- Jul 18, 2001
- 3,146
- 0
- 0
In January of 1991 I joined the Arkansas Army National Guard and spent the next eight years making some of the best friends of my lifetime. In '98, my wife and I had our first son and my attitude started shifting from serving the country to serving my family... so I ets'd out with an honorable discharge and kept my focus at home.
Last year, my old unit was called up to serve in Iraq for a year. The entire 39th was deployed (including my brother-in-law, who is my best friend), and it kind of floored me that at the time because it was nigh impossible to re-enlist and go over with them because of several different reasons (2 kids, pregnant wife, building house, etc.). Well, I take my guilt and a couple of friends and decide to create a local organization that would at least help them from afar if I couldn't actually be there. We managed to send over upward of 6 tons of supplies!
Fast forward to today. While most have gotten to come home, my brother-in-law and several others who are still there are going to be coming home soon... meaning that my service to them in this capacity is nearing its end as well. The problem that I am having is that while I still have my family at home that totally has the right to have their husband/father around, most of my obligations have been met... and I feel that I maybe should go ahead and sign back up with them... except how do I explain to my family that daddy has to leave to go fight (because it would be a very good possibility of deployment) If I do indeed sign... the thought of doing that to them is very painful to even contemplate.
Anyway... thoughts or opinions?
BTW, Here is the webpage we use to get information out about current projects and updates on how and what the guys are doing.
Last year, my old unit was called up to serve in Iraq for a year. The entire 39th was deployed (including my brother-in-law, who is my best friend), and it kind of floored me that at the time because it was nigh impossible to re-enlist and go over with them because of several different reasons (2 kids, pregnant wife, building house, etc.). Well, I take my guilt and a couple of friends and decide to create a local organization that would at least help them from afar if I couldn't actually be there. We managed to send over upward of 6 tons of supplies!
Fast forward to today. While most have gotten to come home, my brother-in-law and several others who are still there are going to be coming home soon... meaning that my service to them in this capacity is nearing its end as well. The problem that I am having is that while I still have my family at home that totally has the right to have their husband/father around, most of my obligations have been met... and I feel that I maybe should go ahead and sign back up with them... except how do I explain to my family that daddy has to leave to go fight (because it would be a very good possibility of deployment) If I do indeed sign... the thought of doing that to them is very painful to even contemplate.
Anyway... thoughts or opinions?
BTW, Here is the webpage we use to get information out about current projects and updates on how and what the guys are doing.