My name is Patti,
I had 2 sons that deployed to Iraq. My oldest son Brandon deployed in 2003 and my youngest in 2007.
It all happened so fast. One day I was signing a check for dorm fees for Brandon when he walked into the room and said, “Mom I met a man” and he said, if I joined the Army I could go to Italy…so I did.
Wow, that was different for me. Not that I was alien to the Army being an Army brat. I just never thought of my son in this way.
2 weeks later my son went off to Boot Camp and 2 weeks after that 9/11 happened. One year and a half later, my son, my beautiful little boy was walking into Iraq.
Everything was so confusing and I was scared, so I called my Dad, a Vietnam Vet, and expressed my fears. When my Dad returned home from the war he was spit upon 🙁
He promptly told me that my son was short and could run under the bullets.
Oh my … then he told me about care packages — how to make them and what to send.
So I started sending a package a day for 40 days, along with hopes and prayers from home. Right away the packages started flowing and when Brandon’s 1st Sgt. was asked about him, he referred to him as the luckiest man in Iraq!!!
While my son was receiving all these packages from home, many soldiers did not receive any packages or letters. Our heroes needed us!
That was the start of Soldiers’ Angels. Since our mission started, the number of Angels and heroes connected by love, support and gratitude has grown into the hundreds of thousands.
I knew in my heart I wanted to support my son and I wanted to be there as he achieved his destiny. I wanted everyone to help and see how brave my son and all the men and women were. How they were trying so hard and handling themselves with honor. It was just 2 years before his deployment Brandon was sitting in front of the television eating Corn Flakes and watching Scooby Doo. Now, he was freeing a country.
I said it then and I say it now. How did we raise such fine young people? These fine young brave souls are the only ones standing between me and a Burkah. I truly believe that.
So, all you Army Mom Strong Moms of heroes, I tip my wings to you for you have the hardest jobs of all. You have to stand on the sidelines and just love and support. For this is their time and what a time it is.
May God Bless Our Troops and May God Bless America.
Love
Patti Patton-Bader
Founder, Soldiers’ Angels
