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Srgt Melissa A Jones, Daughter of Melanie, and Lynn Shepherd, Currently deployed to Iraq. Melissa always wanted to join the Military, she started bringing home recruters in Jr High. I had a recruter in my home once a month, from every branch. Both her Grandfathers were in the Army. It is all she ever wanted to do. When she was a Senior in High School she was 17, and wanted to leave for the Summer, Fall sign up, so after a whole school year of debate, I signed the forms so she could be in that rotation, she was 17, and turned 18 in Basic Traning. That was so hard for me, to sign that paper, but she would have never forgiven me, and we knew she was going to do it in a couple months anyway. This was 1999. Right after Basic she came home for a short while and left for Bosina, she was their for 2 years. She flew home on 9-11 and flew over the towers 30 minutes before the crashes. I was so scared she was on one of those planes, She called home around noon beacuse the base was on lockdown when she landed and, couldnt call out. Just a few weeks after that she was deployed to Gitmo, again for 2 years. From their she has been all over the country and world. She has not been home for Christmas since 1999. She has given up so much for her country, and has not thought twice about it. But this time is so different, she left behind her 2 small babies, Hannah who just turned 6 without her Momma, and Slade who is 4. They dont understand, and cry for her, and this is the longest she has ever been away from them. I want my baby girl home for Christmas not for me, but for her Babies, My heart breaks for my Daughter , and my Grandbabies. I know how my Daughter feels, being away from her babies. She will forever be my Baby Girl, no mater what her rank. My Daughter is my Heroe, and my Daughter, and my son are my life. I want my family whole for Christmas. I want my baby girl to hold her babies Christmas morning.