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The following is part two of a column by Rachel Howard (read part one).
Link to Full Article
By Rachel Howard, The San Francisco Chronicle
Already Mom and I feared we would hardly see Emmet during his 15-day leave from Iraq, and we sat on edge for indications of how much time Emmet would set aside for us. He was 23, six years my junior; he had partying to do. For the next three days we counted ourselves lucky to take Emmet out to breakfast at Denny's per his request. When Emmet wasn't with us, Mom trucked back and forth to Costco, exchanging camera accessories, getting his digital pictures developed. By the third breakfast we had his stack of photos, and we thumbed through them over "Meat Lovers Skillets," which Emmet, ever frugal, ordered without the meat because the "Meat Lovers" were cheaper than plain scrambled eggs.
There were photos of Emmet holding a stray puppy his platoon had adopted, of his teammates loaded with 40 pounds of hand grenades in specially equipped vests, of the crew arrayed around the Stryker vehicle, the soon-to-be-dead platoon leader at the edge of the shot. Nothing remotely Abu Ghraib worthy, to my immediate relief.
And yet Emmet's stories kept coming, about cars rushing toward the convoy, no way to tell if they were carrying bombs or if the driver was just plain scared. About swooping in on houses via Blackhawk in the middle of the night with only the most rudimentary language skills to help the soldiers find weapons, and physical force to fill in where words couldn't. About women holding dead children in the street, little more Emmet's team members could do but bandage wounds and stare with stricken faces.
The long column continues.
Comments For "Back from Iraq for a short stay":
I am "shocked and horrified" (to quote Rachel Howard) that the San Francico Chronicle would print this "column" and the Stryker Brigade News for posting it, especially the third line in the second paragraph of Part II. I do not find her writing newsworthy, but offensive. I am outraged at her insensibility towards the family and friends of a fallen hero.
J. Williams,
Mother of a Soldier (3-21 IN)
Posted by: J. Williams | May 31, 2005 6:03 PM
I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt outrage at reading this P.O.S. "column." It doesn't belong here.
Posted by: T Kilcollins | May 31, 2005 7:08 PM
Your comments are noted. Our general site policy is to link to the news and let people form their own opinions. Perhaps a letter to the editor is in order?
Posted by: Todd | May 31, 2005 8:17 PM
Our brave soliders are fighting a war against terrorism so that the rest of us can live our comfortable safe lives here in America. Rachel Howard, when you exercise your right to speak your mind, thank a solider, those many brave heroes that have died and been gravely wounded to provide the freedoms that you enjoy. Land of the Free, because of the brave
From a proud Mom of solider
Posted by: Momma Smooth | May 31, 2005 10:04 PM
I read this entry...and am a stryker mom, not sure what the problem was with this...it is just commentary from someone with a soldier home on leave, and that is how it is with a young man home, she can't even put into words how it is, but tries. my son is on second tour, he came home for his fathers sudden death after a two week leave,(spent with his new wife, not with his family) who knows what to say, he is back in the thick of it now and we are grateful he is alive, and sorry about the loss of others. Friends and siblings most likely feel this way and this article is valid and should just be read.I am upset by the media, who publish so called "abuses and such" who cause the death of our own soldiers, people making comments on thier families should be supported and understood. please have compassion for all.
Posted by: strykermom | May 31, 2005 11:00 PM