I guess I knew it would. In all honesty, I wanted to make you a little uncomfortable. Not very nice of me, and I question my own motives: Why drag ya'll down with us on this one?
Passion, I guess. And honesty. I run an organization that supports our troops, and we do feel-good stuff. Sending toys and care packages, getting involved with the community, and touching lives. For good or bad, I wanted to bring it on home: it's not all rainbows, beanie babies, and homemade cookies.
But I know you know that, and I'm sorry I blindsided you. For the record, Brian did give me permission to write that post, to say anything I wanted.
And, well, hell, as I write this, Brian is back NTC, in Fort Irwin, California. Desert training.
NTC, Fort Irwin, CA; pic by Brian Jolley
Training to deploy to Iraq, in July.
Aurghhhhhhhhh! He's only been home for 6 months! I like being able to text him and call him and visit him. I don't want to wear that worry again! RARF! No! Mom says NO!
When he transferred from Fort Benning to Fort Hood in January, he was placed in a company scheduled to deploy: C Co., 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary division. (Shall we revisit the "The last major combat brigade, Stryker Brigade, is exiting Iraq" news reports from last August, while we train another combat brigade to return?)
He isn't supposed to be "forced" to deploy until he's been home for 12 months, and he had other plans for Fort Hood: enrolling in an 18-month EOD school before deploying again. (EOD! More aurgh!)
But, the Army is the Army...and I don't know what that means. They have rules, and I hold my breath and wait to see which ones they'll enforce: Can he stay stateside and continue with his schooling, or will they rule to send him back to stupid Iraq over with his new company?
NTC, Fort Irwin, CA; pic by Brian Jolley
I wish I had a vote in the matter. >:-|
Hmph.
Ok, I kind of indicated in the title that I'd move along, but I didn't get very far, did I? I can't help it! I just had more to blurp out! Don't quit me now—I promise next time will be something fun, like a Photo Dump Day or an embarrassing story, or tales of my new job—my goodness, I haven't even told you I have a new job! I practically have a whole new life, actually.
I'll gab all about it in the next post, I promise.
1. Whatever we call it, we are a nation at war. Maybe we shouldn't be comfortable.
ReplyDelete2. It's your blog. You get to write whatever you want.
I really appreciated your last blog post. Yes, it was sad and disturbing and uncomfortable but that is what war is. I think it is important to remind people of that now and then. You have been great about sharing the upbeat and funny and happy things that have happened with your son...the stuff that makes you swell with pride and that makes us glad to get to know his story. However, it is important that you also get to share the horrific and tragic aspects of war that your son has been through. It balances the picture and reminds us what soldiers (and their families) go through. So, thank you and your son for your willingness to share his story!
ReplyDeleteI love it when you get passionate! I love it when you mommy blog!!! And I love you!
ReplyDeleteI hate these stupid wars. And I'd rather know the truth and sit on the edge of uncomfortableness than sit comfortably in a bubble of lies.
Veterans regularly tell me that there's no good way for someone who hasn't been in war to truly understand war... but the people back home need to understand the price, the pain, as much as is humanly feasible. People may always debate when military action is necessary or reckless, but no matter what side of the issue they're on they shouldn't underestimate the true cost.
ReplyDeleteI wish that everyone who came out to wave the flag for the troops had them in mind more often than they probably do. I imagine when they do think about them they probably feel as helpless as any of us as to what they can do. I can't see how it hurts anyone to have an occasional uncomfortable reminder of reality. We're all only human, but a reality check helps get us moving to do more or stop doing nothing when we get overwhelmed by the other things in our lives.
I think your story and stories of other military families are essential to the national consciousness in order for a government "of the people" to navigate in a dangerous world. On a less serious note, I also like photo dump days and random musings about this crazy human experience.
Lori, I hate to see you apologizing for telling the truth. Your blog has always been about your life, and Brian and his experiences are a major part of that. For the record, that post didn't make me feel uncomfortable. I don't believe that anyone has the power to make anyone else feel any certain way, in any case. People respond the way that they respond. If something they read or hear from someone else has an effect on them, it's up to them to try to understand their own feelings. It's often difficult for any of us to feel pain, but I do believe that the only way through these things is to look at them directly, and with compassion. I felt very sad when I read that post, for Brian and for everyone who has to go through incredibly difficult and heartbreaking experiences. When people have been through such things, they often, I think, feel conflicting and confusing emotions, and they need to be able to express them and have someone hear them with acceptance and love.
ReplyDeleteAs far as what to put out on this blog: When things are great, and there's happiness and fun, that's wonderful. When things are horrible, that's part of the deal, too, it's called real life. Just want to let you know that I, for one, have no problem with that.
I loved your last post....this is your story to tell. Please don't EVER not tell it....uncomfortable or not!
ReplyDeletemuch love to you...
I'm a sometimes viewer and have always appreciated your insight to what is going on over there. And think the fact your son opened up to you is commendable as we know how many never do and suffer for the rest of their lives. He's your baby and you should be so proud. Never apologize for your thoughts as they are real. And I am so very sorry and quite honestly, upset that he may need to return.........how many more have to also?
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to here about your new job! In this job market, many congrats and wanting to hear if challenging and what you want to do when you grow up?
Thank you all for your supportive comments. We move forward, forward...
ReplyDeleteYou need to hang out on a different street if what you're hearing causes you to question what you wrote in your last post. It was inspired writing, it needed to be done and it was beautifully done.
ReplyDeleteDon't ever stop sharing the sad, the disturbing, the harsh parts of war. We all need to understand what war is all about, and many of us don't get that very often. Too many want to think of it in abstract terms.
ReplyDeleteBut those aren't abstract terms out there being hurt physically and emotionally, even killed. Those are human beings -- human beings who are subjected to things in this world that nobody should be.
The powers that be need to be reading the blogs of military and military loved ones like you to give them that deep understanding of the hurt and fear and grief they are subjecting far too many of our country's, and indeed our world's, inhabitants.
Stepping off my soapbox now.
I feel ya.
ReplyDelete