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Well, it looks like my oldest son Joel, is heading to Afghanistan for a 7 month deployment. He will be training Afghanis in law enforcement . He's pretty stoked for this opportunity to serve. A fourth deployment, 3 in combat situations, looks pretty good around promotion time. Without it, his chance of seeing another promotion is about slim in nil.

Thank him for all of us for his service! It takes a special person to to what he is doing.

Fourth deployment... ..he sure is showing the true meaning of serving his country,,you must be proud and a nervous wreck at the same time...praying for your son and his fellow service brothers and sisters for their continued safety.

The fact of the matter is God can chose to take him home at anytime, like on I-95 for instance. Odds are he stands a greater chance of getting killed on I-95 than in Afghanistan. Seriously, we pray a lot while he's gone, not just for mercy, but that he has the opportunity to do the task at hand.... as safe as possible.

The latest (if you have any experience with the military) 30 second plan is he is now off the list to go, and he is po'd beyond belief. Seems as though there is a Luitenent that needs to be deployed or he will not be able to re-enlist that is holding up the works. If this Luitenent can't go, Joel and 4 other enlisted non-coms will not be able to go. Stay tuned.

I will speak for Joel and say a heart felt thank you for your support, prayers, and best wishes for a positive outcome.

My son's been over there three times. I'm proud of all of them

Dave,
For Mara and Me, thank him for his
service! GOD bless him, you, and
your family. This must be very trying
times for yinz.

Bob and Mara

Well it is official ( as much as anything can be in the military), Joel has his deployment orders for a one year deployment to Afghanistan, leaving June 8th. He has been hand selected to a special security mission escorting VIP personel around Afghanistan. His job will analize, design, and implement security measures, at various locations all over the country, as well as providing for the safe travel of VIP personel, using various modes of transportation.

This is quite a feather in his cap, as his ultimate goal is to land as a member of the presidential security staff before he retires from the Marines.

My other son has his orders too, and he will be stationed for the next three years in Okanowa Japan. Thank heavens for Skype

Bob,

Speaking of family, I'll tell you what, Joels wife Beth has just been fabulous throughout his career. She has done such an outstanding job keeping the fort together, not to mention managing 4 children, ages 10 through 19 months.

They've been here in Richmond for 4 years now with Joel not around much, and all I can saw is wow! A true thouroughbread product of a military family. Her dad was a career submariner. We've got a lot of respect for her.

Wow....
It makes me feel safe, knowing we have people like this out there.

Da boys.

Joel has settled in Kabul. He is stationed on a small base about 4 city blocks square. His job is much like a sheriff, directing the contractors that provide 90% of the security, as well as some locals that also work the gates. Last week they they found out on of the locals was "dirty".... he didn't go into detail as to what happened, but said the situation has been resolved...... It also looks like he'll be replacing his staff of 7 Marines, over the next 4 months, and will be working with them to get them up to speed.

Justin, his wife and little guy are leaving this morning for Okinowa, Ja, for the next 3 years, where he'll be a platoon seargent supervising 50 Marines musicians.

Needless to say, we use skype a lot.

Just a quick update, Joel is doing well on his deployment. His base is in a well fortifide green zone, although that 14 year old that blew himself up a couple of weeks ago was just on the other side of his wall.

They are on lockdown at the momment due to local unrest. The Afganies no longer deliver water and fuel for the generators, so Joel has been going on convoys to fill supply needs. When we skyped with him last week, he said it's settling down somewhat... whatever that means, what I think it means is, if anybody that comes close enough to cause damage is going to get damaged first.....

The latest with Joel is he is home on leave, but will be heading back to Afghanistan on the 5th of January until sometime in June. They are in the process of closing down his base and relocating it to a larger air station. That opperation is scheduled to be completed late next summer, so he will be out and about more.

We heard from Joel this week, and he's ok, although the other day, he was awakened by a bomb blast, had a shower, another blast, then breakfast, and a trip out to see the carnage. What a way to make a living.

For the time being, he's on lock down with no internet access. He only gets a few minutes on the phone with his wife, and most of what he can say to her is very cryptic, other than he's ok.

Man, the end of this deployment ( June) can't get here soon enough...

Probably not too many reader venture of to this site, and this thread, but Joel should be home in about 15 days from Afghanistan.