Twins in Iraq worries Monmouth couple : "February 7, 2005
By CAROL CLARK
of The Register-Mail
MONMOUTH - Jeff and Lari Ferch were overjoyed at the birth of their twins, but nearly 21 years later, their love is tempered with fear and worry as their sons serve with their National Guard Unit in Iraq.
Austin and Aaron Ferch are with the 123rd Field Artillery from Galesburg. The couple's older son Tyler is in the Navy, stationed on the USS Cushing in Yukuska, Japan.
Jeff Ferch, who was in the Navy, is proud all three of his sons are in the military.
'I am real proud of them. I bust at the seams telling people about them,' Jeff said. 'It's just something you worry about every day.'
The Ferches were not surprised when their sons' Guard unit was activated, but they were surprised Charlie Company was divided and the twins would not be together. That bothered the twins more than learning they would go to Iraq. (Charlie Company was split up among two other units.)
Aaron told her at Christmas, 'Mom, I want you to know when I go to Iraq, if anything happens to me, I don't want you to be mad. My commander in chief has asked me to do this job and I am very proud. If my life is taken doing this job, I died for my country doing what I wanted to do.'
'Our sons support the president. They are really proud of what they are doing,' Jeff added.
'The twins are homesick. They are not alone; they all are,' Lari said.
The twins will celebrate their 21st birthday April 6 in Iraq; Tyler will be 22 on April 26.
Lari is not angry her sons are in Iraq, but just having them there keeps her on an emotional roller coaster that dips into moments of bitterness. She says she just wants the boys to come home safe.
Holding back tears, Lari said her sons were raised in a Christian family and now she has to let God take care of them.
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