Our Visit in Landstuhl on the 18th June 2004 together with Carolyn and Debbie
On the 18th June 2004 Carolyn from Landstuhl, Debbie from Ramstein my husband Rudi and I we were on the way to visit wounded soldiers and marines in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. At first we met us on the parking area from the Fisher House and made ready our gifts for our heroes. It was greatly that everyone brought along something. The wounded soldiers and marines in Landstuhl need so much things! Debbie a very nice lady from Ramstein, her husband is in Iraq with PAO, had bought a lot of backpacks and candies. Carolyn had a lot of warm sweater with her and I had my bags with me filled with a tee shirt, underpants, socks and greetings cards from a lot of people.
So Carolyn and I we did all that we had in the backpacks from Debbie. And the chocolate which I had with me for the soldiers was not melted this time. Today we had a lot of backpacks for the soldiers and Carolyn, Debbie and I we went from ward to ward to visit our hero and Rudi was going to the Fisher House to give greetings the wounded there.
On the first ward a wounded told us that he has to go back to Iraq if he is recovered. Carolyn asked him if he is interested that any Angel from the Soldiers Angels Foundation adopts him and he gave her his address directly. Another hero told us that he had the luck to go back to States now. He said me that his ancestors were from Germany, Stuttgart and that his last name is typical German (?Schwarz? it means black). An Ohio National Guard soldier told as that he was now after 4 months in Iraq ?here?. He was very weakly as his phone rang he asked me if I could help him to do the telephone receiver on his ear, because his left arm was very badly injured. Carolyn was speaking with a young man he was lying in his bed, too. He could not move himself and he was glad that he could tell someone his story.
Carolyn is a wonderful Angel she finds always the right words to talk to the wounded. So we let her to go to the wounded and we are waiting in front of the room. Often they are so strong wounded that they could not speak so much and she gave them a backpack and calmed them with a few words and they were happy. As we walked over the wards we saw so much sorrow I cannot tell you. Going over the intensive care unit, your heart cried. At the ICU a soldier told us that he has to go further to Walter Reed and that his wife is staying in the Fisher House. For him it was a great thing that his family was here in Germany and he must not stay alone here for recovery. I saw one hero he has lost his right arm and another soldiers in the distant was walking on the arm from a nurse, he has left his right leg. If you see this young men lying in their beds wounded and injured, full of pain you will cry! I hope so much for all the soldiers in Iraq, that this will have fast an end! On very young hero was sitting in his bed and watched TV and was smiling. He was so happy to see Carolyn again. She has given him a backpack already yesterday. He told us that he must go further to Walter Reed for more medical treatment. In another room there was a wounded and a lot of doctors and nurses were standing around him! We all know that this means.
Later we are going out to the bus stop and looked for soldiers they could need a backpack too. I meet there two soldiers are going back to Iraq. SFC C. and SPC R. are waiting for a new trip to the war. Both were in a right mood, I have given them greetings from the Soldiers Angels and told them if they need something they can give me an e-mail. At the next bus stop I saw Soldier T., he is now ready to go back to the war, too. I have met him last week at the ward as we have given every soldier a backpack from the Soldiers Angels. It was good to see him again and to know that he is recovered from his injuries. In the barracks I met three soldiers are talking to Carolyn and they were happy that we had received the last three backpacks for today.
The backpacks are always a good thing. A lot of soldiers have nothing to take there few things back to the States. They looked all so happy as we have given them one. A wounded has nothing as that he has on his body if he arrives in Landstuhl. A filled backpack with things he need is a great thing to do something for them. If anyone interested to send backpacks to Landstuhl look here http://www.soldiersangels.homestead.com/wounded-soldiers-project.html the backpacks are going with an Angel to the wounded directly.
After this we are said good bye to Carolyn and Debbie because we had another appointment in Landstuhl. We met CH Young and he wrote me for days "By the way, our Cyber Café room needs a portable telephone (with a cord). I wonder if you have an extra (used) one to spare? This is for the morale purpose and the line is available there all the time." So we visited him in his office and my husband looked which telephone he need. As my husband saw that nearby the Cyber Cafe was a telephone shop from the T-Online/Telekom he looked that the CH could need and bought him one. I cannot tell.... he was so lucky, so he went back fast to tell it the other CH there. It was great to visit him and he introduced us his chiefs: CH Holmstrom, he will be the new Chief of Chaplains Office in Landstuhl and CH McLean will leave the office after 3 years now. My husband was glad that he could help him.
A wounded shy and faintly soldier from Mississippi, 20 years old, married, with a 14 months old girl at home, has given my husband his talisman as he has met him in the Army Fisher House Landstuhl.
I cannot tell you ...I am so with out words!!! SPC G. S. had great injured on his breast and lung! He was a body guard for a commander in Iraq. I have met him in the Fisher House, too, later in the afternoon together with his father. His parents stayed in the Fisher house for the time he was in the hospital. He is so a wonderful young man I cannot tell you! And I know his life has changed for ever for him! He has celebrated his 20th birthday in Iraq. He was so proud to told us that he has travelled in only a few months around the world. God Bless him and his family.
Wilhelmine Aufmkolk, Germany
"May No Soldier Go Unloved?
SoldiersAngels.com
e-mail: JosephineFS@aol.com
