A Brother's Words; A Sister's Thoughts by Cindy Campbell

Milestones. You use them as markers to measure success and motivate you to move forward. Chris had many of them on his mission to become a United States Navy SEAL. In order to achieve each one, he had to have a plan which required self-discipline and dedication. I am grateful I had the privilege to witness a few of these moments. Joining the Navy was only the first step. Upon graduation from Basic Training, there was "A" School. This is different for each Sailor and contingent upon their career path in the Navy. As a civilian myself, I consider it similar to choosing a college major. To give you an idea, a few of the programs focus on specialties such as meteorology, communication, culinary, engineering and even music! The reason for my sharing this is to let you know it's a process of steps on the grand adventure to become a US Navy SEAL. It requires investing an incredible amount of time, effort and hard work. It's an intensive commitment that pushed Chris to explor...

I opened a box a few days ago that had been intentionally tucked away. Keeping it in a corner, behind closed doors, gave me a sense of control. Although its contents were out of sight, when I opened the closet door, my heart lurched. I could feel my jaw clench, and I instinctively held my breath. I knew exactly what was in the box, yet the emotions that surfaced always took me back to August 6, 2011. But, it was time - time to revisit some beautiful memories so that I could share them with you.  Everyone's calendar is filled with dates that are meaningful to them... birthdays, holidays and graduations, to name a few. Many of these special moments are shared with those we love. Shortly after Chris turned 22, he joined the United States Navy. The date was Monday, November 25, 1996. I was living in Virginia at the time and decided to drive down to North Carolina that weekend to join my parents and take Chris to the recruiter's office. It was a BIG day! When I left for college, my ...

Greetings Readers,                                                                                                     I hope you are doing well as you walk, march, hike, swim, RUN and even SKYDIVE your way into this new year! I want to start out by saying CONGRATULATIONS to Nels on his successful completion of the Skydive Ultra! What a remarkable challenge and accomplishment. With Denise by his side, I have no doubt the healing and recovery process will be on point.  I have struggled with a new post, certainly not because of ideas - there is a constant stream of those in my brain, which never seems to shut down and goes in many directions. The challenge for me is how much, and what, do I share? As anyone with siblings knows, ...

The World Series has produced a winner! The Atlanta Braves won four out of the six games they played against the Houston Astros. The Braves literally smashed it out of the park on the final game with a score of 7 to 0. I have been to a few live games, and I love the energy that is present and especially the song played at the seventh-inning stretch. Although it's the end of the season for fans, I would imagine for the players and especially those who work at the stadiums, the lights remain on throughout the year. The 2022 season is around the corner though, and Major League Baseball announced earlier this year that Spring Training will begin February 26, 2022. For those who love the game, I am sure they anxiously await this day with great anticipation.   My brother loved baseball! In an essay Chris wrote in 1994, his thesis statement reads, "Baseball is America's game, and I loved it with a passion, wanted to excel, and had a dream of one day playing professionally". ...

On June 24, 1928 twenty-five mothers met in Washington DC. What was the purpose of this meeting? Each of these moms had individual stories of their journey through motherhood, yet it was a united reason that brought them together to make this trip. They were seeking a federal charter from Congress to recognize the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. It took eight, long years but on June 23, 1936, the 74th Congress published a resolution designating the last Sunday of September as Gold Star Mother's Day . In 1944 President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated, "There is nothing adequate which anyone in any place can say to those who are entitled to display the Gold Star in their windows. America lives in freedom because of the sacrifices of America's finest citizens and of the mothers [fathers] who raised them." Today, seventy-seven years after this statement was made, this sentiment remains true. I do not know what it is like to suffer the loss of a child. If you are a Gold Star...

Several years ago my mom and I made a trip to the lovely island of O'ahu, Hawai'i. The visit was bittersweet. We drove to Tripler Army Medical Center, which is a beautiful pink hospital on a hill. We sat down for a bit, and a pair of worn boots was between us. They belonged to a grown man who decades before had been carefully swaddled in this very sacred space. I couldn't imagine what my mom must be feeling, for this was the hospital where she delivered a little bundle of joy as a young, military spouse. Christopher George Campbell made his debut into our great big world on September 16, 1974, and I became a proud big sister.  Siblings are our first playmates, first friends and first "enemies". If you're lucky, things come full circle and you have a friend for life. As adults our relationship changed; subtly it seemed our birth order reversed. Chris was no longer that pesky little boy who was always in my things or a wild teenager who was far more daring than ...

I wasn't planning to post anything until Chris' birthday, but here I am. While I have never been to Afghanistan, I will always be connected to Afghanistan. Seeing what has transpired there over the last two weeks breaks my heart - not that it was or ever could be mended after my brother was killed in Afghanistan August 6, 2011. In addition to my brother's teammates who died that day, seven Afghan allies lost their lives as well. I have often thought of their sisters and brothers, their moms and dads, friends, children and spouses. Our grief unites us though we have never met.  A couple years ago I learned that Chris received an award for helping over 100 Afghan women and children to safety. I worry for them now and have thought of them often since hearing about my brothers heroic actions. I feel angry, sad, confused and hopeless, and I cannot imagine how intense the emotions of our American military and Afghan citizens are during this time.  Judging a situation will never m...