Returning from Iraq And our communities

scotto · 11-14-2005, 11:50

Subject: Regarding the homecoming...
I emailed you a while back but never got an answer. I have heard from a lot of the parents and wives and they are questioning why we can't meet the guys at the plane even though they have to go to debriefing from there. We see news daily about troops coming home and showing the families meeting the plane. There are a lot of questions of why we can't. I know you have a lot more important things on your plate right now, but we all would like to show our appreciation to our troops by meeting them at the plane even if we can't spend time with them right then. It just helps us to see that they are here and safe. Maybe it is done differently here or something, but the questions still remain. If you have time and you could answer, that would be great. Please put your attention where it is needed most first.
Thanks for your time.
Dennie

Ma'am,

I appreciate your desire to meet your Soldier at the plane. However, that is not what we are going to do. I have to balance multiple things in making this decision to return to our communities.

We are not Active Duty Soldiers who are generally return to a base that is no where near their home state or community. We are National Guard Soldiers and we have had such tremendous support from our communities as well as our families. We owe it to our communities to give them a chance to welcome their Soldiers home as well. We owe it to the communities to give them a chance to put out the flags and to get out the fire trucks and police cars to escort their returning heroes home. That is what we are going to do.

We are going to create a situation where both the families and communities can welcome the Soldier home. This war has impacted more than just the Soldiers and the families. It has effected everyone, including the many who are quietly supporting and praying behind the scenes.

I much prefer you put your focus on welcoming the Soldier back to St. Cloud. Get together and make it a huge event. Decorate the school or armory, which ever place the welcome home will be. We will call the second the plane hits the ground so everyone knows were safe. Imagine the event and memory we can create for the Soldiers, families, and communities if the Soldiers can arrive in town with a police and fire truck escort, the whole town waving flags, the armory all decorated, and then marching into the armory with their families and friends waiting inside. That is how National Guard heroes should come home. That is how our heroes are coming home.

Paz

Mike Xxxxxxxxx
CPT, AR
Commander, A CO, X-XXX AR

Woodmonkey · 11-14-2005, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotto

Subject: Regarding the homecoming...
I emailed you a while back but never got an answer. I have heard from a lot of the parents and wives and they are questioning why we can't meet the guys at the plane even though they have to go to debriefing from there. We see news daily about troops coming home and showing the families meeting the plane. There are a lot of questions of why we can't. I know you have a lot more important things on your plate right now, but we all would like to show our appreciation to our troops by meeting them at the plane even if we can't spend time with them right then. It just helps us to see that they are here and safe. Maybe it is done differently here or something, but the questions still remain. If you have time and you could answer, that would be great. Please put your attention where it is needed most first.
Thanks for your time.
Dennie

Ma'am,

I appreciate your desire to meet your Soldier at the plane. However, that is not what we are going to do. I have to balance multiple things in making this decision to return to our communities.

We are not Active Duty Soldiers who are generally return to a base that is no where near their home state or community. We are National Guard Soldiers and we have had such tremendous support from our communities as well as our families. We owe it to our communities to give them a chance to welcome their Soldiers home as well. We owe it to the communities to give them a chance to put out the flags and to get out the fire trucks and police cars to escort their returning heroes home. That is what we are going to do.

We are going to create a situation where both the families and communities can welcome the Soldier home. This war has impacted more than just the Soldiers and the families. It has effected everyone, including the many who are quietly supporting and praying behind the scenes.

I much prefer you put your focus on welcoming the Soldier back to St. Cloud. Get together and make it a huge event. Decorate the school or armory, which ever place the welcome home will be. We will call the second the plane hits the ground so everyone knows were safe. Imagine the event and memory we can create for the Soldiers, families, and communities if the Soldiers can arrive in town with a police and fire truck escort, the whole town waving flags, the armory all decorated, and then marching into the armory with their families and friends waiting inside. That is how National Guard heroes should come home. That is how our heroes are coming home.

Paz

Mike Xxxxxxxxx
CPT, AR
Commander, A CO, X-XXX AR

I understand what they are saying here, but disagree. While it has impacted the community, it has impacted the families even more. I'm sure that the community would understand if the families got to greet them first. Allowing the families in like that is not slighting the community, IMO.

AT3Weins · 11-15-2005, 07:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

I understand what they are saying here, but disagree. While it has impacted the community, it has impacted the families even more. I'm sure that the community would understand if the families got to greet them first. Allowing the families in like that is not slighting the community, IMO.

Aye I agree. Let the families greet the soldiers prior to the community.

Snowden · 11-15-2005, 08:15

I think I can see it from a more impersonal point of view, since none of my family members are involved. Let the families have that first emotional reaction in some sort of privacy. Then the joy of greeting their sons, husbands and fathers can be better managed and handled in public.

Those first emotional reactions are private.

SherryGrace · 11-15-2005, 09:21

Families first and separately. I don't know how anyone could think it should be any different from that.

Maybe this guy:

Mike Xxxxxxxxx
CPT, AR
Commander, A CO, X-XXX AR

doesn't have a family to meet him or his wife divorced him....otherwise, I don't get how he figures he's got the right idea.

scotto · 11-15-2005, 10:18

I thought I would post in here rather then in “Family’s with Deployed Soldiers Support & Resource group” to see what others think about this matter. I know Alex is a little nerves about coming home. He is scared that he has changed so much in the last year and that his friends won’t understand. We are going to wate on having a party for him untill he has been home for awhile and only if he is comfortable with it. My son has seen a lot of action in the last year especially in the last six months of his deployment. We were given a copy of the book “Down Range: To Iraq and Back” by my son’s company capelin to read in preparation for his return from combat. It is a must reading for all families with loved ones returning from Iraq.

-scotto

Woodmonkey · 11-15-2005, 12:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotto

I thought I would post in here rather then in “Family’s with Deployed Soldiers Support & Resource group” to see what others think about this matter. I know Alex is a little nerves about coming home. He is scared that he has changed so much in the last year and that his friends won’t understand. We are going to wate on having a party for him untill he has been home for awhile and only if he is comfortable with it. My son has seen a lot of action in the last year especially in the last six months of his deployment. We were given a copy of the book “Down Range: To Iraq and Back” by my son’s company capelin to read in preparation for his return from combat. It is a must reading for all families with loved ones returning from Iraq.

-scotto

Would you please post this in the support group?