Half a world away, S'ville family misses Guardsman

Editor's Note: The following italic passages are modified compilations from e-mails sent to The Post and Courier from the Westbergs over the period of June 14 to July 5. They are not displayed chronologically. If you have a question you would like to ask Westberg, please e-mail wnero@postandcourier.com.

For Megan Westberg, 32, wife of National Guardsman Sgt. William "Bill" Westberg, life has been a lot different without her husband home.

Her parents and in-laws pitch in to help her take care of the couple's two children, Christina "C.C.," 4, and Westley "Wes," 2. She gets together with other military wives near her Summerville home to create a sense of family for each other and their children, and she says she's found these friends and the new closeness to her family is one of the most positive things to come out of her husband's absence.

Neither she nor her husband regret his decision to serve, but things are not what they used to be.

Megan: This year the Fourth had a whole new meaning to me. It was a hard day for me watching families enjoy one another and couples curled up on blankets to watch fireworks. I really missed Bill yesterday. He would have loved to see excitement in C.C.'s eyes as she watched the fireworks, but I know he is doing what he is doing so we can keep going with our "normal" lives.

Bill: Ours was filled with work, though our cook made ribs, corn on the cob, potato salad and deviled eggs — a bit of home far from home for us all. I think we missed the kids eating Popsicles, running in (the) sprinkler, the smell of grills cooking, beer and friends with family over. But we all joined up for the military so we can enjoy this.

Westberg, 39, a member of the Alpha company 1-118th out of Georgia, barely made the newly raised age cutoff when he entered training in 2005. Called the "fighting fossil" by his fellow soldiers, Westberg said he knew he had to do more for his country after 9/11. He is now stationed in Afghanistan.

M: He has moved to a small base where he has 1 cook who will only cook 2 meals a day! I asked if it was decent ... he said, "It's food"!

B: The field conditions at my new location are very Spartan. We had sporadic electricity. The generators over heat in the day and we are in "black out" status at night - no lights after dark. The enemy is very active here. We do laundry by hand.

Westberg keeps in touch with his wife and children through e-mail and phone calls, but he also sends packages with photographs, fun cards and even the occasional sample of Kuwaiti sand. Megan Westberg said sometimes it's a few days before she hears from her husband while he's on a mission, but she tries her best not to watch the news, which makes her worry.

M: The kids and I are doing OK, good days and bad, like most people. Wes is huge! He's making sentences, and C.C. is turning into a young lady. Bill will not believe how much they have grown when we get to see him next.

B: Well, it's been crazy here. We lost four men from my operating base the other day — three U.S. soldiers and one Afghan national who was an interpreter. All were great men, some had wives and kids. They got hit by an explosive device and small arms fire. They patrolled an area we all do every day. These men were well thought of and brave. They did their job without complaining that it was hot or the Humvee had no a/c, or they were tired or other things we so often hear from ourselves or fellow workers trying to get a day off. These men had no days off and had to work long hours unless those hours were to sleep. Like all soldiers, these men were true heroes, fighting for our children's freedom and safety. They will be missed but not forgotten. Rest in peace, bros.

Megan Westberg's latest idea to help her husband keep in touch with the children has been to get him to read to them before bed. She sends photocopies of bedtime stories to him, which he reads to a tape recorder and sends back for the children. In turn, she tape records bath time, which she says is when she and the children like to talk about their days.

M: Hope your mission was good this morning. We got home last night and did tubs and TV. Wes was getting out of control so I just put him to bed. He fussed for a while, then I heard a weird noise and could not figure out what it was ... it was him trying to open his door! He climbed out of bed ... little stinker! So not sure what I am going to do. I guess if he does it again I will have to figure out how to make the crib into the toddler bed. Oh boy, let the games begin.

B: The fighting is increased this time of year because the weather is good, for here, and the roads are better to move on. We have been very busy. Improvised explosive device attacks are on the rise followed by small arms fires. The International Security Assistance Force (multi-nation security forces) has been hit hard. I have been in and out of the field a lot with a lot of walking and riding. We have been active getting school supplies to the schools. That fires up the bad guys, too.

Westberg says he hopes to be home in a month or two for his leave. He has been deployed since January.

Take care to all. I'll be home in a while. — Bill