My Son

[wingcmdr]

Ladies and Gentlemen

I beg your indulgence..

Tomorrow my son departs these safe sky's for a 3 month detachment to Afghanistan.

Both he and his fellow crewmen are entering a theater of operations that is new to them but a vital life line to many of our ground troops on the front line.

As a parent I can only pray that he will return safely....As a man who knows his son I am confident that he will do his duty to his crew and to his brothers in arms on the ground.

I wish his fellow crewmen a safe trip and Gods speed for your return to family and loved ones .

Trust in your fellow crew and keep your powder dry

Why do I post this when so many have gone before.......Every son or daughter is special and I just want to tell you that in my eyes my son is special

Does he know I have posted this.....NO he would be mortified !!!

I thank you for your time and for allowing me to vent off a little pressure

A very proud

Dad

ps Bugger now I have some thing in my eye.......

[sargs]

Good luck to both him and his crew. He's going where many have gone before him, to support many more who are engaged in an impossible job in difficult circumstances. Each and every one though are special to those left at home.

[Robert Cooper]

Good luck to him and his crew. My eldest came back from Iraq and Afghanistan as a RM, thank God. All the best.

Bob C

[Buster Hyman]

I wish him & his crew a safe detachment & speedy return. :ok:

[Hammer Head Too]

My Son is one of the boots on the ground currently back with us enjoying R&R mid way through a 6 month tour of duty. 2nd tour and when he returns in late September I really hope that will be the last time !

That dust in the eye can be real painful !

God speed to both of them and all serving both at home and abroad.

[Winco]

wingcmdr

I endorse those sentiments already posted here and wish all of our servicemen and women and very safe tour of duty and hope they all return safe and well.

Sadly of course, that will not be the case, but we can all hope and pray and care for those family's who won't be having a happy home-coming.

Winco

[Tableview]

As father of a teenager, I know how you must feel. Must go and get that dust out of my eye.

Well done!

[AGS Man]

Wingcmdr
Godspeed to your son and every other son, daughter, wife, husband, father or mother out there.
Think theres a sand storm brewing up here!

[Brian 48nav]

I know just how you feel, for 20 years ago I waved my eldest off on his first 'overflying Iraq' detachment. He,of course, was very excited and thought nothing of it, 'This is what all my training was for Dad' he explained.

That was the first of many detachments to patrol Iraq and Bosnia and the silly sod even volunteered to do one after he became a test pilot.

At times like these you realise how much you love your children, but parenting is all about preparing them for adulthood and the nasty big wide world.

I echo the above comments and wish him and his colleagues, and everyone else's sons and daughters, a safe tour of duty.

[Wander00]

Good luck to your son and his crew, and to all the others doing a briiliant and difficult job out there. May they all return safely.

[XFTroop]

Almost exactly one year ago I was in the situation you are in now. A proud (if not a little apprehensive) parent of a son about to deploy for the first time (he is also in the rotary world).
As it happens, he is just finishing his second deployment and, God willing, will be home at the end of this month.
I share your thoughts.:ok:
XFT

p.s. check your PMs

[Brian 48nav]

Fingers crossed, Brian W

[Geehovah]

Safe skies. I put myself in harms way many times, and freely, but I can't imagine the stress of waiting for my son to come home.

He'll be home before you know. There are many people in the background working to make sure he stays safe.

[Basil]

It was only as a parent that I came to realise the anxiety I'd put my parents through (bikes, TA, MN, RAF - the H&E mag my mother found although, to be honest she should have been relieved :}).
I don't have any in the mil. S1 only wanted pilot and eyesight wasn't up to mil requirement and S2 wasn't interested.
What can one say to him? Don't assume anything, keep your eye on the ball, watch yer six (in more ways than one).
Good luck, dad.

[ramp_up]

Wingcmdr - God speed to your son and his Flt for I know them well.

Rest assured that his mighty stead will serve and protectect him and his fellow aviators.

[Samuel]

I guess we all have moments with our sons. Mine is now 35 and we have some fantastic memories of trips when I've taken him along for the experience.Sydney, Melbourne, London, Paris, Los Angeles, and there have been a couple of real "rock your boat " moments. He isn't Mil because of a slight asthma problem [now absent}.

We sent him for a 10-day sail on the "Spirit of Adventure" [a character-building sailboat where the kids do all the running of the boat] when he was 16, and I was awake every one of them!

At the Avalon[Melbourne] air show with an after-match beer and he tells me that he always enjoys my company " because you have that air force knack of being able to engage complete strangers in conversation".

In a restaurant in Paris when I had told him he should always try a bit of French and he orders everything straight off his bat using his 3rd Form schoolboy French, much to the delight of the waitress and his gobstruck Dad.

When I retired for the second time, and probably had one single malt too many, and he said to me [aged 21] "Dad, I get around lots of mate's houses and meet lots' of other Dad's, and none of them measure up to you". This from a 21-year-old!

You don't get a workshop manual with your kids, so you literally have to "wing it" by setting your own standards. It works most of the time!:cool:

Good luck to all who send them in harm's way!

[Gemini Twin]

Don't worry wingcmdr,the dust will be pretty think for a awhile.
Just remember that he will have great support in country as well as moral support from people around the world.

Our experiece was somewhat similar in that after 18 years flying F15's and T-38' with only a couple of years in non flying jobs, our son decided that he should finish his career with a tour in Afganistan flying MC-12W's supporting ground patrols.

We had a few moments during his career but this tour did cause the most concern. We did know that he had the best training possible and the full support of many professionals on the ground and in the air.

He came home safely and retired after a truly amazing career. I'm certain that your son will to soon return and will be thankfull that he has parents who gave him the opportunity and the freedom to accomplish things that other simply dream of.

Please pass on your best wishes, the Skpe service from Kandahar is excellant, and if you can keep us informed of his adventure.:ok:

[Badass]

We'll be watching his back if it ever gets tasty. And may need him to watch ours, if things go south. Tell him all the best, to smile at the movers and to not look too far ahead - the time will only drag. A busy det is a good det and it'll be beers in Cyprus before he knows it. Recommend the e-blueys - they arrive sharpish and as the man said, Skype/FaceTime works well if he can get fast-enough internet.

[wingcmdr]

To one and all

I thank you for your messages and positive posts.

I am truly humbled by your words and I wish all of you and yours the very best.

I will endeavour to keep you posted

Thanks again

With respect

wingcmdr

[Tinribs]

Sir
I know just a little of how you feel, I am ex RAF

My Son is now in Russia and travels twice each day in an old Russian helicopter.

We were both in a crash out there so I know just a touch of waiting by the phone. May I hope we both avoid the call

[rjtjrt]

Wingcmdr, and all families with loved ones in theatre, I know very well of the emotions that you will go through.
Unfortunately nothing will stop the worry until they finally return.
I wish you and all your family all the best.
Never forget, there are many people throughout the community that are greatful to your family for bringing up a son/daughter of whom you can be very proud.

John

[wingcmdr]

Dear one and all.

My son has returned safe and sound.

Thanks to all his crew mates and ground types for making sure that he is safe and well.

The beer will flow in celebration and I might even get him to buy a round :) :)

Again thanks to all :D

Wingcmdr

[brokenlink]

Sir,
Gods speed and keep safe to your son and all out there.

I echo several other posts in that you don't know how much anxiety we caused our own parents until we have kids of our own.

Clear skies.

[Shack37]

wingcmdr,
Very glad to hear it. A glass had already been raised, now I can have another, thank you and enjoy your reunion.

[Wander00]

Have a fantastic party. Safe return to all still there.

[Courtney Mil]

May I echo the cheers for his safe return. My step son deploys in two weeks. I know he will do his duty and return safely.

I sy God's speed to everyone doing the job right now.

[FantomZorbin]

Very pleased to hear that ... long may the ale flow. :)

I was quite taken aback by the sense of relief when FZjr returned from the sand-pit. :O

Stay safe all those about to deploy and those in theatre.

[Pontius Navigator]

So far had one SiL who has done Basra and Kabul, another who has done Bastion and is slatted for Kabul, and daughter who has done Kandahar and most recently a whistlestop everywhere with 10 flights in 7 different aircraft types in 6 days.

One worries.

[Brian 48nav]

Great news! How's the head today?

XFTroop

Clem, Your son's return slipped us by - no news was obviously good news;)