Captain letter

I wanted to share the letter we got from the captain with all of you.
I was so touched by it- I thought it was important to share ( with a few changes for security reasons ):

Dear Mrs Samantha LaCouture,

I wanted to let you know that your husband Joseph is preparing to deploy to the front lines of the Global War on Terrorism.

You should feel justifiably proud of Joseph. He is a valuable member of a dedicated team of professional submariners whose duties contribute to a variety of missions . Joseph and shipmates will employ our submarines state of art engineering, navigation, communication, fire control and sensor systems to ensure the security of our great nation.

I know deployments can be very hard. I must admit I am already missing my wife and daughter. It is important for you to know that what we will be doing is vital to the security of the United States. We go and do what others cannot. Our combined stealth, strength, endurance and firepower make us a unique platform that no one else can duplicate.

The most difficult thing that I have ever had to do in our military career is spend long periods of time away from my family. Family members never take an oath of office- but their sacrifices are every bit as great as the Sailor's. By the time we return, your Sailor will have sailed thousands of miles and spent weeks on end without contact with anyone other then his shipmates. How is this possible? How can the men keep functioning in this way? The answer is simple - YOU. The family is the single most important driving force keeping us going.

In closing, I wish to formally thank you for your contributions to our ship and our Nation and remind you to drop an e-mail or a letter to your sailor every now and then - it does wonders for morale.

Sincerely

CDR Gene Doyle
Commanding Officer