Very Poud Mom........ I think....

[Pansy Faye]

To the Ladies of Local 24 and the IWG -

I am now the Proud Mother of a United States Marine.


My son Ben signed his papers today, after a bit of trouble with his ADHD, but he was passed and leaves for Paris Island on August 25, 2008.

I am very proud and very scared at the same time. Good thing is that the Infantry School he wants and qualifies for is full. His other choices are MP, driving a tank and something with demolition. If you know Ben, these last 3 are more him. He's an amazing Merc, he drives like a blind person never looking where he's going, been or what's in that damn blind spot, and the one thing Ben loved to do when he was a kid was build stuff with his Legos and then knock then down.

He will not be at CTRF for the season, so if you can make it to NYRF opening day, he will be there to say good bye.

I have to let my baby go and live his life, and as any mother knows, it's never an easy thing. Keep him in your thoughts.

OORAH!! Semper Fi!

[Phoenix McHeit]

Tell that Devil-Dog "HooRah" from a fellow Leatherneck.

Semper Fi
Do or Die
Devil Dogs
YUT!

Much love to you, Pansy. Letting go is hard, but that means you love him.

::bighug::

[MaidenFaeSnow]

Many schmoochies my friend (and lotsa hugs soon!) How proud!!!

[Buxom Wench]

Congrats to Ben and ::hug:: for you.

[Isabelle Warwicke]

If I had I child, I would be proud to watch them become a Soldier.

Stand proud. Your son made a good choice.

[SHpepperKat]

Congratulations to both of you. It's a big step but a great one. Semper Fi.

[Lady Anisette]

Congrats Pansy. Ben sent me a message that he passed, I just didn't think he would be going so soon. I'm glad that Infantry was full. I can definitely see him in demolition. ;-) Right up his alley.

Don't worry. He'll be fine..... It is just a bummer that CTRF will be missing its adorable young kilted rogue.

*Hugs*

:sigh: Not at CTRF? Who's going to put up my tent for me? He was my (and a lot of others') tent boy..... I'm going to miss him.

[Andreadoria]

Semper FI Ben!!

In letting your boy go...you will be welcoming home a very capable man.

Stiff upper lip and all that.
BUT the biggest ::bighug::::bighug:: I can send ..

be brave be proud!!

[Jayde]

::yay::::yay::::yay::::yay:: Congratulations!!!!!!!

[Margaret]

OORAH! Indeed! ::yay::

Pansy - good luck to your son on his military career. What a proud yet scary moment for you.

[Laurensa]

Try to persuade him NOT to go for MP (demolition sounds kinda fun)

My ex was security in the Air Force, and when he got out, there was no call for his specialty outside the military. (Not much call for nuclear weapons guards..but he could fire a semi-automatic rifle REAL well)

Just...think about what he could do AFTER the military, even if he does the full twenty-years-and-retires deal.

And best wishes to him from me.

[Pansy Faye]

Thanks everyone!!

Ben i sleaning toward the MP's, but he does have his EMT cert and Firefighter cert to fall back on when he gets out. Unless of course he makes it a career like my Dad did.


Hey I guess there are worse things he can do.

[Lady Hefron]

As a Navy Mom to a Marine Mom...Congratulations and I know how you feel. Stand proud, we are proud of Ben and proud of you!

Now, here is my shoulder to cry on...I've shed a few (every night) myself, and a Huge Hug.

[daBaroness]

I must be hard-hearted Hannah. My son has been in the Army since July of 2005. He spent almost all of 2006 in Iraq. He's now in the wounded warrior program at Ft. Carson, CO waiting to see whether the Army is going to med-board him (medical discharge) or let him stay in and change MOS. It will most likely be the former. He ran over 6 IEDs while in Iraq which left him with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and a 40% loss of short-term memory for which he's taking memory classes. He's also got PTSD and over the 4th of July ended up in jail in a small town in Colorado because when two drunk redneck assholes threatened him and then laid hands on him - he went into warrior mode and laid both of the Bubbas out in about 15 seconds so they got scared and called the cops. Because he didn't pay a traffic ticket he ended up going to jail and when he started to walk into the cell he had a flashback to a horrific experience he had in Iraq where he found out the terrorist he shot in the ass and had to take to jail ran the checkpoint because he'd murdered (execution style) a 30-year-old man who was working with the Army, his 5-year-old son. Cam has always had a soft spot for kids and he was so angry that he didn't get to kill this pudwad, he ended up feeling guilty and he keeps having these flashbacks.

Long story short - he put his fist through the wall at the jail while screaming, "get the murderer, he's a f-ing murderer!" He didn't remember going nutso and fortunately the deputies were all former military, so they understood and were really good to him.

Anyway ... I've never once really worried about Cameron since he went into the Army. I just "knew" he'd come home and I also knew he would mature and become a good man because of the Army (and he has). Maybe I would have worried more if he'd told me more about what was going on - but he really couldn't - and like probably 95% of the combat-vet soldiers before him - he doesn't talk about much of the horrors he saw and had to deal with in Iraq.

I guess my confidence in his confidence, my faith and my belief that he has always had wild angels looking out for him - along with my pride in him for moving beyond his ADHD and troubled teen-age years and becoming a man has made it easy(ier) not to worry.

To all of our soldiers, sailors, Marines & airmen - thank you.

[Pansy Faye]

wow, Baroness, I'm so sorry Cam had to go through all that. I'mpraying to every god out there to keep Ben safe and all the fighting men and women. war/xonflict sucks bug time and I just wish somehow it would all end tonight, but as long as man is in the world, there will be some sort of fighting.

I hope Cam comes home to you and heals as best he can. I know that my dad had his demons until the day he died. Some things you can'tlet go of. bless you and Cam.

[Lady Hefron]

daBaroness,

Prayers for you and Cam.

[Jayde]

Oh, DaB :ow: ::bighug:: for you and ::bighug:: for Cam.


I hope he is able to come home for good.

[Pansy Faye]

We got news last night that Ben has been bumped from the MP's and transfered to driving those big-butted HumVee's with the bigger-butt guns on the hood. He's all uber excited - Me?? I just lost another night's sleep. This will put Ben on the front lines.

He signed his will and POA yesterday and I did not handle it well. Really really not well. :tantrum: nope, not well at all.

[SHpepperKat]

::bighug::::bighug::::bighug:::grouphug::grouphug: :grouphug:::bighug::::bighug::::bighug::::bighug:: :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:::bighug::::bighug:: ::bighug::::bighug:::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: :grouphug:::bighug::::bighug::::bighug::::bighug::




These should hold you over for a few seconds. Any time you need more all you have to do is ask.

[Pansy Faye]

::bighug::::bighug::::bighug:::grouphug::grouphug: :grouphug:::bighug::::bighug::::bighug::::bighug:: :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:::bighug::::bighug:: ::bighug::::bighug:::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: :grouphug:::bighug::::bighug::::bighug::::bighug::




These should hold you over for a few seconds. Any time you need more all you have to do is ask.

Thanks I need all the hugs and good thoughts I can get. He just called and told me that his MOS (military operation schooling) will be in San Diego and that he will be shipped out to Iraq/Afghanistan/Iran area right after he finishes. NO leave for home - BOOM! just gone. This made me feel totally worse. He'll be over on the front lines by Christmas. This be one miserable wench.

[SHpepperKat]

No problem. Any time at all. I know that I for one will keep you and ben in my thoughts and prayers. For safety for Ben and for Peace for you.

[Lady Hefron]

Pansy,

Hugs and prayers for you and Ben.

[Pathos]

I'm coming to this a little late.

I think I'm a pretty tough motherfucker. But I've always known I could never be a Marine. Those guys (and gals) have a little something extra I just don't have.

So Pans...be proud of him. Be really proud. No "thinking" about it.

No matter what his spec is or where he goes...he's got my respect.

8-)