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CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS ARTICLE DATED 03-18-2009
Military mothers' groups grow as wars continue
By John Simerman Contra Costa Times
Posted: 03/18/2009 04:10:22 PM PDT
A Vietnam Veterans Group San Quentin hat sits in front of Gloria Godchaux of Operation: Mom as she talks about the group in Richmond, Calif. on Wednesday, March 18, 2009.
For Dotty Selmeczki, the memories surface easily of those chilling days six years ago when President George W. Bush launched the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Those were the days when Selmeczki knew little about where her son might be, except that Marine reconnaissance sniper Casey Calderan almost surely rode in harm's way.
She said she sees herself reflected in the freshly frazzled faces that now show up at "Operation: Mom" support meetings in a veterans hall in Hayward. Previously, only about a dozen mostly Marine Corps mothers would gather in her Castro Valley living room for tea, sympathy and care-packaging.
"Last time we had three new moms, and sitting there reminded me so much of where we began. The same fears, same worries, same anxiety," Selmeczki said. "The reality of it all hasn't changed. A mom's heart never changes."
What has changed since 2003 is the reach of the group, which Selmeczki and Gloria Godcheaux of Antioch started modestly to support their military children. Now, it encompasses three groups in California, with another support group in Iowa.
Since 2003, Operation: Mom has raised about a half-million dollars, sent thousands of care packages overseas, comforted military spouses, launched a scholarship fund and helped four Bay Area families cope with the combat deaths of loved ones.
Another group, Blue Star Moms, founded in San Ramon by a trio of military moms, also has grown. The chapter, now with about 100 active members, has funded thousands of care packages, supported wounded veterans returning home, comforted families of the war dead and helped new branches sprout across the state. Blue Star Moms chapters now operate across California, including in Antioch, Brentwood, the Modesto area, Pacifica, Santa Cruz, the South Bay and Vacaville.
Together, the two East Bay groups have made the region a hub for unabashed troop support efforts, despite — or perhaps arising from — the region's thick anti-war strain.
It may be a little of both, said Peggy Conklin of San Ramon, who cofounded the Blue Star Moms chapter here after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"Families who have loved ones serving in the military are so incredibly proud of their loved ones' willingness to step up and serve their country, especially in a time of war, I don't think there's anything anybody could do or say that could change that feeling," she said.
These are days of sober memories for Conklin, whose three soldier sons have served a combined 16 deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Her oldest son, Chris, entered the war early, and later suffered shrapnel wounds on his birthday, in April 2003. He is fine now, she said, and in Army officer candidate school.
"All these dates are in our minds right now," she said.
The November election and President Barack Obama's call for an eventual troop withdrawal from Iraq has done little to slow the groups down. In some ways, the expected surge of troops into Afghanistan marks a return to the pleas for basics — snacks, deodorant, candy — that marked the early part of the Iraq War, Selmeczki said.
It wasn't just members of military families who packed those sacks. The group once got an eager hand from a group of veteran inmates at San Quentin State Prison, most of them serving life sentences.
Her son recalls those packages fondly.
"Food, candy, cookies, toilet paper. Toilet paper was a big one," said Calderan, now a Richmond police officer.
John Simerman covers military affairs. Reach him at 925-943-8072 or jsimerman@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS ARTICLE DATED 08-13-2003
CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS ARTICLE DATED 04-10-2003
Posted on Thu, Apr. 10, 2003
AROUND DUBLIN: ALAN ELIAS
Operation: MOM well under way
EACH MORNING, the custodian of Dougherty Elementary School raises the American flag up the pole at the front of the school.
And each morning, as the Stars and Stripes rise into the air, Joyce's thoughts are transformed thousands of miles away to the battlefields of Iraq, where her 22-year-old son Daniel, a Marine lance corporal, is fighting to remove Saddam Hussein from power.
Joyce's motherly concerns for the safety of her son and the other men and women of the U.S. and British armed forces are not lost on the students or faculty of Dougherty. Joyce has been receiving a strong outpouring of support as part of "Operation: MOM," which works to gather, package and ship toiletries and sundries to the U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
"I've always felt patriotic. I became active when Desert Storm was going on. I decorated the school with yellow ribbons. And I never thought that it would be my son fighting the next time," says Joyce.
Operation: MOM volunteers had been waiting for approval from the military before sending packages to the soldiers. That came just last week, when the first 87 boxes were shipped to Iraq. The next shipment is scheduled to be sent Friday, and will include a variety of items the soldiers will certainly welcome, including cleaning wipes, eye drops, toothpaste and beef jerky, to name just a few of the carefully screened items.
What Joyce says has really touched her heart has been the support of children, including one first-grade boy who used all of his allowance to buy a variety of items to ship to the soldiers.
And then there's the many letters the kids have been writing to her son Daniel, including a note completely penned by Julia, a first-grader at Dougherty, who says she is praying for him to come home safely.
"What you are doing for our country is very brave," writes Julia, who added a handmade cross necklace for the lance corporal to wear for good luck. Joyce says some of the kids also have decided to write jokes for the soldiers, so they can take their minds -- for a minute -- off the battlefields.
Joyce is quick to point out that other schools in Dublin, including Dublin High School where her oldest son works as a custodian and also raises the flag there each morning, have been supportive of the effort and are contributing supplies and letters.
Operation: MOM chapters are beginning to spring up in the area. Besides a Tri-Valley group that Joyce is part of, there's also one in Antioch, Castro Valley and one expected to get organized in Tracy.
You can find out more information by logging on to www.operationmom.org or by contacting Joyce at 925-443-9572.
AROUND DUBLIN: ALAN ELIAS
Operation: MOM well under way
EACH MORNING, the custodian of Dougherty Elementary School raises the American flag up the pole at the front of the school.
And each morning, as the Stars and Stripes rise into the air, Joyce's thoughts are transformed thousands of miles away to the battlefields of Iraq, where her 22-year-old son Daniel, a Marine lance corporal, is fighting to remove Saddam Hussein from power.
Joyce's motherly concerns for the safety of her son and the other men and women of the U.S. and British armed forces are not lost on the students or faculty of Dougherty. Joyce has been receiving a strong outpouring of support as part of "Operation: MOM," which works to gather, package and ship toiletries and sundries to the U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
"I've always felt patriotic. I became active when Desert Storm was going on. I decorated the school with yellow ribbons. And I never thought that it would be my son fighting the next time," says Joyce.
Operation: MOM volunteers had been waiting for approval from the military before sending packages to the soldiers. That came just last week, when the first 87 boxes were shipped to Iraq. The next shipment is scheduled to be sent Friday, and will include a variety of items the soldiers will certainly welcome, including cleaning wipes, eye drops, toothpaste and beef jerky, to name just a few of the carefully screened items.
What Joyce says has really touched her heart has been the support of children, including one first-grade boy who used all of his allowance to buy a variety of items to ship to the soldiers.
And then there's the many letters the kids have been writing to her son Daniel, including a note completely penned by Julia, a first-grader at Dougherty, who says she is praying for him to come home safely.
"What you are doing for our country is very brave," writes Julia, who added a handmade cross necklace for the lance corporal to wear for good luck. Joyce says some of the kids also have decided to write jokes for the soldiers, so they can take their minds -- for a minute -- off the battlefields.
Joyce is quick to point out that other schools in Dublin, including Dublin High School where her oldest son works as a custodian and also raises the flag there each morning, have been supportive of the effort and are contributing supplies and letters.
Operation: MOM chapters are beginning to spring up in the area. Besides a Tri-Valley group that Joyce is part of, there's also one in Antioch, Castro Valley and one expected to get organized in Tracy.
You can find out more information by logging on to www.operationmom.org or by contacting Joyce at 925-443-9572.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS ARTICLE DATED 04-03-2003
Posted on Thursday, April 3, 2003
Rally to Support Troops set at City Hall Tuesday
CONTRA COSTA TIMES (Antioch)
STAFF REPORT
ANTIOCH - Trees festooned with yellow ribbons to honor U.S. troops overseas and a program of patriotic songs will highlight Antioch's "Support our troops" rally at 5:29 p.m. Tuesday.
A flag raising and a moment of silence at the flagpole outside City Hall will open the ceremonies at Third and H streets.
A bugle rendition of taps by Sea Cadet Andrew Strausbaugh will be followed by a walk to the El Campanil theater led by the Travis Air Force Base honor guard. The program continues at the theater with singing by Briana Soule and Jim Martin. The yellow ribbons will adorn trees on Second Street.
Antioch Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6435 honor guard will present flying military service flags.
Councilman Arne Simonsen cently presented the city the post quartermaster's gift of a POW flag to fly below the U.S. flag at City Hall until the troops all come home.
Clergy from the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish Traditions will offer inspirational words and prayers.
Volunteers from Operation Mom will distribute yellow ribbons and "Until they all come home" lapel pins.
Rally to Support Troops set at City Hall Tuesday
CONTRA COSTA TIMES (Antioch)
STAFF REPORT
ANTIOCH - Trees festooned with yellow ribbons to honor U.S. troops overseas and a program of patriotic songs will highlight Antioch's "Support our troops" rally at 5:29 p.m. Tuesday.
A flag raising and a moment of silence at the flagpole outside City Hall will open the ceremonies at Third and H streets.
A bugle rendition of taps by Sea Cadet Andrew Strausbaugh will be followed by a walk to the El Campanil theater led by the Travis Air Force Base honor guard. The program continues at the theater with singing by Briana Soule and Jim Martin. The yellow ribbons will adorn trees on Second Street.
Antioch Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6435 honor guard will present flying military service flags.
Councilman Arne Simonsen cently presented the city the post quartermaster's gift of a POW flag to fly below the U.S. flag at City Hall until the troops all come home.
Clergy from the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish Traditions will offer inspirational words and prayers.
Volunteers from Operation Mom will distribute yellow ribbons and "Until they all come home" lapel pins.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS ARTICLE DATED 03-26-2003
Posted on Wed, Mar. 26, 2003
Livermore to host troop gift drop-offs
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
LIVERMORE - The City Council has agreed to allow various public buildings, such as City Hall and city libraries, to be used as drop-off stations for donated snacks and hygiene items to be sent to American troops in Iraq.
"We need to show our men and women in the Middle East that we're thinking about them," Kristin Ekvall of Livermore, local coordinator of Operation: MOM, told the council Monday night.
At the request of Operation: MOM, the council informally authorized City Manager Linda Barton to provide a small pot of city money to help pay postage for boxes of items sent overseas. Barton said Tuesday the amount would probably be under $5,000.
Operation: MOM is a support group of family and friends of American service members. Ekvall's 21-year-old son, Marine Cpl. Jason Myers, is stationed in Iraq.
Needed items include travel-size packets of baby wipes for soldiers unable to shower regularly, black socks, beef jerky, writing paper and envelopes, travel-size lip and skin sunscreen and Visine eye drops.
Snack items could include such things as protein bars and packets of powdered drink mix to help improve the taste of water.
Ekvall said she plans to ask the Dublin and Pleasanton city councils for support similar to that given by Livermore.
For information on Operation: MOM, go to its Web site at www.operationmom.org or call Ekvall at 925-443-7841.
Livermore to host troop gift drop-offs
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
LIVERMORE - The City Council has agreed to allow various public buildings, such as City Hall and city libraries, to be used as drop-off stations for donated snacks and hygiene items to be sent to American troops in Iraq.
"We need to show our men and women in the Middle East that we're thinking about them," Kristin Ekvall of Livermore, local coordinator of Operation: MOM, told the council Monday night.
At the request of Operation: MOM, the council informally authorized City Manager Linda Barton to provide a small pot of city money to help pay postage for boxes of items sent overseas. Barton said Tuesday the amount would probably be under $5,000.
Operation: MOM is a support group of family and friends of American service members. Ekvall's 21-year-old son, Marine Cpl. Jason Myers, is stationed in Iraq.
Needed items include travel-size packets of baby wipes for soldiers unable to shower regularly, black socks, beef jerky, writing paper and envelopes, travel-size lip and skin sunscreen and Visine eye drops.
Snack items could include such things as protein bars and packets of powdered drink mix to help improve the taste of water.
Ekvall said she plans to ask the Dublin and Pleasanton city councils for support similar to that given by Livermore.
For information on Operation: MOM, go to its Web site at www.operationmom.org or call Ekvall at 925-443-7841.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS ARTICLE DATED 03-21-2003
Operation Mom' eases family fears
March 21, 2003 (Page A7)
Parent networks soothe those whose loved ones serve in the U.S. military during the war on Iraq .
By Dogen Hannah and Kiley Russell TIMES STAFF WRITERS
Linda and Rich Silverman know the fears that prey on parents of children fighting a war.
Twice now, their 32-year-old son, Matt, has heeded his country's call to arms in the Middle East. In 1991, the Army helicopter pilot served in Operation Desert Storm, and he is now helping U.S. forces coordinate air operations over Iraq.
"We're very concerned," Rich Silverman said. "We're nervous, afraid, apprehensive - all the words any time a child's in harm's way."
Now they and other families who have been through this wringer before find themselves comforting those who have not. In some cases, anxious parents have found solace in the reassuring words of their children.
That's what happened Wednesday morning when Rich Silverman answered the phone at work and heard his son's voice. Father and son joked a bit, taking the edge off the hint that something could happen soon.
"He said: 'I wanted to let you know that I'm OK,'" Linda Silverman said.
On Thursday, less than 24 hours after U.S. forces attacked Iraq, Linda Silverman answered the phone to hear the anxious voice of a friend, a single mother whose son is on an aircraft carrier near Iraq.
"She sounded kind of worried and upset," Linda Silverman said. "I talked to her for about 20 minutes and got her calmed down."
Since the war began, the phone has been ringing in Claudia Strongman's house as well.
The Antioch resident is a member of Operation Mom, a support group of family and friends of men and women in the armed forces.
The group sends care packages - "little touches of home" - to soldiers, sailors and aviators who may not have family looking out for them, Strongman said. In addition, the group's members gain some peace of mind from sharing their fears and hopes.
"We're just checking in with each other," said Strongman, whose 21-year-old son Adam is serving in the Army. "The folks that I'm talking to are praying. Their faith carries them on."
In San Ramon, Peggy Conklin has joined a similar support group, Blue Star Moms, consisting mostly of women with children in the military. In turn, she comforts her husband when he frets over their two sons serving in the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Persian Gulf.
"My wife is kind of my support group," Mike Conklin said. "If I'm feeling kind of punky, like I am today, I stay home and go for walks with my chocolate lab, Buddy. That's my therapy."
Other parents draw support from their children's dedication. It is comforting, said Pleasanton's Delia Muniz, to know that her 22-year-old son, Antoni Jose Valencia, a Marine Corps helicopter pilot, has the strength of his convictions.
"He's not scared," Muniz said. "His courage puts my mind at ease."
She also takes comfort in frequent phone calls from friends and family. Still, Muniz, a single mother, doesn't seem entirely worry-free, and an edge of fear crept into her voice as she, described the dangers her son could face.
"I'm just hoping that God is looking down on (the soldiers) and is there with them," Muniz said. "If I can't be there, I'll send Him."
March 21, 2003 (Page A7)
Parent networks soothe those whose loved ones serve in the U.S. military during the war on Iraq .
By Dogen Hannah and Kiley Russell TIMES STAFF WRITERS
Linda and Rich Silverman know the fears that prey on parents of children fighting a war.
Twice now, their 32-year-old son, Matt, has heeded his country's call to arms in the Middle East. In 1991, the Army helicopter pilot served in Operation Desert Storm, and he is now helping U.S. forces coordinate air operations over Iraq.
"We're very concerned," Rich Silverman said. "We're nervous, afraid, apprehensive - all the words any time a child's in harm's way."
Now they and other families who have been through this wringer before find themselves comforting those who have not. In some cases, anxious parents have found solace in the reassuring words of their children.
That's what happened Wednesday morning when Rich Silverman answered the phone at work and heard his son's voice. Father and son joked a bit, taking the edge off the hint that something could happen soon.
"He said: 'I wanted to let you know that I'm OK,'" Linda Silverman said.
On Thursday, less than 24 hours after U.S. forces attacked Iraq, Linda Silverman answered the phone to hear the anxious voice of a friend, a single mother whose son is on an aircraft carrier near Iraq.
"She sounded kind of worried and upset," Linda Silverman said. "I talked to her for about 20 minutes and got her calmed down."
Since the war began, the phone has been ringing in Claudia Strongman's house as well.
The Antioch resident is a member of Operation Mom, a support group of family and friends of men and women in the armed forces.
The group sends care packages - "little touches of home" - to soldiers, sailors and aviators who may not have family looking out for them, Strongman said. In addition, the group's members gain some peace of mind from sharing their fears and hopes.
"We're just checking in with each other," said Strongman, whose 21-year-old son Adam is serving in the Army. "The folks that I'm talking to are praying. Their faith carries them on."
In San Ramon, Peggy Conklin has joined a similar support group, Blue Star Moms, consisting mostly of women with children in the military. In turn, she comforts her husband when he frets over their two sons serving in the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Persian Gulf.
"My wife is kind of my support group," Mike Conklin said. "If I'm feeling kind of punky, like I am today, I stay home and go for walks with my chocolate lab, Buddy. That's my therapy."
Other parents draw support from their children's dedication. It is comforting, said Pleasanton's Delia Muniz, to know that her 22-year-old son, Antoni Jose Valencia, a Marine Corps helicopter pilot, has the strength of his convictions.
"He's not scared," Muniz said. "His courage puts my mind at ease."
She also takes comfort in frequent phone calls from friends and family. Still, Muniz, a single mother, doesn't seem entirely worry-free, and an edge of fear crept into her voice as she, described the dangers her son could face.
"I'm just hoping that God is looking down on (the soldiers) and is there with them," Muniz said. "If I can't be there, I'll send Him."