story166.xml

story166.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-03-07

Hardin-Simmons University was about to begin the Inaguration of out new college president. A friend of mine stayed the night with me, and we stayed up real late so we did not attend the Inaguration. We were laying in bed just laughing and talking about all differnet kinds of things when my phone rang. You see I was raised in a military family and understand a little differently than most American's about what truly goes on. Both my parents were in before I was born. Mom got an honorable discharge when she had my older brother. We lived in several places, California, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas and England. So anything militarially I get a little different picture. My older brother in now serving in the Air Force, the same branch my father retired from. Mom called to ask if I had heard the news, we had no idea what was going on. So I turned on the television. She had already talked to Ray, my brother who is stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi. He was base lock down. He could not leave the base untilthey knew what was to go on. The is the same thing that happened when my father ws in the Air Force during the Gulf War. Mom sadi that they told Ray that he needed to be prepared to leave at any time. No one was allowed to take leave or leave the area. My dad said that if he was calleed he would go. My father loves his country and what he did for the Air Force. Even though he has four kids he still would go so that he could serve. I was terrified that day. Not knowing what was going on or what would happen. We stayed in very close contact with Ray to keep up with any news of him being deployed. Dad was never called back to active duty, though he specialities might be needed soon. Ray was deployed on March 2, 2002. We were not told anything but that he was going. Mom recieved an e-mail from him yesterday saying that he arrived and that he was fine. I am kind of scared for him, being over there, but I know that he knows he is fighting for a great cause. Not many people understand what it is like to have someone you care deeply about fighting the war. We as military people get use to having people close to us leaving with barely any notice and not knowing for sure when they will return. Just because we know that it is there job and duty it is still hard. No matter what the circumstance we try our best to keep moving on, keep our head up, and keep living.