Our Soldiers Are Coming Home

Dear Friends and Family,

This weekend, I watched a movie with my husband called "Restrepo." It is an independent film that is showing in select theaters throughout the States and will be coming out on DVD soon. If you would like to learn more about it, you can check it out at restrepothemovie.com.

The movie follows the soldiers from the unit my husband is currently assigned during their previous deployment to Afghanistan. These soldiers are doing another tour in Afghanistan, and are due to come home within the next few months.

I am embarassed to say, because as an Army wife, I should have understood what the deployments were like for the soldiers. But I truly had no idea. Restrepo opened my eyes. These soldiers spend a year living in tents and plywood structures. They sleep in the dirt. With their main outpost miles away, they eat MRE's day after day. These soldiers are not sitting in front of computers. Phone calls to loved ones may come monthly, if at all.

When the soldiers return, they will have with them only what they can carry in their rucksacks. Everything will be covered in dirt and grime from a year of rough living. The soldiers who have families here in Italy will return to warm meals and welcoming homes. But there are 75 soldiers in my husband's company who will return to an empty barracks room. With a few thousand soldiers returning in the next few months, our P/X (shopping area) will be sold out of many of the linens and bath items.

Our Family Readiness Group ( a group of wives and children of soldiers) is hoping to prepare the barracks rooms to provide a warmer welcome for these boys who have given so much of themselves. Back in August, we sent out a mailer to the parents of the soldiers in the States. We have received a lot of items, but we are still falling short.

If you have any desire to help make a soldier's homecoming more welcome, please send me an e-mail and I will give you an address. The military is providing sheets for the beds, and shower curtains for the showers. We would love to have towels, shower gel, and razors in their rooms. If there is anything else you would like to send, I'm sure it will be welcome. If you know of any groups that would be interested in helping out, please give them my name and e-mail address and I will contact them. I realize it's short notice, and I apologize for that. Seeing that movie was such an eye opening experience, and it compelled me to do something.

Thank you in advance!
Love to everyone!!!!
Ciao' for now!