The day before a luncheon I head over to
the Western Shore to food shop and get ready for the luncheon
with the rest of the crew and we knock it all out with enough
time to sit back and enjoy catching up with each other.
January through March though, because of
flu season and the weather.
In fact, a few weeks before this luncheon
we had a “what if” discussion.
And here I am worried about a little winter
storm. But tomorrow was forecast to be above freezing and
sunny. Surely the roads would be clear, major highways and
all that…
So that’s what we did. Thursday
morning dawned bright and sunny and the roads were clear.
I swung by and up picked Jack, who is a member of Marine
Corps League Detachment 439, then we met Jean in Annapolis,
and headed out. On the beltway, we heard a car honking
as it drove by -- Robin and Gladys! We all met Jess and
Grace not far from the hospital and car pooled in to the
hospital together.
Jess, the youngest of our crew and the sister of a Marine
Veteran, wrote a little something and with her permission
I am sharing it here.
……………………
When I heard
that Marine Moms-Bethesda’s luncheon in January
was going to be held on a Thursday and that it was going
to be in Mercy Hall, I was thrilled. I've done two luncheons
on 5 East, but my schedule is such that weekend events
are tough for me to make, and on both occasions, the ward
was thankfully quiet.
 |
This
luncheon was, in a lot of ways, completely different.
We didn't have dedicated space, and set up in the
lobby/common room, right next to the main desk,
and just out of the way of the pool table and couches
surrounding a large screen TV, where some of the
guys were watching ESPN. |
Instead
of seeing a lot of doctors, nurses and service staff,
we saw mostly Marines and Sailors. Some were in
uniform, some were in their sweats, and let me just
say that even when a Marine is in their sweats,
they look more pulled together than a lot of men
I see walking down the street. Some moved about
freely, and others moved with the assistance of
a cane or wheelchair. |
 |
 |
Historically,
what strikes me the most about these luncheons--and
I don't know if you can really appreciate just how
much of a production they are unless you've seen
it first hand--is the amount of time and energy
and love that the Marine Moms put in to them. To
the Moms, every single Marine in the building may
as well be their kid--that's how much energy they
put in to everything they do. |
| The
first Marine who came in to get lunch spoke with
us for a little while, and when he left with a bowl
of homemade chicken noodle soup, he said he needed
to go call his mom.
There
wasn't a single person who came into the room who
wasn't simply gobsmacked by the amount of care and
thought that had gone into putting together the
luncheon.
Most
of the guys even took the time to shake our hands,
look us in the eye, and say thank you.
Every
time it happened, I wanted to cry. I could not have
been more touched. THEY were thanking ME? That wasn't
how it was supposed to work!
I still
can't get my head around it.
|
|
No one there was in
it for the thanks. We fed them because we could.
Because
there is no gesture on earth that could possibly
show those men what enormous gratitude we feel,
and how very much they are appreciated.
We gave
them letters of thanks so that they knew that we
acted on behalf of so many more people than the
ones mixing their smoothies.
We passed
along afghans and quilts as a symbol of the warmth
and love that we and others wish for them, and so
that they could wrap themselves in that energy once
we leave.
It is
an honor to be able to do that for our men in uniform,
and to have them thank us for it speaks volumes
to their character. |
 |
As far as
I'm concerned, every man in that room on Thursday was
a rock star, and I hope that they know it.
I understand
that they aren't in it for the glory, and that when it
comes right down to it, they're really "just doing
their job," but every time I get to be a part of
the luncheons, it blows me away.
……………………
The menu this month was appetizers of
marinated olives, tortellini, salami, and cheese; pickles;
garden salad; grapes and clementines; turkey and provolone
and ham and cheddar cheese sandwiches on a choice of croissants
or hard rolls; chicken fried rice; chicken corn chowder;
chicken noodle soup; crackers; scones; cookies; cakes;
soda; and smoothies.
Grace and Jack joined us for the first
time and we were very happy to have them. One of the Sergeants
took the three of us up to 5 East where we passed out
quilts to the combat patients that wanted them, along
with notes of support. We left boxed lunches and smoothies
in the refrigerator in the pantry.
By the time we returned back to the barracks,
the room had quieted down, the guys had all left for a
meeting and we discovered that one of the crew is…
a pool shark!
Our heartfelt thanks go to our supporters
who made the luncheon possible.
Our gratitude goes to the men and women
in uniform who protect and defend our Constitution.
Links below for surfing around.
Until next time,
Surfing around…
After
Deployment.org
http://afterdeployment.org/
A mental wellness resource
for Service Members, Veterans, and Military Families.
Register and log in or click the button
on the top right corner “explore this site” at the link.
It might be a long download if you have dial-up.
Face of Defense: Country Music Star
Earned Stripes in Iraq,
Afghanistan
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=52861
By Samantha
L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2009 - Stephen Cochran was a normal
19-year-old with a dream of making music his life when
the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks led him down an
unplanned path to the Marine Corps.
"I dropped out of college. I walked away
from a record deal," he said. "I was engaged."
He didn't discuss his decision with his parents, or even
his then-fiancée, who broke the engagement when he announced
he’d enlisted. “It was really the first grown-up decision
I’d ever made,” Cochran said. (More
at the link.)
Marines
Wounded Warrior Regiment
http://www.marines.mil/units/hqmc/mnra/wwr/Pages/Home.aspx
WOUNDED WARRIOR REGIMENT MISSION STATEMENT
Our Mission
Provide and facilitate assistance to
wounded/injured/ill Marines, Sailors attached to or in
support of Marine units, and their family members throughout
the phases of recovery.
Our
History
During his 2006 Planning Guidance, the 34th Commandant
of the Marine Corps, General James T. Conway, highlighted
his vision of taking care of wounded warriors and their
families. In April 2007 that vision was realized by the
official establishment of the Wounded Warrior Regiment
(WWR). Headquartered in Quantico,
Virginia, and with Wounded Warrior Battalions on both the
East and West Coast, the WWR is a unique organization
spawned from a combination of the 2005 Marine For
Life ill/injured support section and the 2004 wounded
warrior barracks located in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Breaking new ground everyday, the WWR continues to challenge
previously established boundaries while firmly adhering
to the commitment of taking care of our own. (More at
the link)
