Caution: Possible Triggers:

[broncovet]

I have a son who just got to Iraq about 3 weeks ago. I think he is way, way, way, to green to be in the war. He just joined the Army in October, and now he is in Iraq.

This is the email I got this morning:

"Yesterday, 2 September 2009, our brigade suffered two deaths as a result

of a non-hostile accident. This accident involved the battalion to

which your loved one is assigned. Each Soldier's Next of Kin has been

notified, and we expect public release of the Soldiers' names to follow

soon. We are actively planning a memorial service in coordination with

the forward command. As details are confirmed, we will provide you

additional information. I will also provide you a copy of the official

news release when it is released by the Department of Defense. Our

thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time."

If "next of kin" has been notified, then I guess that is not my son, as I have not been notified. Still, I am pretty stressed about this. I am not blaming the messenger.

I have both a son and a son in law in Iraq right now.

[jbasser]

I hope all goes well. I would be a nervous wreck and hard to live with until my sone came home.

J

[Pete53]

Bronco:

My prayers are with you and for the safe return of your son and your son in law. I sincerely hope that all the troops come home soon.

[out_here04]

I have a son who just got to Iraq about 3 weeks ago. I think he is way, way, way, to green to be in the war. He just joined the Army in October, and now he is in Iraq.

This is the email I got this morning:

"Yesterday, 2 September 2009, our brigade suffered two deaths as a result

of a non-hostile accident. This accident involved the battalion to

which your loved one is assigned. Each Soldier's Next of Kin has been

notified, and we expect public release of the Soldiers' names to follow

soon. We are actively planning a memorial service in coordination with

the forward command. As details are confirmed, we will provide you

additional information. I will also provide you a copy of the official

news release when it is released by the Department of Defense. Our

thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time."

If "next of kin" has been notified, then I guess that is not my son, as I have not been notified. Still, I am pretty stressed about this. I am not blaming the messenger.

I have both a son and a son in law in Iraq right now.

POSSIBLE STRESSOR REPLY, ALSO:

bronco,

i'm thinking your son's unit has a "family" action plan (FAP) that, when someone is killed for whatever reason, maybe a lieutenant or such gets the commander to sign a pretty-much pre-prepared, fill-in-the-blank form letter (electronically, as in digital e-mail which can be subsequently forwarded to family members that troops designate for such an event) with as much information as possible, vague as it may be, until next-of-kin is notified and the ensueing public release is made. If this is the case, this is likely what you received via e-mal. I can imagine it is shocking to get one.

They probably include the family of affected unit personnel because --in this age of technolology with the "cnn" or "instant" war-- at least the service is trying to merge the gap and let the families know that something is going on with their loved ones' specific unit before they find out, somewhat harshly, through the media. The worry is still there but it is an attempt by the personnel and public affairs folks in the right direction, i think, to embrace the unit's extended family by including them in the informational loop.

God forbid if one of these arrives prior to the "humane" knock on the door or similar method of notification. in this age of technology, ... it possibly could in a terrible snafu. god bless whichever families it does turn out to be, and my prayers are with you, your son, your son-in-law, and all on watch today.

as an aside, my son was onboard during one of the recent years' submarine accidents and i found out surfing the news online. i called the contact for the sub's family support network and we kind of kept in touch informally until we found out what had happened. thankfully, there were no deaths resulting. if there had been, i don't know that the navy would have had just such a plan, but they may have. it was some time before we heard from our son but hearing his voice... well, it was precious.

[BoonDoc]

My prayers are with your son, and your family!

My son, a CAV Scout, just finished His second tour in Iraq.

He came back half way through the first tour for 30 days, I don't know why the military does that. He was in combat one day, and on vacation the next...He was on high aleart and couldn't enjoy Himself at all.

I kept up with his brigade news page at first, then had to quit...it had me way to worried about Him, and all of the others, so I just emailed and answered the phone if He called.

G_D bless. your son, and all of our Military serving!

BoonDoc

I have a son who just got to Iraq about 3 weeks ago. I think he is way, way, way, to green to be in the war. He just joined the Army in October, and now he is in Iraq.

This is the email I got this morning:

"Yesterday, 2 September 2009, our brigade suffered two deaths as a result

of a non-hostile accident. This accident involved the battalion to

which your loved one is assigned. Each Soldier's Next of Kin has been

notified, and we expect public release of the Soldiers' names to follow

soon. We are actively planning a memorial service in coordination with

the forward command. As details are confirmed, we will provide you

additional information. I will also provide you a copy of the official

news release when it is released by the Department of Defense. Our

thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time."

If "next of kin" has been notified, then I guess that is not my son, as I have not been notified. Still, I am pretty stressed about this. I am not blaming the messenger.

I have both a son and a son in law in Iraq right now.

Edited September 5, 2009 by BoonDoc (see edit history)

[broncovet]

Many thanks to all of you who responded. My son called me today. He is ok, and eats in the same chow hall as the men who got killed.

He asked me to try to get him an ammo belt that holds an M203 shell.

I am very, very disturbed that he can not get the gear he needs for combat. He is in the infantry.

I am going to try to locate this ammo belt, it was not available here at the local military base.

Why is it that we have $24 million to pay in bonuses for VA employees who delay Vetrans claims, but dont have the money to make sure our troops are equipped with the gear they need?

I am livid that he is out there, in a combat situation, without the proper gear he needs. When it is your kid, its worse than when it was when I was in the military personally.

[clark l namias]

I have a son who just got to Iraq about 3 weeks ago. I think he is way, way, way, to green to be in the war. He just joined the Army in October, and now he is in Iraq.

This is the email I got this morning:

"Yesterday, 2 September 2009, our brigade suffered two deaths as a result

of a non-hostile accident. This accident involved the battalion to

which your loved one is assigned. Each Soldier's Next of Kin has been

notified, and we expect public release of the Soldiers' names to follow

soon. We are actively planning a memorial service in coordination with

the forward command. As details are confirmed, we will provide you

additional information. I will also provide you a copy of the official

news release when it is released by the Department of Defense. Our

thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time."

If "next of kin" has been notified, then I guess that is not my son, as I have not been notified. Still, I am pretty stressed about this. I am not blaming the messenger.

I have both a son and a son in law in Iraq right now.

[clark l namias]

please email me his address and i will get get it for him my email is cnamias@comcat.net or just google it. it costs $35.00 my prayers are with im and i think about all are people over their all the time, viet vet 11b/13b 68-69 70-71

[Cavtrooper088]

God Bless your son and all our young service members who are guarding our freedom. Be thinking about you Broncovet

[vmo]

please email me his address and i will get get it for him my email is cnamias@comcat.net or just google it. it costs $35.00 my prayers are with im and i think about all are people over their all the time, viet vet 11b/13b 68-69 70-71

I just got finished reading the bull concerning people posting about politics and religion which I have no interest in reading about on Hadit. *Then you came thru with your offer to help this vet serving in Iraq (bronco's son)----which restores my faith in why we need more people like you on-board Hadit. Thanks for helping make sure this young vet---did not get "left behind on a desert trail".

[carlie]

bronco,

They will be in my thoughts for their safety.

carlie

[clark l namias]

bronco, sorry my email is cnamias@comcast.net i have just be told i have severe ptsd and sometimes i cant think right. but the offer still stands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sharon]

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7

[cowgirl]

Oh Bronco, my family and I too will pray for your son, his troop and the loss of his unit brothers. I almost didn't read this post because of its title, but am thankful I did.

A fathers love like yours is wonderous,

God Bless you and yours.

Cowgirl & family

[broncovet]

Cowgirl...

Thanks..sometimes I needed to hear that I am a good Dad. Allowing him to go to Iraq without the proper gear sometimes makes me wonder.

Clark...

Thank you also for your generous offer. I am going to order his gear and send it to him. It isnt about the money, it is about that I cant beleive our Army sends troops that are not prepared. If he does not have an ammo belt, what else does he not have, a weapon? I just wish I knew a good Army website to get official gear. I dont want to send him "play stuff" which could fail in combat.

All

This "young Vet" is not going to get left behind on this desert trail if I have anything to say about it! I am so disturbed about this, I am considering going to the media. What do you guys think?

[BoonDoc]

I wish the improper gear would make more news time!

My son, on his first tour, had to put old pieces of tin layered and anything else they could find to harden the floor boards of the humves, now driving all over being point man, when they had to convoy,the road roadside IED's took out a lot of friends because of that. I hope the military fixed this by now.

Also, not having proper flak vest, etc. He had a guy blow Himself up 100m in front of him, had he not saw what the guy was going to do he would have been taken out from shrapnel, so He had to buy His own proper body armor & other gear online for the most part. ( he said it wasn't pretty picking up after that.

Have you ever seen those Frog towels sold at sporting goods stores, that you can wet and it stays cool for hours...that would help your son when it's not Winter.

BoonDoc

P.S. your showing that your a good father by sending him what he needs when the military falls short.

Edited September 5, 2009 by BoonDoc (see edit history)

[carlie]

I am considering going to the media. What do you guys think?

bronco,

Yes, I would reach out to the media.

jmho,

carlie

[babyray]

My prayers are w/ your son, your family, and all the troops that are in harms way.

babyray

Edited September 7, 2009 by babyray (see edit history)

[clark l namias]

i am the man who offered to get his belt. i work in a bakery at nights and my boss supports the local uso alot, if you would maybe you can send me his address and will make sure he will get a care pkg full of goodies, also for xmas. !!!!! thanks cnamias@comcast.net :D B) :) :)

[broncovet]

Thank you Clark, for your generous offers to send cookies and a belt to my son in Iraq. Not all deployed troops get regular "care packages" from family and friends like my son, so they are more deserving of your cookies and such. You can even "adopt" a deployed troop, here:

http://www.soldiersangels.org/

Presently, there are 1,311 heroes (deployed troops) waiting adoption.

Edited September 8, 2009 by broncovet (see edit history)

[broncovet]

I am a nervous wreck. 4 more soldiers killed today in Iraq. Altho I am pretty sure my son was not one of them, I am afraid to answer the phone that it will be them, telling me he was one of them. Of course, one of them could also be my son in law, who is in Iraq, but is supposed to come home in 3 weeks. I had to tell someone.......

I just ordered my son an ammo belt, because the one I sent him earlier may not have been the right one according to a friend of mine who is an expert with military weapons.

I just cant beleive that my son does not have the equipment he needs for war, and that he, or in this case I, have to pay for an ammo belt. Something is seriously wrong with our country when troops are required to pay for their own war equipment, and I have to order that stuff online. He cant even order it..he has only extremely limited internet access.

I am lucky to get an email from him once a week...