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Dear Family and Friends, Sunday, 01 January
2006
Happy New Year! I can hardly believe that 2006 is upon us. January 3rd
will mark one year that I have been away from home. To say it has been an
amazing year is an under statement. From the single digit temperatures of
that January morning to the 135 degrees inside our HMMWVs and tanks in July,
from the quiet and serene Easter Sunrise Service next to Lake Walker at Camp
Shelby to the heavy rocket and mortar attacks shaking the ground, damaging
buildings and causing fires when we first arrived here, from the dry barren
deserts of Kuwait to the oasis of FOB Habbaniyah, from the almost daily
rainstorms of Mississippi to days of endless sun shine in Iraq, from
practicing first aid on mannequins to caring for friends whose blood and
cries are all too real, from pretending and trying to imagine what it will
be like, to experiencing our new reality up close and personally (and
sometimes, trying to forget that reality). Our year has been packed with
fear, valor and boredom, sweat, tears and monotony. We have brought
out the best in one another. We have laughed, cried, celebrated, mourned,
planned, played, suffered and rejoiced together.
We have supported, strengthened, protected and cared for
one another. We have felt the perplexities and contradictions that war
forces unto its participants. A few have shirked their duty but most have
gone above and beyond what is expected of them. We have prayed with and for
one another. We have shivered and sweated together and now, almost to the
person, we anticipate the day we shall return home.
Last night, we turned a corner. Like turning onto the last road which leads
home, we could feel a sense of relief, elation and anticipation building,
when we turned the calendar's page. Off in the distance it sits, we can't
quite see it yet, but we know it's there.
I think that is the reason New Year's Eve was the biggest and best holiday
celebration we have had since first forming the Task Force last winter.
Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans' Day,
Thanksgiving and Christmas were all fine, but our soldiers seemed to
particularly relish the New Year's celebration. As I have talked with
others about this, our collective opinion is that joy we felt last night was
because we know that sometime this year, we will be coming home. Most of us
have been away for twelve months now. We still have six months ahead of us,
but sometime during this calendar year, we know we are going home. The only
thing better than anticipating it, will be experiencing it, feeling your
arms around us, seeing the brightness of your smile, hearing the laughter of
our children, tasting our favorite foods again, and knowing we have finally
arrived at that most amazing of places.home.
You see, one of the things that is asked of us as National Guard soldiers
but is not asked of any other members of our nation's armed forces is the
length of time we must be away. Not always, but often, members of the Air
Force are deployed for three months. Marines generally come on six month
deployments. The active Army serves for one year before returning home, but
we citizen soldiers are deployed for eighteen months, one and a half years.
And I think that is why everyone was so excited last night. Two thirds of
our deployment is behind us. Only one third remains. Our time is drawing
shorter with each and every day, in such a fashion, that we allowed
ourselves to experience a moment of sheer giddiness and delight in the
anticipation of coming home.
But only a moment.
Because as I said, we still have six months to go and consequently we must
remain focused and ever vigilant. The time to relax has not yet come. That
is why our soldiers who have had the opportunity to go home for R&R leave
may have seemed distant or preoccupied to their loved ones back in the
states. This is still the most dangerous province in Iraq. Despite all of
the positive changes and improvements we have seen including another
incredibly successful election, a steady reduction in attacks, a
continuously improving rate of discovering and defeating IEDs, more and more
cooperation from the local citizens, fielding larger numbers of Iraqi
soldiers, transitioning security to growing numbers of Iraqi police, and
winning the Iraqis' minds, if not also their hearts, we have still lost
brothers since the last time I wrote to you.
Less than 23 hours after giving Christmas Day services out in sector to one
of our platoons, a sniper shot and killed SPC Dane Carver at the very place
where we worshipped. Despite the heroic efforts of his buddies and medics
he died almost instantly. There was nothing anyone could do to prevent the
whirlpool of death from pulling him from our arms. Two weeks before that,
SGT Spencer Akers lost his battle against a systemic infection that attacked
him after he was terribly burned with four of his squad members when their
vehicle was hit by two IEDs. That was the same attack which killed PFC
Dearing. Now, three of the boys still wage a desperate fight in the same
hospital in Texas. Please keep them and all our other wounded and fallen
soldiers and their families in your prayers. We see and experience the
power of prayer on almost a daily basis here. Of the many changes I have
witnessed this year, among the sweetest, is the spiritual growth which has
taken place within so many of the soldiers. God is faithful.
So are you.
Dave and I were overwhelmed by your kindness and thoughtfulness before
Christmas. We received and distributed hundreds and hundreds of packages
and gifts. For example, a friend of mine in California, Denise Snavely and
three of her girlfriends Barbara Yagi, Sigi Ulbrich and Pam Moran sent us
1300 boxes to distribute among all our American forces stationed here! And
while Denise will win the prize for sending us the most gifts, there were
certainly many others who crammed as much TLC, support and Christmas Spirit
into hundreds of other boxes and gifts as they could. Our Christmas was
blessed by Sheryl Rozman, the Hopewell School, Judith McCartney and the
Orange County Credit Union, Lynne Plaxton, St. Louis DeMarillac School,
Gloria Hudock, Kathy Lilienthal, Bethel Presbyterian Church, Ross Dillon,
Steve Siefried, Dee Foster, Ben Franklin School, Rebecca Kesselring and the
Southeastern Veterans Center, Charles Hudak, Rosie Carlino, Matt Rifkin,
Darla Brewer and the Christian Assembly Church, Lauren French,
Skyline Church, Janis Pherson, Gretel Cenegy, Dot Grippo and Helen Jaros,
Frank Marsh and the Washington Rotary Club, Joanne and Larry Doyle,
Yvonne and George DelVigna, Mary Ann and Fred Kenna, Connie and
Norm Wells, Kay and Paul Meuncher, Terry Cray, NandiNichol,
Caldwell Banker Shooltz Realty, Matt and Holly Shaffer with Wolf Den
Pack 414, the Harlansburg Presbyterian Church Preschool, Don and Karen
Roman, Ralph and Darlene Murovich, the Walker Family, Sandy Lockey and the
Beta Psi Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Kim Anderson and family, Joy
Bearley, Leatha Weese, my beloved churches the Fairfield and Milledgeville
Presbyterian Churches, Sandi Blakley, Operation Life Line, Anna Marie
Stewart, Angela Weller, Thomas Caldwell and the Retired Enlisted Association
Chapter 98, Bruce, Karen, Conner and Shelby Staudt, David Blue, Carol Rogers
and Medi Home Hospice, Marietta Spagnola and St. Patricks Church, Judy
Volpatti, Lynne Armstrong. Homas Hitzges, Mr. and Mrs. William Laing,
American Legion Post # 530, Baldwin High School Red Cross Club with Amy Flanigan,
128th FSB with LTC Roberta Luba and 1SG Gina Veniere, Lila Hart and CTMT,
Robert Brown, Rachel Murphy, Anthony Rizzo, Claudia Hartsell, Deborah Oates,
Tanya Boylan, Gretal Cemegy, the Indiana VFW, Phil DeAugustine, Darla Brewer,
Peg Hefti, E. Bittner, Mim Gerstenberger,
Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Hintzke from Operation Soldiers to Movies,
Diana Whitlock, Jamie Martin, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Giroux, the Yellow
Ribbon Girls -Bonnie, Pattie and Vicky, G. Stewart and the 2 BCT FRG, Mr.
and Mrs. Matthew Shaffer, Jeffrey Dent, Linda Mancini and Jefferson Morgan
Elementary School, Lisa Wilkiins, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Ferilla, the Oil City
Jr-Sr High School, Mr. and Mrs. Dannie Croyle, Linda Kelly, Trinity Luthern
Church, Sandy Lackey, South Butler Primary School, Melisa Nicored, LTC and
Mrs. Thomas Michalovic, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Whitlock, Det 1 CO C 1-110th IN,
Faith Hunter, Kath leen Lewis, Mr. and Mrs Luciano Lepri and the Staff at La Cucina Restaurant,
Mr. and Mrs. John Heltzel, Bev Ferrazzi, Delaine Kipple and the Everson Cub
Scout Pack 160, Bairford Methodist Church, Randy Eckert from VFW Post #9636,
Leslie Gertner and Lord High School, Joann Weber, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
Ramoutar, Morell Family, Falconi Family, the Michigan Army National Guard
Cheboygan Armory, Mr. and Mrs. David Boles, Dale and Beverly Boles, Sue Rice
with the Pennsylvania State Education Association-Retired, Dale and Marie
Lunn, Cara Koss, Jo-Anne Raskin, Karen Rumin, Wayne Nowakowski, Kimberly
King, Sherry and Paul Graham, Jan McHenry, Carol Carlini, Maria Czuzak, Al
and Tina Klink, my parents Chuck and Vonnie Etter, and my always stalwart
wife, Jodi.
As difficult as it is for me to imagine, we are already running low on
supplies again here in the chapel. Despite your generosity, we have already
given away almost everything we received for Christmas, so if you care to
send us any supplies we would appreciate body wash, shampoo, luffas,
deodorant, shaving cream, razors and replacement blades, AA and AAA
batteries, tuna fish, protein powders, protein bars, crackers, Ramen
noodles, peanut butter, twizzlers, M&Ms and cold medications now that our
weather is in the 40's at night. If you want to go the extra mile, I know
some of the soldiers would still appreciate pillows, fleece blankets,
towels, and underwear.
As has become my custom, I am attaching a few items for your review. These
include the memorial comments from the Akers and Carver services, pictures
of Spencer and Dane, a picture of soldiers listening to the Christmas Day
sermon out in sector and a soldier at prayer.
We truly are excited about the hope and promise we each see in 2006. After
all the festivities died down last night, I sat next to the warm fire in
front of the chapel, where hours earlier, a multitude had gathered and said
my prayers in solitude. Everyone else had retired and gone to bed. I
thanked God for his vigilance, care and protection during the past year. I
prayed for our soldiers who were still on duty that night and for those who
are still fighting far more personal battles at multiple hospitals scattered
across the United States. I prayed for the families of our soldiers and for
you, my family and friends. Finally, I ended by thanking God for the
incredible privilege of ministering to these fine Americans and I asked him
to give me the strength to carry on for six more months.
Then in the stillness of that sacred moment, when I rose to carry my chair
back inside the chapel, I saw the most amazing site. With thousands of
sparkling diamonds against the chilled black velvet night, I saw a shooting
star.
Was it coincidence or something deeper?
I don't know.
You decide.
But I do know this, I believe. I believe in God, in you and in the American
soldier.
Thank you for all you do for us. May God bless you and our American
soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in the year 2006. You're in my heart
America, and I shall always be,
Faithfully Yours,
Chaplain(Major)Douglas A. Etter
HHC 1-110 IN, 2/28 BCT
Camp Habbaniyah
APO, AE 09381
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