Kid went "wheels up" to Afganistan Sunday with 3rd Special Forces. She's 19, a PFC E-3 with one year in. Prowd & scared but more the former. Talked to her alot last couple days, admin sh*t, when are we getting her car, bank account info, the old Yamaha got sta-bil in it and on trickle charge, cell phone suspention, blah blah blah...
I was all business with her on the phone, just said good buy like I allways do sive she joined up, "Love ya, Kiddo. Be safe"....
I hit one last post on her facebook page a little while after...
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great ...enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt
Me to her: Be safe, do the job, pay attention to the little things, action beats inaction... all I got kiddo. You got the ball. Good Hunting. Been on the other side of this more times than I care to remember. Little different this time. Every formerly broken bone in my body wants to take her place. But I have been there and done that. Probably why I'm taking it hard. Questioning myself if I gave her enough along the way. I can probably look at her and know the answer to that, but not at the moment.

She is supposed to be at HQ-HHC S2 shop as inell, but she volenteered and train on the FET's
Spec Ops Needs a Few Good Women]Spec Ops Needs a Few Good Women
but she dids conferm that there is a load of shooting and blowing up stuff in the training for a NON-Combatant role. She Freaking Loves it.
Got a call tonite from the JSOC staging area...

I'm aweful certain it's all my fault, me at her age:

Lil **** is 5th generation Army, 2nd Gen Special Ops. Grew up around Paratroopers, Rangers, Snipers, Green Berets and later SWAT guys. Probably why she can drink like a fish and swears 'nuff to make a sailor blush. The character trait that I'm most prowd of is she understands WHY to fight, not just the how part...

 

First I would like to say thank you to you and your family for your service and sacrifice through the years and generations.
Like you stated, you can look at her and know the answer, if she is ready, and based off what you have stated about who she grew up around I'm sure she will be fine. I'm sure she is just as scared as you are for her but she knows why she is there and why she chose to be there, to protect and serve. We, my loved ones and myself, are greatful for everything that people like you, your family members and our friends who are deployed are doing to keep our freedom and the devil from knocking at our door.
Just think about the experience you guys can share and embrace when she returns home.
Forever in your debt.
-Drew

P.S. We, the forum, would like to see some pictures of siht getting blown up! Nothing that will get anyone in trouble of course.

 

thanks to you, your daughter, your family, and everyone else that has ever proudly served our country. as amRRussel said, we are forever in your debt.

 

Hoooooahhhhhhh!!!

 

I say HUA!!!!

 

Badass! Thank you to both of you for your service.

 

As a Ranger myself, thanks!

 

OUTSTANDING, Sua Sponte.
Army Ranger Creed - YouTube

 

Update: wheels up out of Kazakhstan.

 

Sua Sponte- Ranger lead the way- Hoooah!