Sunday, April 24, 2011

Blue Star Mothers help to Support Parents

When Joan Van Swol's son was deployed to Iraq the first time, she didn't have the unique level of supportive understanding that she gets with Blue Star Mothers.
"I have a terrific family, but unless you're the mother of a deployed service member, you just don't know what it's like," she said. "No one knows what military moms go through except other military moms."
Blue Star Mothers is a support, social and service group devoted to supporting the moms of active and retired military personnel. The Southeast Wisconsin, Chapter 2 group meets the third Thursday of each month at Sturtevant Village Hall. They share a pot luck meal and discuss upcoming events in which they'll participate, like the Memorial Day parade or putting together care packages for troops currently deployed.

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Sunday, April 17, 2011

Novato soldier home from Afghanistan receives hero's welcome

After 13 months in Afghanistan, Spc. Chris Fagioli returned home to Novato on Friday — and his mother couldn't be happier.
"He's home and safe, and I'm just going to stare at him for a little while," said Tina Mohn, Fagioli's mother.
Fagioli — who could not speak to the Independent Journal per military orders — had spent more than a year as a member of the U.S. Army's 86th Expeditionary Signal Batallion, serving most recently at a contingency operating point near Afghanistan's Kunar Valley.
"He sets up the communication system on bases and runs that," said Mohn, who
couldn't be prouder of her son — even though she had originally done everything in her power to keep Fagioli from joining the Army.

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