A Homecoming, and Rivercity
One of my soldiers came home this weekend. After over a year of troop support, it's certainly not the first time that's happened. But it is only the second time it's been an early homecoming. (No, this is not a horribly sad post...) The first was when Jack was injured. I still don't know exactly what the nature of the injury was, but he is alive and well, and home safe. And, thank God, I heard about the injury directly from him, in an e mail that both frightened me and thrilled me - frightened that he was hurt, thrilled that if I had to get news like that, I was getting it straight from the soldier (in a non-spectral form).
Now, Larry is home. Home on a medical... leave? discharge?... I don't know all the details yet, because he and I have yet to talk directly about it, except for a few brief moments on messenger when he still wasn't sure if he was getting sent home. Though I hate to see him in pain, I do love the fact that he's getting to go home a little early. He has a lovely wife who really needed him back... two beautiful children who will be so much happier to have Daddy right there with them... tons of us supporting him who are so relieved he is out of harm's way. When we were in contact more often, it wasn't unusual for him to have to turn off the IMs for a short while because of mortar fire. I can still remember the feeling of my heart leaping into my chest the first time he mentioned an IED going off about 200 feet away from his wall. It really brings things home.
One of my other soldiers... excuse me, one of my Marines, my "baby bruvver" Naterz, hasn't been online as much lately. He calls it... the Corps calls it (and I don't know if the other branches do too) Rivercity. I'm assuming, as in "trouble right here in." Rivercity is when there is a troop death, and communications are shut down until the family can be notified. The Marines as a whole, and especially in his area, have taken a lot of hits lately. It hardly seems that they come off Rivercity for more than a day or two, before he disappears from the boards again. Naterz is so young, only 21 (gosh, I have a nephew only a couple of years younger), and his lovely wife is 18. She has my phone number, she knows she can call me in an emergency and I pray she does.
I suppose part of me knew when I got involved in this, that I would get very attached, very quickly. And the day I lose one - I've accepted the probability that it will happen - I imagine I will react as strongly as if it were family. More strongly, perhaps, than some of my family... But, much like my work these many years past with HIV+ children, I think the reward is well worth the risk.
Come to think of it, I never lost any of my HIV babies. There's hope yet.
Be well, Larry. Stay safe, Nate.
Now, Larry is home. Home on a medical... leave? discharge?... I don't know all the details yet, because he and I have yet to talk directly about it, except for a few brief moments on messenger when he still wasn't sure if he was getting sent home. Though I hate to see him in pain, I do love the fact that he's getting to go home a little early. He has a lovely wife who really needed him back... two beautiful children who will be so much happier to have Daddy right there with them... tons of us supporting him who are so relieved he is out of harm's way. When we were in contact more often, it wasn't unusual for him to have to turn off the IMs for a short while because of mortar fire. I can still remember the feeling of my heart leaping into my chest the first time he mentioned an IED going off about 200 feet away from his wall. It really brings things home.
One of my other soldiers... excuse me, one of my Marines, my "baby bruvver" Naterz, hasn't been online as much lately. He calls it... the Corps calls it (and I don't know if the other branches do too) Rivercity. I'm assuming, as in "trouble right here in." Rivercity is when there is a troop death, and communications are shut down until the family can be notified. The Marines as a whole, and especially in his area, have taken a lot of hits lately. It hardly seems that they come off Rivercity for more than a day or two, before he disappears from the boards again. Naterz is so young, only 21 (gosh, I have a nephew only a couple of years younger), and his lovely wife is 18. She has my phone number, she knows she can call me in an emergency and I pray she does.
I suppose part of me knew when I got involved in this, that I would get very attached, very quickly. And the day I lose one - I've accepted the probability that it will happen - I imagine I will react as strongly as if it were family. More strongly, perhaps, than some of my family... But, much like my work these many years past with HIV+ children, I think the reward is well worth the risk.
Come to think of it, I never lost any of my HIV babies. There's hope yet.
Be well, Larry. Stay safe, Nate.
posted by SaraSmile | 5:44 AM
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