StaffSgt. Phil
My sister sent me an e-mail over the weekend about her son. He's been in the Air National Guard since graduating from high school in May of 2001. Since then he's earned lots of awards and has been to some exciting places. Well, exciting if you're in the military, I guess, but not so exciting for his wife, mom, dad, grandmother and the rest of the family at home! He just returned from several months in Diego Garcia, which is a beautiful place when you look at pictures, but it is also home to those who fly missions to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Here is some of what she said, "I just wanted to share an e-mail that I shared with some friends. Every one of you are such a support and have been such a tremendously good influence on our sons, you must always know the outcomes. Phil will be deployed to Iraq in August. "
"After that he says he's going on an active duty hiatus, probably for the rest of his guard career (inasmuch as he can control that). While in Iraq he will re-up his enlistment to six more years (he plans on staying in for twenty). "
"Today he presented his dad and I with a very touching certificate and an American flag. The certificate is signed by the B-52 bomber pilot that accomplished an assisted mission with Phil and his team in Afghanistan. The flag flew in that bomber for this particular bombing. We're going to frame the flag and certificate with a picture of Phil beside it. This misson required Phil's team to hedge in some terrorists and pinpoint, via GPS, their position to where the bomb was dropped. Several terrorists .... gone .... courtesy of the red, white and blue!!!! His team participated in 36 missions, while in Diego Garcia. That's more than the ones before them. "
"Before he came home from his deployment he had mentioned telling us a lot of stories. Now that he's home, he has no desire to tell, which shows us his level of growth and maturity. He is the man we had hoped he would become. He only told what I told you all, and chooses for now not to say much more. For now and maybe forever. "
"I want you all to know and not just because I am his mom, but he, like the many other thousands of military men and women represents his country well, with a passion for our freedom and safety in his heart that no ocean can quench. He knows that he is a part of the world's most powerful military and and he knows how it got to be that way. "
"While his dad and I are not over 5'3", he stands tall at about 6' and he stands tall because he knows he is proud to serve the country he has loved for as long as I can remember. Your prayers are appreciated, as for all of our sons and daughters, wives and husbands in the military. "
Good job StaffSgt Phil and to your beautiful wife, Sarah, about whom my sister says our dad would have said, 'she's quite the girl!'. Yes, she is! And he'd be so proud of his grandson, StaffSgt Phil.
Here is some of what she said, "I just wanted to share an e-mail that I shared with some friends. Every one of you are such a support and have been such a tremendously good influence on our sons, you must always know the outcomes. Phil will be deployed to Iraq in August. "
"After that he says he's going on an active duty hiatus, probably for the rest of his guard career (inasmuch as he can control that). While in Iraq he will re-up his enlistment to six more years (he plans on staying in for twenty). "
"Today he presented his dad and I with a very touching certificate and an American flag. The certificate is signed by the B-52 bomber pilot that accomplished an assisted mission with Phil and his team in Afghanistan. The flag flew in that bomber for this particular bombing. We're going to frame the flag and certificate with a picture of Phil beside it. This misson required Phil's team to hedge in some terrorists and pinpoint, via GPS, their position to where the bomb was dropped. Several terrorists .... gone .... courtesy of the red, white and blue!!!! His team participated in 36 missions, while in Diego Garcia. That's more than the ones before them. "
"Before he came home from his deployment he had mentioned telling us a lot of stories. Now that he's home, he has no desire to tell, which shows us his level of growth and maturity. He is the man we had hoped he would become. He only told what I told you all, and chooses for now not to say much more. For now and maybe forever. "
"I want you all to know and not just because I am his mom, but he, like the many other thousands of military men and women represents his country well, with a passion for our freedom and safety in his heart that no ocean can quench. He knows that he is a part of the world's most powerful military and and he knows how it got to be that way. "
"While his dad and I are not over 5'3", he stands tall at about 6' and he stands tall because he knows he is proud to serve the country he has loved for as long as I can remember. Your prayers are appreciated, as for all of our sons and daughters, wives and husbands in the military. "
Good job StaffSgt Phil and to your beautiful wife, Sarah, about whom my sister says our dad would have said, 'she's quite the girl!'. Yes, she is! And he'd be so proud of his grandson, StaffSgt Phil.
posted by Deborah at 5:24 AM
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