In Iraq for the Holidays
Lynn Vasquez-Dela Cerna’s son, two daughters, stepson and son-in-law are either in, just back from or going to Iraq. Her Christmas prayer:
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WITH KIDS IN IRAQ, LYNN VASQUEZ DELA CERNA COLLECTS RUBBER SLIPPERS FOR THE NEEDY
This Christmas Day, 52-year-old Lynn Vasquez-Dela Cerna of Kalihi can be expected to offer up her usual prayer: “God, just send my babies home to me.”
Her “babies” are all in Iraq or going to Iraq or just back from Iraq. A son, two daughters, a stepson and a son-in-law.
Most of us haven’t been asked to make any sacrifices for this almost-six-year-old war. Then we have the the Hawaii National Guard, the 25th Infantry Division and the Kaneohe Marine 3rd Expeditionary Regiment and 1st Radio Battalion. And the spouses, moms and dads of all who went and those who died or came home shattered.
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“Aunty Lynn” is giving most of her family. She really should be on the cover of a national news magazine.
Her son is Stryker Brigade Staff Sgt. Conrad Vasquez. He’s on his second tour in Iraq from Schofield Barracks. He was wounded by shrapnel on his first tour, and also did one tour in Afghanistan. Conrad went into the Army right out of McKinley High School.
One daughter, Christy Avilla, is going to Iraq next month with the Hawaii Air National Guard security police from Hickam Air Force Base. She’s a Honolulu police officer.
Daughter Ligaya did 15 months with Army military intelligence in Iraq. Got her picture taken with Gov. Linda Lingle. She was there the same time as her brother Conrad.
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Ligaya’s husband, Justin Hartman, has been in Iraq since October. He’s an Army sergeant who remotely flies those drones that film and attack. Calls himself a “space pilot.”
Ligaya e-mails: “Justin and I both served with the 1st Armored Division based out of Germany in 2003-2004. We both were deployed throughout Baghdad for 15 months. He was a ground surveillance systems operator, and I worked in Division Headquarters. Justin is based out of Schofield Barracks with the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. He re-classed in 2005 to get a new specialty as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operator/pilot. We arrived in Hawaii in 2006, and he deployed that summer less than a week after our daughter Kiana was born. He returned when she was 15 months old.
“He deployed to Iraq for his third time this past fall and is on orders for a full year. He just re-enlisted this past week for another four years in the military.”
Then there’s Lynn’s stepson Justin Dela Cerna with the Hawaii Army National Guard. He goes to Kuwait and Iraq next month as an infantryman.
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