Rogers stays strong while son serves in Iraq
Staff reporter
It was a Memorial Day weekend Mary Rogers of Marion won't soon forget.
Mary was celebrating the sort of homecoming every military mom wants to celebrate.
After nearly nine months in Iraq, her son returned home. Safe and sound.
Specialist Kyle Derousseau of the Kansas National Guard was deployed in August 2007 on a mission for which he volunteered.
Most Marion residents probably don't know Kyle because he didn't grow up in this area, but many know Mary as a home day-care provider.
A small banner hangs in her window that denotes she has a child in the active military. When a soldier dies, the banner is replaced with a banner with a gold star to denote the casualty.
"Since he volunteered, he was able to choose what his job would be," Mary said.
Kyle's job was as a military policeman to help guard a prison of 2,000 insurgents.
"At least he wasn't directly in the line of fire," Mary said.
So, what's it like being a military mom?
"I worry a lot. The worst part was he couldn't tell me where exactly he was going and what he was doing."
Mary is like any other parent who wants to protect her child and keep him out of harm's way. But after all, he is 24 years old and made the decision to join the U.S. Army right out of high school.
Kyle graduated in 2002 from Hoxie High School. He served four years as a cavalry scout for the U.S. Army and spent a year deployed in Korea.
He decided to continue his service and signed on with the Kansas National Guard out of Manhattan. This particular mission was with a unit from Leavenworth.
While in Iraq, Kyle was able to communicate with his mother through e-mail and called her two or three times a month.
"I heard that it's easier for families during this war because there is more communication," Mary said, adding she and Kyle "chatted" a lot through the Internet.
Mary came from somewhat of a military family. Her mother was a member of the Women's Army Corps. (WAC) during World War II and her younger brother retired from the U.S. Air Force.
While Kyle was deployed Mary tried not to watch the news coverage of the war.
"I can't watch war movies," she said.
The war did strike close to Kyle. His best friend was wounded in Iraq and another friend from basic training was killed. Those realities were constantly in Mary's mind.
"I'm in support of the war but it's time for us to get out," Mary said. She noted the lack of respect for human life some insurgents have, particularly for Americans.
"We needed to do this. We couldn't ignore what had happened (Sept. 11, 2001). It would have been the wrong thing to do but we've lost too many now. It's time to bring them home."
A homecoming was held Friday at Topeka. Mary and her family had been waiting a long time for this reunion. Kyle knew in February that he probably would be home for Memorial Day. The plane carrying the soldiers arrived May 18 in Maine the first and last stop for troops heading overseas, and Texas the following day.
"My son said the first thing he and the others did when they arrived in Maine was looked at the blue sky and green grass. They were getting a little tired of sand," Mary said.
They were to take a 14-hour bus ride to Topeka but were surprised when the Kansas Air National Guard arrived and flew the troops home in a 90-minute ride.
Friday finally arrived and it was time for Mary and her family to attended the homecoming ceremony at Topeka.
"There were short speeches by dignitaries but they all knew that we weren't there to hear them," Mary said with a smile.
Finally, the pomp was over and the families were reunited with their soldiers.
"Kyle looked wonderful. He had lost a lot of weight," Mary said. "He really slimmed down and toned up."
The mother and other families were relieved to see that Fred Phelps did not picket the homecoming and there were plenty of area American Legion Riders there to assure a proper welcome.
After spending the day together Mary returned to Marion and Kyle returned to Manhattan. Mary said he needed a few days to decompress around his guard buddies and become re-acclimated to civilian life but soon he will be in Marion to visit his mother and half-sisters.
Kyle plans to attend Cloud County Community College in the fall and is interested in a wind energy program offered at the two-year school.
"I felt lucky that Kyle wasn't in the actual war zone but I didn't realize how worried I was until he called and said he was home," Mary said.
And just like any mom does, she supports her son and his decisions, and knows that sometime during the next four years he will be deployed again.
"I'll be ready," Mary said.
