deployment and service from a mother’s POV

Writing first,titling later….mainly because I’m not sure where this post is going….Our twenty eight year old son called us last night to tell us his deployment orders are firm and he’ll be going to southwest Asia [yes, that includes the Middle East and Afghanistan] in a couple of weeks. He has been serving in our military for ten years this year. He will be away from a five year old who will be starting kindergarten in the fall and a almost [ in July] two year old who has never been away from him for longer than a month.  He is a Tech Sargent who is awaiting his results for the Master Sargents exam and who recently took the initial steps to possibly stepping into the officer corp. He graduated from college with his bachelors last year after taking classes evenings while working his normal duty schedule during the day.  He has deployed before and I know we just have to trust that God [or the universe or what supreme power you choose to believe in] will watch over him if he encounters danger. He is a wonderful father. A good husband. A great son. A good grandson,cousin,nephew,….. So whatever other problems besetting this world of ours you all will have to excuse me if I don’t find them so important now!  When you have a person in the military you honor them most by showing your respect,support and gratitude for their service.  My Dad served in World War II as did my father-in-law and my uncles and countless others. I had uncles in the Korean conflict as well. My brother-in-laws served in Vietnam.  But I truly had no appreciation of the sacrifice and worry involved until my son enlisted.  Regardless of your opinions of the government’s decision to go to war in Iraq and Afghanistan please remember these brave men and women and the jobs they are doing for the nation.  They stand on the wall for us all.