Thank you for this post, petuniasevan.
Thanks so much for the ping, RC.
Posted on 12/26/2003 8:37:17 AM PST by petuniasevan
Local soldiers write letters home
Merry Christmas from the 395th
As the holiday season draws closer to an end, the soldiers of the 395th Ordnance Company, currently stationed overseas in Afghanistan, take time to reflect what really means the most to them.
For most of us, it is the family that we left back home, the friends that we spent so many good times with, freedoms that we never realized meant so much to us and a myriad of other things.
Being so far away from friends and family back home is a mere inconvenience for some. For others it is the most trying period of their life to date, but with a phone and the Internet at our finger tips, the pain is eased somewhat. Even with the life line these comforts provide, the holiday season is still heart-wrenching for almost every soldier here.
To help keep our morale at a high level during the holiday season, we rely on each other and the few creature comforts we can partake in.
Take Spec. William Case of Omro. To help pass the time he has taken up the Rubix Cube, which, as simple as it sounds, provides him with hours of endless possibilities.
Like many other soldiers deployed overseas right now, Spec. Abraham Rincon of Odessa, Texas, spends his free time listening to music, which helps sooth his mind after a long day of work.
And just as everyone here thinks at some point during the day, Spec. Jason Thomas of Franklin Grove, Ill., remembers how good we really have it back home. That gives him fuel to make it through this deployment.
Many of us have learned how to play games we would never play back home.
Staff Sgt. Bradley Nickel of Milwaukee is the chessmaster, teaching us the ins and outs of the game, which provides us hours of entertainment.
Others spend their free time in front of the television playing video games or watching movies.
On certain Sunday nights, everyone huddles around the television to watch a not-so-clear picture of the football team that stirs so many emotions, the Green Bay Packers. Though many thousands of miles away from home we still can spend our Sunday nights watching the Pack play, which really brings everyone together.
On Christmas Day, even though we will be separated from our families, we still can look forward to a day of being together with our friends.
Spec. Nina Bricco of Oshkosh is hoping for a day of rest on Christmas Day, but fears she’ll be tasked out to help at the Brigade Christmas Party.
Like Spec. Bricco, Sgt. Scott Thomae, originally of Appleton, hopes for a day of rest. He plans on calling home and then watching Christmas classics, such as A Christmas Story and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. He would like to wish the love of his life, Nan, a special Merry Christmas.
To show that the Christmas spirit is not lost so many miles away from home, our platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Kerry Schemmel of Appleton, and Sgt. 1st Class Troy Kane of Eagle River, will be taking over guard duty of our work area for the day so the rest of us can enjoy our day off.
Although we have so many ways to keep in touch with our families while we are deployed, Christmas Day will still be one of the hardest days for us to get through, knowing that we can’t be with our families on such a special day.
But that is the price a few of us must pay so others can enjoy being together with their families. That’s the price of freedom.
In close, everyone from the 395th Ordnance Company of Appleton would like to wish our family and friends, and everyone else a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
— Sgt. Todd Oczus, 24, Janesville
A picture is all a soldier has to hold as a piece of home
Christmas packages have been arriving for many soldiers, which keeps morale up. Mail plays a major part in keeping spirits and morale high. An additional bonus is the ability to communicate through Internet and phone lines. We are fortunate that our communication system at Camp Stronghold Freedom is good so all soldiers will have an opportunity to call and email home to loved ones.
Operation Enduring Freedom has many different missions in multiple regions that may or may not be desirable. But one thing is common for all soldiers. We all experience the sadness when we are away from our family and friends. No matter how good the accommodations are, you will find yourself wondering what people are doing at home.
The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” holds true. A picture is all a soldier has for memory when they miss out on the opportunity to see the first time their baby walks or the first competition in sports.
The fact remains that all of 395th Ordnance Company Detachment 3 is proud to serve our country. I would like to thank all the families and friends who are supporting their loved ones through this difficult time. Through your support we, the soldiers, find strength in carrying out our mission.
— 1st Lt. Robin Meiklejohn, 30, rural Winnebago County
Every day is another day getting closer to home
I have been in the Army Reserve for almost 10 years. My husband, Glen, and two children, Dakota, 3 and Hunter, 1, live in Fond du Lac. Being in the Army is a great honor to finally get a chance to serve my country. This is my first deployment and you can never prepare yourself enough for what you go through.
Holidays have always been a huge thing in my family and this is the first time I’m not there. It doesn’t make it easy, but that is part of life we all deal with. Christmas packages are coming in. I received a Christmas tree that was decorated and displayed in our living area.
Life in another country makes you appreciate all the things you have back home. I have been gone for almost six months from family and friends. Thinking every day that I complete a mission and task is another day closer to home.
Defending our country is an honor. I am proud to be a soldier that is serving such a great country. Merry Christmas.
— Sgt. Jessica Merten, Fond du Lac
Special time with daughter slips away for soldier
I definitely miss my daughter, Rachel, the most. The things I miss the most are quiet mornings, personal time with no one else around, sidewalks, grocery stores and driving my car.
My daughter is 3 years old and I am missing this time to teach her and play with her. I will not only miss Christmas with her, but also her birthday. No matter what I do when I get home, that special time with her is lost.
I keep my spirits high by calling home, e-mailing and writing letters. I think mail call is the highlight of everyone’s day if you receive a package or, better yet, a letter from home filled with the news of the day. I keep busy by watching movies, talking to soldiers from other units, playing games, reading books and making sure my gear is ready in case there is a mission.
It’s not fun being away during the holidays, but I realize that it is all part of being a soldier. I joined the military to serve my country and I am finally doing that. However, I will be very glad to get home when my duty here is done.
— Staff Sgt. Karen S. Sweeney, 27, Menasha
Creating a little bit of home in the middle of Afghanistan
For me, it’s hard to realize I am even missing Christmas.
Mentally, I realize it, but there are few of the normal things here we all take for granted as being part of Christmas.
There will be no snow for us, though when the wind picks up enough dust it is reminiscent of the near-whiteout conditions that can exist along U.S. 41.
There are no decorations out on the streets here, if you can even consider packed dirt and loose dust streets. What decorations we have are closely hoarded and displayed proudly in personal areas. Those who have some use them to show off or brag about those back home who sent the decorations. It is a rare tent, indeed, that has even one string of lights hanging outside on its makeshift door frame.
Our tent is lucky. It’s home to Scott Steinke, self-proclaimed “most festive” among us. His young cousins cut out and sent paper snowflakes for us to hang up along with a paper chain to use as decoration.
Several other members of his family each sent a string of lights as well. They trail from his bed to the tent pole and down the middle of the tent. He also grabbed some candy canes others received and hung those up in addition to decorate the sting of lights. To top it all off, he was also sent a 3-foot fiber-optic tree we decorated with snowflake ornaments my mother sent me.
We leave it lit at night, its dim glow welcoming “home” those of us with late-night or guard duty.
They often say home is where the heart is, in which case the tree isn’t truly welcoming us home. Most of our hearts are stateside in the Fox Valley.
What helps to keep our spirits high is the same as what has always traditionally kept them high for a soldier — communication with those we love back home.
To hear the voices and see the faces of those we love helps to remind us of who we are here to protect. Just this morning half a dozen of us were crowded around the laptop screen as Jason LaTulip of Little Chute slowly downloaded a picture of his son (not 2 months old) that his wife had sent him.
Maybe we are not so far away from home after all.
— Spc. Adam Luebke, 21, Neenah
Fellow soldiers keep spirits up in stressing times
Being here with the 395th makes me feel worthwhile and that I’m doing the right thing for my country. But even with this in mind, it’s still difficult being here during the holiday season.
Being that this is my first deployment and the first time away from my family during the holidays, it’s especially hard on me.
My mother, Dawn Steinke, and I have to try to explain to my little cousins, ranging in ages from 3 to 7, why I’m not around anymore, and why I won’t be around for the holidays this year, which is a little unnerving to me.
I also miss the good times with my friends that are always bound to happen during the holidays. But, I know that they will still be there when I get home.
The hardest thing for me to deal with while being deployed is my relationship with my girlfriend, Kristi. Being so far away from home, it puts a lot of stress on us, but this may be the best thing for us. This deployment could help our relationship grow stronger and make us closer than ever before when I return.
With all the difficulties that being deployed presents, I still can rely on the group of soldiers that I’m here with to help keep my spirits up. The soldiers of the 395th can make any situation seem trivial with the great sense of humor we all seem to possess, which is why I’m proud to be here serving my country in this unprecedented time of need.
Plus, I know everyone back home loves and misses me very much, and that I will be back home soon enough.
— Scott Douglas Steinke, 21, Reedsville
Simple things suddenly become so important
Since I’ve been deployed, there have been many things I’ve come to realize make my life complete, small as they may be.
The quality time I spent with my wife, Elena Derzhavina, and the freedom to do whatever we wanted is and always was a blessing to me, even though they seemed trivial. But now I realize how much I miss them. What I wouldn’t give to go on a simple bike ride with my wife.
I used to play in the snow with her in the middle of the night, and even took time to build a snowman with her on a cold, crisp Wisconsin morning. Every year we would make it a priority to go together to pick out the Christmas tree we would then cut down to get ready for the most wonderful time of the year.
All these comforts that I used to take for granted make me really miss being away from home and my wife, but there are many things that I do to help take my mind of off being deployed, and in the process help keep my spirits up.
Being a bit older than the rest of the crew that I’m here with, I think it’s easier for me to keep my spirits up since I’ve learned patience over the years. Even though I know that I’m going to be in Afghanistan for a little bit longer than I originally thought, I also realize that I’ll be here for only so long.
That’s one of the main things that helps me from becoming depressed, but I also take pleasure in many other little creature comforts that we have here.
When the workday is finally over, I can look forward to sitting down and watching a little bit of the one TV station we are able to tune in to. Or, if TV doesn’t seem too appealing, I’ll relax to recordings of my wife playing the piano or organ that were sent to me by a good friend, or the works of Mozart and Beethoven.
The people who have sent me items to keep me sane have been of the utmost importance, because it gives me a bridge to home during this deployment.
— Spec. Ken Watkins, 41, Oaks, N.D., formerly of Appleton
We appreciate your sacrifice and dedication.
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Merry Christmas from the 395th
As the holiday season draws closer to an end, the soldiers of the 395th Ordnance Company, currently stationed overseas in Afghanistan, take time to reflect what really means the most to them.
...Being so far away from friends and family back home is a mere inconvenience for some. For others it is the most trying period of their life to date, but with a phone and the Internet at our finger tips, the pain is eased somewhat. Even with the life line these comforts provide, the holiday season is still heart-wrenching for almost every soldier here.
Thank you for this post, petuniasevan.
Thanks so much for the ping, RC.
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