I had told Nina a few weeks ago that Derek was coming home ----- and the family THOUGHT it was to have been that week. It wasn't!!!! He is still in the danger zone (won't mention a place ---- won't mention rank ---- but you guys should know). ANYWAY --- On the 8th of November (of all days!!!!!) our Derek is heading to the States!!!! PLEASE PRAY FOR HIS SAFETY! Things are rough right now!!!!! When his feet touch American soil ---- our family will be cheering and praying and crying!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, what a day that will be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE keep him in your prayers! PLEASE!!!!!!!! His buddies need safety prayers as well!

THANKS GUYS!!!!!!!!

That is great news, Cathy!!! We'll be praying for Derek's safe return home. Is this for good??? I sure hope so!!! And please convey our gratitude for a job well done, k??? We'll be waiting to hear that he is home safely...

Will certainly be praying for Derek's safe return home! Let us know when he lands safely here.

That is wonderful news Cathy. So happy for all your family and friends. You bet I'll be saying some prayers for him to get home safe and for the men and women who are still there .

This is just fabulous news Cathy!!!! As always, him and all of our brave soldiers are always in my thought

Becky - as long as Derek doesn't "request" to go back --- it's for good! His term has not ended, but his tour of that zone has!! THANK GOD! We are so proud of him and the others!

There will be one heck of a party when Derek and his wife and child return to his home town! Right now, he will be going to Fort Campbell, KY where his wife and son are now. The rest of the family will have them "HOME" with us for Thanksgiving and for Christmas! What a joy. What a BLESSING!!!

Your prayers have helped him this far ---- keep 'em coming, ya'll! Thanks!

That is great news! Happy for ya!

Cathy, That is just awesome , to hear Derek is coming home and heis safe, to get back in the America soil. you have my prayers, and for all of our troops and gals that is over there,
love ya, SHIRL.
Lady Gill ------------- loves Vince Gill.

Just two more days! The excitement is almost too much!!!!!

Cathy,
I'm so happy for Derek, and your family. It's just in time for the holidays, and now you can all enjoy them together. I'm sure it takes a lot of worry away.

That's great to hear Cathy!!! You all will have a joyous homecoming party for the holidays!!! Give Derek a great BIG HUG from all of us!!!

I told Derek about the Fan Club keeping him in their prayers some time ago. He told me to tell you guys that he certainly appreciates all the prayers he can get and he thought you guys were very sweet to remember him and his buddies. SORRY if I haven't told ya'll that until now. But, Derek did say that.

Awww, thanks for telling him, Cathy!!! Thinking about all of our soldiers and how they put their life on the line for our freedom, puts tears in my eyes and big ole lump in my throat...

I do know of a young man that is in Kuwait and awaiting orders to go into Iraq. So as Derek is coming home, others are going in. This young man's wife is expecting their first child and they don't know if he will be able to come home when the baby is born. I do hope so...and I do pray especially for his safety as well...I remember when he was just a little boy, himself. Gee, I must be getting old !!!

Cathy, Good News about Derek!!! Makes for a nice thankgiving for your family. Keeping all our soldiers in my thoughts each day until they are all back on USA soil safely.

TC

Cathy,
This is wonderful news!!!!!! I will definately pray for his safety and the safety of all of the other soldiers.
Laura

PRAY HARD everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His unit may not be allowed to leave right now --- and I don't have to tell you why!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sad family members here! I'll keep you guys posted! That war is a living HELL for so many families! GOD bless our troops!

You got it, Cathy...hopefully, they will get them out of there as soon as is safely possible.

Cathy, hope you will soon hear the good news that Derek is on his way home. Keeping all of you in my prayers.

Cathy...please keep us updated. I soo hope that Derek is able to be home with his family very soon. He has done more than his share for his Country and it is time for him to come home. I really hope he is back home with you all by Thanksgiving.

HAPPY FAMILY again! We got word that as of 4 p.m. Central time, The Screaming Eagles of Fort Campbell, KY was to have lifted up out of HELL! The family received "welcome home" plans from the base in KY. SO, in the next few days keep your eyes open to CNN and other news for the RETURN OF THE SCREAMING EAGLES!!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA and GOD bless those young people returning!!! They did a wonderful job for us!!!!!!!!! My brother (Derek's dad) and wife and daughter, along with my sister, her husband, and my Mother (Derek's G-Mom) are heading for Kentucky to be there when the plane lands. There will be bleachers set up in an airplane hanger for the family to wait as the soldiers march in. I get goose bumps thinking of it. I want to go --- but probably will not since I'm suffering with ear and sinus infections!! OUCH!!!!! I'll see Derek at Thanksgiving and at Christmas!!!! WHAT JOY!!!!!!!!!

That troop was in GOD'S hand as they lifted up!! We haven't heard and will not think the worst! Your prayers have very much been appreciated, and I LOVE you guys for being my support group this past year. It has been hard knowing the danger those guys have been in! Thanks ya'll! Next report ------ THE HOMECOMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is such wonderful new cathy and I am so happy for your family. I am sure derek is just as anxious to get home and let his family take care of him. What a wonderful Thanksgiving it will be for your family.

My mom and I are so happy for you and your family

That is SO wonderful, Cathy!!! This news definitely made my day!!! And right here so close to Veteran's Day too!!! I'm so happy for Derek and for all of you!!! Have a most joyous holiday season, Cathy!!! And give Derek lots of hugs from us when you see him!!!

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!

Derek called my Mom a little while ago -----------

HE IS ----- OUT ------ OF BAGHDAD!

Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He couldn't say WHERE he was, but he's in a safe country, ready to make the long trip to the States!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry I keep informing you guys of every step of this venture ------ but you guys are my support ------ for everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't be sorry of letting us know what is happening, Cathy...we'd be bugging you for information if you didn't!!! This is just marvelous news!!! We'll be praying him all the way home!!! God Bless Derek and all of our troops and Veterans!!!

AMEN,Cathy. So happy for you and your family.

Cathy,

Glad Derek is out of harms way!!

We went to see Randy Rogers Band, Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley...Dierks said that he met a guy backstage who had *just* gotten back from Iraq...like about 10 minutes ago! Can you imagine getting back from serving in Iraq and going straight to a concert?!!! Of course Dierks and the guy got a lot of applause for that...

From what I understand, Fort Campbell is about 45 minutes - to an hour away from Nashville. I wished Vince and Amy would go to Fort Campbell and honor our MEN and WOMEN returning from Baghdad. My dream would be for Vince to personally shake Derek's hand and thank him for all he's been through - which has been QUITE a lot! (well, his hand and all the others! - sorry to sound selfish here!). I believe his troop will arrive at the base at 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, so understandably ---- THAT will never happen! Just a wish of mine!

I watched the 8th of November last night again, and I cried through the whole thing! When they show the helicopter gunner, I just cringe! My Uncle, at age 19 did just that! He was a gunner on the back of a helicopter in Nam. To this day, he struggles with what he saw and did in that war. I PRAY Derek and all the others can overcome their events!!!!!! GOD, please love and strengthen them!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nina --- I hope Brad is doing ok after his return from there!

Thank you for asking about Brad - it is hard at times to adjust to somethings but he is doing well thank God. He still watches every overpass and side of the road he travels - he says it's just ingrained in him and hard to stop. He has a great distraction though in Lily (8 months) and his family.
Glad to hear that Derek will soon be in the states and home with his family. Please give him my thanks for what he has done and a great big hug from me when you get to see him. I am so HAPPY for you and your family, Please keep in touch.

Cathy,
I was so happy to read your post about Derek coming home! This happy homecoming is long overdue! Now he and his wife and baby can start to be a "real" family!
Our family went through the same thing with my nephew, Danny. He has been home a few months now and everything is going great for him and his young family. It is still good to hug him and know he is home to stay!
Prayers to Derek, you and your family!
Oma/Lois

Nina,
My prayers to brad and his young family as well! You are so right...it does take time to get back to "normal" after going through a hell like that! The things they saw and what they had to do to survive...It has to be hard to adjust! But with the right help and the love and support from loved ones they will get through it.
Danny talks about it alot...how we need to be there to help these people. He said they are so scared and beg our troops for help. It breaks my heart to hear some of the stories he tells. But... It makes me so proud to know he still has his compassion for others. He has always been like that! Thank God the war didn't take that away!
But I know there are many more that say we should let them fight there own fight. Bring our troops back home! I was one of them! It's so hard to understand. I just wish this "hell" would end soon!

Sorry...I kind of got carried away.
Thank God for bringing Danny and Brad home! And now, Derek too!

Oma/Lois

Lois --- my old mind is failing me! I remembered that there was one other "Board" family member in Iraq, but I couldn't remember his name, nor the family member here on the Board. I'm sorry I couldn't remember!

I didn't know Danny was back already ------ I did remember we had another guy there from our group ----- but I thought he was still there. Thank GOD he is back and safe!!!!! CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR FROM THE FAMILY that Derek's plane has landed! No one knows just yet WHEN it would be. The base has everyone on standby. My sister said that the Holiday Inn is full of army family members and everyone is supporting each other. I wished I could be there!!

My sister also said that one group of solders have already arrived and today several soldiers were on the premises of the motel to visit their family staying there, and my sister-in-law (Derek's Mom) went running out of her room thinking it could be Derek. She cried when it wasn't, but she hugged and thanked those young men who returned from Iraq just a few days ago.

COME ON DEREK ------- HURRY AND GET HERE!!!!!!!!

Sorry, that's my excitement kicking in again!!!!!!!!!

Just heard from my Mom -----

DEREK WAS STANDING BESIDE HER as we talked. He was loving his baby and wife and Mom and Dad! His feet are on American soil!!!!!!

Mom said all the soldiers looked good and were very muscular. MANY TEARS at that happy reunion!

I can't type for the tears, here! IF ANY OF YOU live in the Fort Campbell area and your news crew shows the homecoming on TV ---- I BEG of you to please tape it for me. PLEASE! The plane landed today around 9:45 - 10:00 at Fort Campbell.

That is just wonderful news, Cathy!!! I'm SO HAPPY to know that Derek and his buddies made it home safely!!! I know you all must be so relieved!!!

Same here Lois .

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL NEWS! Glad he is back, you tell him when you see him that his VG friends were pulling for him. I will watch the news tonight, sometimes our local tv will show reports from Ft. Campbell even though we are a couple of hours away. (I got home from work too late tonight to see it.) Kay S.

Cathy, It has been on our new's here. They said 18,000 were coming home for the holidays. Glad that Derk made it home safe. Hope you all have a wonderful home coming. GOD BLESS

http://www.wsmv.com/index.html hope this link will work they have video of the troops coming home.l

Cathy,
That is awesome great news!!! I can hardly type throught the tears after I read your post that he is HOME!!! WooHoo!!! Wonderful!!!
I'm so happy for your family! (I know...been there, done that!)
Oh...and don't worry about "forgetting" me and Danny...you had Derek on your mind!!!
The best thing is...Danny, Brad and Derek are HOME!!!!

Lois

I am so glad that Derek is finally home with his family and safe. What a great day for all of you. Give him a great big hug for me when you see him and thank him for what he has endured. Love to you and yours.

My slow dial-up connection wouldn't allow me to view that site. I'm sad about that! Thank you anyway. Thanks so much for caring enough to tell me!

So glad that Danny is home with his family safe and sound. Please hug him for me and thank him for the sacrifices he has made. God Bless

Cathy I am so happy for you and your family to finally have Derek back home. God bless him and help him to overcome any tragedies he's had to endure. I pray for the safety of all the troops and hope they will all be home soon. Happy Thanksgiving to all your family.