Signe Rogers lives in Wichita, Kansas. I met her through the Philmont list years ago. She was instrumental in a lot of good decisions I made when my daughter announced at age 8 that she wanted to go to Philmont.
Her daughter, Sarah was a long time Ranger at Philmont and was associate chief ranger in 2002 where I met and visited her personally. She is currently an elementery school teacher. A finer person does not exist. It's a family trait with the Rogers.
I received the following email from Signe this morning. I share it with you and my reply to her.
A lot of Scouts are better people today because of the efforts of Signe and her family.
I know you will want to keep Ben, Signe and there family in your thoughts and prayers.
John LeBlanc
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Late yesterday afternoon we received news that slapped me upside the head and turned my emotions upside down. Our son Ben, is being deployed to Iraq in October as a Field Medic with the 161st Field Artillery. Signe
hikin_grammy@cox.net
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Signe,
He'll be just fine. He has received the best training the world has to offer and I can't think of a MOS (military occupation specialty) that I'd rather have than the one who helps those who need help the most.
I was a combat medic in the U S Army from 1967 through 1969. At the time it was one of the most fearful times of my life. Afterward I reflect on it as one of the best times of my life. I gave all I could at the time when I had energy to do it and I know that my actions made a big difference in peoples lives, some of whom I never knew.
Returning home I served my community as a police officer just as my great grandfather whom I never knew had done, thus carrying on a family tradition of service to mankind.
I've never met your son Ben and I've never met you or your husband but I have met and visited with Sarah, your daughter at Philmont. I've seen her in action. A better cut of cloth for a family does not exist.
Ben will do just fine and although right now you are aghast at the assignment he has, you will do just fine also. This is just another test of you and your familys will to do for others what they can't do for themselves.
When somebody busts a knuckle with a lug wrench changing a tire on an artillery piese, it will be Ben who they go to for help just as Scouts at Philmont did with Sarah. What a proud mother you must be.
One thing for sure today is that he knows he has the backing of the American people both on departure, during deployment and when he returns home. That is something that my generation of soldiers did not have thanks to the likes of Jane Fonda and her clones. They did not have a clue, still don't.
Be sure to keep me posted and please forward my email address to him. I'd be honored to correspond with him from an old combat medic to a new combat medic, I just might make a difference. Been there, done that.
May God be with you and your family and with your son Ben on this difficult assignment for his Country.
Sincerely,
Your friend in Scouting
John LeBlanc
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Received on Fri Aug 24 08:53:42 2007
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