EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Today my hero … my soldier … my son … came home from a 9 month deployment fighting in the war in Afghanistan. Defending our country … allowing us to get up at 4am and swim … or run … or ride  ...  allowing us to hunt hogs.

Most of us don’t think about the ongoing war. Me too. Well, except when he is deployed. Then, I think of it way too often. I can hear my son tell me what he did when he enlisted … “at some point I need to chase my dreams … not run from your fears”. That simple thought has calmed me on many, many occasions.

My son is a Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army and pilots the Chinook helicopter. He just finished his 3rd deployment into a war zone … this time in Afghanistan … the two previous were in Iraq … putting himself in harms way … because as he tells me … “someone has to step up and do it … so why not me?”.

My soldier is home. Safe. Merely writing this is surreal … “my soldier is home”. Whew! Yes! Relief! I don’t know if many of you will understand.

Today is a wonderful day.

I am happy for you and know he's happy to be home out of that miserable place It's always good to come back and put your feet on American soil. Thanks to all the VETERANS. The schoonk was my favorite copter to fly on.

Your son is a hero to many! Very thankful that we have people like your son to keep us safe. Glad he's home. :)

I thank him very much for his service.  Glad he is home.

Im glad that he is home, thanks to him and your family as well! 

I bet its like 10,000 Christmas's at once. Very good news that hes home where he belongs and a big thankyou to him for his service.

Glad to hear it!! I don't know either of you but tell him I said thank you for serving.

God bless you and your son, thankyou for all you do

As a vet I know the sacrifice your son has mad for every one in this great country of ours as a father I understand your relief of his safe return. I know first hand how it feels to return to your family. I thank you and your son for your service many people don't realize the hardship of the family at home  god bless

AWESOME! Please thank him for his service!

Steve

RL my son just graduated this year, he gets his commission in December. He has loved planes and helicopters since he was old enough to run outside and look at them. He gets commissioned as a Second Lt. in the army, and is talking about switching to a Warrant Officer. I don't understand all the ins and outs of it but he is a good young man, and I back him up in his decisions. May God or fate or whatever we believe in watch over this generation.

Thank you all for the kind words.  Particularly those who have served or had a family member serve  ...  and understands the emotions of returning from a tour of duty in a war zone.  I just needed to share the moment.  Thank you again.

Basically, Warrant Officers are specialists.  Be they pilots, chefs, accountants, doctors, etc.  Their contract says that as long as they meet competency requirements, they work in their chosen profession.  Regular officers can be assigned to occupations "as needed".

God Bless your son and your family for ya'lls sacrifice made for this country.

we all our grateful for our true heroes

X's 2. Thank him on my behalf!

Our country THANKS HIM and from the bottom of all our hearts, we the real people are very happy that he has come home to YOU

good luck to him and to all of yall.

from me.....who else. tapatalk

Special people like him and many others are why we all get to enjoy out everyday lives in the outdoors. Tell him THANKS A BUNCH!!!! Glad he's home safely!!

Thank you to your son and all his family for the sacrifices made. Because of people like him, we get to do what we love.

Words cannot express the gratitude I have for your son and the other brave solders for all they do each and every day!   The pride and joy in having your son home must be unbelievable!   
Thanks to you son, and thanks to you for raising a fine young man!

The transition home is strange.  The things we take for granted.

Going to Lowes  ...  driving anywhere  ...  having "rooms" in his home.  He says the his room on base was the size of his utility room  ...  and that he shared that with another soldier.  Or just moving around.  He spent 9 months on a base in Kandahar.  Always either "on base" or "in the air". 

He says they must have killed all the dumb Afghani's.  That they locals have figured out their rules of engagement which are meant to minimize collateral damage.  They only shoot back from the Chinooks if the attackers are not near civilians.  So they take their families to the fields with them  ...  when a copter passes they shoot at them  ...  then return to farming.  So they flew on instead of engaging.

He has "jungle rot" on one foot.  Nothing serious.  It will dry out.  But he has only worn his combat boots for 9 months.

But his driving is great.  He could drive around base.  Surprisingly, he said he got stopped on base lst week for "only stopping at a stop sign for 2 seconds, instead of "at least 3".  Go figure, traffic laws on a base in a war zone.

I appreciate all of the nice sentiments expressed on this forum.  Thank you all. 

That's is great to hear. I too thank him for his service. So happy for you he made it back safely!

x2