We recently learned that an uncle (who is 4-6 years older than us, I believe, I can't remember) in the military is going to be among the new wave of soldiers sent to Iraq. His duty will be disposing of IED's (Improvised Explosive Devices).
When my daughter heard us discussing it, she asked all sorts of questions and was very concerned. "Could he be hurt in Iraq?" Yes, we answered. We also told her that there is the possibility that he could die there. We didn't want to scare her, but she was asking the questions and wanting to know.
I'm not sure she even knows his face; he and his family live out of state. All the same, she is concerned for his safety, and for his immediate family. "Will they be all alone while he is in Iraq?" Yes, we answered, although we also indicated that their friends, family, and community would support them.
"When is he going to Iraq; is it next week?" No, we answer, he is going in March, we believe, after he learns his specifics of doing his job over there.
Just today, I learned from my daughter that he was the subject of her show and tell this last Monday. I knew she was concerned from the questions she had asked, but I hadn't realized the depth of pride she has in this relation serving his country, and putting himself in harm's way for us all. I hadn't realized the strength of the impression his military service, and his assignment to Iraq, had made on her.
We don't let her watch much of the news on TV at all, but she does see and hear snippets here and there, there is discussion of current events at school at times, as well as hearing reports on the radio as we drive about town. She knows there is a war in Iraq (well, WE know that the war supposedly ended, a new government is in place, Saddam is captured, sentenced, and sentence carried out, etc.), and that it is dangerous and a scary place, from her perspective. It seems so to me, as well.
I am proud that my daughter is proud of her great-uncle (that sounds so strange, since he is so close in age to my husband and myself!)! I am proud that she thought/thinks enough of him, and what he is doing, to talk about him for her show and tell this week. I am proud that she is concerned for his and his family's well-being, as she is a thoughtful, caring, and concerned child.
Both my husband and myself are also proud of our uncle and his military service, although we are especially concerned for him as he is assigned to this dangerous duty. We are concerned for his immediate family, too.
A few days ago, my husband and I watched Future Weapons on The Discovery Channel. On this particular episode, they showed a *brief-case looking device, that is so top-secret the name could not be revealed, although I note that apparently they had no problem showing and discussing the device on this show. This device is designed to disarm and separate the explosive fuels/components from car bombs/IED's, aiding in the disposal of such devices/materials.
The device has two shaped compartments of water, between which is nestled a charge of explosives, of a certain type. The charge is shaped, I THINK, but the water compartments also serve to shape the explosion, as well as having other purposes. The bottom compartment also serves to quench any fire(ball) that does go in that direction, and the top compartment of water is shaped by the special explosion, into a tall, thin, extremely damaging KNIFE of water. This knife of water cuts upwards with surprising precision (although, of course, the materials in this area don't look "neat" afterwards).
The result is a separation of the explosive materials of the IED, from the IED's other components. I was surprised by how effective this device was. I immediately thought of applications of this device in the field, as they discussed, particularly in Iraq, where car bombs are one of the types of IED's that are encountered. I would hope that this sort of thing gets into the hands of those who are tasked with dealing with IED's, such as our uncle. I hope it's not years before this device is sent to the field . . .
*Note: If you click on the videos, go to the third tab, Future Weapons Season 2, and scroll down to "BootBanger". This is the device I am talking about.
1 comment:
Emily seems to be an amazing and sensitive child.
It is hard to have a loved one serving. My friend's husband will probably be serving his second tour of duty in the Middle East later this year. He was only home from Bosnia a year before being called there. There is a great support group for families here.
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