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The comfort of friends

Feb-28-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

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By MARY BETH SMETZER, Staff Writer

Ever since Sunshine Jeane learned that her husband, Staff Sgt. James Jeane, was severely wounded in Mosul, Iraq, she has been surrounded by the sheltering arms of other Fort Wainwright Army wives.

James is a Ranger medic with the 1st Battalion,17th Infantry of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

The call came at 6 a.m. Sunday morning and Sunshine, the mother of four sons between the ages of 2 and 10, hasn't had much sleep since.

Monday afternoon, the telephone was ringing nonstop, and Heather Carland was taking messages.

Piles of sorted laundry dotted a long hallway and, between loading and unloading the washer and dryer, Angie Pearce kept busy folding clean laundry.

Lorinda Barnes stopped in, carrying pizzas for Monday night dinner, and, after a visit, took three of the four Jeane boys home with her for the rest of the afternoon.

ll day long, a rotating round of friends and Family Readiness Group members, proffering hugs and offering support, filled and refilled the couches.

The conversation ranged from tears to laughter to tears again as child care arrangements were discussed and travel plans gone over.

"I want to be there when he wakes up. I don't want him to be alone," Sunshine said, rubbing her teary eyes.


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