Mom heeds son's call from Iraq
By Caitlyn Kelleher Journal Reporter

Ryan Jones visited Westminster and his parents, Elaine and Kevin, around Christmas, just after receiving his orders for Iraq. Courtesy Photo

Sitting in her living room on State Road West in Westminster, Elaine Jones says is ready to start channeling her nervous energy to directly helping her son and his platoon mates.

Elaine is trying to bring Westminster together to help collect supplies to send to her son, First Lt. Ryan Patrick Jones, who is stationed in Baghdad, Iraq, as a member of an Army engineering unit.

"He won't tell me things that will be upsetting to me," she said. "He knows I worry."

Ryan is stationed with a combat unit in Iraq's capital city. He and his platoon are doing daily sweeps along the roads. Their job is to search for roadside bombs and dismantle them.

At the very beginning of Ryan's deployment he was able to call from the base in Baghdad.

Elaine said he said, "Mom, I know what Hell is like, now. I'm living in it." Elaine says, "I was hearing gunshots and bombs going off when I talked with him."

Ryan was deployed on Feb. 4, 2007, for one year. Ryan is the platoon leader of the First Infantry Fourth Brigade.

Elaine Jones talks about her son and the collection project at their home on State Road West in Westminster. Journal Photo/Caitlyn Kelleher

Ryan had been stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas before his deployment. Elaine said her emotions changed once he went overseas.

"It kind of changes the way you live your life," she said. "You are almost jealous of the people who have their kids next door."

She said her son has always been very patriotic, and that he loved listening to the stories about her father's service during World War II.

Elaine's father, Andrew Skork of Westminster, was stationed in California training men on equipment.

Her son joined the ROTC program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute as a freshman to help pay for school. During his freshman year, the terrorist attacks occurred on Sept. 11.

"If anything it made him more patriotic," Elaine said.

The politics of the war is something Elaine doesn't want to talk about because she says her focus is on the men who are over there.

First Lt. Ryan Jones (first row third from right) is stationed as the platoon leader in Iraq. Courtesy Photo

"I have my opinions, he has his opinions," she said. "Ryan's a Democrat but he won't let me badmouth the president."

She said one of the hardest things isn't the politics per se but the fact that people don't think about the war that often.

"People have to appreciate that someone's son, father or husband is serving," she said.

Elaine joined the Blue Star Mothers at the suggestion of another Westminster member, Denise MacAloney. When the group met this month they were putting together backpacks for injured soldiers going to the American hospital in Germany.

The Leominster-based veterans groups also send DVDs and CDs overseas, and Ryan has requested that his mother only send things to him after the members of his platoon receive items.

"It gave me the incentive to do this project," she said. "It's a focus. Now I have 20 something guys to worry about instead of just one."

So, now Elaine hopes to fill about 30 boxes of goods to send to Ryan's platoon.

"Hopefully if this project goes well, there will be another one at Christmas," Elaine said.

So far the project is going well, as local organizations and businesses are helping her cause. There are collection boxes at the Westminster VFW Post, the Westminster Senior Center, Village Market and the Westminster Pharmacy.

There is also a collection box at the U.S. Postal Distribution Center in Waltham, where Ryan's father, Kevin, works.

Also getting involved in the effort is Ryan's alumna mater, Montachusett Regional Vocation School. First Sgt. Paul Jornet, USMC retired, was more than willing to have the Junior ROTC program members help out with collections and packing, Elaine said.

Holy Spirit Parish in South Gardner will also hold a collection drive on Sunday, March 18 and 25.

There are collection cans for small items and cash at McNally's, O'Toole's Coffee Shop, Town House Pizza and Depot General Store. Elaine said she is hoping to collect money to buy phone cards, and to fill out the rest of the boxes at the end of the project. The money will also go to help pay for mailing the boxes overseas.

"Phone cards are so important to these men. It's their connection," Elaine said.

To help raise the money there will be a fundraiser at McNally's Restaurant in Westminster on a Thursday in March (the date has not been determined). Elaine said Ryan worked with the restaurant's owner both at his Sargent Street location and at the Westminster Country Club.

"We're going to collect all the boxes the last week of March," she said.

Elaine plans to use the VFW Post on Saturday, March 31, to pack the boxes.

For those interested in donating, needed items are: toiletries in small bottles such as soap, shampoo, mouthwash, deodorant, sun screen; hand sanitizers and bug repellent wipes; small packs of tissues; lip balm; razors and blades; white t-shirts sized medium to x-large; white socks; gum and other hard candies; pens and envelopes; disposable cameras; playing cards; small puzzle/ word game/Suduko books; power/energy bars; small handheld games, and CDs or DVDs.