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Single-Mom Tells Rotary How Love For Children and Country Go Together!

A career military single-mom shared her story Tuesday (12/9/08) with the Murfreesboro Rotary Club. U.S. Army Lieutenant Karen Neely grew-up here, is an Oakland grad, and while at MTSU heard about what sounded like a fun summer camp at Fort Knox. As she told her story, there were outbreaks of laughter as she said, “The thought of rock climbing and shooting targets with an AK-47 sounded like an adventure…plus, they paid me to attend the 6-week summer camp.” She told of packing clothes for the proper length of time, putting on a sundress and high heals and loaded all that baggage onto the Greyhound with a Kentucky destination. Once off the bus the drill sergeant didn’t seem to understand her clothing. Nor did he allow the male cadets to help carry the luggage. After a day, she reportedly told the one in charge of her barrack, “A mistake has been made. This is not what I thought it would be, and I need to go home.” That person listened attentively, and replied, “Tell you what I’ll do…try it for a week, and if you don’t enjoy it–I’ll help you.” The rest was history. She completed camp tops in her group. After 10-years, she decided to go career military. (special thanks to Rotarian Helene Colvin for the photograph)

Life Overview

She told the Murfreesboro Rotary Club that her husband’s career enabled her to be a stay-at-home mom when her children were younger. As they got older, she again became involved in the Army Reserves and was a weekend warrior. Karen explained that her world closed-in when her marriage of 19-years ended with divorce. At that time, she was teaching part-time at Middle Tennessee Christian School. “It felt like my world was falling apart. It seemed to appropriate when I got orders of deployment to the Middle East.” Lieutenant Neely said friends at the Christian School came together and helped me through the year.

How Was It In Iraq?

Karen told the local Rotarians, “I missed my children, but realized that it was my obligation to serve our country.  After all, others had been in the Middle East two or three times.” It was 130-degrees as she landed in Iraq. “It never got great in the desert.”

She then asked anyone who had served in the military to stand. A diverse group stood, representing everything from Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. She applauded them saying, “You had the hard jobs. I was able to talk to my children on a regular basis, and even see them using my laptop and the internet. We communicated almost daily” While there, Karen Neely earned a Bronze Star for coordinating and putting into practice a new way to coordinate the job of tracking soldiers and the Army’s human resource programs.

Should Women Serve In Combat?

One Rotarian asked whether she felt women should do combat duty? Neely replied, “Things are different; there’s no front line these days. You are fired upon everywhere.” She recounted a story of flying into an area of Iraq, when the large airplane in which she was riding came under fire. “I was with the pilot, and he suddenly went into combat mode. It was really scary, but then you are often a target in this war.”

If it’s a military mother, should you be able to opt out of war duty?

Questions came quickly from the Murfreesboro Rotary members with one asking whether or not a mother should be able to turn-down a request for war duty? Karen looked immediately at the person and quickly replied, “No–definitely not! You know what’s expected of you when you sign-up. You’re here to serve your country.”

She said that her children grew-up too over the past year. A few months ago she was back on Tennessee soil. As she deplaned, she noticed how much her children matured. “I may have babied them before, they learned to do for themselves.” Julie Ann is 17, Dan is 15 and Jonathan is 11. “They also have a strong patriotic love for our country.” Now Lieutenant Colonel Karen Neely has returned to teaching math and coaching the cross-country team at Middle Tennessee Christian School…and of course, being an on-premises mom and a weekend warrior.

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