Since my sons( Bobby, Kevin and Kenny) joined the Army, I have experienced a wide variety of emotions: pride, fear, happiness, sadness, despair, depression, elation, just to name a few.  A roller-coaster could not have more twists and turns than how I have felt the past few months. Kenny received a medical discharge shortly before he was to be deployed.  (Yes, mom was happy and my soldier was not.)  Kevin and Bobby are now in Iraq.  It was very difficult when Bobby left, but far worse when Kevin left because they were BOTH gone then.

I was to the point one very long afternoon, that I felt like I was in a fog. All I could do was cry and play computer solitaire (my way of coping with depression).  I finally pulled myself together and decided to “Do” something constructive.

I started the Yahoo USDA military family group as a way of providing fellow USDA employees a means of support.  I found out quickly that there are many, many others like myself in this country.  Parents who are very proud of their children, but scared to death.  It REALLY helps to know that others feel the same way that you do and to be able to communicate those feelings to people who really “know” how you feel takes the edge of the fear and loneliness that we all feel.

I want everyone to utilize the links and information provided and encourage you to contact me at any time.  Be sure to email the name of your loved one for the Prayer list.

Encourage others you know to check out the site and share their feelings.  Dealing with deployment is similar to any grieving process and that is just what it is: a process.  You have to go through an array of emotions in this process and it’s very important not to internalize your feelings. So please, let others help you with this process.

We are all in this together, and together we will get through it.

God Bless our military and their families.

USDA Military Mom

Deb