9/11

This past month has been a whirlwind of one thing after the next. I guess as life usually goes. BUT we are a very excited family to be welcoming home our favorite Seabee on such a huge day in our nation’s history.

I was very sick on 9-11-01. I was home from college asleep when my mom woke me up to tell me what happened. Stunned, I just sat in front of the television, not being able to imagine any good out of such a horrible, awful event that brought so much pain. Seven years later, getting to welcome Alex home from fighting for our country’s freedoms. Wow.

9-11 brought a season of terrorism and fear to our country we have experienced for the past 7 years, and Alex’s deployment brought a time of waiting, enduring, and praying ever so many prayers. Happily, we look forward to a new season as he comes home and hope that his jet lagged self can stand the excitement from all of us in the hangar. And we pray that our country sees a new season, as well, of renewed hope, purpose, and peace.

Five years

Today is the five year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Vice President Dick Cheney is in the middle of a surprise 10 day tour of the country. He addressed troops at Balad Air Base.

“Understanding all the dangers of this new era, we have no intention of abandoning our friends, or allowing this country of 170,000 square miles to become a staging area for further attacks against Americans,” Cheney told servicemembers at Balad Air Base.

“All Americans can be certain: We intend to complete the mission, so that another generation of Americans doesn’t have to come back here and do it again,” he said. Cheney’s last visit was on the heels of the surge of troops, and he noted the improvements.

“We made a surge in operations, and the results are now clear: more effective raids to root out enemies; better and more accurate intelligence information from the locals; and higher hopes for the future from the Iraqi people,” Cheney said. “And across this country, the more that Iraqis have gotten to know Americans — the nature of our intentions, and the character of our soldiers — the better they’ve felt about the United States of America.”

The Department of Defense newsletter said that the vice president bestowed “greetings from home” and “good wishes” from President Bush, and praised troops for their distinguished work on one of the biggest and busiest U.S. bases in the country.

“I want you to know that we appreciate you and your comrades, that we never take you for granted, that we’re inspired by the tremendous work you’ve done on this deployment,” he said. “On the president’s behalf, I want to thank all of you for being part of an extraordinary American team here in Iraq.”

With the five year mark, we at home remember what the troops have done in Iraq and still support their efforts. Alex’s group continues to rebuild and bring new life to the area he is deployed. We are very proud of you, Alex!

Yay for the SeaBees

March marks the 66th anniversary of the Seabees. Rear Admiral Ben Moreell, chief of Navy’s Bureau of Yard and Docks, established the first construction battalions during World War II in response to the need for military construction. The SeaBees obtained their name from a transliteration of “CB” from construction battalion and have continued their “Can Do” legacy around the globe.

Moreell also gave them their official motto: Construimus, Batuimus — We build, We fight.  The Seabees became a permanent part of the Navy and have participated in every major conflict since World War II.

More than 2,500 SeaBees are deployed around the world in about 15 countries.

*Pic of my favorite SeaBee and me- summer 2007 in New Orleans.

The Surge Worked

Pics coming soon from the weekend. I was able to meet up with Alex at his mom’s house. It was beyond nice to hang out and go to Dirt Cheap and easily forget there is a deployment soon before us.It’s been a year since “the surge” in Iraq, and Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman wrote a commentary published in The Wall Street Journallast week. Excerpt below.

“As the surge should have taught us by now, troop numbers matter in Iraq. We should adjust those numbers based on conditions on the ground and the recommendations of our commanders in Iraq — first and foremost, Gen. Petraeus, who above all others has proven that he knows how to steer this war to a successful outcome.Every American should feel a debt of gratitude to Gen. Petraeus and the great American troops fighting under him for us. This gratitude is due not simply for the extraordinary progress they have accomplished in Iraq, but for what they have taught us about ourselves.If the mismanagement of the Iraq war from 2003 to 2006 exposed our government’s capacity for incompetence, Gen. Petraeus’ leadership this past year, and the conduct of the troops under his command, have reminded us of our capacity for the wisdom, the courage and the leadership that has always rallied our nation to greatness.As Americans, we have repeatedly done what others said was impossible. Gen. Petraeus and his troops are doing that again in Iraq today.”