thedrifter
11-14-08, 09:34 AM
With three sons in the Marines, family buoys all troops
Dilley residents Dale and Diane Wiley are the parents of three young veterans
By Stover E. Harger Iii
The Forest Grove News-Times, Nov 13, 2008, Updated 21.3 hours ago
With three sons serving as U.S. Marines, every day is a mix of concern and pride for Dilley residents Dale and Diane Wiley.
While the Wiley family endures a range of emotions daily, and works diligently — putting together care packages, helping other military families and keeping in touch with their sons who are spread across the world — they say it’s really their boys, and the many others who serve the country, who are doing the hard work.
“What these young people do and go through on a daily basis is beyond the grasp and understanding of most people,” Dale said.
Sgt. Ryan Wiley, 22, and Corporal Adam Wiley, 21, are Dale’s boys, and Lance Corporal Greggory Edwards, 24, is Diane’s.
They all joined the service within a few years of each other, and Dale and Diane both said it was an easy decision to support them right off the bat. Since then, the Wileys have done their best to give their boys everything they can to help them succeed.
At times it is tough.
Not being able to get the whole family together, except for rare occasions, and not being able to communicate at times is hard, Diane said.
She said she and Dale try to talk to their boys as much as they can, either by phone or e-mail.
“You worry every day for their safety,” Diane said.
Their sons, who all graduated from Forest Grove High School, are on different military paths and have a wealth of varied experiences.
In the U.S. and beyond
Ryan is deployed outside Fallujah, Iraq, at Camp Baharia. Before that, he spent two years on the Silent Drill Platoon in Washington D.C.
Adam, an armorer, is stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. He previously was deployed in Japan, Kuwait and Dubai.
Greggory is currently stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He is an amphibious assault vehicle operator who is scheduled for deployment to either Europe or Afghanistan next spring.
Enthusiastic pride
For these accomplishments and many others, Dale and Diane feel enthusiastic pride. Having sons in the service allows them to see how important the work that military people do for the country is to ensuring freedom and security, they both said.
Neither Dale nor Diane have military experience, but they both are active in service work for the community. Dale was a volunteer firefighter in Cornelius, and Diane volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.
A sense of service
They said they tried to instill a sense of service in their sons early on and believe that it led them on their current paths.
To aid them, the Wileys get involved with their children’s military careers as much as they can, even traveling all over the country to visit them at their respective stations.
“I’ve got to serve the ones that serve,” Dale said.
Iraq War a daily thought
While most Americans are getting better at supporting the troops than they have in the recent past, Dale said, many still have a ways to go. For Dale and Diane the Iraq War is a daily thought, but for others who don’t have a direct connection, it may be forgotten at times due to life’s many distractions.
“I don’t think the Iraq veterans have gotten the level of visibility,” Dale said. “People don’t realize the sacrifice.”
Local support
Locally, however, everyone has been very supportive, they said. The boys’ former high school teachers, and others they run into in town, make a point to say they are proud of what their sons are doing.
While they both worry about their children’s safety – like most parents would – Diane and Dale both say they know the exemplary training and level heads their sons possess will bring them home safely after a job well done.
Still, that level of stress “is there 24/7 until that family member is back safe on U.S. soil,” Dale said.
Bring them home safely
Until that day, Dale and Diane are going to do all they can to support everyone in the military, and not just their children. They regularly wear jackets with the word “Marines” emblazoned across the front to display their pride.
The Wileys feel they are part of a much larger family now – the Marine family – and want to care for everyone in it like they do their sons.
“They all need to know that we are back here supporting them,” Diane said.
Ellie
Dilley residents Dale and Diane Wiley are the parents of three young veterans
By Stover E. Harger Iii
The Forest Grove News-Times, Nov 13, 2008, Updated 21.3 hours ago
With three sons serving as U.S. Marines, every day is a mix of concern and pride for Dilley residents Dale and Diane Wiley.
While the Wiley family endures a range of emotions daily, and works diligently — putting together care packages, helping other military families and keeping in touch with their sons who are spread across the world — they say it’s really their boys, and the many others who serve the country, who are doing the hard work.
“What these young people do and go through on a daily basis is beyond the grasp and understanding of most people,” Dale said.
Sgt. Ryan Wiley, 22, and Corporal Adam Wiley, 21, are Dale’s boys, and Lance Corporal Greggory Edwards, 24, is Diane’s.
They all joined the service within a few years of each other, and Dale and Diane both said it was an easy decision to support them right off the bat. Since then, the Wileys have done their best to give their boys everything they can to help them succeed.
At times it is tough.
Not being able to get the whole family together, except for rare occasions, and not being able to communicate at times is hard, Diane said.
She said she and Dale try to talk to their boys as much as they can, either by phone or e-mail.
“You worry every day for their safety,” Diane said.
Their sons, who all graduated from Forest Grove High School, are on different military paths and have a wealth of varied experiences.
In the U.S. and beyond
Ryan is deployed outside Fallujah, Iraq, at Camp Baharia. Before that, he spent two years on the Silent Drill Platoon in Washington D.C.
Adam, an armorer, is stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. He previously was deployed in Japan, Kuwait and Dubai.
Greggory is currently stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He is an amphibious assault vehicle operator who is scheduled for deployment to either Europe or Afghanistan next spring.
Enthusiastic pride
For these accomplishments and many others, Dale and Diane feel enthusiastic pride. Having sons in the service allows them to see how important the work that military people do for the country is to ensuring freedom and security, they both said.
Neither Dale nor Diane have military experience, but they both are active in service work for the community. Dale was a volunteer firefighter in Cornelius, and Diane volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.
A sense of service
They said they tried to instill a sense of service in their sons early on and believe that it led them on their current paths.
To aid them, the Wileys get involved with their children’s military careers as much as they can, even traveling all over the country to visit them at their respective stations.
“I’ve got to serve the ones that serve,” Dale said.
Iraq War a daily thought
While most Americans are getting better at supporting the troops than they have in the recent past, Dale said, many still have a ways to go. For Dale and Diane the Iraq War is a daily thought, but for others who don’t have a direct connection, it may be forgotten at times due to life’s many distractions.
“I don’t think the Iraq veterans have gotten the level of visibility,” Dale said. “People don’t realize the sacrifice.”
Local support
Locally, however, everyone has been very supportive, they said. The boys’ former high school teachers, and others they run into in town, make a point to say they are proud of what their sons are doing.
While they both worry about their children’s safety – like most parents would – Diane and Dale both say they know the exemplary training and level heads their sons possess will bring them home safely after a job well done.
Still, that level of stress “is there 24/7 until that family member is back safe on U.S. soil,” Dale said.
Bring them home safely
Until that day, Dale and Diane are going to do all they can to support everyone in the military, and not just their children. They regularly wear jackets with the word “Marines” emblazoned across the front to display their pride.
The Wileys feel they are part of a much larger family now – the Marine family – and want to care for everyone in it like they do their sons.
“They all need to know that we are back here supporting them,” Diane said.
Ellie