....

Billy · Post by **Billy** » Jul 13 2003 2:13 pm

In response to what dcornelius said: Where is the 513 MI Brigade? I was in Macon, GA for a few years, and had my first son on the base of Ft. Benning, GA. Georgia was muggy and hot, additionally, it took me a period of time before I could understand what the heck anyone was saying, the accents are strong, sounded like a foreign language to me, that is until I became more accustomed to the way in which many of the locals spoke. I wish your son well, and hope that he will grow strong from the experiences he will face in the days ahead of him. Of course, it would be great if your son did not have to leave anytime in the future for Kuwait, but as much as we, especially parents, would like to control what happens to our children, we are not in control.

I'm glad you shared the news about your son, and your fears of the possibilities of his going to Kuwait, we as United States citizens must never forget all the precious lives of young men and women protecting our freedoms that we enjoy, and for the most part, take for granted. We hear statistics on the news of military lives lost, and after a while, some people become desensitized about human life and only hear the numbers being represented, without thinking or feeling for the loss of human life, and the loved ones across our country hurting and mourning that loss. We must remember to pray for our young men and woman, and for the families left at home to do without their presence.

Thanks for sharing, my prayers will be going out for both you and your young son.