Woooo Freedom! Thank you Veterans!

What is it like to see your husband for the first time in 7 months?

For me, the weeks and days leading up to the big day, Homecoming, were filled with what can be best described as a roller coaster of emotions (oh wait... that was the entire 7 months he was gone, lol).  One minute, I would be jumping up and down excited, the next... it was really just another day.  I kept myself busy/ distracted most of the time because I knew if I focused only on Homecoming Day, it would NEVER get here.  Assuming you were as enthusiastic about Christmas and Santa as I was as a kid, go back to that inner 6 year old on Christmas Eve and multiply by a million = best description of pre-Homecoming feelings I can come up with.

How I Kept Myself Distracted:

Friday, October 8

Happy Surprise Birthday Honey G.!!!

Saturday, October 9

Semper Fi 5K with Chandler

Benefiting Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

Chandler 40/158 Females (28:06)

Me 71/158 Females (31:37)

My first 5K and NO training = not bad if I do say so myself

Sunday, October 10

Apple and Pumpkin Picking at Baugher's in MD

  

Friday, October 15

Engagement Party for Kim and JD!!!

Congratulations and Much Love!

Sunday, October 17

Flight to CA!!!

Thanks to Brittney for letting me hold down her couch in Newport Beach for a few days.
Great food, amazing company and a good distraction from the countdown.

Distraction to include: BOBCAT encounter on my run.  Thank goodness Mrs. Bobcat was more interested in the bunny rabbits running around than this girl.

Tuesday, October 18

Road trip from Newport Beach to Twentynine Palms!  Woo hooo!

I took the trip slowly and stopped in Palm Springs on my way.

Once arriving in 29 I kept myself busy treating myself to dinner and making Welcome Home signage =). 

(Future Note to Self: Shower curtain liner is much easier to paint than a sheet although I must say, I surpassed my ar-tist skills.)

Wednesday, October 20

HOMECOMING

I tired to make the day as normal as possible.  I treated myself to a nice long breakfast, a run and some gym time.  Being the only girl in a gym on a Marine Corps Base = priceless.  I hung the Welcome Home signs I made (key to not letting the wind ruin your signage - put the zip ties not only on the corners, but also in various inside portions of the sheet/shower curtain liner as well).  I even managed to squeeze in an appointment at the DEERS office to update my military id with my new name in the hour I had to kill before the buses rolled in.

The local radio station was tracking the buses journey from March Air Force Base to Twentynine Palms encouraging folks to line the roads and Welcome Home 3/7!

A military homecoming is an overwhelmingly happy/awesome experience to be a part of; I am privileged to have been a part of several.  Definitely should be on every America's bucket list.  Even if you don't have a direct connection to a Marine/ Soldier - GO.  Watching a Marine meet his new baby boy/girl for the first time is indescribable... I get choked up just writing about it.

Several of 3/7s wounded Marines (even a few that had been wounded a few short weeks before) were there to Welcome Home their brothers as well.  AWESOME.

Since it rained the two days prior (who knew it rained in the dessert), our Homecoming was in a gym.  It wasn't until I parked my car and started walking inside that I finally let the excitement really set in and boy did it!  Once the buses were through Main Gate, the Marines were taken to the armory to check in their weapons (I only know this because luckily, I was texting with Parks the whole time). 

It's when the trucks of gear show up and start being unloaded that the reality that they are home sets in even more and the suspense mounts!

Knowing Mr. Parks all too well, I knew he would be the last one off the bus (no way would he allow himself to go inside before his Marines).  I sent him a text telling him that I would be standing towards the back of the crowd welcome line (think Tiger Walk set up minus the barricades for you AU fans) near the moon bounce.  Since it was just me (all of our friends were on later flights), I was my own cameraman/ videographer and decided that video would be the best chance for me to capture the moment.

Suddenly, the cheering, crying and jumping up and down began and one by one, the precious faces of those who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice began walking through the door. 

One by one Marines walked through the crowd to their families.  Hug after hug after hug - embraces of, "I am never letting you go again" all around me, but still no Parks.  I made a sign and wore heels in an effort to make my shorty self visible in the crowd.  Noting my sign and clearly my anxious face, Marines started assuring me, "ma'am Lt. Parks is coming."  My eyes were filled to the brim and my heart was racing as I anxiously stood on my tippy toes trying to catch the first glimpse.  All of a sudden I saw our friend Lt. Brewster standing at the doorway point towards me.  I dropped my camera* and ran... so much for getting that first footage of Parks.  I got footage of everyone else though - hahaha.

It's funny - as soon as he was back, it felt like he never left.

*No cameras were damaged in the making of this Welcome Home moment.  Thank goodness for camera wristlets.

WELCOME HOME 3/7!!!

WELCOME HOME LTs!!!

Abuzeid

Dzierzak
Fontanetta

Kilcullen

Madden

Schick

Wopschall

The LTs on this poster are all living/ storing their stuff in the same house.
I didn't leave anyone off =)

Lucky Lima, Welcome Home!

Welcome Home 3/7 Lima Co...

TODAY!!!

Oh Happy Day!

A week ago today a strange number called my cell phone =).  

Even after 6 weeks, I knew right away who's voice I was hearing on the other end!  I finally got a phone call from Chris (I had gotten a few short e-mails from him for the first time in 5 weeks, the week before)!  You would think a crazy intense wave of emotion would have come over me and it did... eventually.  Part of our conversation went a little something like this:

Chris (laughing/ surprised tone of voice): Why aren't you crying?

Me (who in situations like this would usually be balling crying): I am not really sure... I think I am in shock right now.  I mean, I have not heard your voice in almost six and half weeks.... talking to you right now is surreal... I can cry if you want me to?  Hahahaha.

Chris: Hahahaha, no no no, you don't have to cry.  (He doesn't like when I cry, even if it's happy tears.)

Talking Talking Talking

Me: Sooooo, is it going to be another 6 weeks before I hear your voice again?

Chris: I will hopefully be home by then.*

OH HAPPY DAY!

*We still do not have an exact homecoming date.  Mid to end of October is the projected time frame, but as I learned early on with the Marine Corps, things such as flight dates can change often... and they usually do.  Hopefully we will have an exact date soon, but regardless, homecoming will be here before we know it!!!

I am happy to report that we had a nice long 15 minute conversation via sat (satellite) phone before it cut out.  He was able to call me back and we chatted for at least another 10 minutes =).*  

*Not the norm apparently; I have heard horror stories of sat phones dropping calls every 2 minutes or so.

I am thankful for my 25 minutes that was only interrupted once =).

Chris sounded great; sounded a little tired, but in good spirits as always!

Yay America!!!

Iron Bowl 2006
Auburn 22 Bama 15

PS: I did cry my happy tears... several times since last Tuesday =)

American Bad Ass and Auburn Grad

I had the privilege of hanging out with Daniel several times when he was in DC recovering.  

He said he would get back to his fellow soldiers.

He did.

War Eagle.

Wounded in Iraq, double-amputee returns to war

By TODD PITMAN, Associated Press Writer

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100925/ap_on_re_as/as_afghan_amputee_soldier

Sat Sep 25, 6:13 pm ET

ASHOQEH, Afghanistan – When a bomb exploded under Dan Luckett's Army Humvee in Iraq two years ago — blowing off one of his legs and part of his foot — the first thing he thought was: "That's it. You're done. No more Army for you."

But two years later, the 27-year-old Norcross, Georgia, native is back on duty — a double-amputee fighting on the front lines of America's Afghan surge in one of the most dangerous parts of this volatile country.

Luckett's remarkable recovery can be attributed in part to dogged self-determination. But technological advances have been crucial: Artificial limbs today are so effective, some war-wounded like Luckett are not only able to do intensive sports like snow skiing, they can return to active duty as fully operational soldiers. The Pentagon says 41 American amputee veterans are now serving in combat zones worldwide.

Luckett was a young platoon leader on his first tour in Iraq when an explosively formed penetrator — a bomb that hurls an armor-piercing lump of molten copper — ripped through his vehicle on a Baghdad street on Mother's Day 2008.

His Humvee cabin instantly filled with heavy gray smoke and the smell of burning diesel and molten metal. Luckett felt an excruciating pain and a "liquid" — his blood — pouring out of his legs. He looked down and saw a shocking sight: his own left foot sheared off above the ankle and his right boot a bloody mangle of flesh and dust.

Still conscious, he took deep breaths and made a deliberate effort to calm down.

A voice rang out over the radio — his squad leader checking in.

"1-6, is everybody all right?" the soldier asked, referring to Luckett's call-sign.

"Negative," Luckett responded. "My feet are gone."

He was evacuated by helicopter to a Baghdad emergency room, flown to Germany, and six days after the blast, he was back in the U.S.

As his plane touched down at Andrew's Air Force Base, he made a determined decision. He was going to rejoin the 101st Airborne Division any way he could.

For the first month at Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Luckett was bound to a wheelchair. He hated the dependence that came with it. He hated the way people changed their voice when they spoke to him — soft and sympathetic.

He wondered: how long is THIS going to last? Will I be dependent on others for the rest of my life?

At night, he dreamed of walking on two legs.

When he woke, only the stump of his left leg was there, painfully tender and swollen.

His family wanted to know, is this going to be the same Dan?

He assured them he was.

Luckett was fortunate in one sense. His wounds had been caused not by shrapnel, but the projectile itself, which made a relatively clean cut. That meant no complications — no joint or nerve damage or bone fractures.

His right foot was sheered across his metatarsals, the five long bones before the toes. Doctors fitted it with a removable carbon fiber plate that runs under the foot and fills the space where toes should be with hardened foam.

His left leg was a far bigger challenge.

In early July, Luckett strapped into a harness, leaned on a set of parallel bars, and tried out his first prosthetic leg.

It felt awkward, but he was able to balance and walk.

The next day, Luckett tried the leg on crutches — and tried to walk out the door.

"They were like, 'You gotta' give the leg back,'" Luckett said of his therapists. After a brief argument, they grudgingly gave in. "They said, 'If you're gonna be that hard-headed about it, do it smart, don't wear it all the time.'"

By February 2009, he had progressed so far, he could run a mile in eight minutes.

He rejoined his unit at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and told his battalion commander he wanted to return to duty "only if I could be an asset, not a liability," he recalled.

Months later, he passed a physical fitness test to attain the Expert Infantryman's Badge. It required running 12 miles (19 kilometers) in under three hours with a 35-pound (16-kilogram) backpack. It was a crucial moment, Luckett said, "because I knew if I can get this badge, then there's nothing they can say that I'm not capable of doing."

The Army agreed, and promoted him to captain.

In May, he deployed to Afghanistan.

On his first patrol, wearing 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of gear and body armor, Luckett slipped and fell down. But when he looked around, everybody else was falling, too.

The region around his outpost at Ashoqeh, just west of the provincial capital of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, is surrounded by irrigation trenches and 4-foot (1.2-meter) high mud walls that grapes grow over. Troops must traverse the treacherous terrain to avoid bombs on footpaths.

Capt. Brant Auge, Luckett's 30-year-old company commander, said Luckett was as capable as every soldier in his company, and treated no different.

"He's a soldier who just happens to be missing a leg," said Auge, who is from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. "He tries to play it down as much as possible, he doesn't like to bring a lot of attention to it."

On one of those early patrols, Luckett took to a knee and his pants leg rode up a little bit, revealing the prosthetic limb to a shocked group of Afghan soldiers nearby, Auge said. One gave him the nickname, the "One-legged Warrior of Ashoqeh."

Beside his cramped bunk-bed, the 185-pound (84-kilogram), 5-foot-11 (1.80-meter) Luckett keeps prosthetic legs for different tasks, each with a carbon fiber socket that attaches to his thigh.

One is fitted with a tennis shoe for running, another a boot. One, made of aluminum so it won't rust, has a waterproof black Croc for showering. The most important leg though, he saves for patrols. It is made with a high-tech axle that allows him to move smoothly over uneven terrain. His squad leader painted its toenails purple.

Luckett's prothesis is often a source of good humor — most often generated by Luckett himself.

Some joke of his advantage of having little to lose if he steps on a mine. "That's always a big one," he said, "but the reality is, you don't want to step on an IED (bomb) because you enjoy living and you want stay living. The fear is no different than any other soldier."

Before heading to Afghanistan, Auge said Luckett had an as yet untried "master plan" to upset the insurgents.

Troops would have Luckett step on a mine and blow his fake leg off. He'd then look up at the trigger man while whipping a replacement leg over his shoulder and slipping it on.

"Then he would flip them off," Auge said, "and keep on walking."

___

Associated Press Writer Anne Gearan in Washington contributed to this report.

Looking Good Solider

Hot Off the Presses!

Still have not heard from Chris, but word on the street is he is doing well!

Thank you Gunny Lacy for your great work keeping the fb page updated and for snapping this pic. =)!

War Eagle

3.5 weeks and counting buuuut...

Soooo it's been 3.5 weeks since I heard from Chris last.  I "knew" the last time we spoke that the lull in communication was coming, but it doesn't make it any more fun.  To be honest after week 1.5, the worry was significantly trumped by, "I just want to hear his darn voice" which took affect and continues to rein.  No news, is good news =).

Oh, and I officially 100% stay away from googling Afghanistan news articles... well maybe not 100%, but I would say a good 85%.  A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do to sleep at night.  For the record, if there is an article you find via your own google ventures, never hesitate to send to me because there is a 99.9% chance that I already found it (even with my reduction in googling) or it's only a matter of time until I do =).

I decided this evening to dabble/ try and pick back up my love for Brian Williams and NBC Nightly news... lasted for about five minutes.  It's not that I am avoiding reality - trust me, I am aware of what's going on in the world, I would just rather read it via my own inner voice than hear it via someone who gets paid for their "mastering" (depends on the network) in tone of voice (not knocking the talent by any means, I fully appreciate it and if I do say so, myself can be pretty good at myself when necessary).  

I am sure everyone has read or seen on the news today (and everyday) - the reports on the number of American's who continue to give make the ultimate sacrifice.  (A report that I fully appreciate and think is absolutely necessary.)  

I understand that it's the media's job to "report" and attempt to do so in a "bipartisan/unbiased" fashion (which we all know is rarely the case) and, in my opinion, regardless of what your views are of the wars in Afghanistan/ Iraq if there is one issue that can be given good heart felt bipartisan/unbiased coverage, it's "supporting our troops."  Not supporting the war, supporting our troops.

For the record, I realize my usage of "it's a bipartisan issue" is fully loaded and it can be argued 10,000 ways as to why it is or why it's not a bipartisan issue (trust me I would be happy to give it a go), but my point or question is - the media sticks it's bipartisan/unbiased tone wherever it sees fit (sarcasm) - would it really be all that difficult to report the number of American's who continue to give make the ultimate sacrifice and end with something like, "thank you for allowing us to keep protecting our freedom" instead of just moving right along? 

Just a thought.

Back to the main reason for my post - 3.5 weeks (since I heard from Chris last) and counting buuuuut... no news, is good news and a happy note: today was the official last day to ship packages!  I use an "!" because that means we will be getting a more narrowed down home coming window soon!!!  Hooray Hooray Hooray!  

Thank you soooo verrrryyyy MUCH for sending packages - it truly keeps them going.  If you have sent packages within the last month, rest assured he has probably gotten them/ will get them.  I will inquire and let you know when I hear his precious voice again (yes, Marines are precious when their wives say so =)). 

It's sleepy time.  Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great night!

~Elizabeth

Geeeeeeting Closer!

Happy Tuesday!

Although, it's been two weeks since I have heard from Chris (no news, is good news), I got the package cutoff date, which meannnnnnsssssss we should be getting a "coming home" date soon!  Hooray!!!

Please send all packages prior to September first.  Any mail received in country after September 15 will be forwarded to the states.

Mail is truly a part of what keeps them going =).

THANKS to EVERYONE for sending packages the past couple of months!

Have a great night!

Weekly Update Is Back!

Sorry for making you squint.  I am still trying to figure out how to better enlarge the image below.

 

For better viewing check out the facebook group: 3rd Battalion 7th Marines, The Cutting Edge.

Chris is with Lima Company.

3/7 Rockin' It

Afghan soldiers, Company K Marines patrol through Sangin

Article Link: http://dvidshub.net/news/54503/afghan-soldiers-company-k-marines-patrol-through-sangin

Regimental Combat Team-2, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs

Story by Cpl. Ned Johnson

Date: 08.13.2010

Posted: 08.13.2010 02:43

News ID: 54503

SANGIN, Afghanistan – The morning started with a huge explosion as a platoon crossed a creek into unexplored territory.

With heavily armored vehicles as their guide, Marines with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, cleared several compounds, looking for improvised explosive devices and signs of insurgent activity.

Marines patrolled the unknown area alongside the Afghan National Army and placed the ANA soldiers at the front to help them establish a relationship with the people.

“Our mission was to push further into enemy territory, show our force, and clear compounds known to be used by the Taliban,” said Lance Cpl. Brennan O’Boyle, an infantryman with Company K, 3rd Bn., 7th Marines.

“Whenever we went into a compound that was occupied, we made sure to send the ANA first,” said Staff Sgt. Armando Hopkins, a platoon sergeant with Company K, 3rd Bn., 7th Marines. “We want the people to see that the ANA is here to help them, which means the Marines are also here to help.”

With Marines tracking closely behind, the ANA came to the first compound.


“We found nothing in the first compound, but after we had been there for a few minutes, two rocket propelled grenades were fired at us,” O’Boyle said.

Not long after the rockets were fired, that compound became worth the risk.

“While we were there, a male who lived in the house told us he knew where a Taliban safe house was located,” said O’Boyle, a 23-year-old native of Chicago.

After the first compound was clear, the Marines continued on to more compounds. A few compounds later, the mission would pay off.

“In one of the compounds we found several improvised explosive devices,” O’Boyle said. “There were multiple artillery rounds that were filled with homemade explosives and primed.”

The IEDs were not wired to explode, but stored like a weapons cache, according to Hopkins.

“We were able to destroy the devices and monitor that compound with future patrols”, Hopkins said.

Moments later, an ground-shaking controlled detonation rocked nearby compounds. This startled the Marines but they continued to push forward. Throughout the day Marines came upon more compounds and continued to clear.

With each compound cleared and relationships established with a few locals, ANA soldiers and Marines headed back to base.

Marines had inspected the compounds for insurgent activity, but that was not the only goal of the mission.

“We also checked the compounds to make sure they were not booby-trapped for the safety of the people and Afghan National Army,” said Hopkins, a 26-year-old native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Hopkins said the mission was a success, but it won’t be the last time Marines clear that area.
“We are still going to police the area,” said O’Boyle. “We want to keep the locals happy and safe as best we can.”

It's Not Official...

Until you have a Wedding (vow renewal) Website!

http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/ElizabethCourtmanParks&ChrisParks

A Month in Pictures =)

Hello blogger friends!  I hope everyone is doing well this, Wednesday, August 11!  Phew, another summer month down, but I can officially say 2 month(ish) until Chris gets back!  Whoooo!  As was the month of June, the month of July proved to be … hmmm… never a dull moment …

July 1: My Birthday!!!


A week full of celebration: Aqua al 2, Art and Soul, Strawberry Cake, Cantina Marina, Cap Lounge, Uncle Julio's, Clarendon Ballroom.


Thanks to all of my amazing family and friends for making turning the big 2-6 fabulous!

July 8 - 12: Mom and Em Came to Visit!!!


Nats Game, Natural History Museum, VIPs at the Marine Corps Evening Parade, Getting Organized, Shopping and best of all Love Love Love.

July 12

Happy: Dinner and catching up with a friend in town from Auburn.

Sad: Thanks to a torrential downpour and a drain that could not handle the flood behind my apartment, my apartment flooded...

Happy: None of my stuff (with the exception of few suitcases) was damaged

AND

I don't have nearly as much stuff as I thought I did considering everything I own (with the exception of a few pieces of furniture) fit in my bathroom and my kitchen.

Special thanks to Honey G. and K. Chandler for giving me a place to live during the week I was homeless =).

July 17 
Friend's Birthday Party on a Rooftop Overlooking the Capitol.
Best view in the city.  
I love when this city humbles me =)

July 19
New Carpet!!!  

July 18
A jump start, a new tire, a new alternator and a new serpentine belt all in one day!
  
I now know allllll about my alternator/ serpentine belt because I would not let them work on my car until they explained ever single detail to me.  


Happy to share my new found knowledge =)

July 20

A 3 hour Urgent Care experience (I developed a sinus infection/ cough at some point) that you probably would not believe if I told you... 

A Glimpse: 

The Doctor saw me and then sent me for a chest x-ray... she said she would be right back to give me my prescription... she needed to run to the bank...

July 23
Dave Matthews Band at Nats Stadium
Floor "seats" Ruled!!!
***Photo taken by yours truly, pretty proud of myself =)***

July 27
New Orleans for Work

July 28 - 31
Home to Fairhope for Vow Renewal/ Party Planning 2011!

August 1

Flight from P'Cola Delayed 2 Hours.

Finally board the plane and take off.

Mid ascent and shortly after a strange noise...
flight attendant SPRINTS from the back of the plane to the front...

My heart stops and the two men sitting in front of me look at each other and almost simultaneously say, "that's not good."

Context Clues:  Flight Attendants briskly walk back down the aisle with stacks of napkins - HUGE sigh of relief, clearly someone was sick however, not nearly that cut and dry...

Long Story Short:
After the Flight Attendant's panicked request over the intercom, "is there a Doctor on board, we have a sick passenger,"

the flight (headed for Charlotte) was diverted to ATL for an emergency landing because of sick passenger,

Then Discovery: sick passenger is not only on tons of meds and weighing all of 110lbs, but she also downed 3 White Russians during the 2 hour delay in P'Cola,

Emergency diversion to ATL - Cancelled
We finally made it to Charlotte where I sprinted to make my flight back to DCA, but I made it =)

Ahh the joys of travel these days...

At least I had plenty to keep my mind off of Chris =)?

Whoooo for only having a few more months until he gets back!

From CO and Sgt Major

****I have edited portions of the letters below for security reasons, but I am happy to share the edited content with those that are interested just shoot me an e-mail.***

Chris is with Lima Co.

From the Battalion Commander: 

Hello 3/7 Families:

Since the last letter I wrote, the battalion has been assigned a new area to conduct operations. The battalion’s new area is around ****.  Our mission remains the same: in partnership with Afghan Army forces, we provide security to the honest Afghan civilians who are trying to live a life without being strong-armed by insurgent forces.  The men have worked hard and have succeeded in moving equipment, vehicles, sustainment goods, and alike over a large distance to our new operating area. When fighting is required, your men have displayed the highest levels of bravery I have witnessed in combat.  Sergeant Major Black and I are proud to walk amongst the men in all the companies’ operating areas as they continue to display a high level of professionalism and proficiency.

Lima Company has been operating in another area for the past month and I am happy to report they will be moving and rejoining us in our new area in early August.  I continue to receive praise on the performance and professionalism of Lima Company by leaders of units they have worked alongside.  

I know the communication with home continues to be a challenge.  Most of your Marines and sailors are operating in an expeditionary manner and have been laser-focused on the mission.  I have the upmost confidence that spouses and parents understand this challenge and will be patient as we are working on acquiring more phones once the men get some rest and refit time.  I thank you all for your strength, your commitment, and for all that you do while your loved ones are deployed.      

Men in this battalion have given their lives for the freedom of our country.  I tell you with pride that the men of this battalion are more committed to the mission than ever and they continue to press on with resilience.  I have never been as honored in my life as I am to be associated with the warriors of this battalion.  Until they return, know that the Marines and sailors of 3/7 will continue to do great things here in Afghanistan.

Semper Fidelis,

LtCol Clay Tipton

 

From Sgt Major: 

Hello Friends and Family of 3/7,

Where to start? The battalion has been very busy this past month or so. We have moved to ****, another place that needs our attention, and have been involved in some significant operations that have spread us over a very large piece of the country. The Marines have performed superbly during this time and it is not surprising they are none the worse for wear.

For the folks back home, time should be ticking by pretty fast now. The next big goal for all of you is Labor Day weekend, the start of school and the end of summer. Before long, we will begin to see Marines being sent home on the advance party to prepare the battalion for its return and to send some of our great Marines to schools to prepare the battalion for the next training cycle.

It is during these last couple months, that I encourage everyone to take an interest in making preparations for our return. Lori has information that will help guide everyone through this time and I highly encourage everyone to take the time to read some literature or if possible to attend some classes on what to experience when we get home. For the families and wives that have not experienced a deployment before, there are some unique and humorous things that occur when Marines get home.  Something as simple as watching TV will appear to be the most amazing thing the Marines have ever seen. You may catch your Marine gazing for long periods of time at the tube with their mouth wide open and completely speechless. Try not to interfere or you may startle them and interrupt the moment. There is also some emotional transition as the Marines will be changing from seeing other Marines 24 hrs a day to seeing you. This is a welcome time and what we all look forward most to.

I have waited until now to begin to talk about the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. For many, this is a wonderful and fulfilling experience. The time to celebrate the birth of our Corps is one of the longest and most cherished traditions we have. It is a time to celebrate our history, our fighting spirit and our appreciation for the patriotic deeds and sacrifices of our Corps. This year the Ball will have a significant undertone as a Homecoming and a celebration for the sacrifices some of our Marines have made during this deployment. We have gone all out for the Ball this year by having it a Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.  We have also worked very hard at keeping the cost low and Cesar’s Palace has worked to make a truly memorable experience for all.  Lori and GySgt Smith will be putting out more information on the website pertaining to the Ball, but rest assured, the Marines are overwhelmed with excitement to attend this special evening with their loved ones and with their fellow warriors that they have endured a very challenging and arduous deployment with. I am sure that we will all have a wonderful time.

Lastly, I would like to remind everyone that although the days until we get home are getting shorter, there is work to be done both here and at home. We will be working very hard right up until the time we come home. Lt. Col Tipton and I are impressed everyday with the performance of these great young American’s. Their endurance and mission focus is unmatched. We ask that you continue to provide them with encouragement.

See you all soon.

SgtMaj Black