GOT  YOUR  BACK

by Autumn Parker

I am a small and precious child, my dad's been sent to fight.
The only place I'll see his face is in my dreams at night.
He will be gone too many days for my young mind to keep track.
I may be sad, but I am proud.
My daddy's got your back.

 
I am a caring mother, my son has gone to war.
My mind is filled with worries that I have never known before.
Everyday I try to keep my thoughts from turning black.
I may be scared, but I am proud.
My son has got your back.

 
I am a strong and loving wife, with a husband soon to go.
There are times I'm terrified in a way most never know.
I bite my lip, and force a smile as I watch my husband pack.
My heart may break, but I am proud.
My husband's got your back.

 
I am a Soldier, serving proudly... standing tall.
I fight for freedom, yours and mine, by answering this call.
I do my job while knowing, the thanks it sometimes lacks.
Say a prayer that I'll come home,
IT'S ME WHO'S GOT YOUR BACK!!!

 

MILITARY WIVES  www.armywives.com/

ARMY WIVES   www.armywives.com/

MARINE WIVES  www.marinewives.com/

NAVY WIVES  www.navywives.com/

AIR FORCE WIVES www.airforcewives.com/

COAST GUARD WIVES   www.coastguardwives.com

RESERVE WIVES  www.reservewives.com/

MILITARY HUSBANDS  www.militaryhusbands.com/

 I Am A Military Wife
Author Unknown

I am a military wife - a member of that sisterhood of women who have had the courage to watch their men go into battle, and the strength to survive until their return. Our sorority knows no rank, for we earn our membership with a marriage license, travelling over miles, or over nations to begin a new life with our military husbands. Within days, we turn a barren, echoing building into a home, and though our quarters are inevitably white-walled and unpapered, we decorate with the treasures of our travels, for we shop the markets of the globe.

Using hammer and nail, we tack our pictures to the wall, and our roots to the floor as firmly as if we had lived there for a lifetime. We hold a family together by the bootstraps, and raise the best of 'brats', instilling in them the motto: "Home is togetherness", whether motel, or guest house, apartment or duplex. As military wives we soon realize that the only good in "Good-bye" is the "Hello again". For as salesmen for freedom, our husbands are often on the road, at sea, or in the sky, leaving us behind for a week, a month, an assignment.

During separations we guard the home front, existing until the homecoming. Unlike our civilian counterparts, we measure time, not by years, but by tours - married at Petawawa, a baby born at Gagetown, a special anniversary at Uplands, a promotion in St Jean. We plant trees, and never see them grow tall, work on projects completed long after our departure, and enhance our community for the betterment of those who come after us.

We leave a part of ourselves at every stop. Through experience, we have learned to pack a suitcase, a car or hold baggage, and live indefinitely from the contents within: and though our fingers are sore from the patches we have sewn, and the silver we have shined, our hands are always ready to help those around us. Women of peace, we pray for a world in harmony, for the flag that leads our men into battle, will also blanket them in death.

Yet we are an optimistic group, thinking of the good, and forgetting the bad, cherishing yesterday, while anticipating tomorrow. Never rich by monetary standards, our hearts are overflowing with a wealth of experiences common only to those united by the special tradition of military life. We pass on this legacy to every military bride, welcoming her with outstretched arms, with love and friendship, from one sister to another, sharing in the bounty of our unique, fulfilling military way of life.

 

Letter to a Military Spouse ~ Melissa G. Bouldin-Reeves ~ MilitaryPrideNews

Letter to a Military Spouse
While I have never had the pleasure of meeting you or your husband, I felt the need to write you and express a very deep feeling that I have in my heart.

I, as a person, am not brave. I do not tackle things head on, as I hate confrontation. I will travel 100 miles out of my way just to avoid a conflict. I am an American woman that has no idea what is going on in the military other than what I hear on the news.

I have never had to let go of someone so that they could go fight for people that they didn't know, people that sometimes do not appreciate or understand what they are fighting for.

I have never had a sleepless night of worry because of a report that another bomb has exploded and I still haven't heard from my husband.

I have never had to wait for months on end to hold the one that I loved so.

I have never had to tell my children that daddy wasn't coming home tonight because he was so far away fighting for something that they aren't yet old enough to understand.

I have never had to hold my head high and suppress the tears as I hear that it will be at least another six months of separation before my loved one gets to come home.

I have never had to deal with a holiday away from the one that I thought I would share every day of my life with.

And I have never had to feel the panic rising in my heart at the sound of a ringing phone or knock at the door for fear that it is the news that everyone is terrified of getting.

For the reasons listed above, I can not tell you that I understand how you feel. I can not tell you that you must be strong. I can not say that you shouldn't be angry, because you "knew what you were getting into when you married a military man". I can not say these things because I have never had to walk in your shoes.

What I can say for certain is that because of your unselfish acts of bravery and your husband's willingness to stand up for those who see him as "just another soldier" - - I will never have to walk in your shoes.

I do understand that as a military wife you are expected to uphold a certain amount of control, but I never understood how you could do it, until now. I have figured out that you are not like other women. You are of a special breed. You have a strength within you that holds life together in the darkest of hours, a strength in which I will never possess. The faith you have is what makes you stand out in a crowd; it makes you glow with emotion and swell with pride at the mention of The United States of America.

You are a special lady, a wonderful partner and a glorious American.

I have more respect for your husband than I could ever tell you, but until recently I never thought much about those that the soldier leaves at home during deployment.

Until this moment I could never put into words exactly what America meant to me.

Until this moment, I had no real reason to.... Until I heard of you.

Your husband and his military family hold this nation close, safe from those who wish to hurt us...but you and those like you are the backbone of the American family. You keep the wheels in motion and the hearts alive while most would just break completely down. Military families make this nation what it is today.
You give us all hope and you emit a warming light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

Because of you and your family...I am able to be me. I am able to have my family. I am able to walk free in this great land. Because of you and your family, I can look ahead to the future with the knowledge that life is going to be okay. Because of you and your family, I can awake to a new day, everyday.

I realize that you are a stronger person than I will ever be because of these things and I just wanted to take the time today to say thank you t o you and your family for allowing me that freedom.

I will never be able to repay this debt to you, as it is unmatchable. However, I hope that you know that no matter where you are...what you are doing...what has happened today...or what will happen tomorrow...Your husband will NEVER be "just another soldier" to me.... And you dear sweet lady, will never be forgotten.

You are all in my prayer's everyday and I pray that God will bring you back together with your loved one safely.

May God Bless You!


Sincerely,

Melissa G. Bouldin-Reeves
Tennessee



 

Sisterhood

By Debbie Guisti



I am an Army Wife- A member of that sisterhood of women who have had the courage to watch their men march into battle and the strength to survive until they return. Our sorority knows no rank for we earn our membership with a marriage license, traveling over miles or over nations to begin a new life with our soldier husbands.

Within days, we turn a barren, echoing building into a home, and though our quarters are inevitably white walled and unpapered, we decorate with the treasures of our travels for we shop the markets of the globe. Using hammer and nails, we tack our pictures to the wall, and our roots to the floor as firmly as if we had lived there for a lifetime. We hold a family together by the bootstraps and raise the best of "brats", instilling into them the motto, "Home is Togetherness," whether motel, guest house, apartment, or duplex.

As Army Wives, we soon realize that the only good in "good-bye" is the "hello-again." For as salesmen for freedom, our husbands are often on the road, leaving us behind for a week, a month, an assignment. During the separation, we guard the home front, existing till the homecoming.

Unlike our civilian counterparts, we measure time, not by age, but by tours-married at Knox, a baby born at Bliss, a promotion in Missouri. We plant trees and never see them grew tall, work on projects completed long after our departure, and enhance our community for the betterment of those who come after us. We leave part of us at every stop.

Through experience, we have learned to pack a suitcase, a car, or hold baggage, and live indefinitely from the contents within, and though our fingers are sore from the patches we have sewn and the silver we have shined, our hands are always ready to help those around us.

Women of peace, we pray for a world in harmony, for the flag, that leads our men into battle will also blanket them in death. Yet we are an optimistic group, thinking of the good and forgetting the bad, cherishing yesterday while anticipating tomorrow.

Never rich by monetary standards, our hearts are overflowing with a wealth of experiences common only to those united by the special tradition of military life. We pass our legacy to every Army bride, welcoming with outstretched arms, with love and friendship, from one sister to another, sharing the bounty of our unique, fulfilling Army way of life.

 

 

The Silent Patriot

Author Unknown

 

A woman for all seasons
A woman for today.
She grows to meet the challenges
And grows along the way.


Her life is not an easy one
With many loads to bear.
She proudly serves with her husband
Yet the uniform he wears.


Although she didn't take the oath
To preserve democracy
She's there each day on the home front
To keep our country free.


She's foreign-born or a country girl,
Diversity you will find.
But to be a Military wife
It takes a special kind.


She's one who keeps on going
Through adversity and pain.
She's the steady, strong foundation
When nothing stays the same.


She's the one who sheds a tear
As Old Glory passes by,
But couldn't give an answer
If you were to ask her why.


Throughout the years, she marches on
Through tears and joy and strife.
She's America's unsung hero-
She's a Military wife.

 

Here We Go Again         
Author unknown


 How many times have I thought that..Here we go again! It seems like we just got here! I don't want to move! I can't do this again! I don't want to leave the friends I just made! I don't want the kids to have to start over!

 Yep! Here we go again!

We have two choices...we can either be Happy or Miserable. I choose the be Happy.And like other military wives the world over, I learn all about the New Post we are going to. I will even make it sound better than it really is, anything to keep the kids happy. I can make any house a home, make the husband and kids happy..but I have to keep ME happy.

When the kids were little, we had just moved to a new post. I didn't know anyone, missing all the friends I had just left. I was miserable, stuck at home while Tom was off doing what soldiers do. I decided then , I have to be more than Tom's wife, more than the kids Mom. I am a Stay at Home Mom by choice, I wouldn't want it any other way, but there had to be more than the play groups or volunteering at the kids school.

I look back on that as my Winter of Discontent. I had serious growing pains for months, had wondered if I would come out the other side married to a soldier.I loved him dearly, but just didn't know if I could keep on moving every few years, starting over somewhere else. What saved US was realizing I had to take care of ME.

My advice to all military wives, whether newlyweds or married for 15 yrs..Find something for YOU. I am an artist, but didn't realize it until I had to decide which way my life would go. I have sold my work from post to post. I have taught classes for money, but at the same time, I have taught them to other wives for free.

Get out there and meet your neighbors. You might be surprised at how many other lonely wives are out there. Espically when the husbands are TDY. Make the first move, sure you will be leaving in a few years, and will hate to say good-gye...but you just might walk right past the best friend you will ever have.

Get involved with your communtiy and your unit. Life long friendships are waiting to happen.

Get out of the house! go explore!

Discover your new city, even if your husband is in the field. I learned Kansas City and the surrounding area with 2 kids strapped in car seats.15 years later, I still get lost and don't think a thing about it. I am WOMAN I can ask for directions.

No matter how bad you think your quarters are, or how bad your rental is...Home is what WE make it. The first thing I do after the boxes are unpacked is get the pictures on the walls as fast as I can. I have put pictures in our Hold Baggage if it was going to take months to get our household goods. 6 months-2 years...it doesn't matter..I have to feel at home.

Get the kids involved with their activities, the sooner they get out there..they sooner they will make friends. Mine are older now, so it takes them a while to find that "Best Friend" but like us, they eventually meet the one! If they see you mope around, wishing you were still living in Va. or where ever..they will too!

I love the military life, love seeing new places, doing new things and meeting new people.Surround yourself with postive people. If you hear someone say..I Hate this post, and the town..run as fast as you can. If you have a special talent, and that means making that cheese cake that melts in your mouth...offer to teach your neighbors how to do it! We are military wives, all in this together.

We will leave Ft.Benning June 2011, and sure, I will be thinking..Here we go again...but I will be excited! I have another Best Friend out there somewhere..I just haven't met her yet.


 

 

 
 

  

 

 

Patriotic Song -- Bring Our Daddy Home
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

  

 

 

The U.S. Military - Blue Star Mother Prayer

Give me the greatness of heart to see, The difference between duty & his/her/their love for me. Give me understanding so that I may Know, When duty calls him/her/them, he/she/they must go. Give me a task to do each day, To fill the time when he/she's/ while they're away. When he/she's/they're in a foreign land, Keep him/her/them safe in your loving hand. And Lord, when duty is in the field, Please protect him/her/them and be his/her/their shield. And Lord, when deployment is so long, Please stay with me and keep me strong.

 

Army Strong
by Rick Deobler
copyright 2009



"There's strong, then there's Army Strong."
To some, this is just some saying on T.V.,
But you know what, it means a lot more to me.
It means being able to step up to challenges that are put in front of me.

Pushing myself to the limit, both physically and mentally.
But what this phrase means most to me, is to have the courage to tell my family
That I want to serve this country and do something with my life, finally.
The hardest person to tell was my mom because I just knew she would be terrified to death
That she might lose her baby one day. So I told her to take a deep breath.

I will never forget the morning that I told her all about it.
Oh, what a long breakfast it was, but here came the last minute.
So, to let her remember this vividly, I said, "You know mom, I know exactly what you need."
So I stood at attention and recited The Soldier's Creed.
I am an American Soldier.
I am a Warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.

My mom just sat there. She didn't know what to say,
So off to school I went, to let her think about it throughout the day.
I could see that this had really hit her hard,
Like when you're awaiting the flip of the river,
And then BAM! There's your opponent's card.
It was very hard to watch, as anyone could possibly imagine.

So a few days later, my mom came up to me and said,
"You know, son, I'm really proud of you," as I headed off to bed.
She pulled out a piece of paper and said, "Now it is my turn to read
Something to you that I have found, called 'A Soldier's Mother's Creed'."

I am the mother of an American Soldier.
I give my complete and unwavering support to my soldier.
As my son serves the people of the United States, so I humbly offer up prayers for his safety and the safety and health of those he serves beside.
I respect his choice to adhere to a strict moral code and a system of values that has preserved our country over two centuries.
I accept that my soldier's first duty is to his country and I understand that this sacrifice he willingly makes is what keeps our nation great.
I will never expect anything but the best from my soldier, for I know he is capable.
I know that a soldier's heart is true and strong, and that my soldier will endure.
I will never abandon my soldier, my son.
I will love him unconditionally.
He will know I am there with him, even when he is alone.
I am disciplined, emotionally and mentally tough, learning to wait for phone calls and letters or emails home.
I, like my soldier, am an expert.
I stand ready to do whatever I can do to let my son, my soldier, know that we are here for him, behind him, we love him, and I will pray for the swift destruction of the enemies of our country.
I am the person who stood guardian of this man who has become my soldier, now our guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am the proud mother of an American Soldier.

After she had read this,
My heart soared like a dove,
Because now I knew the true meaning
Of acceptance and unconditional love.

Now, not only can I say that I'm Army Strong,
Protecting the rights that are given to you,
But since my mom shows so much support in me,
I can also say that she is Army Strong too.

I saw this on the internet with a mama named Cathy saying, "Please pass this on as another example of our AWESOME service men and women!"  Her son, Rick, wrote the above poem as he prepared to leave for basic training.  He  joined the Army, following in the footsteps of his older brother. ~   "My Son, The Soldier, Army Strong"  ~  Thank you, Cathy, for sharing your son's wonderful poem.

 

Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.  www.BlueStarMothers.org

Connecticut Blue Star Mothers   www.ConnecticutBlueStarMothers.org 

American War Mothers  http://americanwarmoms.org/awm/

Mothers of The Military  http://www.mothersofthemilitary.org/home.html

Mothers of Military  http://www.mothersofmilitary.org/

Mothers of Military Support  http://www.mothersofmilitarysupport.com/

Band of Mothers  http://www.thebandofmothers.com/index.htm

Marine Moms-Bethesda   http://www.marinemoms-bethesda.org/

MY CHILD - Mothers of War  http://www.mychildthemovie.com/

 

MOTHER OF AN AMERICAN SOLDIER
Author Unknown

You see me every day going about life as usual - or so it appears. I rub shoulders with you at work. I shop at Wal-Mart and the grocery store. I fill my car at the corner gas station. You might see me anywhere. Don't be deceived: My life has not been "normal" for months. I am the mother of an American soldier.

Although I continue the routines of life, I do so with a burdened heart and distracted mind. There are some tell-tale signs of who I am.

I'm the one with the frayed yellow ribbon pinned on my clothing. It was fresh and new when my son first deployed months ago. Even though the war is supposedly over, my son is in a place where bullets and grenades are still killing our soldiers. I am determined to wear my ribbon until he comes home, because it reminds me to pray for him every minute. When you see me wearing that ribbon, please stop and whisper a prayer for him and all the others still there.

My house is the one with the faded yellow ribbons the tree in the yard and one on the mail post. There is an American flag on a pole attached to the front porch, and a small red-and-white banner with a blue star in the middle in my window. When my son gave this to me before he left, I told him that I never wanted to cover the blue star
with a gold one. Gold Star Mothers are the ones whose sons come home in body bags.

When you drive by a house of this description, please pray for the son or daughter overseas and for the parents waiting inside for their child to come home.

To those of you who have posted yellow ribbons at your house or in the windows of your schools, thank you. It warms my heart every time I see your expressions of support for our troops.

One of the hardest things about being the mother of an American soldier is living 1,500 miles (how bout 2600 miles!) away from the post of my son's unit. Wives usually live on or near the fort, where
they can glean support from others in the same situation. But a mother may live across the nation, so she feels totally alone.

Letters rarely make their way home, and if they do, it is weeks after they were written. We go more than a month without hearing anything; then we might get a short phone call. E-mail is out of the question most of the time.

Every week is like a rollercoaster ride that I want to get off. When I read a soldier has been killed and his name has not been released pending notification of kin, restlessness, depression and insomnia rule my life until 24 hours have passed and the men in dress uniforms have not appeared at my door. I pray constantly they will never come.

When you hold your baby close, remember we mothers of American soldiers held our babies, too. Now our "babies" are putting themselves in harm's way for your babies.

And if you see a woman at the store buying tuna and crackers, beef jerky, powdered Gatorade, baby wipes and potted meat, check to see if
she is wearing a yellow ribbon. If so, stop and pray for her. She is probably the mother of an American soldier, getting ready to send her
child another "care package." You may see tears in her eyes or dark circles under them.

I am there among you, trying to carry on some semblance of a normal life. Like so many others,
I am the mother of an American soldier.

 

 

 I'm Invisible

 It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"

Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

      I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this?
Can you tie this? Can you open this?


Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a
clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What
number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around
5:30
,
please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going - she's going - she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from
England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."

It was a book on the great cathedrals of
Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

 * No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

 * These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

 * They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tin y bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and  asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."  And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."


At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.  I keep  the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.   And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we ha ve built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please click the Topsites symbols to vote for this site and to find other troop/veteran support sites:

 

   

 

 

 

Site Meter

This website is being worked on each day.  Please check back often, as more pages will be added and more information placed on the pages that are here.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  If you wish to have information added, make corrections, have comments, or find a link that no longer works, please let me know.

THANK YOU!  

 

 

 

 

Please visit me on my other websites:

Women of Ministry / Women of Faith  www.WomenofMinistryWomenofFaith.com

Faith and Life Ministries  www.FaithandLifeMinistriesInternational.com

 

On the websites of those I am affiliated with:

Patriot Guard Riders    www.PatriotGuard.org

Connecticut Patriot Guard Riders   www.ctpatriotguard.org 

Missing In America Project  www.MIAP.us

 VA Voluntary Service  http://www.volunteer.va.gov/

Military Ministry  http://www.militaryministry.org/

Christian Military Fellowship  http://cmf.com/ 

VFW National Home For Children  http://www.vfwnationalhome.org/

Post #296 VFW Ladies Auxiliary   www.vfwpost296ladiesaux.com

Marine Corps League Auxiliary  http://mcldeptct.org/pages/mcl_ct_auxiliary.html

American Soldier Memorial Project http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmericanSoldierMemorial

  No Soldier Left Behind  Memorial    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NoSoldierLeftBehindMemorial/

 

On my husband's websites:

JESUS My Lord and Savior Church www.JesusMyLordandSaviorChurch.com  

Men Walking With God  www.MenWalkingWithGod.com/