Letter from a listener

Dear Diane

I have been listening to you this am and I wanted to let you know that my husband (Sgt Troy Truax) in also one of the brave gentlemen that will be going to Iraq also leaving January 2nd. He is leaving behind a 11 & 7 year old daughter and a 16 month old son. That there is the hardest yet to swallow, doing my best to make sure that this little boy will remember his daddy. So if you would please play by Toby Keith “American Soldier” . That would mean the world to my family and thanks from a brave wife who is giving her soldier up for the next year.

God Bless
Shannon M Truax


Hi Shannon....missed your email til just now, so I'm sorry 'bout that! I just took a look at my lineup and I think I can do that today, hope you're still listening.

One of my "missions" in this war is to support you family members left behind when Guardsmen are deployed. I grew up in the military and having daddy gone was a natural part of our lives. But for you families, it's a jolting, terrifying slam to the life you know and I'm aware of that.

So I'm going to tell you what I tell all my "mommies" when their hubbies get deployed:

You can talk to me and call me and cry and worry as much as you want and need to...(or your friends and family of course), but please try to remember that YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG FOR YOUR CHILDREN. I absolutely know how hard that will be, I know what I'm saying to you, but I promise you, I ADORE MY MOTHER and I know it's partly because of her amazing strength raising five little kids while Dad was shipboard for two YEARS at a time.

So take heart: you are not alone in your daily battle...you've got me to lean on anytime you need to vent, but be strong for your precious children because that's what they will remember about you as they grow up. Be the rock, Mama, be their rock.

God bless those who serve,
diane