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There are so many stories, stories of individual strength and sometimes humor. Enjoy some of our collection!
Here is a true story from Mia's brother (Bobby is a Soldier for the Ironhorse 4th ID, back from Irap in April of 2004) currently living in California to teach at University of Southern California. He will be heading up the ROTC program there:
Today he was getting his oil changed and was chatting with some of the men about Iraq. This is a bit unusal for Bobby since he doesn't talk about the war much. He found himself being interupted by the lady working at the counter. She made it a point to say she did not think we had any business fighting in Iraq. Usually my brother just ignores such comments but today he chose to shine!!
He said, Ma'am, I appreciate you may have your own opinions and beliefs. As a soldier I am trained to protect the rights of all of our citizens, but with all due respect ma'am, I am sure you would not choose to see us fighting these monsters down the street in front of the bank. Maybe someday you will. I am sure you would not like to see our civilians in the line of fire. I feel it is better to take the war where it starts and preserve our safety and our families.
She stuttered a bit and said, "well why aren't those people thrilled to see you when you were there"? Again, my brother took a deep breath and said "Ma'am you didn't see the thousands of people that cheered us and told us we were sent from heaven. You didn't see the women crying and thanking us for coming to help them. You also didn't see the thousands of pounds of weapons stashed inside of schools along with crates filled with horrid pictures of women and children cut up into pieces. I saw that Ma'am. I was there. I know the truth. 90% of those people were so happy to see us. Yes they were very frightened of being shot in the back, but they were very happy we are there. It is the 10% you see on TV every night. It is those that are killing our Marines and Soldiers. It is our News stations that chose to show you only the bad.
Did you happen to see Fox news yesterday as the people marched in parade chanting they wanted Al Sodorr (spelling) out of their city?!! Yes, the Iraqi people are getting braver. Ma'am you have the right to feel or think whatever you like. I know the truth, I lived it.
Then a young hispanic man stepped in and said "no one likes war, but sometimes it is necessary. We should thank this man for what he has done for our country |
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Dear Mia-
I just wanted to take a minute and let you know what a great experience we had this Holiday season working with you and your organization.
Every year our company supports a “cause” for Christmas, we had been helping a children’s home for the past few years and it was a great experience as well. However, this year it was the idea of one of our employees, Laura Wolfe, to “Support the Troops” and their families. Laura has been an integral part of our participation in such things and it was her idea. Laura coordinated the entire internal effort and took on a lot of the shopping, wrapping and management of the project.
We were able to “adopt” 2 local families whose mother/father is in the Middle East and provide them with everything on their Christmas wish lists and then some!
Additionally, we sent boxes to 13 soldiers full of supplies and requested items, including gifts and Christmas decorations all to be shared among their units.
It was so much fun gathering all of the items and packaging them so that each recipient would have variety of things to share! We just kept thinking about how we hoped they would be excited to get all of this stuff and enjoy it!
We could not have done this with out you and your organization. I know from my previous experience what a tremendous job you all do and that your heart and soul is in this work, it really shows. We thank you for helping us make this happen!
We have already received 2 thank you notes, dated before Christmas, so we know the stuff made it there and we hope it made their holidays away from home a little bit brighter!
Thanks you Mia for all you do for our soldiers and their families…you are an angel!
Sincerely,
Shiloh Edmondson
Assistant Vice President – Planes Companies (Planes Moving & Storage)
Letter to a Military Spouse
While I have never had the pleasure of meeting you or your husband, I felt the need to write you and express a very deep feeling that I have in my heart.
I, as a person, am not brave. I do not tackle things head on, as I hate confrontation. I will travel 100 miles out of my way just to avoid a conflict. I am an American woman that has no idea what is going on in the military other than what I hear on the news. I have never had to let go of someone so that they could go fight for people that they didn't know, people that sometimes do not appreciate or understand what they are fighting for. I have never had a sleepless night of worry because of a report that another bomb has exploded and I still haven't heard from my husband. I have never had to wait for months on end to hold the one that I loved so. I have never had to tell my children that daddy wasn't coming home tonight because he was so far away fighting for something that they aren't yet old enough to understand. I have never had to hold my head high and suppress the tears as I hear that it will be at least another six months of separation before my loved one gets to come home. I have never had to deal with a holiday away from the one that I thought I would share every day of my life with. And I have never had to feel the panic rising in my heart at the sound of a ringing phone or knock at the door for fear that it is the news that everyone is terrified of getting.
For the reasons listed above, I can not tell you that I understand how you feel. I can not tell you that you must be strong. I can not say that you shouldn't be angry, because you "knew what you were getting into when you married a military man". I can not say these things because I have never had to walk in your shoes.
What I can say for certain is that because of your unselfish acts of bravery and your husbands willingness to stand up for those who see him as "just another soldier" - - I will never have to walk in your shoes.
I do understand that as a military wife you are expected to uphold a certain amount of control, but I never understood how you could do it, until now. I have figured out that you are not like other women. You are of a special breed. You have a strength within you that holds life together in the darkest of hours, a strength of which I will never possess. The faith you have is what makes you stand out in a crowd; it makes you glow with emotion and swell with pride at the mention of The United States of America.
You are a special lady, a wonderful partner and a glorious American. I have more respect for your husband than I could ever tell you, but until recently I never thought much about those that the soldier leaves at home during deployment. Until this moment I could never put into words exactly what America meant to me. Until this moment, I had no real reason to.... Until I heard of you.
Your husband and his military family hold this nation close, safe from those who wish to hurt us...but you and those like you are the backbone of the American family. You keep the wheels in motion and the hearts alive while most would just break completely down. Military families make this nation what it is today.
You give us all hope and you emit a warming light at the end of a long dark tunnel. Because of you and your family...I am able to be me. I am able to have my family. I am able to walk free in this great land. Because of you and your family, I can look ahead to the future with the knowledge that life is going to be okay. Because of you and your family, I can awake to a new day, everyday.
I realize that you are a stronger person than I will ever be because of these things and I just wanted to take the time today to say thank you to you and your family for allowing me that freedom.
I will never be able to repay this debt to you, as it is unmatchable. However, I hope that you know that no matter where you are...what you are doing...what has happened today...or what will happen tomorrow...Your husband will NEVER be "just another soldier" to me.... And you, dear sweet lady, will never be forgotten.
You are all in my prayer's everyday and I pray that God will bring you back together with your loved one safely.
May God Bless You!
(Author Unknown)
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