A wet, rainy Cav reunion!

Normally, I am very protective of my camera. It's a Nikon D300 and I love it. But there are some times when I can't reschedule an event.

Reunions are just such a time. So when I find out that a family will be welcoming a soldier home at 5:15 am on a freezing, rainy morning, I do what has to be done. I bundle up and get a very large plastic bag to cover my camera! It was very difficult and frustrating to work that way and I hope the weather gets better soon! I know that I could have done a much better job if I wasn't frozen to the bone!

I have to say, the weather was crazy. It was so cold and the wind was so strong that the rain felt like it was coming down sideways. The 1st Cav Division always welcomes soldiers home on the field in front of Division Headquarters. They figure that the soldiers and families have put up with so much already that a little bad weather won't stop them! The music still blares and the families still cheer, but there is a lot more huddling together and the ceremony is very short!

But the families were just as enthusiastic about the reunion...the kisses as passionate and the love as strong.



This reunion was important to me. I wasn't paid for this but I really wanted to make sure I could be there to support Robyn. For non-military people, the idea of soldiers deploying for a year is a difficult thing to imagine. It's stressful and intimidating for military families as well. They are far from home and support systems and it can be pretty tough. That is where the FRG or Family Readiness Group comes in.

The FRG is an all volunteer organization, set up at the individual unit level to provide a support system and contact for families and the unit. When it works, it is a blessing to everyone! Since it is an all volunteer organization, the level of commitment and success varies from unit to unit, so there are plenty of complainers out there! But in this case, Robyn was the FRG leader of our unit.

We were transfered to a new unit only weeks before the soldiers left for Iraq. Her husband was leaving as well, but she made it a priority to make sure I was welcomed and included in the FRG. Due to my schedule, I was unable to attend many of the meetings, but she still emailed and called with lots of information and updates so that I was not forgotten. I am a key caller and responsible for helping her contact and communicate with the many people in our unit. Most of them are home now, but we still have another flight due in. I'm sure she will be standing there, welcoming those families and soldiers as well. She attends as many reunions as possible and even made a point of taking pictures at my reunion as well!

I am thankful for the things that she has done to support the soldiers and the families, so it was important that I be there for her reunion! Thank you Robyn, for the work you have done. I hope you understand that even though you may not hear from many of the families that you support, your efforts are appreciated and make a difference.

Thank you!

I did not know it at the time I decided to support Robyn but there were several others who have been active members of the FRG who were welcoming home families as well. Robyn emphasised that I not focus on her, but make sure I took pictures of other people as well, since most people didn't bring cameras out! Thank you to Astrid and the others!