Over the past 23 years since retirement from GM, I can't begin to enumerate all the people I have helped with my God-given skills. My neighbors have come to me asking for advice many times (which relates to can you fix this). I have installed many home generator hookups, updated power panels, ran underground cables, changed sump pumps, installed water heaters, and more than I can recall. I have never once turned anyone down. I have never asked for compensation. Some people have given me money at times. I have always said no, but some have insisted. I have been doing maintenance, updating, installing, painting, and cleaning at church and parsonages for over 40 years. Most of the time I was by myself and a few times I had help. When something is running, water leaks, broken, or whatever I normally get called first. I have always dropped what I was doing and responded. Many times, when gone on vacation I will get a call on a problem for help with information on how to fix it, get it started, or something. This generally happened on Sunday morning. This past Sunday when we were having our annual thanksgiving dinner, one of the three phases of the electrical feed was dead due to a fuse link at the pole. This phase fed the distribution panel that the kitchen lights and some breakers were on. I discovered the fuse link on Friday and reported it to the power company. Supposedly, they dispatched a crew late in the evening. I kept checking online the status and sometime after I went to bed, they reported the power had been restored.... Fast forward to Sunday morning on our way to church at 8:30 the minister sent a group text to the leadership that the power was still out. When I arrived at the church, I checked the pole and the fuse link had not been replaced. In the meantime, I moved the kitchen lights to a hot phase in the panel. Later I was notified there was no water. Phase 1 also fed the distribution panel that the well pump was hooked to. Let me think...... I got my jumper cables from my SUV, opened the switch at the main feeder panel, and pulled the two 100-amp fuses. Then I attached one cable to each of the drop sides of the fuse blade socket. Then I attached the other end of the jumper cables to phases 2 and 3. The well pump started and the staff in the kitchen now had water. I had already called the power company. They showed up late afternoon and replaced the fuse link. I had planned to go back to the church and restore all my jury rigs, but we woke to no heat. I had Linda call me and report it to me so that I felt like I was needed. Our furnace is fairly new but out of warranty. I have a self-home warranty plan, so I troubleshoot it myself. It would light but a few seconds later it shut down. The red-light blinks 8 times. The chart says it is a low flame. I removed and cleaned the flame sensor with a piece of 220 sandpaper. All is well

What's The Concern?

A lot of people have been up in "arms" with the NSA spying. First that's what they do. That's why they are. My problem with them is that if they were so good, why have they been caught doing what they do. I grew up during the "Cold War". In 1960 when I joined the Navy in boot camp we were drilled into our heads the threat of the Soviet Union (now Russia). Loose lips sink ships. Our intelligence was obsessed with counter intelligence. We had in the Navy ECM (electronic counter measure). We were always snooping on them and they were snooping on us. While serving on the JFK CVA-67 in the Mediterranean Sea for 9 months in 1969, Soviet trawlers would shadow us every where. They had a lot of their "state of the art" snooping radars etc. just trying to get something.
In 1970-1973 while stationed at NavComUnit London, England (it no longer exist) the Soviets had a "bureau" across the alley from our building. They were always pinging us. The only way that secure communications came and went from our building other than landlines was via microwave transmissions. Even the transmitters and receivers had a punch card that was installed by one of our resident ET's (Electronic Technicians). These changes were made in coordination with other sites that at the same time at each place every day. (Remember punch cards?) Now we have 128-256 SSL layering. We had a room that was like a bank vault, like a bank vault it had one entrance and/or exit. You had to enter a "air lock" where you had to secure the outer door before the inner door could be operated. All lines (each wire) entering this room had a capacitor attached to shunt any stray RF to ground.
I was just one part of this organization. I have other friends today who were there and although I had a TS I couldn't access anything that I didn't have a "need to know".
Times have changed. Our archaic way of doing thing then was easy to police security. There was always a tickle file to track whose eye have seen something. Most correspondences were on paper. Many were destroyed. We had our own incinerator.
Now most everything is digitized saved to hard drives in processors. For a while I know service people have had the capability of saving information to a jump drive etc.
Information can be emailed, texted or transmitted wirelessly at random. Seems like it takes a breach in order to correct a security problem.
I am all for our 4TH Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizures where a search warrant is issued by a judge only after there is good suspicion. However I believe with the conditions of the world, the changing technology I can't reconcile how the NSA can operate without having the leave way to gather intelligence randomly without pinging my usage of my smart phone and internet. I know the constitution is suppose to protect us from unlawful search and my concern is can I trust my government to just use the chatter to seek out the bad guys. I don't see any other way that they can protect us without having that ability. Until someone comes up with a better way I will accept a blanket surveillance.
As a technician I was tasked to installing tape recorders to 4 wire unsecure DOD phone lines randomly to see what "chatter" that could compromise our mission.

I'll Keep My Gas Guzzler

Back in 1980 I bought one of Buick's new front wheel drives a Skylark with parts in it that were built in the plant where I worked. Quite a downsize from my full size station wagon. I took 3 children on a vacation into New England driving that car. It ran good, got decent gas millage, but you could tell that it was loaded with luggage and all. There wasn't much room left for anything we picked up on the trip.

I have owned many vehicles; most of them Buick....big Buick. With all the EPA mileage requirements the "big" car is pretty well phased out. What use to be mid-size is now a full size. The new hybrids aren't too bad for what they are, but can't carry the payload. I have owned large pickup and small pick up trucks. I love trucks; a man's car.

I now own a 2002 Buick Le Sabre Limited and a 2003 Suburban LT 1500 4X4. The Le Sabre gets 30mpg on the highway average. The Suburban get 18-19 on a level terrain. Travelling I love the Suburban because of the ride and the down the road view above regular cars. It also gives a more secure feeling. I observed on a trip to Florida a Toyota Pirus that I was passing or maybe we were going down hill and he was passing me that when his front bumper was even with my front bumber, his rear bumper was even with the back edge of my front door. All those little beggars disappear under my outside rear view mirror, so I have to be extra careful changing lanes.....especially when I had to pry one out from under my running board once.

I have been playing out a scenario lately as part of my survivalist mentality. Would I in a case of a severe national disaster want to have to evacuate in a Chevy Volt or a Chevy Suburban 4X4? A lot of people might diss me as a fatalist. There is nothing further from the truth; however because of the state of the world and the positions that my government take on world events leads me to believe that when not if a severe national disaster I want to be prepared to take care of my family and to give them the security and comfort by being the strong patriarch to lead them through it.

God has always taken care of me and provided all my needs plus more than my needs; however I have never just stood and waited for him to move. I have always believed that I have to be proactive in everything whether it be moving to provide for my family or setting aside for the twilight years. I don't have the physical stamina of yesteryear, but I do still have the ability to think and prepare. I am hoping to teach others in this aspect of preparedness.

No I didn't get away from the gas guzzler. When the time comes to "escape" and evacuate, I don't want to wait until that time to  prepare. When that time comes it will be too late to look for food and water as that will be what everyone else will be doing. When the federal government is starting to stockpile meals at a hundred fold to what has been the normal; that gives me pause to reflect on why. They know something that they aren't telling us. I can say this in qualification because in the past as a carrier of  a top secret clearance I have been privy to events that the public has never known and I will take to the grave. Those things then are minute to things that are unfolding in the world now. My youngest son will know what I am referring to, because he knows things that he can't even share with me, and I respect his patriotism and character.

So.......do I load up a Volt or a vehicle that stays full of gas and a range of about 600 miles and can carry a big load besides if needed 7 people. Of course a 12 foot trailer behind with all the necessities can not hurt on this trip.

Another item that will help this plan work is that you have to have a plan, a route, a rendezvous point and a preset destination. This has to be without any doubt by anyone as means of communication may be limited or non-existent. Everyone has to know the plan and it has to be rehearsed. Everyone has to know where to rendezvous and those who would need help to do that. I have a means of communications that only rely on 3 AA batteries each. They can be texed to and from without cellular towers or phone systems. They can be directly voice to and from also and have a range of 32 miles.

I lived through the Cold War era and remember the threats of communism that were taught in boot camp and the drills we did in grade school. The bottom line is; if we get hit by a big one most of this preparedness is null, but as a friend use to say often, it is better to have and not need than to need and not have. We can play out every senerio in our thoughts and still miss the one that matters. I can only act with the truth as I precieve it.

Maranatha.

Gold Star - An Exclusive Club

The past few weeks I've been doing a lot of reflecting on my situation as a Gold Star dad. It seems like there are a lot of activities that "cater" to the Gold Star families; i.e dinners, parades, memorials and the like. My son, Captain Lowell T (Tommy) Miller II, a career National Guard Officer as many know was Killed by a sniper in Iskandrayiah, Iraq August 31, 2005.

The past 6+ years have been a roll-a-coaster of emotions. Tommy was doing what he loved and died doing it. How many can do that. He knew what the cost could be; really he did. He stated about four months before he was killed when someone called him a hero, that being a hero could call for sudden consequences.

Linda and I have three children all who have served and still serving. These three didn't start serving until they had completed college, which I paid a major part of the cost.

Jennie the oldest has a BS in Biology and a few minors. She is a Hospital Corpsman Chief Petty Officer in the USNR with 14 years in. Jennie did a two year deployment to Landsthul Germany at the Army Regional Medical Center where she met wounded arriving from the war zones and helped with their care so they could be transported back to hospitals in the US.

Tommy has a BS in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. The year prior to his tour in Iraq, he was assigned to the Peace Keeping mission at Sh arm El sheik, Egypt. He was co-ordinater for border security after 9/11 at the Sioux and Port Huron until the federal agents were trained and relieved the National Guard.

Patrick (Capt US Army) has a BS in Political Science, went to Valparaiso School of Law, has a Master's Degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Naval Post Graduate School, is an Arab linguist and is currently pursuing another Master's Degree in Human Geography at Oregon University in Eugene, Oregon. When he completes this course of study (2013) he is already ordered to West Point to teach. Patrick has also served in Iraq and was wounded and spent four days in the hospital in Mosul.
Tommy left his two daughters, Dani and Alex at the young ages of 7 and 11 respectively.
Patrick has a daughter Isabella and a son Kenyon Thomas (called Tommy).
Jennie has never married and has never been serious about that.

Linda (wife) has really had a hard time with the loss of her son and still does. She does not like going to Gold Star or any other memorial events that only open the wound of loss. She goes to these because I do and have felt "obligated". A lot of the focus many times is on a few individuals and when there are lots of families there is little time to mingle, with too little time to know people. Many times I go away thinking why was I there? I have been to other fallen funerals just to honor them and their families. I have always tried to never make it about me and my grief. The ones who are present at these events get their fallen mentioned and sometimes we introduce ourselves and who our fallen hero is. I wonder because of the other's grief, do they really "care" about mine......of course they do...only they don't in the same way.

Sometimes these events conflict with other activities and you end up having to choose.
This is why I have decided not to put Linda through more wound opening and concentrate on my children and grandchildren. Most parents of fallen are younger than we are and that is primarily most of them have lost a child not long after they have graduated from high school. My children are career or parallel career military..Jennie has 14 years, Tommy would have had 17 years and Patrick has 12 years and if you add that with my service our family has a total of over 63 years service.

I'm thankful that we had Tommy for 35 years that he left us with good memories. But memories are something that his girls will not have. I remember on our way to the funeral home Alex at 7 said, " I can't remember what daddy looks like." How can you choose your "druthers"? Is it better for a fallen soldier not to be married and no children or is it better to leave a spouse and children along with parents etc.? I know when I look at my granddaughters, I see Tommy and I am glad for that, but how do you ease their hurt. I know their hurt is deeper than mine. There are about 2500 kids in this same sorority. I don't know if there is different grief of sons versus daughters. I do know that my two missed a lot of daddy daughter events in school and it grieved me to know that I could not be a substitute of their daddy.

Tommy once told me that it wasn't about him; it was the mission. I wish you could have known him. He was always in honor of the Vietnam Veterans and especially the POW/MIA's. He was so upset that more wasn't being done for the Vietnam Vets and to find the MIA's. I have seen him shed tears over this.

Other than the memorial garden in our front yard and in our hearts there is no memorial exclusive for him (that I know of) . His name and rank is however on  a lot of memorial in Michigan, Mississippi, Virginia and Washington DC. Of these we had nothing to do with except the one on the Memorial Wall at Virginia Military Institute (Class of '93) which they did but asked for my input on the wording on the plaque..We were invited to his 15 year class Reunion at VMI and were treated like royalty. His High School honored him in a program in a Requiem for the Dead at a local church in 2007. We leave those who knew him, served with him  to speak for him......and they do that so well...Thank you all.

From this day forward, I will not be attending these events where I feel so alone and the hurt starts over. I hope I'm not looked down on as not being inclusive but everyone has to do what they have to do. I don't want to discuss this and I will continue to remember all the other fallen that whose families I have known. Families who probably we would never crossed paths with; except for the common bond of loss. I want to be a friend with each as a friend and not because of our common loss but because I would have been a friend under different circumstances. I love each and I pray often for the same. I know that I have Hope in Christ and compared with eternity, this time is a vapor. I have to continue to live for the living and never forget a son who was so special, but I know I will be reunited with him when it is time.

JayFlight22 Shakedown Cruise

Back in early July, I bought a new Jay Flight 22 ft travel trailer...Due to circumstances that I did not have control of I wasn't able to take it on Shake Down until this past Monday, August, 22, 2011.

After all system checks, taking on a full load of potable water, reports to the Chief Engineer and pilot house, the special sea and anchor detail was set and lines were cast off and we pulled away from home pier at 1434.

Engine speeds were tested at turns for one third and two thirds.

There were no noticeable vibrations, hawing or pitching. At times the port steering gear seem to vibrate mostly on a starboard turn...

Arrived at anchorage for system check at 1505. Filed paperwork and was granted permission to berth 22 in the Maple quadrant.

After tying up and rigging shore power, the engines were put on cold iron and system check would now be conducted.....

The reefer which had already been previously lit off and set at max low was indicating 33 degrees in the main reefer and 0 degrees in the freeze locker. These setting were monitored every hour and adjustment made with the controls to secure an optimum storage temperature.....in this case 38 degrees plus or minus 2 degrees...by the following day optimum settings had been achieved.

After everything was secure and all systems in use running normal..the XO wanted to go ashore for dinner as it was running late and the galley had been secured until 0600. Attempting to do this is was brought to my attention that the vibration in the port steering gear was in fact a problem that needed to be addressed; however the SIMA (Ships Intermediate Maintenance Activity) had been secured and wouldn't be open until 0700.

Due to climate change and temperature drop the sound and security watch was notified to secure the AC&R and lite off the heating system...due to the fact that the equipment was new and had not been previously used, it emitted fumes that actuated the fire alarm system which had to be put temporally in standby. It was ordered to set condition Xray from Yoke in order to ventilate the space. Exhaust fans were activated and intake portals were open in order to evacuate the space of the fumes...

0930 Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011

At SIMA for diagnosis and/or repair of vibration in the Port Steering gear. Order was written up and not being able to obtain a priority sitrep, I was transported back to the unit and was notified that I would be contacted when diagnosis/repair was effected.

1530 received a communication that the main bearing in the gear was defective and would have to be replace and work would continue immediately. The repair facility sent a courier to pick me up and I signed all necessary paperwork and reclaimed the main prime mover and returned to the unit.

Being late the XO decided to spend the night ashore. Found that the main computer would not receive in our location it was decided to take the main liberty launch to a location better adaped to get a signal. Communications was acheived and after retrieving messages and sending some returned to the ship. It was close to taps so secured for the night and turned in.

The hot water system was tested but had to make announcements that water conservation was in order and water hours showers were in effect. You had the option of going ashore for a luxuary shower. Holding tanks were tested and now all systems had been verified as operational.

The ship was ready for it's Maiden Voyage.

1300, August 26, 2011

Pulled along the garbage barge and purged the holding tanks.

Retuned to home port, off loaded supplies and had the crew pull a sweep down and taking trash to the pier. Prepared the vessle for cold iron and took to sea anchorage where it will be berthed until the next underway event.

Tom Miller, CO and log entry clerk.

We Did It Our Way - Linda and I

23 May, 2011

In the current age if you are in the military, have someone serving in the military or have lost a loved one in a war there is no end to the organizations and agencies available to provide assistance both physically and emotionally. I receive these thick large envelopes weekly from various organizations asking for donations to serve their cause, many of which someone just got the idea, formed it and set up a non-profit. Most on their face value look worthy of donations. Some I have sent funds to and others just get file thirteen. I live on fixed income but am not stingy with what I have been bless with. First my church get a tithe as a beginning of giving and more to support special projects.

I served on active duty form 1960 thru 1973 and re affiliated with the Navy Reserve in May 1985 and finished my career. The reserves was good duty and I got to do different things that I didn't get to do while active. I served with ACU-1 in Coronado, Ca, Navy Dive Locker, Subic Bay, Philippines, SIMA, Norfolk and Mayport Fl, and Naval Security Force, Yorktown, Va. My time away from home in the reserves was a two day week-end where I couldn't go home at night, but most were at NavResCen, Saginaw and I went home on Saturday night so it was no more than working overtime at my civilian job except a lot easier, as I was a LPO and was in charge most of the time. We did training, physicals, PT, and a lot of urinalysis drug testing; but we were getting paid for peeing in a bottle. Of course there was the annual two week active duty and a couple of these I took Linda which introduced her to Florida.

I retired in 1994 with an accumulative time of 22 years, 3 months and 13 days. It was worth the time to get the "thank you note" I receive each month now.

But my active duty was a different story. I had a rating that was primarily sea going and to sea I did go. I wanted shore duty so bad that I volunteered for any and all schools that came along as it got me off the ship for at least 6 week at a time. One of my schools was 33 weeks long and gave me the equivalent of an Electrical Engineering degree. Many colleges would give you credits toward an official EE degree.

When I was single my first 5 years in the Navy, going to sea didn't bother me as we would make these neat port calls and I took every tour in the foreign port that I could afford. When the ship was in home port I would do standby duty for the married guys so they could be with their families; especially on week-ends. We took care of each other.

Then in July 1963 I met the love of my life; Linda. She was still in high school and although we become engaged we didn't get married until March 1965 although we had planned a June wedding in Eldorado, Illinois. Life happened the first time for us. My father died in March and having to take leave for that with the logistics of me in Norfolk and her in Michigan we couldn't see the June wedding. My grandmother Sally Schumaker was making Linda's wedding dress (she still has it and let Dani and Alex use it for dress-up when they were little) which was the saddest thing about what we did. I think granny was hurt but supported us. Linda went with me to Eldorado for the funeral and we talked long and hard about getting married while we were there. As my leave was short and I had to take Linda back to Flint before returning to Norfolk we asked Dwain and Josephine Glascock who were like parents to me if they would help us get through the mechanics of getting married. We didn't have much money. Linda had worked part time in high school and had saved $90. Dwain and Jo paid for the license, blood test and tipped the preacher then bought our wedding dinner. It was 11PM before we finished dinner (we had fiddler catfish) Linda's first catfish and slot machine which were illegal. She put in a nickle and got about two dollars back. Hooked......Now Linda was married and had to go back to high school and in those days it was a no, no to be married. She had friends who knew and I guess the officials didn't find out. By marrying me she gave up a scholarship to Wayne State.

Also a lot of people got off easy by not having to give us a wedding gift.

(I'll get to my point sometime).

After Linda graduated I drove to Flint and took her back to Norfolk, VA. I had rented us a furnished one bedroom duplex for $75 a month about one third of my take home pay. I had just gotten orders to shore duty at Naval Air Station, Norfolk for two years and so we spent our first two year plus the school at Great Lakes, Illinois together. After "B" school I was ordered to the aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy CVA-67 being build at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Newport News Virginia. It had not been commissioned and wouldn't be until September 1968. We were paid $25 a day per Diem and we were able to have some luxuries like more than one six pack carton of cokes a month and in January 1969 a little baby girl named Jennifer Lyn. We got paid monthly and had to make sure it lasted. Per Diem had dried up. I remember one time a petting farm was in the Princess Anne Mall. It cost a quarter to get inside the fence and we didn't have a quarter.

Everything was pretty good until JFK was commissioned, then we were getting underway for alot for sea trials and training and would come in on the week-end every two weeks. We did shake down at Guantanamo, Cuba and slowly approaching deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. We were to be on a "show the flag" cruise because of JFK (the president)'s popularity around the world.

We departed Pier 12 NorVa in April 1969 for a nine month deployment. I was going through a lot of anxiety that started shortly after Jennie was born probably brought on by the fact that Linda would be left alone by herself while I was deployed. She didn't drive and believe it or not many women didn't then. To get groceries she would take Jennie in her stroller with a basket on the back and walk three miles each way to BeLo market to buy food. On one of her trips she stopped at a upscale clothing store and bought Jennie a frilly dress which cost $18 and had to make payment on it. We still have that dress which was a great luxury then. I didn't know about it at the time.

Then came life again. Linda's mother died suddenly on Mother's Day, 1969 while I was overseas. Here she was 754 miles away from her home and no one to turn to. She was notified by way of the son of a friend. He was a submariner stationed at DesSub piers. They called him because there was no formal way to notify a spouse (usually female) of a death in the family unless it was the service member who she was married to. Now a stranger comes to the door and tell Linda that her mother had died. Her mother was 42 and mother's day has always been very hard for Linda even today.

A lady from our church Colonial Heights Church of Christ spent the night with Linda and took her to the airport where a ticket paid by her father was waiting. Linda and Jennie flew back to Michigan.

Aboard the Kennedy I got notified via the Red Cross and military communications that Linda's mom had passed away. I tried to get emergency leave but the chaplain aboard wouldn't approve it because my mother-in-law was not immediate family....

Communications: There was no Internet, no phone lines to access, no email, nothing but US Postal Service. Linda and I wrote everyday since I had left.... then I received no letters for 16 days. I was a basket case, I guess I should have written to her sister or father in retrospect but each day you expected a letter. Linda fell into a deep depression and couldn't even take care of Jennie much less write to me and my anxiety increased. At that time I wouldn't go to sick bay because I thought I would be booted out as having some sort of mental illness. I think I had PTSD now that it is so popular. I had no recourse it wasn't important enough to the Navy to do anything.........finally a letter arrived....

Linda was taken back to Norfolk by her sister to take care of some business and then they went back to Michigan to live with her older sister's family.

In November 1969 life happened again.....My oldest brother was in a coma and not expected to live. His doctor said that he need some stimulus from outside like me visiting him. They approve me to go home as this was requested by his doctor and family. I flew military hops from the flight deck of the JFK to Signonella, Sicily, to Naples, Italy, to Rota Spain to McGuire AFB. From there I picked up United flight to Flint. I rented a panel van loaded Linda, Jennie our cat and kittens and drove to Illinois about 600 miles before I-69 etc.

I went straight to the hospital in Evansville, Indiana (it was late at night) to see Bill (my brother) they let me go immediately into ICU to see him..I said,"don't you think you've been here long enough". He opened his eyes and said, "Hello Thomas" and like that he was out of the coma. We stayed around for a week and made sure he was going to be okay.

Then we headed back to Norfolk. We drove straight back (no I-64 etc) over US 60 through West Virginia. I took very sick on the way back with a strep throat and we didn't have money for a motel and I would stop and sleep a while before continuing on. Jennie rode in her play pen anchored in the back of the van. We arrive back with one day left on the rental....when we awoke it was the day to turn in the van and we had lost a day and today we think we slept for 24 hours; but why would Jennie do this?

Before deploying to the Med I had turned in my car a 67 Buick on a line of credit and would order a new car about 6 weeks before end of deployment. I had already picked a 70 Buick Gran Sport and they had it at the dealers so I didn't have to wait long to get transportation. The letter of credit took a big dip out of payments.

We survived our active duty time the only way we knew; do it alone if we had problems we just had to suck it up and deal with it...I guess that's why my military kids have the same attitude. There was no support groups other than Navy Relief Society which could get you some clothes or temporary furniture on a loan or maybe if you needed money for emergency leave which you generally was expected to pay back.

There wasn't any flags and people waiting at the air port or welcome home signs. I didn't own a car until just before we were married. I hitch hiked on leave every time except once from Norfolk to Eldorado. I wore my uniform (because I didn't have any civilian clothes) from the time I left until the time I got back. I didn't have the money for airline ticket and even if I did connections to the sticks weren't good and you couldn't get close anyway. I didn't sleep except one time a hospital corpsman friend and I got a ride in Kentucky with two men and a boy on their way to hunt squirrels. If you are in Kentucky and get a ride hitch hiking and they say there just going down the road a piece.....be prepared to ride a while.

When I look back on all this I see a couple who looked after each other and didn't complain, didn't expect any help from anyone except from God and you know he's all you really need. If you're faithful with what he provides then he will be faithful with all you need.....not want...but need.

In March 1970 we were blessed with Tommy (Captain Lowell Thomas Miller II). I had planned on leaving the Navy when my enlistment was up, then I received orders to London, England, at the Naval Communications Unit which helped serve the Embassy. I was able to call Linda via ham radio (really private). She wanted me to get out and had planned on it, but I convinced her it would be a good opportunity for her and the kids to see parts of Europe. We accepted the orders and lived in England for 3 years and then I took my discharge and entered civilian life.

I am glad that the volunteers to the military have all these organizations today...Without them there would be a lot who wouldn't make it; however I am glad Linda and I suffered through hardships because we are stronger for it. If we had been carried each time we needed carried it would have made us weaker. Most will not understand this. We both came from humble beginnings but through our own sacrifice we raised three wonderful children who we are so proud of and provided them all with college educations at the school of their choice. Counting the summer we met Linda and I have been together for 49 years and married happily for 47.

The last time Life Happened was August 31, 2005. It was when two of the most precious little girls that God ever created lost their father. He always said it was not about him and never boasted or bragged even when he made Captain, I didn't know it. One day he was wearing his uniform and I saw his Captain bars. I asked him when he made Captain.......he just said, "oh that a couple months ago; no big deal." Then I read all the letter of commendation and achievements and they brag for him. I knew he was a great man and he didn't have to prove it to me. Just like his sister and brother both serving today he didn't get into it for what benefits he could get out of it. He served for what he could give..Jennie and Patrick are doing the same.

This is why we have all volunteers serving now in the military. No one should be forced to serve but every boy and girls should be raised so they would want to....I didn't realize this until Tommy told me "that he served because I had told him once that I served so my children wouldn't have to, yet we do; you taught us well."

So parents no matter what you do; your actions, your words, your attitude is teaching them all the time.....the fruits will be exactly what you planted.

3 CHRISTmas' Have Past

"Tommy, This is our third CHRISTmas without you. Jen and the girls have moved from Flint this year. They have the home in the country you promised them. It's across the road from a horse farm. They have a special CHRISTmas tree for you outside of their bedrooms. They have decorated it with all the ornaments that they had which we got each year. (all the toy soldiers). Alex noted the three years that you have been gone. She and Dani miss you very much. Jen is taking real good care of them. Mom and I are doing all we can to do the things you would have done if you were still with us, but we can't take your place as their father. It broke my heart this fall when they had a "father-daughter" basketball game at the end of the season. I wanted to go with her in you place but she just wanted to stay home. Dani plays for Swartz Creek Dragons and is so much improved. You would be so proud of her.They finished 9-2. You mom and I continue to do things to keep you memory alive with those who tend to forget. We have come to the realization that we will never be over losing you. I talked with Sgt Hatcher. He told us how respected you were with the 155th. Patrick is attending the Naval Post Graduate School and is doing good. Jennie was extended at the Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany for a total of 2 years. She was just promoted to HM1 (First Class E-6). She got to come home for two week for CHRISTmas. I am proud of all my patriotic children. We can not seem to move forward, you were too imprinted on our lives for so long. A loan from God. A loan redeemed. We love you."Dad and Mom