Fearless Superhero Swoops in to Help Save Iraq

Yes, I am a military wife, but my love and admiration for the men and women who enlist and deploy knowing the risks, dangers and consequences, has always been present in my life for as long as I can remember. I wanted to be in the military. I wanted that life. However, fate had other plans for me. Instead, I became a mother to four beautiful children, and a wife to a superhero. I met my superhero when I was 15 years old and we have been together ever since.

My superhero is Tom. He, at the age of 36, re-enlisted in the National Guard after being out of the military for 5 years. His goal was to get enough active duty time in to transfer to the regular active Army. With his age, and only accumulating 4 months of active duty time in 11 years of National Guard service, the only way he was going to accomplish his goal was to volunteer to go to Iraq and support Operation Iraqi Freedom. In December 2005, he did just that.

My superhero began his adventure to Iraq on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, 2006. When possible, we talk daily and I hear the numerous dangers he encounters. Naturally, I worry, cry and hope he makes it through each and every day that he is there. I have confidence in him that he will accomplish his goal of transferring to the active Army and making it a career. I have faith that he will make it home safe and unharmed. I have proof that he is a superhero. You see, my baby is definitely not a slacker, nor is he one to sit around and watch others do the work. My superhero volunteers quite often to go on missions with the unit he is attached to. Often doing a job that is not even his. However, that is how he is. If there is something that needs to be done, he will do it, no matter the cost, no matter the reward. To him, it is a job and someone needs to do it. If no one else will, he will.

So far to date, he has volunteered for three missions, two of which he has been hit by an IED. The first time, he walked away with a concussion. The second time, only the vehicle was damaged. I know there will be many more missions he volunteers for. I am sure he will encounter another IED. But I have faith that he will come home to my children and I. We have no doubt that he will come home a hero to the rest of the world.

Since his deployment, our oldest daughter got married. She made the decision to have a very non-traditional ceremony where she excluded her father walking her down the isle, and her parents giving her away. When asked by her doctor prior to a surgery she needed two weeks before the wedding why she chose that, her reply was, "Because he's my daddy and no one can ever replace my daddy. That job is reserved for him when he returns home and we renew our vows in 2008." Immediately my eyes filled with tears to hear this from my nearly 20-year-old daughter.

Naturally, it is very hard for all of my children to perform their daily activities without their father here to support and praise them. Nevertheless, they are strong and make it through. They know that even though daddy is not here in body, he is definitely here in spirit and that gives them some comfort. They often ask me if it will ever get any easier. My reply to them is the only way it will be easier on any of us is when he is finally home in the safety and comfort of our home, with his arms tightly wrapped around each of us.

Not only do we pray for him and think of him daily, but we also pray for and think of the rest of the military men and women serving our country, and for all the families they have left at home who have the courage to brave each and every day without their hero's.

Thank you to the service members and families for your duty and support.