My ‘Little Buddy’ is going to war

Like many other families in the Wiregrass, the war in Iraq has hit home for my family.

The Eagle has covered many tearful farewells as family members have said goodbye to their loved ones who were deployed to Iraq. The Eagle has also reported on many happy homecomings.

This is the week we have our tearful goodbye as my nephew leaves with a unit of the Alabama National Guard to serve for one year in Iraq. He has gone through some intense training in the past year, so I know he is ready. It’s his family members who aren’t ready.

Once you hear that a family member is going off to war, your heart sinks. The closer this date has come, the more I’ve thought about it and the more tears fill my eyes.

All of my nephews and niece are special to me. I guess not having children of my own, I look at them as more than just relatives. James is my sister and brother-in-law’s oldest son.

They moved to Ozark when James was a baby. I remember that cute little blonde-headed kid I called my “Little Buddy” running around laughing and saying “Redskins yea! Dallas boo!” I don’t know who taught him that.

Over the years I’ve watched him grow into a fine young man. He has a beautiful wife and two adorable children. Kenny just turned 2 and Wyatt is just over a month old. It’s hard to believe that little boy now has two boys of his own.

When he joined the Alabama National Guard, we all knew this day would probably come. You hope against hope that it doesn’t, but the longer a war continues, the more people will have to serve.

James is a strong young man with a good head on his shoulders. He will do his country and family proud.

He will be greatly missed throughout this upcoming year. Day after day of not seeing her husband will be tough on Krystle. The boys, especially Kenny, will miss their dad.

The rest of the family will miss him tremendously, too. There will be a void for James’ mom, dad and two brothers who see him daily. His grandmother will spend countless nights worrying and praying for him.

My wife and I will miss him, especially during special events. Living in Dothan, we don’t see the rest of our family every day, but we all seem to find time to get together and have fun. James is the biggest clown of us all. He makes everyone laugh.

The holidays will be tough, but I will miss him most during important Redskins games. He usually comes over when Washington plays Dallas and for playoff games. Those games just won’t be the same this year.

As much as we will miss him, he will be missing his family even more. He’s the one who will be on the other side of the world in a strange land fighting an elusive enemy. While we will have each other to talk to, he will have family pictures to look at and his new National Guard comrades to talk with. Hopefully with e-mail we will be able to communication from time to time, but his main focus will be on the job at hand in Iraq.

Yes, it’s a sad time right now, but a year from now we will be shedding tears of joy as James and his Guard unit return home.

Praying for our troops is nothing new. I’ve prayed almost daily for them since the start of the war. Praying for a specific soldier is what will change now.

James, you know you are in all of our prayers. We’re proud of you and we love you. And remember, if any of your comrades turn out to be Dallas fans, just start singing “Hail to the Redskins.”

Ken Tuck is the managing editor of the Dothan Eagle and regional editor of Media General Alabama Newspapers. He can be reached at or 712-7960.