Joyce O
Marine Family

I planned on attending Sgt. Bury's service, but unfortunately had to leave that same day to Chicago for work. Not sure how I would have done at the funeral though, it's just a little too close to home, but I heard it was emotional and honorable from those who did attend.

I cannot wait for my son's homecoming, it looks like they are coming home mid-November if they don't get extended. I will keep you posted, it would be nice to meet you in person! Thank you for being "official huggers" that's awesome! I am lucky enough to live in the same state where my son is based, so I was able to pass out love and hugs to some of the boys who's family couldn't be there on deployment day. These boys are my "adopted" sons and I have them over for Thanksgiving, or just weekends, when they cannot be with their families. My son is my only child, so it's nice he has "brothers" now

A little side note to my son's story. This past October he suffered a severe and traumatic brain injury. He wasn't expected to survive and when he did, the medical staff was preparing me for a vegetable (due to Justin going without oxygen to his brain for 12 hours). I spent 33 days at his bedside praying for God to spare his life, and I was willing to accept whatever state of mind he would be in. My son did recover and went through a grueling rehab program through Scripps that has a special "boot camp" style program for active military. To our amazement, Justin made a complete and full recovery and was placed back on Active Duty this past February and assigned back to his unit. To my further amazement, and shock, they deployed him with his unit this past April. I didn't agree with the decision to deploy him since it had only been 6 short months since his brain injury, but my son was determined to go with his brothers. So as they say, there is no rest for the weary, my worry continues, and his safe return in November will finally give me the chance to exhale after a solid year of holding my breath.

Hi Joyce,

Thank you so much for touching base and your kind words. This whole deployment has been difficult, 3/1 has suffered too many casualties so soon and every time I hear word of another casualty I just hold my breath. For most of these young men, including my son, this is their first experience of loss and it's in such a tragic horrible way. I find myself at a loss for words when I talk to my son. There is no clear cut manual to follow when you become a parent, and there is certainly no manual available for when your child goes to war. I just try and convey the "God's plan" theory, but honestly it's hard to make sense of God planning these types of outcomes for these young beautiful souls.

Thank you for keeping 3/1 in your prayers, and I will include your son and his brothers in mine as well. Thank him for his service for me. We are all in this together, and need to stick together. A loss in any battalion is a loss felt throughout the Corp and throughout the community, it's one loss too many as far as I'm concerned.

God bless you and Michael.

Kathy

Happy Birthday Joyce!!!

Rocky