Military Wife Prepares to Send Three Sons, Husband to Afghanistan
Bonnie Hoagland is the proud mother and wife of five soldiers.
Dec. 9, 2009— -- Bonnie Hoagland has a lot to be proud of -- and even more to worry about.
Three of her four sons and her husband will soon deploy to war-torn Afghanistan while her fourth and oldest son recuperates at home from injuries he suffered during his last tour of duty.
"All I can do is stand back and be supportive and let them know that I'm there," Hoagland told ABCNews.com.
The South Carolina family has taken patriotism to a whole new level.
National Guard Staff Sgt. Chris Hoagland, 44, is a 23-year-veteran. He is currently at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin with step-sons and fellow guardsmen Spc. Justin Moss, 23, and Spc. Bradley Moss, 22. The three are expected to deploy to Afghanistan around the first of the year.
They are expecting to be joined in Afghanistan by youngest brother Army Pvt. Clayton Moss, 20, by March. Chris Hoagland, Justin and Bradley will deploy together and work in engineering and patrols. Clayton, who returned home from Iraq about four weeks ago, will be on combat duty.
"It's just a lot of tension, stress, just wondering day to day what's going to happen next," Bonnie Hoagland said.
Clayton, currently stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., told ABCNews.com that he's ready to go. "We need to go over there and accomplish what we started," he said.
Clayton said he understands troops are needed in Afghanistan, but questioned the efforts in Iraq.
"I'm ready for Afghanistan. I don't see the need of going to Iraq right now," he said. "I didn't see the need of going into Iraq to begin with."
All off Bonnie Hoagland's boys except for Bradley have deployed previously. Her eldest, National Guard Spc. Chad Moss, 24, was due to have deployed again, but was released from this tour of duty as he continues his recovery from injuries sustained from three separate RPG hits on his vehicle in 2006 while in Afghanistan.
Chad was first hit by an RPG that careened into the turret he was manning, but did not explode. Less than a week later, his vehicle was attacked again. The blast blew shrapnel into his body and burned his face. Sent home on leave to recover, Chad was eventually sent back to the same valley, where his vehicle was hit for a third time.
He came home shortly after and still suffers from back problems severe enough to keep him on U.S. soil, at least for now.
"The third time," Bonnie Hoagland said. "I think that was enough."
