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December 28, 2007
Soldiers Share Best Possible Gift
Sgt. 1st Class Francisco aRamirez, 11th Signal Brigade, and his son, Spc. Donald Ramirez, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, talk about their experiences of being deployed in Iraq. Spc. Ramirez, who is stationed at Baquba, Iraq, arranged to come to Camp Victory to visit with his father for a few days.
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq — They are separated by a 30-minute helicopter ride but in this war-torn country it might as well be a continent away.
But Sgt. 1st Class Francisco Ramirez and his son, Spc. Donald Ramirez, were given a special Christmas gift — time with each other at dad’s place.
“He called me a day before (Christmas Eve) saying he was coming to visit,” said the 45-year-old father.
Donald, 21, said “It was my unit who was sending people on four-day passes.” Most headed to Qatar, but the younger soldier used the time to be with his dad.
Dad remarked, “I was happy. We were trying to get together before we left (Iraq).”
The older Ramirez, who has 22 years in the Army, has a year left on his 15-month deployment, while his son has six months remaining with the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division, a Stryker unit out of Fort Lewis, Wash.
Calling Forward Operating Base Warhorse at Baquba home, the former Buena High School baseball pitcher said, like his father, he is a Signal Corps soldier. Francisco is the plans non-commissioned-officer-in-charge for the 11th Signal Brigade. Donald is a 2004 graduate of Buena High School.
“I worry about his safety,” dad said. “But, he’s a good, level-headed kid.”
Christmas day was a time to call family members, especially another son, Donald’s 20-year-old brother Daniel, who works at the Barnes Field House on Fort Huachuca.
Family members got a two-for-one when they answered, dad said — him and Donald.
“We spent most of our time catching up,” Francisco said. “He’s planning to get married.”
As for his future wife — who hasn’t been formally asked to marry him — Donald said “she has a promise ring, as I do.” The ring is on the finger where eventually the wedding band will be after he and Melissa Dangel marry.For fatherly advice, Francisco told his son “Be good to her and treat her with respect.”
The father and son exchange movies as Christmas gifts, with Donald giving his dad “Knocked Up,” and Francisco giving “War” to his son. The two lived in dad’s billets, as the older Ramirez’s roommate was on leave.
Unlike most GIs at this camp, the Ramirezes did not partake in the Christmas feast at the dining facility.
“We went to Burger King for brunch and had pizza for dinner,” the father said.
The two hadn’t seen each other for more than a year and although Francisco was supposed to retire in June 2008, he pulled his papers to deploy in the hopes of connecting with Donald in Iraq.
The older Ramirez had only been back from an Iraqi deployment for year before heading out on his current stint.
When he returns in early January 2009, he will resubmit his retirement papers.
As for Donald, whether he will make the Army a career is up in the air. Part of the decision is based on Melissa, he added.
If the answer is yes, then he will re-enlist while in Iraq so his bonus will be tax free.
As for advice from a noncommissioned officer, which is mixed with the feelings of a father, Francisco said he told Donald to find a good NCO “and stay away from the knuckleheads.”
Friday, the two will say their farewells again.
Posted by Wild Thing at December 28, 2007 02:40 AM
Comments
The face of patriotism and our illustrious 231 - years of liberty and freedom!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at December 28, 2007 04:09 AM
It seems so much like the sons and daughters of veterans are serving. And the sons of non veterans are not serving. Is America is developing a warrior class, a Praetorian Guard?
Posted by: TomR at December 28, 2007 06:10 AM
In my wife's family and mine, since World War I, over 16 family members have proudly served in the U.S. military for the Fatherland... Families of veterans realize that liberty and freedom isn't free. Veterans in our neighborhood fly Old Glory and 75% of the socialist civilians do not. Imagine that! And remember what Gen. George S. Patton Jr. said in WW II, " Not all Germans are Nazis."
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at December 28, 2007 06:44 AM
This is a wonderful story WT, I hope nothing happens to tarnish either of their experiences.
Like Tom and Darth have observed, it seems that the prevailing culture of national service is from veterans and their decendents, where we have one ostracised class defending the other's freedom and Constitutional rights. My neighbor is married to a German national, a great lady who has learned both the language and the customs of the American people, she saw my new POW flag up last summer and said she saw the same flag during the July 4 celebrations in a parade. I don't know if she understands the significence of that flag with me or my fellow veterans, but she acknowledges her awareness. This is something lacking in our home grown citizens who are too selfish to participate in keeping the country free, part of that 75% Darth is talking about. As Old Dugout Doug learned during FDR's sacrifice of Bataan:
No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.
--Douglas MacArthur
Posted by: Jack at December 28, 2007 10:10 AM
This is what Christmas was always meant to be--with the family. What a wonderful gift they each got.
Let's all pray for a safe return of both.
And yes, my family, as well, has had numerous military personnel from a Major with the 17th Maine in the Civil War who won the Congressional Medal of Honor, a cook in WWI, several great uncles in WW2, cousins and loved ones in Korea and Vietnam, a brother in law in the first part of the Iraqi conflict and now two nephews and a niece. While I have not served, I grew up in the Marine way. I am a proud American and will stop at nothing to support our kids.
Posted by: Lynn at December 28, 2007 07:32 PM
Darth, these face of patriotism should be shown in daly stories on our TV every night and they could be. What a world it would be if that could just happen.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 29, 2007 01:56 AM
Tom,I think you are right.Like the list of deployed that you see on the Football thread many of those names are sons and daughters that read this blog, and each one is from the home of a Veteran or a relative of a Veteran.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 29, 2007 02:01 AM
Darth that is wonderful, I agree I think families that realize the cost of our freedom pass that appreciation on to the others. To cousins and nephews and sons and daughters.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 29, 2007 02:06 AM
Jack thank you for that quote.
It is such a special thing to read about those serving and the famlies like this can really set an example to others. If I was a teacher I would share stories like this with my class. But then again they probably would fire me once they found out the way the schools are today. But I would do it till they kicked me out for sure.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 29, 2007 02:10 AM
Lynn thank you for sharing about your family that is awesome. I have your two nephews and your niece on my prayer list.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 29, 2007 02:12 AM
