And, there I was…. within a year of my husband taking command of an 1100 Soldier combat arms unit, he was deployed. In my role as the senior spouse, I worked with our rear-detachment to host four unit-wide events that year – the first being a Halloween Trunk or Treat.  I met with all six company-level family readiness group (FRG) leaders, explained my concept, and asked my village for their support. 

They all wanted to be involved! 

With most of my husband’s vehicles deployed to Iraq, the unit motor pool was a natural choice for our Trunk and Treat location, although it was on a busy road at Fort Hood.  I told the FRG leaders to let everyone know that the motor pool gates would be closed after the start of the event, to guarantee the safety of all the kids attending the event. 

Soon after our initial planning meeting, one of the other senior spouses in the Brigade Combat Team called. 

“Laura, I know you have already planned a Trunk or Treat.  Would you let my unit join yours? We would be happy to provide whatever you need.”

My answer was a resounding yes! I asked them to provide a game and a cake. They were happy to do it.  

When the big day arrived, our FRG leaders were a well-oiled machine.

The soldiers on Rear detachment (“Rear D”) directed cars and people, cars were parked nose to nose, trunks were filled with decorations and candy, and the games were set up. The kids were ecstatic. My four kids, ages 14, 12, 10, and 2, were happily wandering the motor pool playing games and collecting candy.

All was well.  

As the event was winding down, soldiers opened the gates of the motor-pool and safely directed traffic out of the area.  A few FRG leaders and my fellow senior spouse stayed behind to help with clean up.  

As we were getting ready to leave, a mom dressed as an Angel, walked up to the small group of us remaining and handed our kids candy telling us that she had gone to the wrong event. 

Then she handed me a little package and said, “This is a little something for you.” I thanked her and put it in the back with the rest of the candy.  

Almost immediately, my phone rang.

It was two of my FRG leaders who had arrived late and now were parked outside of the motor pool.  Their kids were upset that they didn’t get any candy.  As I was driving out, I stopped at their car and dumped all the leftover candy into their trunk.

I was proud of all our teamwork.  The event had gone off without a hitch! 

UNTIL….

The next morning when my phone rang. It was one of the late FRG leaders. The conversation went like this:

” Hi, Laura, have you looked at your candy?” 

“No, I gave it all to you. Why?” (All I could think was that someone got food poisoning.)

“Well, there is a little mesh drawstring pouch in the collection of candy. Inside it is a piece of chocolate,  a pumpkin poem, and a business card with the name and number of a “party” consultant, offering 10 % off your next ‘Party’ purchase.”

I said, ”Ooookay.” (trying to absorb that information), but then she tells me that the information she just gave me was not the worst part.

Not the Worst part?

She continued by telling me, “When you turn the card over there is a picture of an “intimate position” with a description of how to do it. “

OMG!

I was in disbelief for a moment, but recovered quickly.

I asked for the name and number on the card and immediately called the “Rear D”. I gave him the information and asked him to find out if she was a spouse in our unit.  Then I started calling the folks who were with me in the motor pool when ‘The Angel’ arrived.  

 The Rear D returned my call:  ‘The Angel’ was not in our unit!!!!

 I called the other senior spouse and asked if she had looked at her candy yet. Thankfully, she had not. I explained to her what I learned from my FRG leader.  She was beside herself.

I asked her to call her “Rear D” to find out if ‘The Angel’ was in her unit.  

And, SHE WAS!!!! Laughing, I said,

“Tag! You’re it!”

She called ‘The Angel’ and let her know that Trunk or Treat was not the venue to pass out ‘business cards’. The ‘Angel’ was apologetic and explained that she thought she was clear when she stated, “This is a little something for YOU.”

Alas, all the ‘little somethings’ were caught prior to getting into the wrong hands.

Few things surprise me, but this experience definitely did!  The “TRUE Angels” in this story were my FRG leaders, the soldiers, Rear D, and fellow senior spouse. 

It takes a village…especially during a deployment! 

*To read more about Laura, visit her profile on our Band of Bloggers page and be looking for more insight and humor from her next month. To learn more about what it is to be a Rear Detachment Commander during a deployment, check out this article from Infantry Magazine.