Replies

1. 
   gofigure57 | Feb 23, 2009 04:48pm | #1

     Hey Don,  Thanks for asking.  The answer is yes. As a result of volunteering for extra duty he has been granted the privilege of calling relatives on the satellite phone from the field, So far so good.  Last phone call was about a week ago, they were getting ready to change locations to an area  less friendly . From what he was able to divulge, they have been out in the field sleeping on the ground,eating  MREs and gathering intel.  We certainly missed him this past weekend down in Naples Florida at my daughters wedding.

                                                        Tom.

1. 
   stpatrick | Feb 24, 2009 07:29am | #2

   Tom, may the good Lord keep him safe, as well as all of our sons and daughters deployed.

2. 
   9619 | Feb 25, 2009 03:17am | #3

   Tom,
   We're pulling for him.
   MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot. 

1. 
   gofigure57 | Feb 25, 2009 06:28am | #6

   Thanks Mel,    On a lighter note I have a new son in law as of this past weekend , I must say his parents have done an wonderful job of raising this young man and I am proud to have him and his family. He treats her like a princess.

   
1. 
   dgreen | Feb 25, 2009 06:32am | #7

   Congratulations on the new addition to the family! Good looking couple... 

    

   ................................................

   Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot

1. 
   gofigure57 | Feb 25, 2009 06:45am | #9

     Thanks Don.

2. 
   9619 | Feb 25, 2009 07:03am | #10

   Tom,
   Thanks for posting the photos. Great looking couple. I wish them happiness. Tony Z is now preparing for his daugher's wedding. Must be something in the air.
   MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot. 

3. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Feb 25, 2009 08:06am | #11

   Good luck for your son, GF. I think he will be fine.

   Apparently she got passed some good genes and certainly looks like a princess.. so it's only appropriate he treats her like one. :>)

   Regards...

   Sarge..

1. 
   gofigure57 | Feb 26, 2009 04:37am | #13

    Thanks Sarge.

3. 
   WillGeorge | Feb 25, 2009 03:27am | #4

   I will start with I REALLY hope he stays safe.. ALL the time.... ALL our Military...

   I probably should not post this but I was really upset when I saw...

   "As a result of volunteering for extra duty he has been granted the privilege of calling relatives on the satellite phone from the field"

   Old Army (1960 there about) and I understand all about extra duty. I did alot of it, for my own reasons. The Cooks made good food for me!

   I for one would contact you Representative in Government and ask WHY ANY Man or Woman serving in the 'field' should have to do 'Extra anything' to contact the family for any reason! Ok, he/she may have to wait in a very long line.

   Granted the privilege? I would say it is at least what the Military could do for the family, if not for him/her serving...

   Sorry, I got my Dander up reading that..

   With the USA Military capabilities on communications at least they could do this on a few backup channels!

   Sorry I sounded off.. If the Feds want to come, my E-Mail is real... If necessary I'll post my address! I am sure they know already!

   Forgive me.. A Mother/Father/Sweetheart...  and has to do extra privileges to talk to them?

   Sorry, this man does not understand! And this old man loved my time serving!

    

    

1. 
   Woodman41 | Feb 25, 2009 06:01am | #5

   "With the USA Military capabilities on communications at least they could do this on a few backup channels!"With all due respect to you, being a veteran yourself, I will point out that there is a very good reason to limit access to satellite phone and that is limited bandwidth on the technology requires prioritization for mission use. If you had soldiers using up satellite bandwidth for calls to home when off the base not only would they not be focused on objective #1 (bad guys) but they could also disrupt mission work. Keep in mind that when in base there are unlimited phone services that can be used for calls anywhere plus full internet service for email and video chat.

1. 
   WillGeorge | Feb 25, 2009 04:01pm | #12

   Sir.. I hear you and then some..

   And what about a thing in the sky that is JUST for Military talking to their family! OK, so a few military grunts, as I was, listining in to see if all were real grunts as I was!

2. 
   gofigure57 | Feb 25, 2009 06:36am | #8

   Thanks Will,  I am with you , I want them all back safe.

                                               Tom.

3. 
   TonySic | Feb 26, 2009 08:16pm | #14

   Still new to this forum, but I still wanted to say that your son is on my prayers.WillGeorge - I am a Communications Officer in the Marine Corps, so I feel qualified to provide some insight to you question / concern.The satellite phones we use around the world are an expensive asset.  At one point it was $7 - $8 per minute of use.  I believe it's change to a flat-rate plan, but it's still expensive.  That's the only issue... There are PLENTY of Morale, Welfare and Recreation phone centers ALL over the place; the comms infrastructure is huge.  It's not a joke when you hear some vet's say, "I went to war and garrison broke out!"Hope that put things into perspective.TonySic

   Edited 2/26/2009 10:10 pm ET by TonySic

1. 
   gofigure57 | Feb 27, 2009 03:50am | #15

    Thanks for the post and the insight Tony, As well as your service.

                                               Tom.

2. 
   WillGeorge | Feb 27, 2009 01:31pm | #17

   SIR! Standing at Attention!

   I had no problem doing that! Sometimes I just had to do it for a very long time and just pissed me off!! For no reason. None told me what they 'really' wanted me to do. I was just guessing on what they wanted me to do! I for one would go off in any direction and do what he/she (no army Officers that were Women I ever saw in my time!') said. YOU HAVE TO FOR ME!

   I would do for ME and some One Bar OFFICER, that was a sort of nice guy. Not for the ultimate bully the Army had!

   I thought that 'some' officers were smarter than I was.  I would say at some think so but not at MY life time! My W4 was in my opinion! Way smarter that I was but he got in trouble alot for talking with us 'grunts' in a like we were aive an wanted us to live a bit longer..reasonable manner! He was the greatest.. And just from some old Mechaic that kept the Tanks and trucks running fer' the troops! running! I'd follow him before anybody that yelled at me all the time for no reason that trying to be the boss! I KNEW HE WAS THE BOSS! When he spoke one or two words!

   I forgot about the There are PLENTY of Morale, Welfare and Recreation phone centers ALL over the place; the commas infrastructure is huge.

   As I remember when I was in the Army my future wife SPENT for the phone bills and she went broke paying for them and she worked for Illionis Bell at the time and got a huge discount.

   I guess all I am saying is that ANY ''Serving Military" should be allowed to call home for FREE.. at either end'. ... How many phone calls to family can be made for one secret weapon that never worked?

    

    

    

    

   Edited 2/27/2009 6:05 am by WillGeorge

4. 
   bones | Feb 27, 2009 05:02am | #16

   Said another prayer for your boy, and god bless your family.  Tell him to hang in there from all us knotheads.Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

1. 
   gofigure57 | Feb 27, 2009 01:52pm | #18

   I will do that Bones, Thanks.

                           Tom.