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 Crouch |
A mother's worst nightmare with a child serving in Iraq is a call in the middle of the night.
For Diana Crouch of rural Marshall, the call came at 4 a.m. on Monday, July 21, when her son, Daniel, 26, told her that his convoy was attacked.
The news for Diana Crouch was more good than bad, when he assured her he was all right. However, a gunner in the last car of the convoy was injured from a grenade, apparently thrown by insurgents.
"I'm very sketchy on details. If he gives too much information, they disconnect us," said Crouch, who added the call came "with a lot of emotion."
She said her son's military police squad and two other squads who always travel together were doing "routine checks" when they were hit. She has learned the injured soldier, "Oliver," suffered broken ribs and teeth, along with lacerations and cuts, but no internal injuries.
"I don't know if Oliver is a first or last name -- I just asked for a name to pray for," she said. In a recent e-mail Crouch said she learned the soldier, Avery Oliver, is doing well and should make a full recovery.
"He said to tell everybody that he and his troops appreciate the prayers," she added.
Her son joined the United States Army in 2000, just a few weeks after graduating from Marshall High School.
He is now a staff sergeant and squad leader in the 212th military police company unit stationed near Kirkuk, Iraq, where they are training Iraqi police forces.
This is his first tour in Iraq, although he has "been in the area before" according to his mother.
He has served in Korea, Guantanamo Bay and has been stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, since October 2006. His wife, Becca (Schmitt) and 3-year-old son, Logan, are still living in Germany. He has been in Iraq since April, and is expected to serve for 15-18 months there.
Crouch said her son has told her that the Iraqis they are training appreciate their help and are very cooperative.
"They have been very helpful and grateful they are receiving the kind of training they are," she said. "They are building a good relationship."
Crouch said her son also said, "We are making a difference here whether the people back home believe it or not."
However, the insurgents are doing everything they can to discredit the American soldiers and to scare the Iraqis from receiving training and help, she said.
In fact, during the recent incident after the grenade hit, "someone sprayed gunfire out in the crowd to make it look like the Americans were firing on them," she said.
Crouch has told his mother, "Basically mom, we are fighting evil."
"These people (insurgents) are willing to kill their own people to scare them back into not accepting help from Americans," said Mrs. Crouch. "They don't want them to get their freedom."
"We, as Americans have never lived anything like this," she added.
An email she received from her son since the initial call, started with, "Mom we need your prayers more than ever."
His e-mail went on to describe their recent duties, "cleaning up" after a suicide-bombing incident in which several Iraqi's, but no Americans, were killed.
The "clean-up" includes trying to identify bodies and provide help for the wounded," she said, adding her son has said the children are the hardest.
Crouch recently cared for a 17-year-old Iraqi boy, whose parents and two siblings were killed in the bombing.
"We have young soldiers putting children and families in body bags," she said, breaking with emotion. "I can't imagine doing what these kids are expected to do."
However, she said, if you would ask any of the soldiers, they would tell you they are doing what they believe is right.
"I am very proud of my son and very proud of the soldiers over there," Mrs. Crouch said.
"How these young men (and women) do this is nothing short of miracle."
As local friends and family have heard of the incident, she said many have called to tell her they are praying for her family and son's family.
"I tell them that is the best thing you can do right now," she said. "The strength of the Lord is what's getting me through this."
Contact Marcia Gorrell at
Dan,
As your sister and army wife, I am proud of what you, Grant, Clark, and all the soldiers are doing. Having been through 2 Iraq deployments, and countless others with Grant, I know what Becca is going through. I pray for you, Becca, and Logan every night! I wish you weren't over there and that Grant wasn't going back in a few months, but that is your job and you both are my heros! Without people like you, we wouldn't have the freedom a lot of people take forgranted! I miss you guys. Courtney saw your picture and goes "Mommy, that's Uncle Dan. I love Uncle Dan!" Brought a tear to my eye! Keep up the good work you all are doing! Stay safe!
Send my love to Becca and Logan as well! I'm here is she needs an ear to talk to or a shoulder to cry on! I understand what she's going through!!
Love always,
your favorite older sis, Jamie (Grant, Austin, Ethan, and Courtney send their love too!)
Danny,
I pray for you and every other man and woman over there. Im very proud of you. I hope you make it home safe and so do the other people. I was glad to hear that the people over there you are training are thankful for what we are doing for them.. after enough they wont be scared by change..
other than i miss you and i am praying for you.. this page has had a bit of drama on it but thats is because some people out there think they know everything and want to teach it to the wrong people.. a civilian is not going to know every rule the military has on writting an add and they need to understand that.. so stop fighting about this articule !! this man has a entire town that cares deeply and are praying that he can come home to it again someday..
Danny,
I pray for you and every other man and woman over there. Im very proud of you. I hope you make it home safe and so do the other people. I was glad to hear that the people over there you are training are thankful for what we are doing for them.. after enough they wont be scared by change..
other than i miss you and i am praying for you.. this page has had a bit of drama on it but thats is because some people out there think they know everything and want to teach it to the wrong people.. a civilian is not going to know every rule the military has on writting an add and they need to understand that.. so stop fighting about this articule !! this man has a entire town that cares deeply and are praying that he can come home to it again someday..
We pray for you EVERYDAY since you left!! We pray that you stay safe Danny, and we pray that Becca can hold it all together. We pray that Logan sweet as he is, doesn't give momma too much greif, and we pray that you all come home SAFE!
We are proud of my brother-in-law for all that he does, I am proud of my sister for who she has become. We love you & we miss you!
UNCLE Danny has always been a hero! ;)
Love,
Joanna, Mike, Sunny, Chris & Bug
Danny,
We are so very proud of you! Not only do we appreciate your service but we also appreciate the service and sacrifice of your family while you're away. You are on our minds and in our prayers. We know that very soon your brother-in-laws who are also serving our country, will be there as well. Please be safe.
Love,
Donna and David
If you weren't trying to start a debate or upset anyone then "NICE OPSEC!!!" isn't the comment that should have been made.
I only mentioned the rank to verify that you were in the army, no other branch has the rank of SPC. What does 2001 have to do with it? Are you saying that you are no longer a SPC?
To Mrs Crouch,SSG.Crouch the comments were not made to start an debate or an problem. I too was in the box and I have nothing but respect for the family and all my prays go out to all troops over there. I was stating an fact about someone's name being put in the story that just didn't need to be released to help or hurt the story. Again all my prays go out to you and the family. Maybe next time let us hear about him making it home to family and friends safe and sound, AN GOOD MISSION IS WHEN NOTHING HAPPENS. About the Spc thing it's also says 2001.
To my fellow soldier, I agree with your statement about the name being released, while it may not be a violation, it's not a good idea as the family of the soldier may get upset. Corrections to the story have been submitted. I also agree that more good news is needed, but this story isn't all bad. There are good parts to it. We are building a good relationship with the Iraqi Police and people in the city. The IP Chiefs and IP that I work with everyday have expressed their thanks for what were are doing for them. They are great people here, but just like everywhere else, there are bad ones that ruin everything for all.
There are a lot of good things happening here, in the future, I hope more will be reported. I have plenty to report. I ask that you don't attack my wife in the comments. It's not something I respond well too. If you feel the need to reply, address myself. I am on a FOB as we speak, so the answer is yes. I am a SSG in the United States Army, I have the best MP Squad this Army has to offer, no discrediting needed. If you'd like, when I get back, we can talk face to face about this and get everything straightened out.
To respond to your latest comment you can call me Mrs. not "SIR" and don't expect to make such comments in such a tone (all caps) as you did and not bring attention to it or upset someone by it. It's different when you want to share positive comments such as the one other readers have shared but when it's something that you know without a doubt could upset someone then don't bother sharing it.
Also as far as the soldiers name being released, no names would be released until it's cleared to do so by the chain of command, as I said previously all of this information has already been released by the chain of command. Also it wouldn't have been released by my husband without the permission of the soldier himself. In no way does releasing the soldiers name after the fact and after it's cleared to do so violate OPSEC.
Regardless if you're a NCO or not (SPC if your name is accurate) your comment wasn't necessary and there wasn't anything positive about it. As a fellow soldier you should be one of the first supporting your fellow troops shouldn't you be?
On the topic of wanting to read "good" and not bad... it's a war! I really don't know if much more is needed to say on my behalf but I know that this story is more good than bad and I've read other articles that were about much worse. What would the point be in sugar coating what's really happening over there? How are we as Americans able to support our troops to the fullest if we can't understand completely what they are going through for our freedoms?
The last thing I have to say is about your comment "...save the tales for the campfire!!!" The word tale generally refers to a falsehood or lie and in this case I don't believe that calling this a tale is exactly you're best choice of words.
Instead of being negative about this be supportive such as other readers have done, even more so on your part if you are a fellow soldier as you say. And as a fellow soldier, assuming you're a SPC like your screen name says which is an army rank, you should know that "HOORAH" is a marine battle cry (or correctly spelled as Oorah) and Hooah is the correct Army battle cry. It is not something that the two branch members generally get mixed up with each other but you should know that shouldn't you?
Mr Crouch have you served in an forward operations base. Thank you to all MY brothers and sisters in arms.
PEACE IS GOOD BUT FREEDOM IS BETTER!!!!
First things first the comment is toward the other troop's name being released, second I am an solider,an NCO just like the one in the story so you ask yourself if you would want your name in this story no one wants an IED ATTACK to be put in the town paper. You need to calm down and understand that more good news is what we want to hear and save the tales for the campfire!!!! HOORAH!!! SIR
First of all the comment about OPSEC isn't necessary since the things discussed in this article are things that have already happened in the past and not things that are GOING to happen. They're also things that have been made public by their chain of command and yes I would know. So if you're going to be rude and make comments as such take them elsewhere and stick to making ones that have a basis of fact.
NICE OPSEC!!!
America can be so very proud of those serving in the armed forces. I pray for their safe return, and we need to always be proud of our country, and never be ashamed to wear our flag, may God bless our troops and bless the United States of America.
Dan, I'm praying for you. Your entire family is family to me too. I miss you. Stay safe.--Meggen
Bub- I can do nothing for you here, except pray for you and hope you are okay. You have always been a hero to me. Take care of yourself over there and take care of everyone else too. Stay safe. Love you.-B
Bub- There is nothing I can do from here, except pray for you and hope you are okay. You have always been my hero. Take care of yourself and everyone around you. Love you. -B
Danny... Logan and I miss you and are so proud of what you are doing. He may not understand it right now but he will understand some day that his daddy is a hero. Stay safe and take care of each other over there.
Love Logan and Becca
I hope everyone will remember to keep all of our troops in your prayers on a daily basis. Praying is the best gift we can give these wonderful men and women who serve our country and make huge sacrifices for us each and every day. I know people who do not have a member of their family in the military do not realize what our troops go through and even though many of their experiences are horrifying, they would do it again in a heartbeat. Our troops are doing good in Iraq even though the media doesn't always present that to the public. Pulling our troops out now would be wrong and I would be willing to bet that anyone in the military would say the same thing. Even if you do not support the war itself, support our troops. Give our troops the respect and gratitude that they deserve. After all, without our troops, we, as Americans, would not have the freedom that we enjoy today. God bless each and every one of these brave men and women!
I have a new hero. Words can not express the gratitude I feel for the men and women that risk it all to help strangers in a strange land. Daniel Crouch you are my hero.
As I read this I wept. We take for granted the freedom that these men and women put their lives on the line for. Thanks to this man and many others like him I will try and remember how lucky and blessed I am. God Bless you Mr. Crouch and all you serve with.