ABC 30 Blogs

Hi Mom!

By Nancy Osborne

 Charlotte Novak-Brown is the Membership Director of the Central Valley Blue Star Moms. These women gather strength and comfort from each other as they worry about and wait to hear from their children serving in the military. And they offer support to those whose loved ones come home draped by an American flag accompanied by a military escort.

Just as they have this week when Blue Star Moms and other vounteers lined the funeral procession of Clovis born Staff Sgt. Brian Piercy with red and white ribbons. It was organized by Robin Butterfield. Her son Anthony died in the Iraq war in 2006. 

Those who serve our country also include the families of service members. The stresses they endure while waiting to hear from their sons and daughters are very real.  Just ask Charlotte.  

Mission of Honor

 
 
 Staff Sgt Brian Piercy was brought home to Clovis just before noon on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. 

He was accompanied by members of his United States Army unit, the 82nd Airborne.

It’s been said that the loss of any one person diminishes us all

Yesterday, July 20, 2010 we learned that the Central Valley has lost another young service member.

Good Bye Fob Payne -- I’m Taking The Long Way Home…

By Nancy Osborne

Marine Corps Major Terry Slatic is back home in California after a tour in Southwest Afghanistan. He, his wife and four children shared the experience of being separated in several stories on ABC30 Action News and Mj. Slatic detailed his deployment here on the Red White and True blog. This time he’s brought us the circuitous route taken getting back to the United States.

How do they get back here from over there? They fly of course, but traveling 12-thousand miles armed and hauling everything they own or were issued by the Marine Corps is one cumbersome ride. Especially when it seems as if you are really ‘taking the long way home.'

None of it really matters but it’s sure a glimpse into patience, humor and finally great joy.

"After seven and a half months in Helmand Province, after growing a combat outpost (COP) to a forward operating base (FOB) by expanding the perimeter and facilities by over 500%, after holding memorials for all of our fallen brothers who came to Afghanistan with us and traveled home in flag draped caskets, after helping improve the security of the Helmand River Valley for the residents of the area known as the “fish hook”, we began our 12,000 mile journey home.

"We had completed the training, known RIP/TOA (Relief in Place/Transfer of Authority), of the unit that had been sent to take our place. They were now legally empowered to make the decisions that are, truly, life and death. They had been given the benefit of our experience to help them up the learning curve. I just hope that the Marines that I trained to replace me had learned everything that I tried to teach. And I prayed that they would continue to learn new things faster than the guys who would be trying to kill them would learn new things.

A Welcome Home

Count him back in the world!

Independence Day – July 4, 2010

By Nancy Osborne

Fireworks in ball parks and stadiums across the country, firing up the backyard grill and icing down your favorite beverage, a long weekend with family, friends and flags flying everywhere.

What’s it for?

To honor and remember July 4, 1776 -- the day The Declaration of Independence was signed. It was the birth date of what would become the United States of America.

Thousands and thousands of men and women will honor the day while serving this country across the U.S. and in postings overseas from Iraq to Guam, Germany to Korea, Afghanistan to Japan, Turkey to Africa and in hundreds of other locations around the globe.

Among them is a young man named Jonathan Betancourt. His Central Valley farming family holds him close in their hearts every day. Just as they will on the 4^th of July.

Paul and Sheryl Betancourt's son Jonathan is in the Army with one tour of duty in Afganistan over and a second on the horizon. I asked these parents to send me their thoughts on the family's left behind.