Posted on 07/15/2008 5:14:52 AM PDT by Dukes Travels
Last week my wife and I traveled to Fort Hood, Texas to see our youngest son, 1st Lt. Christopher B. Lee, leave with his unit for a 15-month combat tour to Afghanistan. We visited him and his wife, Katie, and our eight-month-old granddaughter Avary, at their military-provided duplex housing on the fort located in Central Texas.
Chris’s unit, 1st Battalion of the 26 Infantry Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One), just missed the Pentagon’s policy change of combat tours from 15 to 12 months, by two weeks. If he had been deployed on or after August 1, his tour would have been 12 months. I hope his luck improves once he hits the ground in Afghanistan.
In the weeks prior to his deployment, you could sense his anticipation and excitement about going. He had few, albeit valid, complaints that he had to deal with, such as leading a 40-man infantry platoon that comprises of only 30 soldiers. Some things he encounters didn’t make any sense to this West Point graduate, but I reminded him not to lose sight of the fact he was in the Army, and that the Army’s way of doing things can range anywhere from challenging to difficult. In any event, a 1st Lt. isn’t in a position to make changes, even if he did graduate from West Point.
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I wish him the best.
I hope and pray he makes it back home safely.
Please thank him for me the next time you talk to him.
Hand Salute to all!
He’ll be with folks who have immeasurably more morals and integrity than the members of our house and senate. The good thing is that the military knows this. The bad thing is that the house and congress know this also.
My household thanks him for his service; and we pray that God be with him and those he leads, for victory and safe return home.
Prayers and best wishes for your son and family.
God be with him.
Prayers up and tell him he has the utmost respect of this FReeper.
God Bless and keep this young hero and his charge safe during their missions. He is in my prayers!
Militant
God Bless him and his platoon. I salute them all for their service to keep us save.....
“a 1st Lt. isn’t in a position to make changes, even if he did graduate from West Point”
his platoon sergeant probably phrased it a little differently to him...
Thanks for his service, and yours.
May G-d bless him and keep him safe.
God bless. My own son is a medic in the 4th ID, and will deploy in 2009.
Best wishes from this old (67-68) Blue Spader.
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