New Orders: Fort Hood, Texas

[Barb Bouldrey]

Our son, Stephen, is stationed at Fort Lee, VA. He had been told that he was being transferred to Alaska on April 29th, but in March they cancelled those orders.

That frightened me. I was so afraid that meant he was going back to Iraq for a third time.

But he just got his new orders. He goes to Fort Hood, TX on Oct. 29th.

What a relief.

Maybe sometimes we can meet some of the Texas Naznetters when we go visit our son.

Barb

[Anita F. Henck]

Ahhhhhhh ... Barb, this brings back memories of the process of military orders. As a Navy brat for the first 21 years of my life, I can remember waiting every other spring (in the early years we moved every 2 years) to hear where we would next live.

There was the time we had been told we were moving from Maryland to Maine. When the paperwork came through, it was for San Diego, CA! (I always wondered if someone in the assigning office either needed a map or simply rolled dice and gave out orders accordingly.)

No offense to the Maine-iacs reading here. But, San Diego was a wonderful alternative to the thoughts of many months of snow. And, it was pretty influential on my life to become a Californian at age 13; it was my first time to be a part of the Nazarene church.

Military orders gave me these hometowns before marrying at age 21 -- Norfolk, VA; Camp Lejeune, NC; Little Creek, VA; Wenonah, NJ; Brookline, MA; Kenitra, Morocco; Rockville, MD; San Diego, CA; Silver Spring, MD.

Barb -- Happy you'll be within driving distance!

[Hal Paul]

I hate to put a damper on a celebration of sorts, but at least three of Ft. Hoods five brigades, will be deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan this summer. Additionally the 4th Infantry Division Headquarters will also be rotating into Iraq. In recent years, last minute changes to orders have usually meant the soldier was going to a unit preparing to deploy within the next few months, I had one in my office the other day. I really hope I'm wrong, two tours means he's likely already spent two or more years in country.

Units Deploying to Iraq:
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1807897,00.html)
4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division (http://www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2007/10/09/5515-army-unit-from-fort-hood-announced-for-iraq-rotation-in-summer-2008/)
4th Division Headquarters (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3723/is_200705/ai_n19435101)

Unit Deploying to Afghanistan
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
(http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/16676906.html)

[Barb Bouldrey]

Hal,

We are aware that Fort Hood deploys many units to Iraq and Afghanistan. I don't like it, but I know it is a reality that Stephen may arrive at Fort Hood and be in a unit already preparing for Iraq.

He is in a calvary unit and a petroleum specialist.

If 3 of their 5 units are going this summer, and the 4th infantry is rotating, I know there is a strong possibility he will go for a 3rd year.

Stephen is currently in therapy and under medication for PTSD. I wish that would keep him out of returning. He still has flashbacks and nightmares from his first year in Iraq, in 2004-05 where his best friend was killed by a roadside bomb in the humvee directly behind Stephen's humvee. Stephen had to help load his best friend into the helicopter.

He has two more years on this contract. He has been home from Iraq 19 months.

But at least he was not deployed back to Iraq THIS time.

When he came back from Germany, after 3 years there and one of them in Iraq, he was immediately put in a unit at Fort Lee that was going to Iraq in 3 months. So he was home from Iraq in March and returned in October of that same year.

How I wish this was over.

Barb

[Hal Paul]

How I wish this was over.
-Amen

[Grandma Carolyn]

Hal,

We are aware that Fort Hood deploys many units to Iraq and Afghanistan. I don't like it, but I know it is a reality that Stephen may arrive at Fort Hood and be in a unit already preparing for Iraq.

He is in a calvary unit and a petroleum specialist.

If 3 of their 5 units are going this summer, and the 4th infantry is rotating, I know there is a strong possibility he will go for a 3rd year.

Stephen is currently in therapy and under medication for PTSD. I wish that would keep him out of returning. He still has flashbacks and nightmares from his first year in Iraq, in 2004-05 where his best friend was killed by a roadside bomb in the humvee directly behind Stephen's humvee. Stephen had to help load his best friend into the helicopter.

He has two more years on this contract. He has been home from Iraq 19 months.

But at least he was not deployed back to Iraq THIS time.

When he came back from Germany, after 3 years there and one of them in Iraq, he was immediately put in a unit at Fort Lee that was going to Iraq in 3 months. So he was home from Iraq in March and returned in October of that same year.

How I wish this was over.

Barb

Oh, Barb, I'm crying for you. It is not getting any easier.
gc

[Susan Unger]

Stephen is currently in therapy and under medication for PTSD. I wish that would keep him out of returning. He still has flashbacks and nightmares from his first year in Iraq, in 2004-05 where his best friend was killed by a roadside bomb in the humvee directly behind Stephen's humvee. Stephen had to help load his best friend into the helicopter.

How I wish this was over.

Barb

I feel for you and for your son. PTSD is so paralyzing. I don't know if people understand how truly difficult it is to live with those memories and trauma. And then to have to live with the idea that you might go back to that craziness...

[John Kennedy]

Barbara -

My parents pastored the Killeen, TX Nazarene church in the late 60's-early 70's. They met a LOT of wonderful people, most of whom were at Ft. Hood. It's a church where a significant number of members may not be there next year becasue of transfers. One of the things they discovered was that most of the new ones who transferred in would get in and get involved just like they had been a part of that church for years.

[William Hunter]

It amazes me that when someone is still under care for PTSD and taking medication, and already has two combat tours in, that anyone would have the enough ignorance to send that person back to combat. There is absolutely no good sense in that at all. Some of us here on NN live the issues of combat PTSD and its related issues. It all makes me wonder at the intelligence of those who make such terrible decisions.

Barb, all of you are in my prayers.




Hal,

We are aware that Fort Hood deploys many units to Iraq and Afghanistan. I don't like it, but I know it is a reality that Stephen may arrive at Fort Hood and be in a unit already preparing for Iraq.

He is in a calvary unit and a petroleum specialist.

If 3 of their 5 units are going this summer, and the 4th infantry is rotating, I know there is a strong possibility he will go for a 3rd year.

Stephen is currently in therapy and under medication for PTSD. I wish that would keep him out of returning. He still has flashbacks and nightmares from his first year in Iraq, in 2004-05 where his best friend was killed by a roadside bomb in the humvee directly behind Stephen's humvee. Stephen had to help load his best friend into the helicopter.

He has two more years on this contract. He has been home from Iraq 19 months.

But at least he was not deployed back to Iraq THIS time.

When he came back from Germany, after 3 years there and one of them in Iraq, he was immediately put in a unit at Fort Lee that was going to Iraq in 3 months. So he was home from Iraq in March and returned in October of that same year.

How I wish this was over.

Barb