Her Boyfriend's Back

My daughter's boyfriend just got here on leave from a tour of duty in Iraq. They've dated off and on for about a year now. Mostly off because he's usually stationed somewhere not near here. He's on his second deployment of 18 months. This time he has only been gone a couple of months, so it seems odd he would have gotten his leave this early in the deployment. She has to take him back to the airport on Christmas Day. For anyone who might be reading this who isn't familiar with things military, when a soldier is deployed he gives a 'home of record'. The military (whichever branch) will fly you to the nearest airport to your 'home of record' for leave. So, my daughter's boyfriend gave our town as his 'home of record'. He did this so he could come here and visit her during his leave. His actual home, where his family lives, is in a whole 'nuther part of the country, not even close to here. So. He is sleeping in our basement and my husband is none too happy about it. Now, she's grown. She's been on her own since she left for college 5 years ago. But recently moved into our basement to save money. She's working full time and going to graduate school full time. We all thought that it was a good idea, for her to move back here, at least until she finished school. While her boyfriend is here, she's sleeping upstairs in her old bedroom (just to be sure that's clear in case my mother reads this). This is a very impressive young man. He's on his second tour of duty. He has metals and honors up to his ears. He is very young and still has risen in rank rapidly and proven himself in battle. He is decent, pleasant, honorable and hard working. So what's the problem? Nothing, I suppose. I believe in supporting our troops. I love our troops. My son is a troop. But, this guy is going to be in my basement for two weeks. My husband is going to be giving him dirty looks every time he walks in or out of the door because he doesn't like the idea of my daughter even having a boyfriend, much less one in the basement. This should be an interesting couple of weeks!

From One Soldier's Mother To Another

From One Soldier's Mother to Another November 26, 2005 Cindy,

I saw another interview with you today, since I wrote the post saying there were no tears from you. I saw the tears, I saw your face. I saw the struggle in your face and eyes.

My heart broke for you, for a moment.

I can’t even bring myself to make sarcastic remarks right now. Others are reluctant to criticize you as well. That’s why you are useful. Do you understand that? Your precious son became a man, as mine has. He made the choices of a man, whether you agreed with his choices or not, they were his to make. Honor him. Honor his courage, integrity and service to his country, whether you agree with the choices he made or not.

Honor him. He apparently was an honorable man.

Go home, Cindy. Start working on mending the wounds in your family. Be there for your other children, they are grieving too.

Go home. Your son has died an honorable death, you will never be able to out run your grief. It’ll always be with you. Let yourself grieve and quit trying to run from it.

Go home. Go home and find your life. Spewing blame on everyone but the one’s who brought this war to our homeland is only prolonging your grief, and the war, and the danger to our nations other soldiers.

Go home, Cindy, you are being used to the advantage of some who have agendas that are not in the interests of what your son died for.

As one soldier’s mother to another I look at you and am so sad in empathy for your loss and a paralyzing fear for my own son.

As one soldier’s mother to another I look at you with an anger I can’t put words to. I’m angry because I believe your actions and words are endangering our soldiers. If your words and actions, screamed loudly over international airways, get one more American soldier killed, you should be tried for treason.

As one soldier’s mother to another, if your benefactors use your words and actions to promote their agendas, and my son is harmed or killed as a result, I will follow your example. I will be camping outside your house and demanding you be tried for the murder of my son.

Go home, Cindy, your current path will come to no good end.

With Sincere Sympathy and Warmest Regards,

Beth

We Are A Blue Star Family

Cross posted on Merry Christmas. We Are A Blue Star Family

Someone asked me what the Blue Star Banner on my blog means. It simply means that someone in this home is proudly serving in the United States Armed Forces.

The Blue Star Banner is properly displayed in a front window of the home. It should be hung inside, not outside.

The Blue Star Banner was first used during World War I. Some history of the banner can be found on the American Legion Website.

"The Blue Star Service Banner was designed and patented in 1917 by World War I Army Capt. Robert L. Queissner of the 5th Ohio Infantry who had two sons serving on the front line. It quickly became the unofficial symbol of a child in the service.

On Sept. 24, 1917, an Ohio congressman read the following into the Congressional Record: “…The mayor of Cleveland, the Chamber of Commerce and the governor of Ohio have adopted this service flag. The world should know of those who give so much for liberty. The dearest thing in all the world to a father and mother - their children.”

Other websites or blogs that might be helpful in learning more about Blue Star Banners include:

• Blue Star Mothers of America
• Blue Star Moms
• American Gold Star Mothers
• America Supports You
• Directions for making a Blue Star Banner Quilt (believe it or not)

One of the interesting things that I have found is that the Blue Star Memorial Highways historical markers we see along American highways were taken from the tradition of the Blue Star Banner. The Blue Star Memorial Highways historical markers are tributes to Armed Forces that have defended the United States of America.

And that is what being a Blue Star Family is about. Hope it helps.

Barbara Bush didn't raise George Right!

Cindy Shenanigans wrote a letter to Barbara Bush telling her she didn’t raise her son right. She told her in the letter that George killed her son.

I didn’t know that!

I thought he had died in a similar manner as warriors throughout the ages have died. In combat. In combat with an enemy of whatever nation, cause, belief system the warrior is defending.

I’m listening closely to Cindy and her supporters. From what I can deduce, our soldiers are over there doing horrible things to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. Horrible things!

I thought we had an all volunteer Army. I was wrong. Our soldiers have been forced to go grab poor helpless foreign lands to feed to the Imperialist George Bush in his never ending hunger for power.

Golly-wow! I know some American Soldiers. I didn’t know they were such bad people.

Naw, I’m just kidding. I know, I know. We Support Our Troops, it’s the War we don’t support.

It’s not the troops it’s the war we don’t like. The troops are just the agent used by George Bush to promote his agenda of an American Empire.

When Cindy and the like carry on about American’s putting underwear on war-prisoners heads being comparable torture to that of cutting off the heads of Nicholas Burg, Daniel Pearl and others with a kitchen knife, taking 20 minutes to do it, they aren’t critizing our troops. They are simply pointing out the evils of the Bush Regime.

Cindy wrote a letter to Barbara telling her she didn’t raise her son right. We in the South know what not raising a child right means. It is not a good thing.

I wonder how Cindy’s other children are doing while she’s basking in the lime-light.

Cindy Sheehan and Me

Cindy, I have a son in the military too, should I quit my job, leave my husband and children and join you in Texas? I’m perplexed. I want to do the right thing. What is the right thing?

Cindy Shenanigans is back at her protest site in Texas. The media is using terms like ‘stalking’ and ‘haunting’ the President. But she looks happy to be doing it.

Apparently, after having to spend some time with her family over Thanksgiving, she is once again free to continue her own personal tour of duty.

She is pictured arriving at her camp in Texas smiling, hugging and greeting her friends. When interviewed she gushes, ‘I’m so happy to be back here with my friends’. I don’t know her friends, but the pictures on TV of the dozen or so protesters there send my memories back to incense, ripped jeans with patches all over them, ironing our hair so it’s be perfectly straight and peace symbols.

But then, I’m from the fly-over world, so what I think I know is not relevant.

In the brief interview I saw this morning, Ms. Sheehan was smiling broadly while bemoaning the fact this protest is necessary. She said she is doing this for her son’s memory. I can’t question that. She’s useful because no one can question what is in her heart.

She said she’s doing this for her son’s memory, smiling from ear to ear and hugging her new found friends, walking arm-in-arm with them all surrounding her. All getting closer and closer to her as the camera zoomed in on her. Cindy Sheehan, the center of the movement, the center of the attention. All eyes on Cindy.

She is so brave to be doing this for her son. International media attention. The darling of the radical left, the toast of the aging hippies still clinging to the ‘good ol’ days’ when they had something to protest, and, lest we forget, book deals. There’ll probably be a movie.

She is so brave to be putting herself through this in memory of her son.

As per Ms. Sheehan, many soldiers don’t know that the military has to fight sometimes.

Bush should have told them that.

I’ve been proud of my son, a brand spanking new Army Officer serving overseas. He volunteered, and has excelled in his chosen profession. He chose this path, my son did. He knew that serving in the military could mean he will have to face battle with an enemy at some point. We knew that too.

I guess all parents don’t tell their children that joining the military could be dangerous. We tell them the dangers of driving too fast, of driving under the influence, of being sexually promiscuous, of walking alone downtown in the middle of the night. I guess some forget to tell them about the dangers in the world.

Bush should have told us that joining the military means you have to go to battle sometimes. Bush should have told us when the government is paying you to be in the Reserves that means when the Reserves are called up, the government wants a return on their investment.

Bush should have told us.

About a Template

I have actually have delayed starting this blog trying to find or make just the right template for it. Well, that's because I'm basically a over-the-top perfectionist who is trying to recover from the disease of perfectionism. Perfectionists never get anything done because they can't ever do it JUST RIGHT. So - in my attempts at recovery from perfectionism, for now, I'm using this template till I get what I want - the perfect template! ha! Now, we have that out of the way. On to other things. I have to get busy getting all the ad-on gadgets on here.

Maiden Post

Welcome to the Blue Star Chronicles.

The Blue Star Banner is a symbol used by families with family members in the active American Military.

My son is currently a 2nd Liet. His home station is in Germany and he will be deployed after the first of the year.

We are a Blue Star Family.

This blog is mine, my thoughts, feelings, attitude and politics and does not reflect the thoughts, feelings, attitude or politics of anyone else in my family, neighborhood, community, profession, state, and/or country.

Anyone interested in our country, our servicemen/women, the families of servicemen/women is welcome to join the Blue Star Blogroll.

Welcome to my world :)