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Thread: D-Day.......today

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    Cape Codger OptiBoard Gold Supporter hcjilson's Avatar
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    D-Day.......today

    D stands for deployment. Our son, Maj Erik W. Jilson USMC leaves on an all expenses paid trip to Afghanistan to begin a tour of duty. We've been facing this day for what seems like a long time but we said good bye by phone a couple of hours ago. I changed my avatar to mark the occasion giving the girls a needed rest. Many of my friends have gone to his facebook page to wish him well, and you all are certainly welcome to do the same if you are so inclined. If you go to facebook please don't mind some of the pictures which display his characteristic off beat humor. Beneath that surface lies a gentleman with great integrity and intelligence. We are very proud of him and love him dearly.

    http://www.facebook.com/thorie#!/pro...?id=1544001430
    "Always laugh when you can. It is a cheap medicine"
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    To Major Jilson: Thank you for serving!!

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    Worry not. If one believes satistics, he's safer there than he would be in Manhatten. An a lot safer than he would be in most major US cities. In fact the claim is he is more likely to be hurt in the US on leave than he is on the front line.

    Chip

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    Godspeed

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    Good luck to him and to those staying behind. It's hard to have your loved ones leave, so as a navy wife I wish him and your family a very speedy and safe deployment.

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    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Semper Fi.

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    Rochester Optical WFruit's Avatar
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    At least as a Major he probably won't be on the front lines, so he should be safer. Of course "safer" is extremely relative in a war where there aren't any "front lines."
    There are rules. Knowing those are easy. There are exceptions to the rules. Knowing those are easy. Knowing when to use them is slightly less easy. There are exceptions to the exceptions. Knowing those is a little more tricky, and know when to use those is even more so. Our industry is FULL of all of the above.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Jubilee's Avatar
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    Good luck and Godspeed Soldier. Thank you for your willingness to serve!
    "Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland

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    From a sister of a former Marine...thank you for serving our country!

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    Master OptiBoarder Lee Prewitt's Avatar
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    May the Good Lord always keep you in his protective arms. Godspeed and thank you for your service.
    Lee Prewitt, ABOM
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    Master OptiBoarder rinselberg's Avatar
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    Thanks, Harry, for sharing this development with us.

    Another OB member looking forward to the news of his safe return.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by NeGlassesGirl27 View Post
    From a sister of a former Marine...
    No such thing as a "former" marine.

    Harry, I thank your son for his service and wish him well on this tour.

  13. #13
    Rochester Optical WFruit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by obxeyeguy View Post
    No such thing as a "former" marine.
    +1.

    You beat me to it.
    There are rules. Knowing those are easy. There are exceptions to the rules. Knowing those are easy. Knowing when to use them is slightly less easy. There are exceptions to the exceptions. Knowing those is a little more tricky, and know when to use those is even more so. Our industry is FULL of all of the above.

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    Quote Originally Posted by obxeyeguy View Post
    No such thing as a "former" marine.

    Harry, I thank your son for his service and wish him well on this tour.
    Thank you. As I typed it and after I posted..I was going to edit and didn't get the chance to.

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    Pomposity! Spexvet's Avatar
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    All the best to you and yours, Harry
    ...Just ask me...

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    Thanks so much for serving our country and keeping us safe!!!!

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    Cape Codger OptiBoard Gold Supporter hcjilson's Avatar
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    Thank you all, you have made me feel much better today! It was just difficult saying good bye. He did lighten the mood by saying after packing he had to weigh his gear. He was over weight and had to put some stuff in a box and mail it to himself in Afghanistan. He said it would take a month to get there.........What lightened things up was his statement " I'm not going to Afghanistan without my CROC'S." They could use that in an ad. I just thought that was funny!
    "Always laugh when you can. It is a cheap medicine"
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    Master OptiBoarder Striderswife's Avatar
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    HC, thanks so much for sharing this with us. This is the first post in a long time that I've felt I really needed to respond. Heartfelt thanks go out to your son for his service. :)
    It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

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    Bad address email on file k12311997's Avatar
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    Thank you Maj. Jilson for your service may God keep you safe. Thank you Harry for sharing this with us.

  20. #20
    Master OptiBoarder kat's Avatar
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    Thank you to your family and especially to your son! Godspeed, and come home safe.
    I came, I saw, I left

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    Anyone know why we are in Afganistan? All they make is rugs no one can afford and dope.
    Is the Afgan rug business or the dope business essential to the American economy?

  22. #22
    Master OptiBoarder cleyes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chip anderson View Post
    Anyone know why we are in Afganistan? All they make is rugs no one can afford and dope.
    Is the Afgan rug business or the dope business essential to the American economy?
    NON-SEQUITUR


    Harry, can't tell you not to worry & lose sleep, it's the unhappy lot of a parent. May he come back to you safe & sound.
    WE SEE THINGS NOT AS THEY ARE, BUT AS WE ARE..... Anais Nin

  23. #23
    Cape Codger OptiBoard Gold Supporter hcjilson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chip anderson View Post
    Anyone know why we are in Afganistan? All they make is rugs no one can afford and dope.
    Is the Afgan rug business or the dope business essential to the American economy?
    Chip, With all due respect this isn't the time to play ignorant of the reasons we're in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been a haven for the recruitment, training, and the harboring of Al-qaeda. You may recall we've been at war with them since September 12th 2001.Osama Bin Lauden was in residence there. Erik will be stationed in the Helmand province at a place called Delaram. He will 2nd in command of a Civil Affairs detachment who's job it will be to convince local villagers that the Taliban are bad guys. If you research the Helmand province you will find that is where most of the poppies are grown and Opium harvested. I think we, as a government, have decided that Opium production for non medical reasons should be frowned upon and actively discouraged. I disagree with you that this duty is safer than walking around in a major city and I think the statistics and battle reports would probably bear this out. I haven't heard of a roadside bomb going off within the US borders or for that matter, a suicide bomber.

    In your defense, Erik implied the same thing about walking around major cities....but that was at the same time he said nothing ever happens in the Helmand province.....and the day we got home from our visit over New Years the paper reported 8 marines killed during action there in one day.I heard no such report from any major city that day so I have to think maybe Erik was trying to ease parental concern. He also told us that he was going to be essentially driving a desk and no one ever got hurt doing that........but in the back of my mind I still picture him ski joring behind a tercel being driven by his friends which would have killed him instantly had he hit anything solid. Kid's are Kid's even when they're 40. I am strengthened by the knowledge that my son is very well trained, has a good head on his shoulders, and belongs to the best fighting group in the world,The United States Marine Corps. Erik, and the men and women who have served this country well since our revolution, are the dues we pay for a free society. You, through your government, ordered them to Afghanistan, that's why we're there.Marines don't question orders , they follow them.
    "Always laugh when you can. It is a cheap medicine"
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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    +1

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    Master OptiBoarder cleyes's Avatar
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    Wave

    MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU HARRY
    To be able to be patriotic and a worried sick parent simultaneously...........!
    WE SEE THINGS NOT AS THEY ARE, BUT AS WE ARE..... Anais Nin

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