James Mears wrote a letter to his son Josh telling him how good of a son he has been for the last 22 years.
It was one of many things he did to make sure Josh knew how he felt if he didn’t return home from wherever his missions as a member of the 124th Infantry took him. It also helped James Mears avoid going crazy as the day his son shipped out inched closer.
“There were little things that we did over the period of time from when we heard of his activation,” said the 41-year-old from Tallahassee.
Thousands of reservists have been activated in recent weeks to prepare for a war against Iraq. Up to 100,000 U.S. troops, along with additional naval and air forces, began moving in the days following the holidays and must be in place by the end of January or early February, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity and cautioned that plans were always subject to change. Some 20,000 British troops and forces from other countries willing to fight Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein could join these American forces.
Word of the planning for a surge of American military power into the Persian Gulf came as the United States and Britain rejected what Iraq says is a full and final accounting of its past efforts to produce nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. American and British officials said the Iraqi report contained little new information and left many questions unanswered.
U.N. weapons inspectors must give their initial assessment of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programs Jan. 27. Putting more troops and material into the region between now and then would increase the pressure on Hussein to give up his weapons. The acceleration of what has been a gradual buildup of troops and equipment also could put into place all the elements of an invasion force.
One risk in that strategy is that Hussein could become convinced that his days are numbered and launch pre-emptive strikes on American troops in Kuwait or on Israel with chemical or biological weapons. Israel has said it would retaliate, and that could widen the conflict into a Middle East war.
“They are looking at what might have to happen,” said the official. “Obviously, we want to support the diplomatic process. To a certain extent, you can do that with (greater military) presence.”
Mears said when news came that Josh would ship out, many feelings rushed through him.
“As a father, I was sad to see him step into harm’s way,” he said. “But as a fellow man, I was excited for him, and even jealous. It was like ‘Damn, I wish I could go.'”
The experience is bringing memories of the “hand to hand, in your face combat” from his own days of being an officer with the Florida Department of Transportation.
On the bright side, he no longer has to look forward to eating steak every night.
That’s all Josh wanted in the days before he left. And his family was more than happy to oblige.
“Josh wanted to get steaks because he knew the possibility of getting good steaks in Kuwait was rare,” James Mears said.
Mears will also miss seeing his son at The Home Depot, where James supervises the front end and Josh worked as a sales associate in the appliance department.
“Its kind of like empty nest syndrome again,” James Mears said. “With him being 22, he was out of the house, but he was still kind of close by. I have it all over again but it’s at the workplace. I know I’m not going to get to see him everyday.”
And he had words of encouragement for his son to live by until he sees Tallahassee again.
“Keep your head and butt down and blend into your environment,” he said. “And survive this thing.”
[may want to rethink such frequent use of troops but other than that ready to layout]power into the Persian Gulf came as the United States and Britain rejected what Iraq says is a full and final accounting of its past efforts to produce nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
American and British officials said the Iraqi report contained little new information and left many questions unanswered.
U.N. weapons inspectors must give their initial assessment of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programs Jan. 27. Putting more troops and material into the region between now and then would increase the pressure on Hussein to give up his weapons.
The acceleration of what has been a gradual buildup of troops and equipment also could put into place all the elements of an invasion force.
One risk in that strategy is that Hussein could become convinced that his days are numbered and launch pre-emptive strikes on American troops in Kuwait or on Israel with chemical or biological weapons.
Israel has said it would retaliate, and that could widen the conflict into a Middle East war.
“They are looking at what might have to happen,” said the official.
“Obviously, we want to support the diplomatic process. To a certain extent, you can do that with (greater military) presence.”
Mears said when news came that Josh would ship out, many feelings rushed through him.
“As a father, I was sad to see him step into harm’s way,” he said.
“But as a fellow man, I was excited for him, and even jealous. It was like ‘Damn, I wish I could go.'”
The experience is bringing memories of the “hand to hand, in your face combat” from his own days of being an officer with the Florida Department of Transportation.
On the bright side, he no longer has to look forward to eating steak every night.
That’s all Josh wanted in the days before he left. His family was more than happy to oblige.
“Josh wanted to get steaks because he knew the possibility of getting good steaks in Kuwait was rare,” James Mears said.
Mears will also miss seeing his son at The Home Depot, where James supervises the front end and Josh worked as a sales associate in the appliance department.
“Its kind of like empty nest syndrome again,” James Mears said.
“With him being 22, he was out of the house, but he was still kind of close by. I have it all over again but it’s at the workplace. I know I’m not going to get to see him everyday.”
And he had words of encouragement for his son to live by until he sees Tallahassee again.
“Keep your head and butt down and blend into your environment,” he said. “And survive this thing.”
Other sources: KRT Campus