Connectivity in the War Zone

[Smuckatelli]

Most of you know about my son Tomas' fight with leukemia that he completed treatment for last November. His counts are good, some allergy speedbumps but so far he is doing well. We met a family that started treatment about a year after Tomas began. She finished treatment a couple of months before Tomas; boys get 3 years, girls get 2 years of daily chemo.

So my buddy is deployed to Afghanistan and we have been watching out for his family since he left. Sometimes I have to go 'Gunny' on the doctors because the wife couldn't get answers. They have two girls, one (9 yrs) battled leukemia and the other (6 yrs) is autistic. The wife is from Korea.

So yesterday after I finished cutting the grass, I figured that I should check in with her. I have three numbers for the family in my address book. I called all three and left messages.....

This morning, my buddy in Afghanistan sends me a text and FaceBook message saying that he is doing well and is concerned that Tomas might be having issues because of my message.

I had no idea that he still carried his cell phone with him or that it would work in country.

[SeriousStudent]

I am very glad to hear that Tomas is doing well.

And bless you for looking out for the two girls. I'm not surprised, though. It comes naturally to the good SNCO's.

[JSantoro]

It's amazing what one can do with cell phones and swapping out SIM cards from region to region. I can't keep up with it, at all.

Good on shaking up the chancre mechanics, too. Sometimes those smug pricks need a fist wrapped up in their collar to be remind them that the information generated by treatments and tests belongs to the patient and/or the decision-maker, and not to them.

[Smuckatelli]

It's amazing what one can do with cell phones and swapping out SIM cards from region to region. I can't keep up with it, at all.

It's the Army, he's a Major in aquisition at Belvior, he is fielding the next generation night sights. He didn't have to switch out SIM cards, I'm not sure if SYSCOM does this also. He has been traveling to various FOBs, now he's at the main base so he has access to FB....

My only concern for him was that initially they were only going to issue an M-9 to him.......he pushed for an M-4 as soon as he arrived. His first picture posted was in garrison without a weapon...I jumped on him.....now he has been posting pictures to me with his M-4.....

Interesting shake up with the docs.....Since his daughter completed treatment, she's on the back burner so to speak. Thier primary Hem/ONC (LtCol) was going TDY for 3 months and the wife was worried. I ended up going Gunny on them and found out that he was going TDY to .........Belvior. He gave his cell phone number and now if the mom has any questions, she is to call him and get treatment at Belvior. No more trips to Walter Reed while dad is deployed.

[Smuckatelli]

I am very glad to hear that Tomas is doing well.

And bless you for looking out for the two girls. I'm not surprised, though. It comes naturally to the good SNCO's.

Both girls are doing well, the youngest was getting her annual allergy shot so she was off line until I verified which cell # was Afghanistan & which was Belvior.....

Now to do the typical SNCO thing this weekend.....get blind drunk and call Afghanistan and tell him how good the Marine Corps is.....:sarcastic:

[SeriousStudent]

.....

Now to do the typical SNCO thing this weekend.....get blind drunk and call Afghanistan and tell him how good the Marine Corps is.....:sarcastic:

Chortle. ;)

Heres to your friend having a safe and speedy return home.