19 Days!!!! He's coming home!!!
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cycloneye
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That is excellent news that you gave us Miss Mary and as I have a countdown for the hurricane season you have your personal one to recieve Kristopher.
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ColdFront77
ColdFront77 wrote:Great news, indeed Mary!He doesn't have to go back?
Miss Mary wrote:Word is he'll be assigned training of some sort here in the States. That could be a long
assignment, 6 months or more. No word on if he has to go back. I'm sure some will have to. And he's quite
good at what he does, from what my brother tells me.
It would be nice if he is assigned training here in the U.S. and doesn't have to return. I heard on the news that some (from the 101st Airbourne) would be assigned here. The best thing is he will be back home for at least awhile.
Last edited by ColdFront77 on Mon Jan 12, 2004 8:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Miss Mary
Hey all - update. My family just received another email from Kris. He said the "Internet Cafe" will shut down January 20th. We can't send him or the rest of the 101st any more emails after that date. Just another positive sign they are really packing up. Snail mail and care packages had to stop by Dec. 16. After January20th his wife will send us all updates, since I'm assuming he can still call her. Just wanted to share the good news, once again! Each time I read something like this, I cry all over again. But they're happy tears.
Thanks in advance for all your well wishes - you've all been just great!
Mary
Thanks in advance for all your well wishes - you've all been just great!
Mary
Last edited by Miss Mary on Thu Jan 15, 2004 7:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mary, what terrific news. I really can say I know exactly how you feel. When my nephew came home from Afganastan I felt the same way. Many, many tears of joy were shed at that Fly In. (((Hugs))) to you and your entire family. Hugs and Kisses to Kristopher for defending us so bravely. We're all proud of him!!!!!
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Miss Mary
Stephanie, Karan and Johnathan - thanks so much for your kind words! Sure appreciate it. Karan - you know how we all feel, that's so comforting. Knowing someone else knows exactly how I feel, sure helps me thru this. What does irritate me is you'll be talking to someone, either over the phone or in person and mention your nephew is coming home soon. They give you about 30-60 seconds of their time/attention. Oh that's nice they say. And then switch subjects. You're standing there dumbfounded. They just don't get it do they? How could they unless they've had a personal friend or close family member serve under such dire conditions? When the war first started we all went to sleep worrying and praying about him. Please God, keep him safe until morning. Then you'd do the same thing thru-out the day. When combat was over and then locals started attacking our GI's, our worrying kicked in high gear. We all said that was worse! We all thought they could relax a bit but no, they had to be even more cautious. So when someone brushes me off in the grocery story b/c they just don't get it, my elation/near tears/goose bump moments.......well, I just have to walk away shaking my head. How quickly people move on over here in the U.S. Old news.....it's not old news to us!
Well anywho, I like to read articles from a local newspaper site near Ft. Campbell. Here's one about a local soldier who just returned. I thought I'd post it here, b/c you all obviously like to follow stories like this, about our brave soldiers. Thanks again everyone, wish I could hug you all!
Here it is:
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The Leaf Cronicle
Clarksville, Tennessee
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/st ... 35719.html
Rakkasans come home, readjust to life in States
187th troops stormed Iraq not long after Afghanistan
By CHANTAL ESCOTO
The Leaf-Chronicle
Greg Williamson/The Leaf-Chronicle
[Picture descriptions:]
Sgt. Daniel Floyd tosses his daughter April, 4, in the air after seeing her for the first time in nearly a year. More than 200 troops returned to Fort Campbell Thursday.
Cpl. Armando Acevedo Jr., Company C, 2/187th Infantry Regiment, prepares to hug his grandmother after returning to Fort Campbell Thursday. His father Armando Acevedo Sr., who served in Desert Storm, watches from behind.
187th AT WAR
Some of 3rd Brigade's accomplishments:
Conducted an air assault by helicopter into Baghdad shortly after the war started March 20, meeting up with 3rd Infantry Division and securing the international airport.
Provided security in the Iraqi desert at Forward Area Refueling Points for U.S. convoys moving north from Kuwait into southern Iraq.
The terrain and enemy were different between Afghanistan and Iraq, but coming home brought the same mix of relief and uncertainty for Cpl. Armando Acevedo Jr.
He was one of the more than 200 soldiers with the 187th Infantry Regiment who touched down at Fort Campbell Thursday. More planeloads of Rakkasans are expected this week.
"We had more against us in Iraq than on the first one (Afghanistan)," said Acevedo, who was greeted by 11 family members who came from Texas to see him.
But while he was happy to see his loved ones at Campbell Army Airfield's Hangar 2, he will have to readjust to civilian life.
"I'm actually nervous. It's almost the same feeling I had when I got off in Iraq," he said. "I don't know what to expect. Everything is kind of new to me."
The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, also known as Task Force Rakkasans, was sent to Afghanistan for nearly eight months in 2002 to root out al-Qaida and the Taliban from Afghanistan. Less than six months after they returned, the entire 101st Airborne Division was deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Rakkasans were the first infantry units with the 101st to go into Iraq when the war started March 20.
Acevedo's father, Armando Acevedo Sr., a Gulf War veteran and retired Army sergeant, said he couldn't be more pleased with his son's accomplishments.
"I'm very happy, and hopefully he retires from the Army," the senior Acevedo said. "We're very proud."
While many soldiers say Iraq was more dangerous than Afghanistan, Spc. Richard Sprague said Operation Anaconda was far more intense.
"All the fire we took in was a lot closer and more accurate, and as far as ground war, it was more like combat to me," said Sprague, of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment.
But while the battles in Afghanistan were on mountain ranges with known enemies, the battles in Iraq were more like the urban warfare the 101st trains for.
"Every moment I was out on patrol, it was scary," he said. "You never know what's going to happen."
The 187th Infantry Regiment traces its lineage to the 11th Airborne Division of World War II. They would have been the first American soldiers to invade Japan, had the empire not surrendered.
Just after World War II, the Japanese named the parachuting men of the 187th "Rakkasan," which means "falling down umbrella." The troops kept the name.
Chantal Escoto covers military affairs and can be reached at 245-0216 or by e-mail at chantalescoto@theleafchronicle.com.
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Well anywho, I like to read articles from a local newspaper site near Ft. Campbell. Here's one about a local soldier who just returned. I thought I'd post it here, b/c you all obviously like to follow stories like this, about our brave soldiers. Thanks again everyone, wish I could hug you all!
Here it is:
____________________________
The Leaf Cronicle
Clarksville, Tennessee
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/st ... 35719.html
Rakkasans come home, readjust to life in States
187th troops stormed Iraq not long after Afghanistan
By CHANTAL ESCOTO
The Leaf-Chronicle
Greg Williamson/The Leaf-Chronicle
[Picture descriptions:]
Sgt. Daniel Floyd tosses his daughter April, 4, in the air after seeing her for the first time in nearly a year. More than 200 troops returned to Fort Campbell Thursday.
Cpl. Armando Acevedo Jr., Company C, 2/187th Infantry Regiment, prepares to hug his grandmother after returning to Fort Campbell Thursday. His father Armando Acevedo Sr., who served in Desert Storm, watches from behind.
187th AT WAR
Some of 3rd Brigade's accomplishments:
Conducted an air assault by helicopter into Baghdad shortly after the war started March 20, meeting up with 3rd Infantry Division and securing the international airport.
Provided security in the Iraqi desert at Forward Area Refueling Points for U.S. convoys moving north from Kuwait into southern Iraq.
The terrain and enemy were different between Afghanistan and Iraq, but coming home brought the same mix of relief and uncertainty for Cpl. Armando Acevedo Jr.
He was one of the more than 200 soldiers with the 187th Infantry Regiment who touched down at Fort Campbell Thursday. More planeloads of Rakkasans are expected this week.
"We had more against us in Iraq than on the first one (Afghanistan)," said Acevedo, who was greeted by 11 family members who came from Texas to see him.
But while he was happy to see his loved ones at Campbell Army Airfield's Hangar 2, he will have to readjust to civilian life.
"I'm actually nervous. It's almost the same feeling I had when I got off in Iraq," he said. "I don't know what to expect. Everything is kind of new to me."
The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, also known as Task Force Rakkasans, was sent to Afghanistan for nearly eight months in 2002 to root out al-Qaida and the Taliban from Afghanistan. Less than six months after they returned, the entire 101st Airborne Division was deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Rakkasans were the first infantry units with the 101st to go into Iraq when the war started March 20.
Acevedo's father, Armando Acevedo Sr., a Gulf War veteran and retired Army sergeant, said he couldn't be more pleased with his son's accomplishments.
"I'm very happy, and hopefully he retires from the Army," the senior Acevedo said. "We're very proud."
While many soldiers say Iraq was more dangerous than Afghanistan, Spc. Richard Sprague said Operation Anaconda was far more intense.
"All the fire we took in was a lot closer and more accurate, and as far as ground war, it was more like combat to me," said Sprague, of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment.
But while the battles in Afghanistan were on mountain ranges with known enemies, the battles in Iraq were more like the urban warfare the 101st trains for.
"Every moment I was out on patrol, it was scary," he said. "You never know what's going to happen."
The 187th Infantry Regiment traces its lineage to the 11th Airborne Division of World War II. They would have been the first American soldiers to invade Japan, had the empire not surrendered.
Just after World War II, the Japanese named the parachuting men of the 187th "Rakkasan," which means "falling down umbrella." The troops kept the name.
Chantal Escoto covers military affairs and can be reached at 245-0216 or by e-mail at chantalescoto@theleafchronicle.com.
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