If anyone is interested...

[kellyLynne]

I havent been here for a while, i had 3 surgeries in less than a month and a half, and traveled to Parris Island a week after my last surgery (thyroidectomy) to see my oldest daughter graduate from USMC bootcamp. This was my first time seeing her, and talking to her in 4 months, quite emotional. She had a 10 day leave, and is now gone again for combat training in NC. Anyway, if anyone is interested (especially you military to be parents) here is a little slideshow of graduation, parris island

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJHqLIsDSjM

[christellf]

I was wondering where you were & miss your gallery updates. Hope you are getting better. Awesome video keepsake. 4 months is a long time but she made it. I know you are very proud & was happy to finally see her. She is all grown up now.
Take care,
Christell

[kevq]

Kelly,
sorry to hear about your health problems. Hope you feel better now.
I have just watched the video, you must feel very proud.
Wish her all the best from over the pond.
God Bless you both.
Kev.

[Edmund]

KellyLynne, First of all I hope that you are recouperating and feeling better. I have an enlarged thyroid and we are watching it very closely.
What a moving tribute to your daughter. You must be very proud of her. It brought tears to my eyes. None of my children are in the military but I have a strong military background. I spent 6 years in the Navy and then worked with Grumman Aircraft as an Electrical Engr for 34 years. I spent many months at Cherry Point NC with the Marines and many years as a consultant on board the aircraft carriers with the Navy. Today, many years later I still miss the comardie that we all had when I worked with the various wings at Cherry Point, and Naval stations all over the country. I wish you continued good health and your daughter a safe and exciting career.
Eddie:)

[NMarti]

KellyLynne
Hope all is going well with you. I missed seeing you (and your fantastic work) around here. Sorry to hear about the surgeries. Great show and kudos to your daughter for her service.

[Diana]

KellyLynne,

Hope you're feeling better soon. That was quite an event to handle right after surgery. Wow, a Marine in the family. Congratulations - you must be proud. Best wishes to you both.

Diana

[frank abramonte]

KellyLynne, it's over and your daughter has succeeded. I remember when she first joined how worried you were with the problems she was having at boot camp. Most of the advise given you was to have her hang in and things would come around.
Congratulations on having a Marine in the family. She went through some of the toughest training successfully.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[riversidema]

I have a son graduating from the 8th grade today and I feel so proud, I can only imagine how "beaming" you must feel!
My father was a Marine and then served in the Army as well. Thank your daughter for us.
--was that Creed for the music on the video?

[cats4jan]

Your video brought tears to my eyes. How proud you must be. How thankful I am that your daughter is serving this great country.

[Vesta]

I watche the video and like Frank I too remember the beginning of all of this; it has to be such a awesome feeling of accomplishment. This is not a piece of cake but very hard. Maybe this is a case of Daughter like Mom. KellyLynne, I am so glad to hear that you are on the mend from all your surgeries and get back to using all the talent you have.

Vesta

[vawitt]

Glad to hear you are on the mend. Your daughter is doing a wonderful thing by serving us....you must be oh so proud!

~Val

[Deborah]

kellyLynne,
that video has to be the best medicine for you. Her smile is award winning. Thank you for sharing it with us.
May 16th, 2008 was my son-in-law last day in the Air Force. He's only been home for a short time. I just found out he enlisted in the Reserves.
I'm so very proud of him!

Please give her our Thanks for her service.....OOH RAH
And a quick recovery to you...
Deborah

[Aussie Nan]

I just watched the video and it certainly had me blinking a mile a minute!! A great tribute to a special young lady, beautiful KellyLynn, just beautiful!!!

Hope you are soon feeling on top of the world again.

Toni

[genevh]

Congratulations! I have a son that spent 5 years in the Corps, and is now in the Army. But in his heart he will always be a Marine. I know how proud you must be! The difference it made in him was like night and day, and you can still see it. I remember vividly the day he told us he had enlisted and would be leaving for boot camp in a couple weeks. When he said it was the Marines, my reaction was "what are you?? nuts????" His reply was that he wanted a challenge. He most certainly got it, and has excelled.

We couldn't be prouder of him then, as we are proud of him now with each new challenge he has taken on.

As you must be of your daughter :)

Semper Fi

[nkeevers]

Was wondering where you were. I haven't been on much lately. Hope you feeling better and recuperating! Loved the slide show...how proud you must be and what a great tribute for your daughter! I know becoming a Marine is a really tough job...she looked so proud in the slide show!

[kellyLynne]

thanks all, and yes that was creed on the slideshow. Ahhh, she is gone again, to North Carolina this time for MCT.

I am shocked that some of you remember when this all first started...what wonderful, mindful people you are!! I just had to watch it again, i miss her already, lol

OOHRAHH!

[Cmcburnett]

kelly Lynne, hope wish you and your daughter the best of luck. Hopefully the surgeries you had will help you feel better. I know you will miss your daughter and my prayers are with both of you.

[msbrad]

Thank you for sharing the link. Congratulations to your daughter and the members of her graduating class. I share in your pride!
SIL is a marine, Nephew grad. from another academy.
Hope you are on the mend.
m

[Joe M]

I'm sorry to hear about your health problems Kelly Lynne. I'm glad you were able to see your daughter graduate.

Since she is in North Carolina I assume she's at Camp Lejeune. If she were a son I would advise telling him to stay out of the topless bars. But I don't think you'll have anything to worry about.

I hope you feel better and I'll be thinking about you.

[dales]

Good Morning Kelly Lynne, I just got back from a short trip & read your msg. along w/the many that responded. I wholeheartedly 2nd all that was said above. We are fortunate to be living in a time where medicine has advanced to where they can take care of the problem you had. We are so thankful for our children like yours that cherish this country & it's life style that we all enjoy that they pick up the torch to Carry on the tradition that has gone before them.

Our prayers continue to be w/both you and your daughter.

[genevh]

MCT is actually done at Camp Geiger, which is next door to Camp Lejeune. Has she mentioned SEAR training yet? (not sure if that's the right acronym or not).

[kellyLynne]

yeah she is doing MCT at Geiger, and her MOS at Lejuene (did i spell that right?) no, she hasnt metioned that yet, what is it? i havent heard from her yet since she left to NC, she said they would be mostly in the field and she may not be able to write.

[douglas m scott]

KellyLynne,

Hope you are on the Mend. Fabulous Video. Lump in throat, Tear in eye. Another Semper Fi....

Some of the Marines from Camp LeJune are doing Urban Warfare Training in and around Indianapolis right now. There have been articles in the Indianapolis Newspaper from a few citizens complaining. Disgusting.

USMC 1961-1965

doug

[kellyLynne]

ahhh, were you a marine? OHHH RAH! Indy...my hometown of long ago..born and raised a hoosier, now a rebelling michigander

[genevh]

SEAR training (still not sure I have that acronym right - need to ask my son about it) is basically survival, evade, and escape training. My son was a crew chief on a CH53 helicopter in the Marines and it was mandatory for them.

Basically, they drop you in the middle of "enemy" territory ( in his case it was Russian ) and you are supposed to evade being captured, but once captured you are essentially treated like a prisoner of war and they teach you how to handle that experience.

He said it was one of the worst things he went through. It was two weeks and when they were done they all piled their uniforms up and they were later burned. He said after they finally got to clean up they walked by the pile and the stench was horrible. They are threatening to send him back through it again in his new posting but he is hoping to get out of it. Been there once, certainly don't want to go back again. :eek:

[kellyLynne]

hmmm..i know her training is shorter and different than those who are soi, infantry, those who are training further to go front line. Sooo, maybe that is why she did not mention it, sounds grueling.

[DesertScrapper]

Congratulations to your daughter! My husband is a Marine too. He just retired from it a few weeks ago (well, he's still considered active duty til Sept). Was a very exciting and interesting 22 years for sure! I hope she enjoys it too!

Laurie

[DesertScrapper]

SEAR training (still not sure I have that acronym right - need to ask my son about it) is basically survival, evade, and escape training. My son was a crew chief on a CH53 helicopter in the Marines and it was mandatory for them.

Basically, they drop you in the middle of "enemy" territory ( in his case it was Russian ) and you are supposed to evade being captured, but once captured you are essentially treated like a prisoner of war and they teach you how to handle that experience.

He said it was one of the worst things he went through. It was two weeks and when they were done they all piled their uniforms up and they were later burned. He said after they finally got to clean up they walked by the pile and the stench was horrible. They are threatening to send him back through it again in his new posting but he is hoping to get out of it. Been there once, certainly don't want to go back again. :eek:

Gene, my husband has been with the CH53's for nearly 22 years. He loves that aircraft! Me?.. um it's a helicopter... it goes in the sky and it play an important role, but it's a helicopter. LOL!! ;-)

[genevh]

my husband has been with the CH53's for nearly 22 years.

Its been awhile since I checked this thread. One of my son's last duty stations was at Willow Grove, PA. He also deployed with the 23rd MEU before the beginning of the Iraq war, which they had started for home when that started and they got called back and spent a couple months in Iraq before they got to come home.

One of his last adventures there with the Marines was resupplying the Marine division sitting outside Baghdad the night before they went in. They left the area about 20 minutes before the last bunker buster was dropped in our efforts to snuff out Sadam.

[Dooley S]

Very well done and moving. My husband is a retired USMC Lt. Col. Please thank your daughter for her service.

[Fernan]

Congratulations! My oldest son spent 4 years in the navy back in 1991. I'm very proud him serving our country. You must be very proud of your daughter. "Once a marine always a marine". Semper Fi.

Hope you are doing better.