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photo by Stephanie Nelson
Lisa Holmes shows a photo of her 19-year-old son, LCpl. Cody Holmes, who is stationed in the Middle East and will miss Christmas with his family this year.
He won't be home for Christmas
Family adjusts to 19-year-old son's deployment
Published Wednesday, December 23, 2009
There is no Christmas tree in the Rose Hill home of Lisa and William Holmes.
There are no presents; there is nothing that would indicate this is a home ready for the season.
There’s no reason since their youngest son, 19-year-old Cody, a Marine lance corporal, was recently deployed to Afghanistan.
“(Monday) about 1:30 in the morning, I got to talk to him for the very first time since he left,” Linda Holmes said. “He’s out in the middle of nowhere — it sounded like he said Nawa. They have one satellite phone they have to share. He was on and off in about five minutes.
“It was the best five minutes in a long time,” she said.
This will be the family’s first Christmas ever without their son, despite his trip to basic training in North Carolina and various bouts of training.
And one can tell it’s hard on Holmes.
“Cody has always said he was going to be a soldier,” she said. “You know how kids are. I thought it was one of those things and he’d change his mind, but not Cody. In the 10th grade (at Straughn), he said, “Mom, I’m going to leave when I graduate. You need to prepare yourself. I am going to be a Marine.’”
Holmes said she could handle the Marine part, but she had a hard time coming to grips with his assignment in the Marine Corps.
“He’s an infantryman, the point man for his group, which means he’s out ahead looking for explosives,” she said. “The explosive part, that’s what I have a problem with. It’s a very dangerous job. I’m proud of him but worried at the same time.
“Cody has always been the adventurous type,” she said. “I knew he wasn’t going to stay around. He told me.”
Holmes said during her recent conversation with her son he explained that Afghanistan was “different” and that he was doing OK.
“He said he’d mailed a letter and that he hadn’t gotten my package,” she said. “Maybe he’ll get it in time for Christmas.”
Holmes said Cody’s military stint is his first experience of being away from home. He’s dealt fine with it; she and her husband, on the other hand, have had some issues.
“It’s hard for me to talk about it without losing it,” she said. “It makes me so sad on one side and so proud on the other. I told him before we hung up (Monday) that I loved him and I was thinking about him everyday. He’s real confident in what he does. He was excited about going. He said he was ready to put his training to work.
“I wish he could be home, but I know he’s doing something he believes wholehearted in and I wouldn’t want to take that away from him,” she said.
Holmes said her son is expected home sometime around June 2010, before returning to his Hawaii duty station.
Comments
Posted by LoyalAmerican (anonymous) on December 23, 2009 at 9:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mom and Dad: Congratulations for raising such a selfless young man! A young man who has embraced duty, service and honor! It is understandable how we, as parents, keep a lump in our hearts when our children are in harm's way. But knowing they are doing what that want to do and serving their country, gives us a type of pride known only to military families! God Bless you and this fine Marine. God Bless America!
Posted by itsjustmyopinion (anonymous) on December 23, 2009 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
hi lisa and william,
i just wanted to say thank you and your family for the service your son is giving to all of americia.
and please convay my thanks to your son also for without him and all the other 's who serve this great nation well i'd hate to think of where we'd be.i'll be praying for your son and all of our soldiers.
merry christmas
Posted by outlaw11 (anonymous) on December 23, 2009 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bill & Lisa, I,too, left Rose Hill in 1968 headed for an earlier war, so I know where your son stands. So, thanks for instilling the sense of dedication shown by Cody and may the Great Spirit in the Sky watch over him, and over you.
Posted by Mel (anonymous) on December 23, 2009 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Glad to see Cody is doing good. I know how he feels. I missed 2 Christmas' in a row, while serving in the Air Force. It was bad being I had never been away from home. He will be ok. May God be his guide. Merry Christmas!
Posted by live4today (anonymous) on December 23, 2009 at 10:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am fully supportive of the choice their son has made and very proud to have our military protecting us so that we may never know the realities of war that others face on a daily basis, for years, and sometimes their entire lives. But, I am saddened that his parents feel there is no reason to celebrate, no reason to continue with the Christmas traditions they have held with their son for the past (I would guess 18) years. Although he may not physically be with them...Christmas is not just about being with the ones you love, but about celebrating that love. Your son is alive, is well and is doing what he loves...you should celebrate that. Not everyone is this fortunate. I would think that pictures of your home, beautifully decorated, presents under the tree and a house alive with Christmas spirit would be a wonderful gift for your son and knowing your son is doing what he has dreamed about for years is something to celebrate.
Posted by ms_bama (anonymous) on December 24, 2009 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i know ho u feel.....my cousin is in afghanistan........merry christmas to all of our troops
Posted by hdsd (anonymous) on December 24, 2009 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
May god be with him, we here in America are so blessed to have such wonderful young Men and Women who allow us to live in the freedom we enjoy. Christmas and holidays are so tough for the love ones, but as mentioned we must continue to live,for they are allowing us such freedom to live. I as well have spent those days away, due to deployments, But as well I knew why I did it, for the freedom of My loved ones, and the great country where I live. God Bless the USA, to you the family of our Great Military and those serving. Thank you and him for giving to us.
Posted by debij9999 (anonymous) on December 24, 2009 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My cousin's son just came back from his 3rd trip in this war. I pray it ends soon and that all of our troops come home safely. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful late "holiday" when your son does come home. I'll pray for him and for all of our other troops that are so far away from their loved ones. I hope everyone else does the same. God bless you for such a wonderful son.
Posted by pingbalata (anonymous) on December 25, 2009 at 6:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
May God bless and protect Cody and all others like him.
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