Answer to a Question

Betty asked me what an IED is, I have to say since we're a military family I'm so used to so many, many, many acronyms I forget civilians quite often probably don't know what they are, even if they hear them on the news. An IED is an Improvised Explosive Device. More or less it's a bomb that the TERRORISTS make out of well anything. It can look like a harmless small piece of cardboard on the side of the road (or in the middle,etc) it can look like a lost shoe, etc. They will make bombs/IED's out of ANYTHING, literally. Some are on timer's, some are controlled via remote control. They're very dangerous and deadly.

My husband's unit's job is to find the IED's and get rid of them. They have found more IED's than any other unit in ALL branches of the military since this war began. This is something they ARE very proud of doing and should be proud of. They've saved countless lives and injuries. We have lost 5 soldiers from 2 different IED incidents, yet they've saved probably hundreds or thousands of lives! It doesn't by any means make the losses any easier, yet it is truly amazing. They are going out there looking for these things and they find them over and over and over again. 

It's very humbling to me to think of the danger not only my husband's in, but all these soldiers who work along side of him are in daily. Many people look at military men (and women) and think "brave, strong, etc". They are, yet they're still humans. Some have a great sense of humor, some have gentle, kind hearts, all are unique and special in their own way. Some are tender and under normal circumstances wouldn't hurt a fly, yet they go to War and become Soldiers. Fighting for not only their lives and the lives of their comrades, but of the Iraqi people. I'm humbled by the fact that my husband, who so gently holds our children in his arms when they're hurt and kisses their boo-boo's, who holds me closely when I'm sad, is also an amazing soldier. I don't tell him nearly as often as I should how proud I am of him for not only his job as a soldier, but as a father and husband. He's all of these wrapped up in one.

All our soldiers have a story, I'm blessed to know just a handful of those stories, and sometimes I am able to share them with you. Thank you for the prayers for all our soldiers, spouses, and families.

 

If you ever have questions please just ask! I will do my best to answer them and explain them so you can understand and if you still don't, let me know and I'll do everything I can to explain it! In a lot of ways we do live in a totally different world. I grew up in the world most of you live in. When I married Chad, I didn't have a CLUE what military life was going to be like, and had no idea that in so many ways, we'd have a different language! Let me know if I start talking a foreign tongue to you! :)