My brother Greg is a warrant officer who is serving in Iraq for the time being. We don't really know when he will be returning. He is a reservist and was called up in February, supposedly for one year. They have four kids, a ds who just turned six, twins - a dd and ds who just turned four and another ds who is about eight months old now. A few months ago he was supposed to be coming back to the US. The Army called and confirmed it and everything. My SIL arranged for sitters so she could go see him, but just as she was about to leave they called her and told her it was a mistake. His whole unit was coming back except for him and three other guys. Can you believe that? Talk about a dissapointment! He does not know when he will be back because they keep transferring him to different units. Now he is saying maybe next June. I just keep thinking that the baby will not even know who his dad is! They do exchange pics often though, so I'm sure that helps. I try to look on the bright side of things: He is living in one of Saddam's palaces. How many people get to do that? It is nice to see that so many of you know what it is like. Sometimes I feel like it is treated just a news story, but there are actually people over there that are fathers and mothers and sisters and brothers and sons and daughters! I will definitly be thinking of all your loved ones when I say my prayers for my brother.

By Karen55 on Sunday, August 10, 2003 - 09:21 am:

{{{{{{{{{Jeannie}}}}}}}}}

Does he ever get computer access? Have your SIL and your brother join Momsview - she can post pics here and they can leave messages for each other!

By Jtw on Sunday, August 10, 2003 - 04:09 pm:

Actually I was thinking about telling my SIL about it because she is a SAHM, so she isn't really getting a lot of adult interaction now that he is gone. He sometimes has access to computers, so I will definitely pass the message along! Thanks!!

By Semperspencer on Sunday, August 10, 2003 - 05:57 pm:

Jeannie, my husband used to post on Momsview before he left for Iraq. He posted a message on Momsview the other day, and it was nice to communicate with him here.

I will keep Greg in my thoughts. It's a shame that when soldiers get switched to different units, the time limit of "1 year" does not apply. The 1 year maximum deployment unfortunately only applies to actual units, not individual soldiers. I think this should be reconsidered, IMO.

By Boxzgrl on Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - 12:40 pm:

I guess you see a little bit of what the military puts us wives through. I hope your brother returns soon because I think its so unfair to keep husbands/fathers over there for long. Why not keep the single guys that get sent home and have nothing to do and no family to visit??? I know, that would just be too easy
Let him know were thinking about him!!!

By Kittycat_26 on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 11:17 am:

Boxzgrl, I understand what you are saying about leaving the single guys deployed; however, please remember that those "single guys" are someone's son or brother. He is missed as well.

By Boxzgrl on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 06:31 pm:

Kitty, I didn't mean ALL the single guys. There are tons of guys here on base that have absolutely NO family around, even some that wished they could have stayed there. Those are the ones i'm talking about. I'm friends with a few single Marines and I know that they are missed as well. I know this is a more sensitive subject for me because my DD was born while he was away and I resent the MC for that because he was suppose to be home by that time. Instead I see a bunch of "single" guys that were sent home sitting in their barracks with nothing to do. I know I asked for this when he joined the MC but i'm still never gonna get used to it...