Re: Hard News/OT to Kathleen

[Guest guest]

Kathleen,

Thanks so much for your supportive words. I just took to the

airport, and we discussed all the arrangements that he will still have

to make before he leaves for Iraq. He feels that a particular man in

his squadron was the one who forced these orders, apparently this man

has shown much hostility and dislike toward him, and he is the one who

" places " people when directives come in for new assignments.

said he always treats the man with courtesy and pleasantness, in spite

of the fact that his good manners are not returned. He plans to

object to the assignment with his commander only, and then perhaps to

instigate more aggressive complaints after he returns, since this duty

will prevent him from completing the two semesters he needed to get

his degree before his next assignment one year from now, which was one

of the requirements he signed up for when given the assignment to this

training base in the first place.

Having been in the military, you would understand all this mumbo jumbo

that I'm talking about. One thing leads to another which affects

another, etc., and it all has a direct affect on your career. My son

is career military, he's already been in for thirteen years and plans

to stay there, so every action now effects his path in the future. I

understand how he feels, having been a military wife myself for so

many years. I miss that way of life, we totally enjoyed the time that

my husband was flying and I adjusted well to the frequent moves and

different parts of the country. But sometimes you'd get a jerk

pulling the strings that had a direct impact on where you'd go, or

what you had to do, and that was always difficult to swallow. The

outside corporate world is no different, though, so we accept what

needs to be done and get on with it.

I told him about Soldiers Angels and he said he'd check it out. He's

thinking about buying a laptop to take with him, and I'd love that

because then we could keep in daily contact and I would feel so much

better being able to do that. Thanks so much for telling me about SA,

it sounds like a wonderful program.

Austin is still learning to roll with the punches as a military brat.

He had those 11 years here with us first, so he got spoiled and

initially didn't understand why these things could happen. He'll be

alright, though. He's already asked me to make up a chore list so

that he can earn an allowance, and today began taking over some of my

least favorite household duties.

Well, I'm rambling on too much. I appreciate your support and your

helpful suggestions...thanks, again.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina Rep.

South Eastern Regional Rep.

PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion, and should not be substituted for consultation with a medical

professional.

[Guest guest]

Heidi, You are not rambling!!! It's cool! you can ramble anytime! They have

internet cafes set up. You'd be suprised at what it is like there now. I don't

mean this in a rude way but him being AF, he will have it easier than a soldier

or Marine. I totally understand , first hand about the squadron guy who cut the

orders. OOOOO! I had one of those once. He hated me with every ounce he had in

him. That man was evil. Castro was his name. No matter what I did, he had it in

for me and yep, it can sure make your life hell. You have to be sooooo careful ,

you are right, how you handle situations because you never kow who owes who a

favor and where the politics really are...it's the nature of the beast. From

what everyone tells me, I don't know much about the AF, but in the Army, you can

still take classes through the AKO account...providing you have time. My buddy

that just redeployed said they froze his schooling until after his block leave.

It will then resume for the 6 months he is here

at Ft Drum, and then freeze again when he deployes for round 2. Some of it I

miss, some of it I don't. I miss the uniform and the way you form buddies for

life, but, man, there is soooo much crap that goes on. I was one of 7 females in

FA unit...NO FUN. It's just the way of it though. It all preapred me for this

whole pancreas thing that I am dealing with now...and I found an oral surgeon

who was Army, so it's kinda like even when you get out, you have your own

" little army " lol...I can't imagine being a military wife. I think that would be

really really hard. I really hope he checks out SA. Sometimes it helps them to

unload on a stranger, you know? I was a single parent and a drill sgt when my

dauhter was little, so I kinda raised her that way. It was just us, so it's

different. Sometimes I think I was too hard on her, she is so hard on herself.

She has high goals and standards...I guess you do your best and pray it was

right, then send them to counseling to cover anything you

missed. Thank you and your family for serving our country. Serving this country

really does effect so many people. People don't really realizae what you do

without. When I first adopted a soldier inthe SA program, I was talking to a guy

at work and get this Heidi, he actually believed that soldiers were issued

personal hiegine and that they actually had 3 hot meals a day????? He was so

shocked when I set him straight. I will certainly be praying for your family.

Take care (((HUGS)))-Kathleen

Heidi wrote:

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina Rep.

South Eastern Regional Rep.

PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion, and should not be substituted for consultation with a medical

professional.