My dear friends, I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Thank you for sharing your support, strength, your joy, your sadness, and tears. I am so honored and proud to know all of you – Army Strong Moms, dads, wives, husbands, and friends.
My thoughts are with our brave men and women that are deployed to war zones and missing out on this special time with their families. As we go about our Christmas day – holiday meals and family gatherings, let’s remember all our Military service men and women that are sacrificing for you and me.
I thank all our Military troops for the priceless gift they give to us – the gifts of patriotism, service, and deep dedication to our nation. I am grateful beyond words for their service and I thank every family whose soldier cannot be with them this Christmas day.
For those of you whose soldiers are home from deployment, I wish you much joy in sharing this day with your loved ones. For those with soldiers in combat zones, may the Lord protect them.
We all share this special Christmas, from here to Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond, with a common bond. We are all in this together.
Merry Christmas my friends.
Enjoy this quartet of CJTF-82 members as they lift US and Afghan spirits on a singing tour of Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.
It’s been four weeks since my son was deployed to Afghanistan. We are fortunate to chat with him frequently at random times of the day and night with Skype. His Internet connection is poor but better than none at all.
He was excited to receive the Christmas tree I sent via Operation Christmas Tree, a nice way to bring a little bit of “home” to Afghanistan.
He received just one of my 4 packages, the others are MIA for now. It’s not the money that bothers me but I wanted my son to have a few things to make life a little more comfortable in his B-Hut.
I stay busy as much as possible, with busy thoughts racing through my mind like thousands of trains. When they stop, a sadness engulfs my soul and I take a moment to embrace it. Then I pick myself up and find strength in the fact that this career is my son’s choice. He is being true to himself and following his passion in life. He is doing exactly what he always wanted to do – helicopter pilot! How many people can say that? Not many that I know!
It’s not gotten any easier for me but I have learned a few things (not in any particular order).
- There is an amazing, inspiring, and supportive community of Military families that I have come to know. I thank you and salute you all.
- Life for those of us here at home must go on.
- My son is a well-trained and confident man.
- Taking care of myself by eating right and exercising contributes to staying physically and mentally healthy.
- Accept the fact that my son is trained to shoot big guns.
- Helping others is the best medicine.
- Strength takes work.
- Staying strong and confident for my son helps him more then any package I can send.
- Being an Army Mom is a tough job and I am honored to take it on.
My friend Juanita shared this prayer with me. Her husband serves side-by-side with my son in Afghanistan – both are pilots. We were all together at the Army Airfield to say goodbye on the day they left for Afghanistan.
“Lord, as he makes his way through his days and through his nights, please let his guardian angel protect his flight.”
I’ve taken to saying this heartfelt prayer daily as my son takes flight daily and sometimes into the night in Afghanistan.
When Tracy’s son was deployed to Iraq with his U.S. Army unit, she went through a difficult time. Tracy looked for a local support group but found very little. She took matters into her own hands and Military Moms of Texas was born!
Tracy started the Military Moms of Texas group for military families, friends, and locals to connect, volunteer, and support our troops and their families from right in Texas.
Military Moms of Texas also helps to welcome home or send off our troops, assist the wounded warriors, assist in deployment, and tend to the needs of our soldiers.
With the holidays approaching, Tracy wanted to make sure that deployed troops got many things they need. She also wanted to help make this time a little easier for the loved ones left behind. Military Moms of Texas sent out packages for the troops with presents and even sent Christmas trees. Her organization has adopted 20 soldiers to support, encourage, and continue to send things they need.
Help Tracy get the word out about Military Moms of Texas. Click here to visit their Facebook page and join in this rewarding experience. There you will also find information about upcoming events including support groups and other activities. Join local families and their troops that share the toughest and proudest bond of all.
Stay tuned for information about the Military Moms of Texas Web site, launching early next year as a donation to the group.
Military Moms of Texas Facebook page
If your deployed son or daughter has young children, Build-a-Bear sound messages are a great way for them to always be nearby if only by voice. My son and daughter-in-law got a Build-a-Bear with sound message for each of their young children before he left for deployment to Afghanistan.
Now, when his one year old daughter needs the comfort of Daddy’s voice, she just squeezes her cuddly bear’s toe and listens as Daddy tells her to have sweet dreams while she sleeps. His three year old son holds his bear close while he listens to Daddy sing their favorite song at bedtime!
If you know someone with young children that is leaving for deployment soon, Build-a-Bear with a personalized sound message is a nice treat to leave behind for the kids. This is an awesome idea, especially for deployed parents to record themselves and then the kids can listen to their mommy or daddy at night!
Click here to find out more about Build-a-Bear with personalized sound messages. Be sure to select “Personalized Build a Sound Message” from the sound selection list.
Another day on the flight line in Afghanistan
It’s been 2 weeks since my son was deployed to Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. As of this writing, he will return home in 372 days. It’s been a difficult two weeks for this Army Mom.
My son and I have lived far from each other for 5 years now. First he was in Germany and then on opposite coasts in the U.S. It’s not being away that bothers me. No, I’ve learned to have a long distance relationship with my son that includes frequent visits. It’s the thought of my son being in Afghanistan that is hard to take. I still can’t quite wrap my mind around that. He took this photo “another day on the flight line” in Afghanistan. It still just doesn’t seem real to me.
Some days are better than others as I learn how to be the Mom of a deployed soldier. I laugh, I cry, never knowing which will come out at any given moment. I’ve sent 4 packages already and will go broke if I keep up this pace. I am thankful that we can chat frequently on Skype and I can listen to stories of this new life to which he is getting adjusted.
Although I go through my normal, daily routine, I am distracted and burdened knowing that my son may be in harm’s way. I am thankful that he is safe today but don’t know what tomorrow may bring.
I am proud of my son – he is a strong, confident young man who is proud to serve his country.
I just still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that he is in Afghanistan. I wake up everyday and tell myself to be strong for him, that is what he needs from me and so I will do it for him. I am touched by the many family and friends who have sent their prayers, packages, and messages to my son.
With all this, I learned again that when our soldiers are deployed, we are all in this together. Our soldiers need the strength of our combined support. It take all of us to support them and each other.
Being Army Mom Strong is not an easy job but I will do it. And I would not be able to do it without the support of all the Army Moms and friends that are being strong with me and each other.
I thank you all for being there. We are all in this together. Be Army Mom Strong.
I was searching for a cool way for my son to stay in touch with his young children while he is deployed. “A Story Before Bed” lets a person record audio and video of themselves reading a children’s book into their webcam right in their web browser!
The best part is that parents who are members of one of the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces who are deployed away from their children for any amount of time are eligible to sign up for free coupon codes from A Story Before Bed. Click here for more information.
You need a valid e-mail address ending in “.mil”. Enter it in the field below, and periodically we will send you a coupon code for a free recording. That’s all there is to it.
How Does A Story Before Bed Work?
You need a computer with Internet service and a webcam. Each recording cost $6.95, except for the special promo mentioned above.
- Choose a children’s book from the growing library. You can select books according to title, publisher, age, and length.
- Record y0urself reading the book into a webcam.
- Preview your recording and pay for it if y0u like it.
- Your child can play it back as many times as they like!
This is a great way for the deployed parents to stay in touch with young children! The child can see each storybook page, a video with the parent as they read the story!
I love this and we have already tried it with my son who is now deployed. Visit A Story Before Bed for more information.
Let me know your experience with this service if you decide to try it too!
A small Christmas tree sits in the corner of the room with its multicolored lights, decorative ornaments, and small children who delight at the sparkle and joy! With the smell of cinnamon and other holiday cheer, you can’t mistake what this family is celebrating: Christmas.
But it’s only November. Under the holiday cheer is a deep sadness and concern. You see my son is leaving tomorrow for his first deployment to Afghanistan. His lovely and dedicated wife rolled all the holidays into a short few days so he wouldn’t miss the little smiles of the children who are too young to wonder why Santa Claus came so early.
The Thanksgiving dinner came a little early too, with all the trimmings! We are not alone. Many of the men and women in my son’s Army unit — as well as across the country — have Christmas trees and other holiday cheer in their own home as they prepare to leave their own families for a year-long tour in Afghanistan.
If you see Christmas cheer a little too early this year at your neighbors home, they may be sending a son or daughter, husband or wife, or friend off to the most dangerous place in the world. Keep them in your prayers.
SOURCE: SAN JOSE — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Skype today announced the Holiday Military Connection program, which will allow hundreds of American servicemen and women stationed overseas to have the unprecedented opportunity to join their families stateside for virtual visits this holiday season, thanks to a partnership between Skype and the USO.
The Holiday Military Connection program will connect troops in the Guam, Yokosuka, and Camp Hansen (Okinawa) USO centers with their families stateside, through live, face-to-face Skype video call conversations during Thanksgiving dinner. For the first time, deployed men and women will virtually share a holiday meal with the ones they love most, but from whom they are farthest.
In addition, the USO and Skype’s Holiday Military Connection program will enable the estimated 140,000 troops visiting the 18 Pacific Region USO centers to make free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls home to loved ones all season long. Troops can also make unlimited1 calls to family and friends’ cell phones and landlines free of charge through the donation of Skype’s Unlimited World subscription plans.
For some troops, many of whom will be returning from deployments on submarines or aircraft carriers, the live calls will mark the first time seeing their families in more than a year.
Skype’s partnership with the USO and the launch of the Holiday Military Connection program expand upon a successful trial program that started in May 2009, in which Skype donated calling plans to USO Pacific centers.
“The USO is focused on lifting the spirits of America’s troops and their families; we are proud that Skype can play a pivotal role with the USO in helping connect military families and in turn make a season that is often challenging for them that much less difficult,” said Don Albert, VP and GM of Skype Americas. “Skype is committed to removing barriers and helping to foster meaningful connections that make a difference in people’s lives. Through the USO and Skype’s Holiday Military Connection program, we are doing just that for thousands of military families.”
As part of the Holiday Military Connection program, Skype is also giving away 2,000 holiday gift sets consisting of a headset, plus Skype calling credit or a Webcam to servicemen and women who visit a participating USO center during the week of Thanksgiving. The gift sets will allow troops to continue making memories with their families even after the holiday season is over.
“The USO is thrilled to partner with Skype on this amazing program. Staying in touch with friends and family is truly the best morale booster for troops who have been deployed. With Skype, we can help troops stay in touch all season long at no cost to them or their families,” said Tom Kolstad, USO Vice President for Pacific Operations. “We cannot wait to see the looks on the faces of the troops and their families when they share their meals face-to-face on Thanksgiving Day.”
Those interested in learning more about the program and how military families can connect with Skype can log onto the Holiday Military Connection program Website: www.skype.com/go/uso. Visitors to the site can also submit their own story of how they use Skype to stay connected.
Hey Army Moms! If your son or daughter is deployed, and you have preschool grandchildren, pass this information on to the parent left behind.
KidsLink Downrange is a project where MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) groups all around the world help military kids connect to their deployed parents by creating KidsLink Card Kits that kids can use to keep in touch with their mom or dad. This project is being carried out with Cadence International and its children’s ministry arm: Military Children’s Ministry.
Get more information about KidsLink Downrange:
KidsLink Downrange: Card kits connect military kids with their deployed parents from Cadence International on Vimeo.
