12/25/02
Holiday
Letters
North County Time
Editor's note: Today the
North County Times shares holiday thoughts and greetings from sailors and Marines
with the USS Constellation battle group and those on the ground in Kuwait.
Sometimes I stand on the catwalk and look out at the ocean and wonder what I
am doing 10,000 miles from home. As many of us know, this is probably the hardest
time to go on deployment and leave family and friends behind. With the majority
of our major holidays occurring during our absence and the threat of war looming
on the horizon, the empty chair at the dinner table I have left at home probably
seems very empty.
After almost four years in the Navy this is my first deployment. At home my
wife and our two sons, Trevor, 5, and Tyler, 1, await my return. Having e-mail
and the occasional phone call while in port or by Sailorphone makes the separation
easier and brings home a little closer. It doesn't make it the same, though.
Many of us here on Constellation miss the hugs from our wives and girlfriends,
the play times with our children, and the sanctity of home. We all give up a
little when we leave. We miss important things when we leave. Mostly they are
holidays, anniversaries, birthdays and other milestones.
I missed Tyler taking his first steps. I worked with him every day in the weeks
leading up to deployment, but unfortunately, the timing wasn't right. Some of
my shipmates have missed the birth of their first child. So when I reflect on
their sacrifice, mine doesn't seem as important. I was fortunate to have been
at both.
I receive care packages every few weeks: a box from home with snacks and photos
reminding me how much I miss my family, letters from the cadets in my Naval
Sea Cadet unit that remind me what a part of the community I am, and words of
encouragement from the members of the Tri-City Navy League Council that my wife
and I frequent. People that have been down the path I now travel give words
of advice and support.
When I sit on that catwalk and watch the ocean go by, I marvel at the wonderment
of the sky and sea. I know why I am here. I am doing the job that my country
has asked me to do, so that back home, things will stay the same. Children will
learn to walk, wives and girlfriends will send care packages to their sailors
and Marines, and holidays will pass with joy and happiness.
Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year!
AME2 Scott D. Oram, USN
Sea Control Squadron 38
Santee, CA
Attaboy from the
admiral
To sailors and Marines in the Constellation Battle Group:
The holiday season is a time to reflect on our many gifts. The greatest gift
is our fellow sailors and Marines. The Constellation battle group is an American
treasure. You represent the best and brightest of America, joined by a common
dedication to a set of values. Freedom, equality, and the rights of all are
your watch words. These set the United States apart as a country ready to commit
its treasure on behalf of the less fortunate.
It is a time for personal
introspection. Take care of yourself and your family. Keep in good mental, moral
and physical shape. This will be even more important as you prepare for war.
Take an extra moment each day to connect via letter or e-mail with those you
love ---- mom and dad, brother and sister, spouse and children. They are your
biggest fans, with you vicariously throughout the day and a source of strength
and inspiration.
You began this odyssey seven weeks ago in San Diego. Your purpose is clear.
Your cause is just. You are on the point in the global war on terrorism. You
are doing extraordinary jobs every moment of every day. You make America proud.
Happy holidays.
Rear Adm. Barry Costello
Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1
Aboard the USS Constellation
Keep us in your
prayers
Dear residents of North San Diego County:
I am a hospital corpsman third-class petty officer attached to Marine Fighter
Attack Squadron 323, onboard the USS Constellation. In support of Operation
Enduring Freedom I'm going to be away from my wife and family for the holidays.
When you are out floating on the waters you have a lot of time to think about
what you are doing and why you are doing it. I know that I have a loving wife
at home who's going to college and working and misses me just as much as I miss
her. I'm away from my baby brother, who is playing his senior year of basketball
at Cal State Dominguez Hills University. I don't get to talk to my dad every
day on my cell phone to seek the father-to-son advice that I have come to rely
on. I'm away from the efforts my mom has put into her nephew's newborn baby
girl, who is in need of a heart transplant at Loma Linda Medical Center.
With all these things in my life, I cannot be any happier than I am right now.
I'm a member of the Navy and Marine Corps team that is battling terrorists and
other enemies. When I joined the Navy in 1994, I never thought I would be in
the situation that the United States is in. I never dreamed that when I came
to work on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, at Naval Hospital Corpus Christi, Texas,
that planes would fly into the World Trade Center or the Pentagon, killing thousands
of Americans. Whenever I get homesick and start to question why I am doing what
it is I'm doing, I don't have to look very far. I look around the hangar bay
of the USS Constellation and see the words, "We will not falter. We will
not fail." This phrase gives me all the strength I need to carry on.
I'm not out here just for myself or my family or my future children, I do it
for every resident of San Diego County and the United States. It's just something
that's in my family. The last time the United States was attacked on that grand
a scale was Pearl Harbor, and my grandfather was there fighting in the Navy,
and now more than 60 years later I'm fighting for those same values.
With these thoughts in mind, it's easy for me to deal with the time away from
my wife and family. It's a small sacrifice, having to get a haircut in berthing
rather than at Gabriel's Barbershop in downtown San Diego. I do miss home, but
I'll be there soon enough. Just keep all the Marines and sailors of VMFA-323
in your thoughts and prayers.
HM3 (FMF) Jesse Tossetti VMFA-323
Ramona
Missing home
I am a single sailor gone for the holidays. I miss all the Christmas shopping
and rush of going to the malls to buy Christmas presents for friends and family.
There is no rush of going shopping here. A limited amount of shopping is available
onboard ships. Places like the mess hall try to bring the cheer up with a special
holiday meal, but there is still nothing like being home.
The thought of dying for your country never really has hit home with my shipmates.
But when there is a problem on a ship, everyone is willing to jump into danger
without a second thought.
What keeps us going is knowing that we will go home sometime. All the training
does not prepare us for the unexpected that we face. To me, the unexpected is
what I think the fear is from. We also know that if something goes really wrong
that we all may not make it.
God help us all and God bless you.
SH2 Matthews
El Cajon
Missing Temecula
I'm a senior chief petty officer from Temecula aboard the USS Constellation.
I am proud to serve, proud to train and proud to lead. To do this I have to
leave my family and my warm happy home in Temecula. I miss burritos at the Taco
Shop, going to the movies at the Promenade Mall, and I miss hiking with my wife
and our dogs through the hills behind the community center.
If it weren't for 9/11 and other events like the USS Cole attack and the Bali
nightclub bombing, I'd rather be at home with my family during Christmas. I'll
be back, though, and we will have sent a loud and clear message to all our foes
who threaten our freedom.
We chose to serve for many different reasons, but all those reasons became secondary
to the war on terrorism. We are in the right place at the right time here in
the Arabian Gulf because we are at the peak of our training and our country
needs us on watch more than ever.
I am humbled daily by the great young men and women we are out here serving
our country. I have a big lump in my throat right now. They train and drill
continuously, and they maintain this Man of War with our battle cry painted
on the bulkhead in the hangar bay: "We will not tire, we will not falter,
and we will not fail." ---- G.W. Bush.
SKCS(SW/AW) Henry Vegter
CONBATGRU Logistics CCDG1 N43
Temecula
Thinking of home
My dearest family,
As I write this letter, it is 5 o'clock in the morning and bitterly cold here
in Camp Commando, Kuwait. The camp is maturing quite well. The more time we
spend here, the more civilianized it becomes.
It's hard to believe that when I first arrived here there were only a few tents.
Now the camp looks like a city. We have a gym, three hot meals a day, which
are catered to us, a barbershop, showers and soon we will have our own little
store.
Morale is good. I have several junior sailors assigned to me from throughout
Camp Pendleton, and their will and attitudes are strong. I am confident that
whatever medical emergencies we receive, they will be dealt with appropriately.
We train for emergencies, study Navy and Marine Corps history and provide additional
training so that the sailors can receive their Fleet Marine Force qualifications
and prepare for the advancement exams.
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of each of you. I wonder what
challenges you are facing while I am away. I keep myself busy each day ensuring
that all the personnel here in the camp are healthy and happy. I miss you guys
very much, as I know you all miss me. Each day that I am here brings me closer
to home, whatever that day may be.
I want each of you to be proud of me as I am proud of being part of a team that
is supporting freedom throughout the world. My thoughts and prayers go out to
you, and as the holiday season approaches, I'd like to wish each and every one
of you a wonderful joyous holiday!
Love always,
Navy Senior Chief Miguel A. Delgado
Reading, Pa., and Oceanside
As hard as it gets
Being in the military is hard enough, but being away from your loved ones during
the holidays is as hard as it gets. But knowing that you're doing something
for your country, for your corps, that's what makes deployments worthwhile.
For me, this is my first deployment. This is also my first time away from home
during the holidays. I'll admit at first I didn't like the thought of being
so far away during this time of the year. But reading encouraging e-mails from
my loved ones and watching the news makes me proud of what I'm doing right now.
We're about to engage in a war. Many people only dream about this kind of stuff.
I'm 20 years old and working on million-dollar aircraft. It's a lot of responsibility
that gets rather stressing after a couple of weeks: having to work 12-plus hours
a day, having to deal with sailors that you sometimes find hard to get along
with, having to put up with many new rules that we Marines are not used to.
It gets terribly stressing at times. But we're all here for the same cause,
so we know we have to get along, no matter what service we're in.
We're all Americans fighting for the same thing. It's just a few of the headaches
we have to deal with, but that's what we've been trained to do: to excel under
pressure, to always give 100 percent to accomplish the mission.
That's what's been instilled in us as Marines. And even though I'm going to
be missing a lot of great food back home, deep down in my heart I'd rather be
over here right now, doing what I'm doing, fighting for my country.
Because if you think about it, that's what we signed the contract for. We're
just doing our jobs.
LCPL Mejia,
AIMD, Miramar MALS-11
Los Angeles
Missing my wife
The day that our ship was to leave for our deployment, I parked the car, with
my wife of 13 years and my two children looking at me through tears.
This wasn't the first time I've had to say goodbye to them, but it still doesn't
make it any easier.
I gave my wife a quick hug, then got out of the car, opened the back doors and
gave both of my children a hug and kiss, whispering words of encouragement to
each one, telling them to write and be good. I closed the door and my wife was
there for one more hug and kiss with soft words of love. I broke away, wiped
her eyes, opened our trunk and grabbed my bags. I then turned and walked away
down the pier toward my ship.
There were a lot of people who had their loved ones walk them all the way out
to the ship, but like I said, we had done this before and it was the easiest,
less painful way of leaving. I walked down that pier and never looked back.
Now here it is, 45 days into a 180-day deployment and the holidays are upon
us. In the time I've been gone, my children have gotten their report cards,
my son got four teeth pulled for his braces, and my daughter had her eighth
birthday. It's the hardest thing in the world to miss these things, but there
is a saying when one of our brothers in arms retires, "I've got the watch."
This means it's my turn to ensure the safety of the men and women onboard this
ship, in this Navy, in this world. It also means I will do my damnedest to make
sure we will complete our mission, whatever that might be, wherever that might
be, because I've got the watch.
We all miss our families, our lives, the comforts of home. We don't do this
to be noble or to become heroes. It's our job. Some like it, some don't, but
somebody has to be there, somebody has to sacrifice, somebody has to stand the
watch.
Please enjoy the holidays and light a candle that morning and let it burn throughout
the day to remind you of all of your American servicemen and women out here.
We miss you all.
OSC(SW) Rick A. Helwick
USS HIGGINS (DDG-76)
San Diego
Far away from home
We in the U.S. military do our job around the world so others can enjoy their
loved ones on Christmas. This is not a sympathy letter. It is explaining where
we come from and why we do what we do. It's more than a job, it's a mission.
It's a team ---- America's team. For what others can't do, others will do their
part to help.
On Christmas Day there will be more than 8,000 sailors, Marines and civilians,
part of Adm. Costello's Constellation battle group, who will miss their families
and friends. They will not stay up late to fill their children's stockings on
Christmas Eve. They will not wake up to a cold morning to enjoy the presents
under the Christmas tree. They will not wake up to go outside to play with snow
or go to the park and play catch. They will be on the flight deck of the USS
Constellation being launched into the hot, humid desert sky or being part of
the launching mission on deck.
Some will be standing the normal underway watch, security watch, weapons watch
and radar control watch, while others sleep. Others will be loading bombs, targeting
the bad guys, keeping the boilers hot to create steam for the ship to move,
maintaining the aircraft, writing mission plans, taking pictures and ensuring
the e-mail is up for constant communication for Christmas Day. We all do our
part and I am just one of them.
Our families stick by us through thick and thin. They are the most important
people in our lives. They are the ones we trust and the ones we love and take
care of. You, the citizen, will be with your family on Christmas Day, while
the U.S. and other military forces will be with their military family, the ones
beside them on the battle ground.
I can't explain the feeling I go through when I am out here. It is an emotion
I do not want to feel. I hide from it. It is a way of life. I treat it like
another day. Others celebrate it with a tree, lights, gifts and a dinner. I
won't. Many others like me will not either. As Murphy's law puts it, there is
no limit to how bad things can get.
One Christmas present I received was chemical, biological and radioactive equipment
gear. We are constantly on the alert to strike and be stricken.
We are ready. The men and women who wake up thinking about the threat still
accomplish their job, while their mom, dad, husband, wife or kids are on their
mind. Our families are the most important people in our lives. As long as I
know they will be there when I come home that will be good enough for me.
This is the time of year to reflect what we are grateful for. After all, this
is what we have promised to do. One of the greatest joys in life is serving
people. This is the reason why. This is the purpose. This is why the values
of America are so fluent throughout the world. We are the world's police. It
is for our family and your family. It is for the values of America and the values
of other peace-loving countries.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
PO2 Jeremy Beckham
Laguna Niguel
I miss my daughter
What I miss the most at holidays and being away from home at this time of year
is my family.
I have a daughter who will be turning 1 on the 26th of December and my wife
has her hands full with her. These next six months will be tough, because I
will miss everything that she does for the first time.
Private First Class Carter
Santee
Greetings to everyone
What I miss about home during the holidays is waking up to my children every
morning, hearing their laughter and voices. I miss the closeness of my wife's
comforting arms. But now I am out here doing the job that I have chosen to do,
to protect my family's way of life.
Ship life isn't a great experience but you make the best of it. When you get
letters or packages from home it is like Christmas on the sea.
I have received three Christmas cards from kindergarten children from Georgia
and their cards remind me of my children. Their cards tell me of being safe
and happy holidays, and this makes my day and my whole year because children
who do not even know us are wishing us the greatest of greetings.
This is my second ship deployment but is my seventh time overseas. The Marines
I am deployed with are the greatest. We have set standards and we have all surpassed
them with flying colors. Our young sailors and Marines aboard the USS Constellation
have learned to make the best out of what they have and with the holidays coming
up they are keeping the faith by hanging Christmas stockings with two candy
canes and a highlighter marker to show that the giving spirit is still alive.
I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very happy new year. To my family
I wish you the greatest of holidays and cheer.
GySgt R. B. Hill
VMFA-323
Chula Vista
Proud to be serving
Being away from home is as challenging as life comes for a young adult. Our
emotional strength and ability to maintain a positive mind-set are tested continually
on every level. The relationships that we build with all of our shipmates create
a deep sense of belonging and pride in even the smallest of tasks. All of us
depend on each other in a fire, flood, or emergency.
We trust each other with our lives! I have never been away from my family for
the holidays but am proud to know that I am contributing to their safety on
the home front by risking my own life. I hope we all stand united. I would be
home for Christmas with my family if it weren't for people like bin Laden. The
evildoers will pay for my loss as well as every American who stands beside their
nation.
Airman David Paul Faridi
USS Constellation CV-64
Temecula
To my loving wife
Dear Gail,
The sailors and Marines continue to train and refine their skills. Camp Commando
is changing by the day, only adding to the quality of life. The Marines that
I share a tent with are all good-natured guys. Mail call has been an enormous
morale enhancer, in addition to the e-mail capability.
As I sit here for the third time in our career, I cannot help to think how much
our lives have changed over the years. Corinne and Jake have grown to be responsible,
loving adults and our love and affection for each other continues to intensify.
Deploying reminds me not only of the little things in life that we take for
granted but also what our family means. What I miss most of all is listening
to your voice and having conversations with you. Thank you for being you and
I hope to see you soon.
Always,
Sr. Chief Corpsman Ron Vasinda
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Stationed in Kuwait
Oceanside
Married a month
ago
My Babycakes,
Before anything, I want to let you know that I'm missing you terribly and that
with each minute that passes, 120 thoughts of you cross my mind.
When I wake up in the morning I no longer hear your sweet whispers, nor do I
feel the soft embrace of your arms around me. Instead, motivated grunts from
dedicated warriors echo throughout my tent every morning, hours before the sunrise.
Although my mind is always working and my body is in constant motion here, we
make the best of it. We've brought tons of games to play to keep us sane, the
Red Cross provides us with books to read and there's a tent that was converted
into a movie theater that we can go to whenever we're not busy. I can honestly
say that since it was made, I still haven't had a chance to see a movie there.
We're always on our toes with the amount of patients we see, the drills we have
and the classes we're constantly being taught.
It's dusk and we've just finished our daily physical training. Before the New
Year begins, we'll have our tan belts, ready to move on to the next level. Our
food varies from eating Meals-Ready-To-Eat (MREs) to having a complete Thanksgiving
and Christmas meal with all the trimmings.
In a couple of hours, me and the rest of the Group Aid Station staff are going
to be feasting at our favorite local diner on camp (the only diner on camp)
and I'll bet anyone a free ticket home that we'll be having chicken.
Don't get me wrong, I love the way they prepare the different chicken dinners,
it's just that a person can only take so much. It's like eating a Double-Double
from In-N-Out every day! What I wouldn't do to have just one small helping of
your teriyaki chicken kabobs! I've said it earlier and I'll say it again and
again ---- I miss you like crazy and I wish I was home. But then again, duty
calls and I'm proud to be a part of this. Conflicts are terrible and war is
hell but if it should break out, I just hope I'm there to save a life or even
just help ease their pain and suffering. I've learned to love all of these wacky
yet motivated Marines and I'll do all I can to be there for them. I know it's
hard to understand why I love doing what I do, but please have faith in me because
in the big picture, Babycakes, I'm doing the right thing.
I love you.
Yours forever,
Glip
Petty Officer 1st-Class Glenn Gliponeo
Stationed at Camp Commando, Kuwait
Vista
(Petty Officer 1st Class Glenn Gliponeo, 38, of Vista, married his wife one
month before he went overseas in November.)
To my wife and child
Dear Kyoko and Xavier Washington,
How are you all doing? I'm doing fine over here in Kuwait. I have been over
here almost two months and the camp is really looking nice. It was hot over
here when I first arrived and now it is really getting cold. I've been very
busy over here but I'm also having fun.
A typical day here is I wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast and I start work
at the I MEF Battalion Aid Station clinic. The food is very good. I like it
better than MREs. We eat a lot of chicken but I love chicken. In the states
we don't have a lot of Kuwaiti restaurants so it's a new food experience for
me.
Sick call is from 0800-1000 daily, seven days a week. After 1000 we usually
take walk-in patients and emergencies. We haven't had any emergencies here on
camp so far. When we are not working, I study, watch DVDs, play Playstation2,
take martial arts class and chat with my co-workers here in the clinic. We are
a tight group here and everyone gets along good. I'm having fun here but I miss
you all so much and I can't wait to get back.
I miss you, Kyoko, for all the great times and your putting a smile on my face
every day I see you. I miss you, Xavier, for waking me up at night to play and
to eat.
I will be home soon and I need you all to stay strong, be strong and keep me
in your prayers.
Love always and forever,
Jamohal G. Washington
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class
Oceanside
Keep us in your
prayers
Dear residents of North San Diego County:
I am a hospital corpsman third-class petty officer attached to Marine Fighter
Attack Squadron 323, onboard the USS Constellation. In support of Operation
Enduring Freedom I'm going to be away from my wife and family for the holidays.
When you are out floating on the waters you have a lot of time to think about
what you are doing and why you are doing it. I know that I have a loving wife
at home who's going to college and working and misses me just as much as I miss
her. I'm away from my baby brother, who is playing his senior year of basketball
at Cal State Dominguez Hills University. I don't get to talk to my dad every
day on my cell phone to seek the father-to-son advice that I have come to rely
on. I'm away from the efforts my mom has put into her nephew's newborn baby
girl, who is in need of a heart transplant at Loma Linda Medical Center.
With all these things in my life, I cannot be any happier than I am right now.
I'm a member of the Navy and Marine Corps team that is battling terrorists and
other enemies. When I joined the Navy in 1994, I never thought I would be in
the situation that the United States is in. I never dreamed that when I came
to work on Tuesday Sept. 11, 2001, at Naval Hospital Corpus Christi, Texas,
that planes would fly into the World Trade Center or the Pentagon, killing thousands
of Americans. Whenever I get homesick and start to question why I am doing what
it is I'm doing, I don't have to look very far. I look around the hangar bay
of the USS Constellation and see the words, "We will not falter. We will
not fail." This phrase gives me all the strength I need to carry on.
I'm not out here just for myself or my family or my future children, I do it
for every resident of San Diego County and the United States. It's just something
that's in my family. The last time the United States was attacked on that grand
a scale was Pearl Harbor, and my grandfather was there fighting in the Navy,
and now more than 60 years later I fighting for those same values.
With these thoughts in mind, it's easy for me to deal with the time away from
my wife and family. It's a small sacrifice, having to get a haircut in berthing
rather then at Gabriel's Barbershop in downtown San Diego. I do miss home, but
I'll be there soon enough. Just keep all the Marines and sailors of VMFA-323
in your thoughts and prayers.
HM3 (FMF) Jesse Tossetti
VMFA-323
Ramona
A letter to Mom
Dear Mom,
As the holidays and New Year gets closer, the more I wish I could be home with
you and the rest of the family. Even though it's another Christmas away from
those that I care for, I'm happy to be over here and to be with the people that
I work with.
It's a very good setup we have, although we lack a lot of the holiday comforts,
like the tree and the lights. We all make up for it with the spirit of the holidays.
Just like Christmas, it's plenty cold at times and with all the care packages
that are being sent to us, it feels just the same. We have stockings set up
here in the tent and snowflakes cut out of paper hanging down. I received a
package from you last week and I took out the Styrofoam peanuts and ran string
through them to hang from the roof.
Thank you for the letters that you've sent to me. It sure brightens up my day
getting letters from home. But when I'm not waiting on letters from home, I'll
usually work, study for advancement and go to martial arts training. I have
to get going in a second because that martial arts class is going to start.
Everyone here is doing well and we're all happy and are waiting patiently for
the day that we can come home. But in the meantime we're having as much fun
as possible and keeping ourselves occupied.
I love you, Mom, and please have a Merry Christmas.
Your baby, Andy
P.S. send more goodies!!
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Bergstrom
Santa Cruz
We who are about
to fight salute you
Hi, Mom, You wanted to know about how we live, our camp and what we do to keep
ourselves busy. So here is my elementary attempt of describing our kabal, as
the Kuwaitis refer to a camp, and what keeps my time.
I live with hundreds of other aggressive, anxious Marines in a remote, desolate
and undisclosed camp in the heart of the Kuwaiti desert ---- a place known as
Camp Commando. The name of the camp is derived from our affiliation with the
Kuwaiti military Commando Brigades. We train in this bullet-ridden, bombed-out
relic the Iraqis invaded more than a decade ago, waiting to be given the word
"go." I think the Iraqi army would have a much more difficult time
ousting us from their old occupied territory now.
Looking at this place you might think we were at the Demilitarized Zone in Korea.
It is an unsightly, bland landscape littered with massive cement obstacles,
numerous guard towers, rows and rows of barbed wire and a 12-foot earthen berm
around the camp. For some unknown reason, we call these monolithic barriers
Texas or Jersey barriers. I think the Texas name comes from its shape. Each
block is an upside down T about 6 feet high, 6 feet wide and reportedly costs
$1,200 apiece. They border all of our camel tents. This is the name I have given
the tents we live in. They are cloth, white tents adaptable to the cold Kuwaiti
winters and unbearably hot summers. It's dipped into the 30s since we've been
here and there isn't a single tree or bush to stop the wind from piercing your
clothes ---- it actually reminds me of Afghanistan in the winter. Inside each
tent you'll find about 12 Marines living on cots and in their camouflage sleeping
bags.
Some of the Marines are extremely creative and have managed to turn large wooden
spools into card tables. I have created dresser drawers from empty ammunition
crates.
American and Marine Corps flags are draped liberally throughout the tents, with
the intent of one day packing them inside a rucksack and marching them into
an oppressed land. I brought the American flag you gave me before I went into
Afghanistan. It sits on my desk with the preamble from the U.S. Constitution
next to it.
The most fascinating area of the camp is the coliseum. As you might guess, this
structure is akin to a Roman amphitheater. We use our coliseum as the Romans
may have ---- to fight against our own men ---- but this time it's to prepare
ourselves for war. At the center of the coliseum is a truncated boxing ring
surrounded by steep cement stadium seating. Before each fight all boxers face
the crowd and proclaim, "We who are about to fight, salute you." My
college boxing days are over, but I enjoy watching the Marines.
These are the types of events that keep us going during the holidays.
Nothing could replace being with family and friends, though. Tell Aunt Sylvia,
Robert, Lee, Joel and Nathan I wish them a Merry Christmas. I'll write again
shortly.
David
Marine Capt. David T. Romley
Oceanside and Phoenix
And More
I am from a small town in
eastern Oregon named Wallowa, nested deep in the mountains and covered with
Ponderosa pine trees and lots of snow this time of year. I now live in San Diego
with my beautiful wife, Cynthia, and two wonderful sons, Justin, 18, and Joseph,
7. This is my fifth cruise and every cruise has been over the holidays, so I
have been through this and know what to expect ---- not that it's easier but
at least I know.
I truly feel for my young sailors, away from their families for the first time,
some of them leaving pregnant wives due to give birth around the holidays. Their
spouses don't understand that he can't just come home for the birth of their
child. They keep trying to get them to convince their chain of command to send
their loved one home. All we can do is try to explain that going home is not
an option at this point; try to make them understand their role in our mission
and how incredibly important they are to our success.
It's the babies that are the hardest part of being gone. My wife has been through
this before and it's hard, but she understands. My 7-year-old son tells his
teacher at school that he misses his dad. It's quite evident that he thinks
about it a lot. I tried to explain and he tried to understand, but all he wanted
to know was when was I coming home to go fishing with him.
My 18-year-old is a wonderful young man, so polite and courteous. I told him
he is the man of the house when I am gone, and he does the best he can to support
Mom.
Mom is the key in the whole mechanism. She holds down the front, works an average
of 12 hours a day, pays the bills, goes to all the school events and makes the
holidays magical for my boys.
I hear my shipmates talk about their babies. One shipmate has a baby girl that
asks each and every day if Daddy is coming home tonight. In his words, all I
can hope is that she will understand one day and know that we are here for our
babies.
I consider myself a very fortunate man. I have been given the opportunity to
play a direct role in the defense of our nation in a time of war. For that I
am truly grateful.
My Christmas will be spent with my family, my Navy brothers and sisters. We
all have family so far away and we all miss them. That is why we are here, for
our children to enjoy the same freedom and safety that our fathers gave to us.
AEC(AW)Tinsley AIMD/IM3
Dear San Diego,
This is not my first cruise, but it is my first time overseas during the holidays.
At first it didn't sink in, like it was still summer, since it is so hot. But
all of a sudden it was Thanksgiving and we had a turkey and ham dinner with
stuffing and cranberry sauce. And it dawned on me that Christmas was around
the corner. No weeklong snowboarding trips to Mammoth at the cabin, no going
to my aunt's house Christmas Eve and doing the white elephant gift exchange.
There will be no hustle and bustle to get the house ready for the many family
members that will join us for dinner. No special church service, or soup kitchen
to help out. Worst of all there will be no winter swell to surf. I will be away
from all my family and friends and everything that I know and am used to, everything
that one might take for granted.
I guess it is true when they say that you do not know what you have until it
is gone. Instead I am one of less than 50 females on board a carrier that holds
over 5,000 men, and one of two female Marines on the whole ship. So not only
do I stick out as a female, but as a Marine as well. Work is constant, there
is not much to do on the ship besides that. We work 12 hours on and 12 hours
off. There are a couple of gyms, and small stores to keep us up to date with
the latest music and movies, but that is it. There are no swimming pools, arcades,
or bowling alleys like so many people might think. We just work, eat, work out,
and sleep. Because of this it is easy to lose track of all sense of time ----
is it Thursday or Friday? Better yet, what time is it at home? We have phones
we can use to call home, and of course we have e-mail access. I am grateful
for that so we don't have to rely on snail mail.
It keeps us in close contact with home and helps to ease some stress.
I'm just wondering who they are going to send out for the holidays to cheer
us up. This is my last cruise, though, and I am definitely looking forward to
being stationed in a squadron that doesn't deploy on a ship.
I hope you all enjoy your holidays and take a moment to think of all the sisters,
fathers, mothers, brothers, cousins, aunts and uncles who are currently deployed
today. God bless.
Andriele Stodden Cpl. USMC Santa Barbara
I do not want to dwell on
what I'm missing this year back home in the States. That's too easy. Of course
I miss my beautiful wife. Of course I wish I could celebrate her 28th birthday,
Christmas, and our fifth wedding anniversary all in the same week, but that's
not going to happen this year. Of course I wish I could be up in the Sierras
by a fire with my relatives sipping hot cider and singing Christmas carols,
but this year I'll be spending my holidays in a special place with my special
family.
This Christmas, I'll be under way in the Persian Gulf protecting and preserving
the institutions that have allowed my previous 27 Christmases to be so happy.
I might be flying that day, I might be standing duty, I might be planning a
mission. Whatever I do, though, I will do it with a smile on my face and lightness
in my heart because I am blessed to be here now.
It is an honor and privilege to serve the country that gave my ancestors an
opportunity for success when no other country would do so. It is a singular
pleasure to have enjoyed the "special trust and confidence" of the
American public to allow me to be an officer of Marines and an aviator for the
last six years. It is humbling to work with young Marines and sailors who literally
work themselves to exhaustion each day to make our ships and planes go, all
for much less than minimum wage ---- and they do it with smiles on their faces!
I can think of no other place I'd rather be this holiday season (except for
in the arms of my lovely bride) than out here with the USS Constellation Battle
Group. Next Christmas, though, if I'm fortunate enough to be with my loved ones
back home, I know that each moment will be made sweeter by the sacrifices we
all are making now and in the near future.
Guy W. Ravey Captain, United States Marines Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323
Carrier Air Wing Two USS Constellation
To be apart from loved ones
back home is hard regardless of size, sex, rank, and toughness. Everyone misses
home and being with their families, regardless whether they are married, a single
parent or single. We miss those that we care about. But one thing is for certain,
we have a big family here on the ship and in each other. We confide, trust and
rely on each other. Christmas is never the same being away from the ones we
miss, but it is still Christmas and we have to enjoy it as much as possible.
What I miss most about being away for the holidays is being away from my kids.
They are my pride and joy and I love to watch them smile as they open the presents
that Santa brought them. Being in the military takes me away from them a lot,
but it makes me enjoy the amount of time I do spend with them when I am home.
I miss them, and it hurts me to know that I am not there to share the holidays
with them, but I am sure they understand that Daddy is doing what is right in
order to protect our freedom as well as theirs.
AK3 Linville VF-2 Squadron USS Constellaion Virginia Beach, Va.
Happy holidays from the
Navy's finest warship, USS Valley Forge (CG-50). The thing I miss the most being
deployed over the holidays is time spent with family during Christmas.
My family's typical Christmas season consists of family events such as putting
up the tree, other decorations, watching Christmas shows and making Christmas
cookies. Everyone in the family has their part to play in putting our house
into the Christmas spirit. My job is to get out all the boxes of decorations,
put up the Christmas tree and fill it full of lights. Our children traditionally
put the ornaments on the tree and bake and decorate cookies while Christmas
carols play. My wife, Eileen, puts beautiful red bows, cranberry beads and tinsel
on the tree. Then she decorates the entire house in all things Christmas. She
has a real talent for decorating.
Even our pets have a role to play. We know that while we are sleeping our cats
will be removing the glass ornaments from the tree and batting them around the
house until they break. It doesn't matter how high we put them on the tree,
they still find them. Our dog loves the season due to all the excitement and
change in the house, not to mention the extra treats he gets for his present.
We then drive around the Poway and Rancho Bernardo area and admire the decorations
and efforts of others to display their Christmas spirit.
The movie "A Christmas Carol" is a favorite of mine because it shows
the goodness that is inside each of us if we choose to acknowledge its presence.
I'd like to wish everyone in the North County area a Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year.
Mark Ranes Chief Gunner's Mate, USS Valley Forge USN
My name is Charles Jeremy
Hale. I am a third-class petty officer in the U.S. Navy. For the past four years
I have been in Fighter Squadron Two.
I've been working on F-14s.
I came to the USS Constellation in September 1999, and this is the third time
that I have deployed on a six-month cruise to defend how everyone in the United
States lives. I am not from the West Coast, but I have come to realize that
with the Navy it doesn't matter where you are from or what you have done. Everyone
is pretty much equal, especially while deployed. The entire battle group works
day in and day out as a team and for the same purpose.
During the holidays I always find myself thinking about what my family is doing
or how things are going without me there. I remember all of those holidays and
the way that they were before I decided to defend what I believe in. I can't
help but think that a part of that is missing when I am not there, but at the
same time I know that my family in Tennessee is getting along just fine.
My daughter is 4 years old, and this is the first time that I have had to miss
her on Christmas. My wife is pregnant right now and will be going to the hospital
to be induced this morning, to give birth to our son. I am not the only sailor
missing out on stuff while I am gone, but that doesn't help the pain that I
feel from not being there.
There are so many sailors and Marines away from their loved ones on every holiday
that they all find their own ways to deal with it. I have learned to just turn
to the friends that I have made over the past four years. Even when we were
not deployed, I have always tried to make friends part of my holiday. Out at
sea things aren't any different except that friends are all I have with me.
The special meals that are cooked, the music that is played and the little perks
that we may get are comforting, but nothing can take the place of your loved
ones on the holidays.
I just know that no matter what the holiday is, I am doing something that I
believe in, and that no matter what I have to sacrifice, it is worth it. I sort
of feel like I am being hypocritical because I have less than 20 days (when
this letter is written on Dec.11) before I am supposed to be separated from
the Navy, but I have dealt with this through three cruises and numerous holidays.
I just want everyone to know that no matter what day, month or year it is, the
sailors and Marines around the world are ready to defend our country.
We may not like it all the time, and I know that I speak for everyone when I
say that we hate leaving and missing our families for long periods of time.
Volunteering to defend your country is a very respectable thing to do. Everyone
may not know the sacrifices that they are going to have to make when they sign
up, but everyone learns to accept them for what they are worth and work through
it with the guy next to him. I have a friend who has been in the same position
that I have been in from the time I first got here. We have always worked different
shifts until recently, but we have always kept each other going no matter what
the circumstances were.
I would like to thank AD3 Joseph Parrinello for helping me make it through not
only the holidays, but everything else that we have dealt with in the last four
years. You have been there for me, brother, and I appreciate it.
In closing, do what you can to make your sailor or Marine feel like he is there
with you over the holidays. Whether it's an e-mail or a care package doesn't
matter. Everything that you do from so far away makes us feel a little more
at home. Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
AD3 Charles Jeremy Hale Gallatin, Tennessee
Although I can't spend the
holidays with my family this year, I can look at the bigger picture and see
that there is no better place I could be than out here protecting the ones I
love.
My family couldn't be more proud of me and I know I am in their prayers every
night.
There will be many more holidays to come because of the brave military members
working year round to protect our nation's freedom. Sometimes we have to sacrifice
a few luxuries for the better of our great country. And even though I won't
be able to enjoy a home-cooked turkey dinner this year or be able to sit around
the fireplace with a cup of eggnog and brandy on New Year's Eve, I know that
next year I will because of our efforts here today.
Sgt Ezekiel S. Turpin USMC VMFA-323 Mira Mesa
I must say that the Navy
has been quite the roller coaster ride from the very beginning. Nearly two years
ago I took the oath that has brought me to where I never thought I would be.
The time since I first heard word of our six-month deployment on the ship to
now seems like a blink of an eye.
I remember leaving that pier with all of our family and friends watching and
waving, so emotionally involved in what we were about to do. I kept thinking
to myself, "No way. No way, This is it. This is the last time I will see
this familiar pier for a long time. Crazy." I could keep this part out,
although I must say that the voice inside my head most certainly questioned,
"What if I never come back?" That feeling I'm sure I will never forget:
the people waving and cheering, holding up their signs of patriotism.
As our ship drifted farther away, the emotions really hit me. I don't care how
tough you are. That day was the closest I have ever felt to being famous. I
remember me and my buddy watching in awe as the helicopters flew around the
ship, taking pictures. The boats were everywhere. I remember saying, "Wow.
They really do care about what we're doing." Then hearing him quietly agreeing,
"Yeah, man, they do. Cool." The days go by pretty slow for the most
part. It's funny sometimes the things we do to pass the time. I have grown pretty
close to my buddies in my shop. If you don't have friends here, then you don't
have anything. The environment on the ship is really stressful a lot of the
time. Day by day we walk around on steel floors and stare at steel walls. There
is no carpet here, no colorful wallpaper, no big warm bed to wrap up in at night.
You miss those comfortable luxuries when you have been on the ship for so long.
We work long hours and it's hot. It's so humid out here you take a shower and
you're sweating by the time you get back down to go to sleep.
Guys here get hit by the realization that their great kids and their beautiful
wives are at home eating their turkey and drinking their cranberry juice on
the big wooden dinner table with the rest of their family. I don't even have
a wife or kids, but I can sure imagine that they felt pretty lonely on Thanksgiving
night crawling into their small racks to go to sleep with nothing but memories
of last Thanksgiving, when they were with their family.
Don't get me wrong, though. I do have a blast on this big ship. The ports I
have been to so far and the camaraderie I have developed with my buddies is
unforgettable. We all help each other through the hard times, and it really
helps realizing that you're not the only one that feels a little lonely.
l feel proud for the personal sacrifice I'm taking to help keep our country
safe. Soon I'll be standing on that same spot on the ship that I was when we
left. And I'll laugh at that voice inside of my head for thinking that anyone
ever had a chance against us.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Justin Reid Klinge Kansas City, Mo.
"Let's get it on!"
These were the words that were spoken in my mind as I laid eyes upon this ship
for the very first time. This isn't something that I vaguely remember.
In fact, they are still quite clear. Those words rang out just six weeks ago.
As a middle-school teacher in rural Oregon, I have the pleasure and honor of
educating my community's youth. As a naval reservist, I have the good fortune
of helping other naval reserve sailors achieve their educational and professional
goals. Now, after being recalled to active duty, I'm being asked to provide
the same support for the men and women stationed aboard the USS Constellation.
My first day aboard the ship was by far my most exciting. On Nov. 1, the day
before our deployment, I called my wife during the early morning hours to wish
her a good day. Instead, her sister's voice greeted me. "She's in labor!"
she exclaimed.
My first baby, Taylor Marie, was born on that day, four weeks earlier than expected.
I believe to this very day that she came early to wish me well.
The loud cries that could be heard from over the phone were her simple ways
of saying, "Good-bye, Daddy. I love you." "Daddy loves you too,
Taylor." I'm once again taking a journey across the Western Pacific into
the Indian Ocean, the same journey that I made in 1990 when I was 18 years old.
After six weeks on board this ship, I've finally become comfortable with my
surroundings. I've learned again how to adapt to this challenging lifestyle.
When I was younger, I was somewhat naive about the importance of my work. Today,
I'm much more aware of the seriousness of our mission.
Being away during the holiday season is difficult, but I've been reassured that
the holiday spirit will remain alive and well and will be waiting for me when
I return home. I feel lucky that I'll be one of the very few who will be celebrating
Thanksgiving and Christmas during the summer next year.
I believe that I'll have much to be thankful for come that special day.
If asked the question, "Do you support the position that America has taken
against Iraq and its war on terrorism?" proudly, I can respond with an
enthusiastic, "Yes!" I witnessed the look of evil and his destruction
firsthand when I took a trip to New York City and Washington, D.C., just five
months ago. The somber stares and falling tears from people of all races and
cultures tell me that something right needs to be done.
I wholeheartedly believe that I am helping defend our way of life. For this,
I don't look back. I need only to move forward thinking four simple words. "Let's
get it on!"
PN2 Jeffrey T. Fourier McMinnville, Oregon
Letter from Marine Maj.
Dave Raimo to his girlfriend, Tara Ferraro of San Marcos. Raimo is assigned
to the I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton and is working at Camp
Commando in Kuwait.
For Tara and All,
As you might have guessed, things are moving along out here, but please understand
that no matter how busy my day gets, I still take a little time out of my schedule
to be thankful for the blessings I have in my life, which always include you.
Aboard the camp, spirits are high among the Marines and sailors despite cold,
wet weather setting in and being so far away from home for the holidays.
However, the real intent of this letter is to express my sincere gratitude and
appreciation to you and everyone else who united together in order to make this
holiday season a special one for us. Your selfless, caring efforts in coordinating
a gift drive as well as everyone's heartfelt contributions are nothing short
of spectacular. I am struggling to find the rights words to express my gratitude,
but it is truly amazing that a "grass-roots" drive would receive such
an outpouring of support from a community for deployed service members they
barely even know. The Marines and sailors are thankful to all for their generosity.
Your overwhelming support is a constant reminder for us that what we do as service
members is important and that we are appreciated. I honestly believe that efforts
like yours are happening all across our great nation during this holiday season.
From this thankful Marine to the residents of the Rancho Vallecitos Mobile Home
Community (San Marcos), the patrons and staff of Renaissance Salon (San Marcos),
and lest I forget, Tara ---- Thank You.
Thank you for making a difference. Season's greetings to one and all and continue
to keep the home fires burning.
With Sincere Appreciation, Dave Raimo Major, USMC
E-mail sent from Tara Ferraro
to Maj. Dave Raimo.
From: Tara Ferraro To: Maj. Raimo
I need to run something by you that actually was supposed to be a surprise;
however, I have gotten such an overwhelming response I wanted to see how you
thought the best way to handle it was.
Over the past few weeks I have been having a gift drive for you and your Marines!
I sent out one box already attn to you, and I am leaving it up to you to pass
out the goodies as you see fit. However, things keep pouring in and I don't
want all this mail to affect you in any negative way, so I want to know if there
is any other way I should send stuff. I promised that these things would be
going to your group and many people (retired military and WWII vets and Korea
vets) wanted to make sure the enlisted guys were being taken care of. I told
them that you would be sure of it and that you would take care of your boys.
Baby, SO much stuff, it is awesome!! I really got a lot of support. There [are]
games and food, calling cards, disposable cameras, and books and vitamins and
Tylenol and razors and on and on and on. Let me know what to do!!
- - -
Donations sought for troops overseas
You can send items to troops
stationed overseas through Operation Interdependence™.
The program, which collects small personal items for the troops, is sponsored
by the Navy League Tri-City Council, a support group for members of the military
on active duty.
Donations of playing cards, chewing gum, small toiletries, letters of support
and one-quart Zip-loc bags are needed.
The American Legion has seven drop-off sites for collections: in Escondido,
at the North County Times, Kalmia Street and Pennsylvania Avenue; American Legion
Post 149, 230 E. Park Ave.; Vons, 17th Avenue and Centre City Parkway; Albertsons
on West Valley Parkway; in San Marcos at Vons Rancho Santa Fe on San Marcos
Boulevard; and in Oceanside at Stater Bros. on West Vista Way.
The packages will be assembled and sent overseas by American Legion Post 149
in Escondido.