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Independence Day- A Parent’s Perspective
On July 4th, while everyone else is celebrating with picnics, a day off work and a trip to see fireworks, jumping in the pool and hosting parties - the parents of serving military members have a different perspective. The families of service members, whether they are deployed, stateside or Guard members who are home and at the party - remember that we are celebrating a day that we Declared ourselves free. But that freedom had a cost then, and has a cost now. Our Family member(s) are the ones paying that price. They put their hands up and swore to
support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
OR
having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God.”
So today, we thank them. And from the authors of Parents Zone, we thank YOU - the Moms, Dads, Wives and Children, Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents and Cousins - the ones whose eye is drawn to that man or woman in uniform, with a smile and feeling of “yeah, that’s one of us” - the ones who send the care packages, write the letters, take care of the home they will come back to - the ones who send up a prayer for their soldier, the marine or airman, the sailor - and the men and women they are serving with - the ones with the blue star in the window.
LAW
Marine Parents - GREAT JOB
Parents of Marines - this is amazing! SemperFi Wife - a Marine Mom and Wife- alerted me to this article. Shows what a bunch of committed and supportive parents can do.
Parent Network expands; Marines’ welfare a worthwhile endeavor
AL QA’IM, Iraq — Task Force 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, Regimental Combat Team 5 recently introduced a new way for Marines’ parents to learn about what’s happening with their sons during the latter’s deployment to western Al Anbar province, Iraq. The Parent Network started shortly before the battalion, nicknamed “Warlord,” left for Iraq and continues to grow.
“We have around 1,000 parents involved in this program, and it’s still growing,” said Sgt. Maj. Howard K. Long, 43, the battalion sergeant major, who presented the idea of establishing the Parent Network. “The Marines can elect up to five people who can receive information from us.”
Mrs. Diane Hanley, the mother of Pfc. Shane Hanley, a rifleman with Company E, is the Parent Network coordinator. She corresponds with the Family Readiness Team of the battalion to address any parental concerns and answer questions to the best of her abilities.
“The network is a way to inform and educate parents of the Warlord’s service in Iraq, so they can better support their sons through an understanding of the military,” said Navy Lt. Joel Degraeve, 40, the battalion chaplain. “If Mrs. Hanley receives a question, she forwards it to us. Some have been concerns, but parents mostly want to know how they can support us.”
As the Parent Network grows, so do the number of inquiries about the battalion. Hanley eventually receives most questions from parents, but the network has grown so large that six individuals across the nation have taken intermediary roles between Hanley and the parents.
“We have parents all across the United States divided into six regions,” said Long, who is from Asheville, N.C. “Each region has its own regional coordinator they can contact for help.”
On their own accord, the parents began coordinating with one another to send battalion-care packages. They have sent boxes upon boxes of useful items to distribute to all of the Marines with the battalion. The chaplain, while visiting Marines for religious services, plans to pass out boxes at every stop.
“Sending battalion-care packages is not something they originally planned to do,” said Degraeve, who is from Chicago. “Every Marine in the battalion will be taken care of in a way because of them. In the short time they have been together, they have shown their commitment to the Warlords.”
Information on becoming a member of the Parent Network and supporting the Marines during their deployment is available on the battalion’s Web site, www.iimefpublic.usmc.mil/public/iimefpublic.nsf/unitsites/2bn2mar/.
As the group continues to grow, more and more parents all over the United States are learning about their son’s deployment and banding together to take care of the Warlords any way they can.
