Here's our story! 

In 2007, my then 7-year-old son asked his grandmother, “When was his Uncle James going to die?”  He added, “Don’t people go off to war in Iraq to die?”  At that point it was clear to me that we needed to address my son’s comprehension and emotional well-being during his uncle’s deployment.  My 33-year-old brother, James, has been deployed many times over his 15 years in the military, but this is the first time that his young nephew has been old enough to process and ask questions.  
 

After several phone calls and email conversations with James and our mother about the large number of young men and women deployed with him that are “first-timers” away from their families, we saw an opportunity to help both Brayden and the troops that are making sacrifices for our country and freedom.  James expressed concerns with wanting to help prepare or assist the young soldiers in his battalion with holiday deployment.  
 

Brayden’s uncle is a member of the NMCB 7 (Naval Mobile Construction Battalion) and was stationed at Balad Air Base in Iraq.  There were approximately 150 soldiers in his battalion and we wanted to make their holiday season feel a little more like home.  He was also a member of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) committee working to assist the troops during their deployment and was excited to assist us with this project!

Our hope was that project could teach a young child and his friends about giving to other who make the greatest sacrafice for their country this holiday season.  We hope you will join us as we continue this mission in 2009!

Beverly & Brayden Lineberger