The wife & i got back home late Easter Sunday afternoon from a long trip home from Camp Leguene, N.C. We got there Wednesday afternoon and Joe got us a room on base. Great room w/everything you could want or need, heck we could of cooked in it because it even had a stove. Got to hang out w/the kid & some of his friends alot throughout the day. Was introduced to all of his buddies, what a great bunch of guys. Thursday night the wife I was invited to come back to the barracks & party w/them but I ended up going alone. Denise told me to go hang out w/the "GUYS" Well let me say I had a REALLY GREAT time, drank more beer then I should of(yes I had a designated driver), played Beer Pong w/the son & his buddies. Got to meet more guys then I can remember, but they seemed to remember me. Got to see pics of my son & his friends doing God knows "EVERYTHING". Joe did tell me the worst thing he ever ate was a live frogg but then the pic of him walking around the barracks in nothing but paper plates took the cake on everything . His buddies did tell me they wondered what kinda guy he was when he came to thier group, but over time they learned that there's is bascily nothing he would do at least once. Could have something to do w/his nick name he's had since high school, Steve-O. For those of you who don't know who Stevo-O is just google him w/the word Jackas$ & you'll understand then. Sadly the fun came to an end early Saturday morning. At about 1am friends & family gathered to say their fairwells & good wishes to the Marines before they left. As we waited around for the busses to arrive I got to talk to a couple of guys who were on their 4th tour. They both agreed that if they could choose any group they had been with to stay with permanently it would be this one. They said this was the closest knit group of guys they had ever seen. They said everyone truely treated everyone else as though they were family. John (Joe's group leader)also told me that Joe was the only mechanic he'd let touch his track. He told me Joe had a special touch w/every piece of equipment he works on & that Joe has yet to pull the diagnostic books out to figure out what the problem may be. He said Joe just seems to know exactly what is wrong & can fix it. I guess having him grease bearings at 3yrs old must of got him hooked. At about 4am it time for them to leave, I guess it was thier commanding officer that told them to fall in for a head count. He told us all we should be proud of they Marines(damn how could you not be). They were the largest group to ever be sent over at one time. That they had had more training then any other group in thier field & that they were the best of the best. He also agreed w/John that this was the closest knit group of Marines he had ever seen & that they truely acted like "Brothers". It was time to say thier finally good byes. Not a fun site for anyone including those men. I would have to say there wasn't a dry eye in the place. It was the most love I have ever felt in one spot. We were told over & over by all of the guys not to worry because they were all coming home safe & sooner then we think(God I hope so) The wife & I hugged all of Joes friends one at a time & then they all gathered around us & gave the wife & I one huge group hug & told us they loved us both. Then they all ran to the bus & got on. Like myself I'm sure everyone there wanted to stop those young men from getting on those busses so badly, but they all knew that there was a job to do & these were the guys who had to do it. The place was so quite. I know the Good Lord was watching over us all that night. It was a little cold but the sky was crystal clear that night, weatherman said rain/snow. As the busses pulled away the wind picked up & the place became a dust bowl & every one hurried to thier cars. In my heart I know it's a good sign that Joe & the group of guys arrived overseas on Easter Sunday. To me Easter has had a "New Beginning" meaning to me & I believe thats what going to happen..........joe If any of you would like Joe's or any of his group of guy's name & address to send them a note or a care package, please PM me & I'd be happy to share the list I have....
A tip of the (stroker) hat to your son, one of this county's best. I can only imagine the various thoughts going through your mind. My youngest son will soon graduate from the Army Cavalry Scout training, and I couldn't be more proud ( or nervous )! A prayer will go out to your son. Mark.
Thats LeJune, or as we used to say., Lee Eee Jay you n eee. I remember. Gods hands are the safest place for your son, and the help of a few marines.
It is a true day in our lives when we acknowledge the gift our troops give to enable the greater humanity Freedom from Opresion and Tyranny. Life has many lessons to give each and evry one of us and its a true adage that the best lessons are always the damm hardest ones. Those are the ones we will never forget. This side of the puddle we are having a pretty heated debate over the Naval personell who were taken as Hostages recently and then the next day four of our military lost their lives in a bomb attack. There are three things my Grandad always said to me don't get involved with - Religion, Politics and Football Its a bitch when volunteers are murdered by maniacs who you are unable to reason with. Hope they travel safe and tell the guys and girls, whatever nationality, even the odd Aussie, WE DO CARE> Safe Crusin Chris. (sorry I got carried Away)
What a cool story, I had to stop 1/2 thru to wipe my tears How proud you must be!! and what a fun time to have before his send off. Gives you some more fun memories to run on while he's gone for awhile. God Speed to all of them!! and all the troops everywhere for that matter. will keep him in my prayers! Debb
Congratulations on having a son who has the balls to stand up and be counted. All the best to him and his buddies during their tour. I know the media is painting a grim picture over there, but believe me Its not all that bad. I toured Iraq and Afghanistan and am only here with thanks to a Marine reaction force when my patrol got bumped by the 'baddies'. I owe a great debt of gratitude to them, even SF need a hand once in a while. Rest assured that your son will be protected by some of the best. Semper Fidelis. Doc.
Good luck to your son.I think that it is awesome that you and your wife spent some quality time with him and his buddies before he deployed. Those will be the memories that will help him through the tough times.I really have a lot of respect for this 'new' generation of heroes. They volunteer knowing that it is going to suck.
Best wishes to your son and ..congratulations on raising a fine young man. That picture (Paper plates)will come in handy when he has a teenage son.
I applaud your son's efforts and dedication. Its a calling that so many people do not understand. A duty, an honor, a privilidge to give to attempt to give to others so much of what we have that we take for granted every day. Joe, thank you for your sacrifice. My wife is soooo thankful that I'm out of the USAF and not able to go back. I separated in 2001 after 9 years to be closer to my family, but if I had the opportunity, I'd be on my way back right now. Of course, as an Air Freight specialist, I'd be "in the rear with the gear," but giving it all I have. Thank you to all who have served in the past, and those who continue to serve so that I may sit comfortably here in my home, safe and secure, knowing that the forces of evil cannot reach me. Too many, I say post his address here. I've got some old mags and stuff that I'd be happy to send over. They may not be much, but when you are deployed into an area like that, you wind up being so cut off from the rest of the world that anything becomes entertainment. Anyone who wants an idea of what these boys will enjoy, take note of this short list. Current Newspapers || Magazines - doesn't matter if they are old || $1 store kids games - trust me, when you're bored, these are great for hours! || PLAYING CARDS - we used to ruin a deck a night! || Candy || ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU CAN THINK OF! Want to give'em a real treat? Send'em Charmin! They use "John Wayne" paper - its ruff and tuff and don't take shit offa nobody!
Good luck to him and his unit do they know where to? If I run into a Mech. I'm gonna be asking them if they are from Cahokia, as my round two is in 5 weeks and 7 days.Semper Fi to you and his mom stay strong he will be home shortly those 8-9mos fly by at least over there. Has he been overseas before? Well take Care,Paul
Thanks everyone, i didnt think it was a good idea to post his address BUT since it does go through the FPO it should be ok. IF by any chance that someone in the "KNOW" thinks its a bad idea let me know & i will delete it & just PM anyone who would like my son's or any or all of his plattoons names & address. LCPL Joseph Weimer Jr C 2ND AABN A Co. MNT PLT UNIT 73565 FPO-AE 09509-3565 I do know he's in Alpha Company, but then i'm sure u can decode his address better then i can. anything you folks do for this guys will be deeply appreciated by all of them & knowing the kinda guy my son is he will share anything & everything w/his fellow Marines that you may send him. I was told that some of the basic things they'll need is Baby wipes, chap stick/lip balm, TP, international phone cards(<~~ i found this place on-line while looking) and some of the simple things we all take for granted hard candy, gun, smokes, snacks & what-not. some of you may not know this but these guys have to pay for just about everything they need or want while over there. thanks again............joe
Hey Joe, Don't sweat posting his name and military address, as the address is actually here in the states. I used to work in Air Transportation while I was in the USAF - basically - if it went through AF AIR, it went through us. I believe the APO/FPOs are located at Dover AFB, Delaware, and from there the mail will catch a ride over on a 'channel' run C17 to Ramstein, Gemany. From there it'll be typically sorted and sent forward to a location based on the country, and then sorted again once it gets closer to him. That's why most ebay sellers won't ship to an APO/FPO - because there's no way to track where or when the individual gets it or what happens to it. When I went to Germany in '98, we were picking up the backside ops for the Operation Allied Force mission. Ramstein had the invasion force, and we took over the daily missions and moved them down to Rhein Main. When we got there, there was a 30,000 pound backlog of US mail waiting to go back stateside for sorting and delivery. Guys, he just got there, so if you're going to send stuff, send it as soon as humanly possible. Nothing against the APO/FPO folks, but they do tend to drag their feet a bit, and sometimes inbound shipments take 3-8 weeks to arrive. I sent stuff back and it took 2-3 days, but going over took forever. Joe, I'll be making up a 'care package' to send over on my next trip to the post office. I've got some of those flat rate boxes and can pack the sucker full of stuff for those guys to enjoy. Good luck to you and yours, and hope all goes well for him this go around.
Joe, I can say I share your feelings as a military father. The strangest mixture of pride & fear (mostly pride) Rest assured your son & friends will be HEAVILY H.A.M.Bed by this bunch. Gods Speed & SEMPER FI AL
SEMPER FI to your son and your entire family. I am an active duty Marine myself. I have been in for 15 years and getting packed up to go back to Iraq for the third time. Its hard on my wife this time around but with good family back home I know in my heart of hearts she will be safe and in good hands here in GA. My prayers go out to you and your son.
What you experienced was Family. Don't worry about your son. He will be looked after by his "brothers". This is what I miss most about the military. Just rememberhe is doing a good thing for himself and his country. Tell him that once in a while as well.
Talked to Joe this morning & he sounded good. He said to say thanks for anything u do for him & his buddies. I asked what kinda stuff they could use & he said just about anything would be great & added that they could use white sox(make them a large size), DVD's(movies & music) magazines, newspapers, cards, games, I'm sure u all get the idea...thanks again, joe
http://www.troopcarepackage.com/mail.html from the above site....joe I suggest using the USPS Flat Rate boxes. No matter which Flat Rate Box you choose, the postage is $8.10, regardless of weight or destination. This is anywhere in the U.S., and DOES include any APO/FPO mailing address as well. You can also request a "CAREKIT04" for mailing packages to the military by calling 1-800-610-8734. The kit contains four Priority Mail boxes, six Priority Mail "Flat-Rate" boxes, ten Priority Mail labels, one roll of Priority Mail tape, and ten customs forms with envelopes. There is no charge for the kit. Take your package to the post office and fill out a customs declaration and dispatch note. Postal services form 2976-A (Customs Form) is required for all mail weighing 16 ounces or more. In addition, mailers must properly complete required customs documentation on any potentially dutiable mail addressed to an APO or FPO regardless of weight. All mail is subject to X-ray so fill out the customs form accurately. Not putting on there that there is an electrical device and putting a few bars of soap in may cause an innocent package to be blown to bits because it looks like an explosive device of some kind. Note that packages addressed to APO AE and FPO AE only go to New York and packages addressed to APO AP and FPO AP only go to San Francisco. So you don't pay postage all the way to Iraq/Afghanistan. Once mail reaches these stateside military installations, all mail is then taken over by the Armed Forces.
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