God Bless you, Will. Mom's will always worry, that's what we do.
Hugs and Tugs

Will,
Be careful and take care of your self. Now alot of people are going to really worry about you. Your poor mother is proably going through alot right now. Get home safely, and soon.

Jan

Stay safe and good luck! Hope your move goes smooth. Watch out and be alert on those convoys because those are the targets lately. Hopefully your visit will be a very short one!

hey-I'm a mom. i can second that. so here's my fussy mom-advice to you in the new AO: it seems the americans are getting infamous for being trigger happy and unneccessarily cruel to the locals, when a bit of human allowance might make things a lot simpler. maybe to confuse them, you could wave a white flag if people appraoch? let em know you'd really rather start relations off on a peaceful footing, and forgo the hostilities, if at all possible? that doesnt mean you actually surrender, of course, just that you indicate up front that shooting them isn't your first choice, if they're amenable to the bunch of you getting along like ordinary people. if they shoot, of course you answer in similar fashion. they did to us, so we can do it back.

last night i had this sudden flash that the US troops ought to carry 4th of july fireworks as flares, to send up, to make it absolutely clear that it's us, when there's a confusion and possible friendly fire, so other us troops have no mistake about who is that , firing from 'over there'.
according to other encampments, expect to be mobbed by a parade of locals, begging for money, medical aid, food, answers, whereabouts of missing relatives, jobs, work, and just unloading their general despair about everything.
learn to mime, and sign back with sympathetic gestures, and nod in agreement grimly a lot.

don't touch the females, but the men expect emphatic gestures and lots of touching when they communicate: the excited hand on the shoulder, grabbing a wrist, you smacking your chest for emphasis, showing lots of emotion.

if they seem trustworthy, put em to work for you.
read the CENTCOM site, for ideas about what other units are doing, to harmonize with the locals around them.
if you need stuff that isn't on hand, see if they know how to procure it for you. if the heat or the sand is a devil, ask them what they do to cope with it.

they're a very proud and inquisitive people, and funny as hell.

and remember that white flag trick. it might actually save some lives. make em stop shooting long enough to get close enough to talk sensibly, and diffuse/defuse misundertandings.
the craziest ones come shooting, believing that americans don't believe in the same God as they do. we gotta clear up THAT misunderstanding, right now.

oh, and get a camera. we want pictures.
as in, "let's get some pictures, boys!".
crash!

Be careful out there, Will! And know that there are many people over here who are keeping you in their thoughts and prayers. Positive thinking can go a long way....

God bless and keep you!

Will

No matter how "unhot" (my mom would smack me for that one! LOL) the spot you're going to is - watch your back. Those cowards don't fight like people, but rather like the hyenas they are. Will keep you and your people in my prayers.

Be careful of those girls' daddies - would hate for you to come home with a butt full of buckshot! LOL

Be safe and be well.

Hi Will,
Godspeed, and prayers for a safe transit to your new AO.
Be careful, and as we say in the Navy, watch your six. Of course, we all will worry, and will be thinking of you guys. Will say a prayer for your Mom too.
Keep that wonderful sense of humor going too. You'll keep morale up for your guys with that.
Hang in there, and stay safe.

Keep your head and your ass down boy! At least you've got some good company going in with you. Glad it is someone you trust.
Am sure your mom will be doing enough worrying for all of us so will try to keep it to a minimum on this end (ha).
Stay safe my friend and "have fun storming the castle boys". Thoughts and prayers will keep ya covered here.

At first I thought this read "add another gray hair to mom’s beard." And went, huh? and had to re-read it several times. No kidding - She can be Salt and I'll be Pepa.

Speaking of glue - super glue your helmet to your head for this lil scout mission, k? In addition to not taking no for an answer, do not take any flak coming or going.

I now have you under protective custody of guardian angels working overtime.

Please drop a line, send up a flare, carrier pigeon upon your arrival or ASAP.

Kick ass, take names, show 'em why you came.

Keep your eyes open, your butts down, and it's also a bad year to quit taking speed, or sniffing coke. *laughs*

Hey Will,

If you end up 1/2 way between there and "you know where" say hi to the ARNG 110th Maintenance Co. out of MA. My son's been there since May, and looks like we won't be seeing him until next May or later. Godspeed to you and your comrades.

Godspeed to you Will. Keep your head down. Take care out there.

ECG

We'll be praying for you here in the USA. Keep your eyes open and your head down.

As for your mom and worrying, I'm a mom and I can tell you it doesn't matter whether you're in a foreign country or driving to the beach for a day in the sun, we worry. That's our job and we mom's take it seriously. I have a daughter in school about 4 hours from home and if I don't hear from her daily, I'm in the car on my way up there to see she is okay for myself.

It's a mom thing and nothing you can do or say will change it.

Be careful.

Theresa

Hey, God bless you! take care. Hope you like this:

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord, "plans to prosper you
and do you no harm, plans to give you hope and a future. You will find me
when you seek me, if you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11,13

Kudos on the 'Airplane' reference! I think everyone feels like they have a personal stake in you and your guys getting home safely. We are a bit attached now and care about what happens.

Be the smart guy you are and stay outta trouble if you can. I look forward to your posts and wish you and everyone well. You always brighten my day by making your heavy situation a light story.

Thanks for everything!

May I add my best wishes, blessings and God speed to this growing list ?

Thank you Paola, exactly the Scripture I was going to quote...

And yes, I am also another (military) mom...so I will agree...worry is what we do, it is built in and we can't do anything else.

Be safe Will...you will stay in my prayers.

Hey, Will. Stay safe out there pal! Can you maybe tell us a little bit about the gentle man that you trust if you ever run into trouble? Why is he the guy you want with you? Just curious.

Stay safe, stay smart and keep us all posted. We'll be praying for you, and for your mom. Another military mom.

But Wait! Leave it to our Will to set a cruel precedent for the other REMF's.

Are ya stuck in the sand or what?? I feel like a hangin' chad!

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