GoArmyParents.com

Hi Valerip, Stacey, Hilarij and Kellie,

I hope I didn't forget anybody. How are your sons doing at . I know they are all together there and we miss them so much. Things are changing now for our sons, as you already know and my husband and myself are getting nervous. We do talk to our son quite often and sent him care packages but now that all mail is ceased, the reality is beginning to set in.

How are you coping? We live in Pa. and of course, we cannot attend the parent meetings. Please email us back about any news on your sons. It is good for our family to know someone else who has sons at Camp .

God Bless our soldiers.

Ann

I agree it is good to keep in touch. I spoke to my son today as they were supposed to move on today. As of this afternoon that had not happened. I just finished sealing his next care package, waiting for his new address. The NH group just got their address sent to them.
Hilari

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Hilari
Blue Star Mother
Proud mother of Matt
VT NG 86th 3/172
Soon to be deployed

Hi Ann!

I wanted to send you an email, but I lost your email address. If you still have mine, can you send me a quick email so I can write back to you? I have thought about you many times, it must be hard missing your son and not having the support of a local FRG.

My Soldier is doing well. Arrived safely in LA, although a bit grumpy because he didn't enjoy the 20-hour bus ride. He is pretty proud of his muscles and I guess the guy sitting next to him is as well--so two guys with big muscles sitting side by side on a bus can't be that comfortable. But, I guess it is better to sit next to your bulky best friend than a skinny someone else, LOL! He was very lucky to have been able to see his fiancee during his 24-hour pass prior to leaving a few days ago. He is hoping she will be able to visit again during a 48-hour pass. I am concerned about that area though, I just posted some questions about it under the stateside forum so I can get more info to make sure she will be safe travelling.

How is your son doing? Holding up ok? Mine is just ready to go, he is sick of the training. Sounds like they will be really busy with very little communication for the next couple of weeks. I don't know about your son, but mine is getting really bad cell service--he did last time he was there as well and he said he has the best service and other people were using his phone. He has AT&T, he said a bunch of people bought a pay as you go type phone with AT&T service for this time around, but you still have to stand in a special place to get service.

Hope things are going well for you and that I hear from you soon!

Stacey

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~Stacey

Proud Mom of PFC Nick (20)
Ft. Benning OSUT, E Co., 1st Battalion, 19th INF, graduated 10/10/08
NHNG, Mtn Infantry
Deployed to Afghanistan 12/2009

Proud Mom of Alex (17) HS student extraordinairre

But for the grace of God go I

Hi Stacie and Ann..
Spoke to Matt today. He also has bad cell service and he has ATT. We do better with text. Finally got his address today so I could send care package. Makes me feel better. I have not heard anything from the VT FRG for Matt's group. I may or may not be able to make the 3 1/2 hr drive but I still want to know whats going on. Anyway I will be starting a local chapter of the Blue Star Mothers so that keeps me up to date on general military stuff and gives me alot of support as well. Are you guys part of any BSM groups, seeing as you are BSM!
Keep in touch.
Hilari

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Hilari
Blue Star Mother
Proud mother of Matt
VT NG 86th 3/172
Soon to be deployed

Hi Everyone!
Our FRA (Family Readiness Assistant) suggested that I start a discussion thread at the JSS site for Parents of Vermont soldiers. I'm hoping that families living here in Vermont will join the discussion there too. If you're not already registered at JSS, you just go to www.jointservicessupport.org and register as a parent. I posted something today and will try to spread the word around our area as much as possible. I hope you'll join us there, as well as here on GAP ( which I LOVE).

Kellie

Hello Vermont people! My son is not in the Vermont National Guard, but he will be trained by the Vermont National Guard this summer when he attends Mountain Warfare Training School in Vermont. It's my understanding that the school is run by the Vermont National Guard. Pretty cool.

Anyway, he loves mountains, but he's never been as intimate with them as the crash course he's about to get with the Vermont NG.

I'm sure it will be very tough, but I think he will enjoy it.

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My kid 'assisting' a potential new Marion Military Institute cadet with some basic commands during MMI's Knight-Fox Weekend last Spring.

Hi Dawg!
Your son's going to be just a few miles from me! I think he'll love Vermont, especially in the Summer!


Kellie

I agree completely. He's never been North of Washington, D.C. He is going to love the mountains of Vermont, imo. In spite of what the Army does to him there.

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My kid 'assisting' a potential new Marion Military Institute cadet with some basic commands during MMI's Knight-Fox Weekend last Spring.

Dawg, my son said it is a tough course. The physical part is about what you would expect out of any Army school, but the navigation is what is really hard. He said a lot of the "young" guys (LOL, he is 20) have a really hard time with it and that there should be no shame if you don't make it through on the first try, no matter what your age. Best of luck to you son. Let us know how it goes!

_________________
~Stacey

Proud Mom of PFC Nick (20)
Ft. Benning OSUT, E Co., 1st Battalion, 19th INF, graduated 10/10/08
NHNG, Mtn Infantry
Deployed to Afghanistan 12/2009

Proud Mom of Alex (17) HS student extraordinairre

But for the grace of God go I

Thanks for the warning, but my son was just informed that, due to a scheduling problem, he can no longer go to Mountain Warfare School. Now he's trying to get a slot at Jump School, but that is also unlikely at this late date. So his next choice is to shadow a Lt (Platoon Leader) at an infantry unit at Fort Richardson in Alaska (he likes the infantry and would like to see Alaska ) for three weeks. He should find out for sure what he's doing in the next week or so, but he is disappointed. He wanted to the mountain thing pretty bad.

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My kid 'assisting' a potential new Marion Military Institute cadet with some basic commands during MMI's Knight-Fox Weekend last Spring.

Sorry to hear that Dawg. Maybe he will get a chance at another time. Alaska wouldn't be bad

_________________
~Stacey

Proud Mom of PFC Nick (20)
Ft. Benning OSUT, E Co., 1st Battalion, 19th INF, graduated 10/10/08
NHNG, Mtn Infantry
Deployed to Afghanistan 12/2009

Proud Mom of Alex (17) HS student extraordinairre

But for the grace of God go I

I thought GAP members might like to read this article.


Green Mountain Boys Make a Difference in Afghanistan:
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=59583

Thank you, IamWillsMom!
We're so proud of our Green Mountain Boys!