Conversation with Military Readiness Group : stepson, Iraq

[Mari333]

I finally got a newsletter from the military readiness group..called them today to find out WTF was going on with my stepson at Ft Dix.
"Hi my name is Mrs XXXXXX and my stepson is at Ft Dix, his unit is XXXX and whats going on with his unit?"
Woman on phone: "Cant you make it to the meeting for the familes?"
Me: "No, I live in Michigan Im in a snowstorm. Give me the scuttlebutt, where is my stepson going."
Her: "Iraq".
Me: "WHERE in Iraq, Tikrit? Mosul? Baghdad?"
Her: "They cant tell you."
Me:"I see...will I get an ADDRESS where I can send him packages?"
Her: "Only through the Red Cross"
Me: "How do the soldiers feel about this war in Iraq?"
Her: "They are really pissed. My husband is going and he is pissed. "
(she sounded very young)
Me: "Im against this whole action, so dont expect me to be anything but honest with you about how I feel.."
Her: "WELL...they did sign up...."
Me: "My stepson is a teenager with a gun who doesnt speak Arabic and has no clue as to what he is walking into, plus, he signed up for the weekends in the Reserves..no he did not sign up for a war based on lies and deceptions...nonetheless...I support the troops and want the Bush administration to be exposed for the liars they are"
Her: "Well I dont watch the news."
Me: "I see..so when 7 soldiers were killed today it was too hard to watch?"
Her: "I dont watch the news..it scares me"
Me: "You have any kids?"
Her:"Yes 3 small kids.."
Me: "Are you afraid of your husband dying or being wounded?"
Her :"I dont think about it. I have 3 small kids."
Me: "My husband died in an explosion at work. I was left with 3 small kids so if anything does happen, call me if you want, Im here. I understand."
Her: "And you made it?"
Me: "Yes, I had to stay alive for my kids."
Her: "Okay I wish I could tell you more..I will be sending a newsletter out after all our meetings to keep you and your husband informed as to how his sons unit is, and the status.."
Me: "Fine, thanks...I hope your husband comes home safe..I hope my stepson, my husbands son comes home safe...if he gets hurt or dies, tho, who will contact us?"
Her: "The Red Cross".
Me: "Thank you. Keep us posted."


You know what. I cannot believe I even had that conversation. I still cant wrap my head around the fact my stepson Michael is being sent over there.

God damn, and I am so angry it's beyond my wrapping my head around the anger at this point.

God help the next person who smirks at me about this war.

[Qanisqineq]

1. I understand how you feel

My husband left for Iraq last June and I was living in a separate state at the time. I really didn't know his address until he was able to call me from Iraq. And when he might come home keeps changing. I know how you feel. And many soldiers my husband is serving with are against going to war over Bush's lies.

Hang in there!

[Mari333]

2. Thanks and you hang in there too

we have to believe they will survive this...we have to...((hugs))) to you.......
Now we have to get that lying sack of shit out of office.

[Qanisqineq]

3. Does Bush even care?

about all the violence over there? I hope your stepson ends up in a place with computer access. The last couple months my husband has been able to talk on instant messenger a few times a week! He's near Kirkuk. It makes it sooo much easier!

[Mari333]

4. Oh hell no! *bUsh doesnt give a rats ass he blacksout

everything ....No coverage of the funerals, NO coverage of the bodies at Dover AF base returning home , NO coverage of the wounded, denying Vets benefits, cutting their pay, making overtime non available to them etc etc etc

here what I belong to:
www.mfso.org
www.bringthemhomenow.com

If you need support and are AGAINST this insane quagmire our loved ones are in, these people are it.
I am trying to get a hold of the Center for Constitutional Law in NYC to see if the military families can file a class action lawsuit against the *bUsh admin ..using the RICO laws like the 9/11 families did....
Our loved ones were sent over there under false pretenses. Thats treason. None of those chickenhawks in the *bUsh administration care about our loved ones...they are disposable to them.

[Qanisqineq]

5. Thanks!

You have absolutely no idea how much I am againast this war and against G.Dubya! I couldn't make it through his SOTU address, he gives me the creeps and I thought I was gonna throw up. I feel pretty alone though because I am not near any other women/men with a spouse in Iraq. I am no where near a military base and no where near my own family.

Thanks for the URL's. Hopefully they'll help me deal with my extreme anger over this all!

[Mari333]

6. You can email Nancy at mfso

her son is in Iraq..her email is on the website..they are wonderful people and will give you tons of support..you can get on their email list , they do a lot..
I have to have someone to call and Im trying to start a military family support group here in town...Luckily theres a minister here who is very anti war, so he will start it..
I also stand on the street corner every Friday and protest this, with pics of all the dead soldiers and my stepsons pic..it seems we are getting NO coverage..did you know hundreds of military families protested during the SOTU address in front of the WH that night and NO NEWS MEDIA covered it? Not on any of the channels..they are blacking us all out...
There will be a protest at Dover AF base on March 14...I hope its covered...I call C Span and yell at them about it..
Coverage of the soldiers and their families is something *bUsh doesnt want anyone to see....

[never cry wolf]

7. Hang in there both of you

With those wonderful support groups Mari linked and DU neither of you is alone. Please, both of you let your loved ones serving know that we here at DU deeply appreciate their service (as mis-guided as the purpose is) and thet we back the troops all the way!! I pray all will make it home safe.

Oh, welcome to DU, Toliana!!! You are with friends here.

:hi:

[Mari333]

8. Yes Toliana welcome

This is a fine and good forum, with good people, who are kind and compassionate. There are many good and powerful people on here. Id lose my mind if I couldnt come here daily.

[lostnfound]

9. Thanks for sharing. You are a fine person, Mari333.

May your stepson stay out of harm's way.

How eerie that conversation must have been for you.

Your voice adds a lot to DU.

This is a cross you are bearing, tension between two worlds. It is a hard place to be. All of our lives are woven together like threads in a fabric, and you are holding pieces together that you can't imagine. Pieces that you may never even see.

May God hold you and give you strength; may you find peace filling up the holes in your heart that worry leaves behind.

This war is madness, but maybe there is meaning right in the spot where you are standing.

[DUreader]

10. kick

[watercolors]

11. understand how you feel

my grandson also on his way in Feb. He has no idea where he will be, no information, all he can say is the big sandbox. I want to scream, cry and hurt someone at this point. My daughter and husband are in limbo trying to deal with this. He is only 19, joined the AF for an education they promised him, in air traffic control, so three months later he is in danger, not school! He is regretting his enlistment.