Momís in the military

Editorís note: This is part of a continuing series of articles about the stories and issues facing our local communities with regard to war and terrorism.
By MaryHelen Swanson
The way some mothers and daughters squabble during the teen years, it might seem like a nifty idea to send mom away for six months, a year.
But itís not so funny when mom is actually thousands of miles away, wearing a military uniform, waiting, along with the entire world, to see if there will be a war.
Soft-spoken, Rush City 10th-grader Savannah Hoffman finds it ìreally hard ... kind of scary ... sadî to have her mother on active duty in the Navy reserves stationed on Bahrain, a small island off the east coast of Saudi Arabia.
On the map, itís a stoneís throw from Iraq.
Hoffmanís mother, Diane Ouradnik, was called to active duty when she was eight months pregnant, so her duty was delayed. But last October, just before the baby, Logan, was a year old, she received her papers.
Ouradnik prepared Hoffman for her absence by showing her where things were, like the Christmas decorations, because she knew Hoffman was going to have to take on some of the mother duties.
Hoffman said actually her stepfather ìdoes most of the mom work.î
Christmas, wasnít like Christmas, Hoffman said. Her mother is the one who usually pulls it all together. Her absence was noted. But they did have a tree.
Hoffman said she thinks about her mom all the time and she worries for her safety.
At home, there are pictures of her mom everywhere, big pictures, which help to keep her motherís image alive for her toddler brother. ìI think heíll remember her,î she said.
Hoffman even has a picture of her mom taped up in her locker at Rush City High School.
She communicates with her mother through e-mail, and occasional phone calls.
The family has a Web site so Ouradnik can see pictures of them and keep track of Loganís growth.
Hoffman said when she and her mother talk itís about family, a lot about Logan, how he is learning to say words and climbing on things.
She said they really canít talk about things military. Their phone conversations would get cut off if they did, she said.
Hoffman feels comfortable talking to her aunt (her motherís sister) and uncle in her momís absence.
Her step-dad, who was in the army, helps her understand some of the military issues.
At school, she feels comfortable talking with a gym teacher, who asks about her mother every day.
She also feels there are others she can talk to about these issues, including a close friend.
Hoffman tries to watch the news each day, also, to keep up with whatís going on in the world.
Sometimes, she said, kids at school talk about how good it would be to send their mom away.
But Hoffman sees things differently now. ìWe (she and her mother) donít fight that much any more,î she said.
ìItís a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be,î
Itís sad.î
While she believes her mother is in a safe place, the possibility that her mother could get out in April, rather than being on active duty the full year, seems to give her some hope and comfort.
ìIt will be a lot better when momís home,î she said.

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