Daughter home, time to kill the fatted calf

I posted no post today. That is because my wife, one of our daughters, and two grandchildren, and I, went to be at our youngest daughter’s dismissal from active duty ceremony. Her unit just returned from Iraq, and earlier today we picked her up with a couple of duffel bags and a backpack and hauled her back to be with us for a little while before her husband arrives from his overseas assignment with the Air Force. Her uniform looked a little more worn. Her first lieutenant bar (cloth) a little more frayed. But, she was the same smiling happy person to whom we had said goodbye a year ago, freshly married. Within a short time, she and her sister began some of the same repartee as always.

For the last year, she has been the Executive Officer of her unit, a transport unit. She did not tell us of any problems during the whole year there, but we knew that no one had been lost. What we did not know until she returned was that at least one of the trucks (maybe two?) had been hit by IED’s. Fortunately, only a couple of soldiers were injured, a concussion and some shrapnel in the leg. And some other “minor” stuff happened. In this she follows the example of her grandfather, who served two tours in Viet Nam. He would never tell his wife, my mother-in-law, when they had been shelled, or when his unit encountered some “difficulties.” No, his communications were always filled with the mundane things of life there and of his love for her and the children. Yes, she is definitely the granddaughter of that first sergeant!

You cannot see her in the photograph above. She is to the rear with the other officers. If you notice, I have not told you either her name or her unit. That is on purpose. Given the way the conflict in Iraq is currently being pursued, she and her unit may very well have to return in a couple of years. I am a veteran, and I know the importance of not giving out too much information. So, permit me to conceal her and her unit’s identity for the moment. So, she has gotten to stand-down. She is in our area for a three weeks until her husband arrives from his overseas posting. Then they will go down and visit his mother, and several grandparents. And she will go with him back overseas, with our blessings and encouragement. Such is the life of a military couple. May God bless them both.

We are, in many ways, a military family. My father-in-law was a “lifer.” An uncle served in Viet-Nam. My brother-in-law served for well over a decade as an officer. I served as a draftee back when and currently work for a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. But, as you also know, my calling was not to an earthly army but to the heavenly host, and my wife and I became missionaries. One of our nephews is in the Navy. And, if you read this blog, you know that we buried an Air Force nephew in 2010. Yes, we have a multi-generation tradition of service in our family, and we are proud of our daughter and of her service.

I may or may not post tomorrow, with no apologies. My wife and I fully intend to have a rich time with our returning daughter.

Finally, may God in his mercy guard and protect all those who serve in danger, whether military, police, firemen, EMT’s, sheriffs, marshalls, FBI, CIA, coastguardsmen, etc. They put their life on the line over and over for the sake of people whom they have never met. And, may God also protect our military from our politicians, and keep our politicians from being too quick to put our children in harm’s way.

[Late note: As I commented above, our youngest daughter has been as reticent to speak about her service as her grandfather was. We just found out that she was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.]