VALLEY FAMILY'S SLEEPING WELL AGAIN, KNOWING SON IS HOME SAFE FROM IRAQ.Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
`Captain Darrell Stepter is home after 16 months in Iraq,'' the e-mail from a proud father began. ``Darrell was born and raised in the Valley. He is a graduate from Van Nuys High Magnet program. He graduated from West Point in 2003 at the age of 21. ``He is an officer with the 172nd Stryker Brigade that got extended to go into Baghdad in August 2006. During his tour he was awarded the Bronze Star Bronze Star n. A U.S. military decoration awarded either for heroism or for meritorious achievement in ground combat. Noun 1. . ``I am his father.'' His proud father. Louis Stepter. There is no worse time for the parents of sons and daughters serving in the military than during the long months when their children are in harm's way harm's way n. A risky position; danger: a place for the children that is out of harm's way; ships that sail into harm's way. during war. There is no better time than when they come home. Army Capt. Darrell Stepter, Class of '99 at Van Nuys High School Van Nuys High School (VNHS) established in 1914, is a high school in the Van Nuys area of Los Angeles, California, belonging to the Los Angeles Unified School District: District 2. , came home safely last month. And for the first time in 16 months, the Stepters are sleeping through the night again. For the first time in 16 months, they don't say a little prayer to themselves every time the telephone rings or someone knocks on the door. ``We're not living on pins and needles pins and needles pl.n. A tingling sensation felt in a part of the body numbed from lack of circulation. Idiom: on pins and needles In a state of tense anticipation. anymore,'' is how Mary, a public school teacher, put it Tuesday. ``I know there are so many other parents going through what we went through, and I want them to know our prayers are with them. ``When your baby's in harm's way, you're worrying about him every second of every day.'' Darrell smiled and hugged his mother. He understood what she was saying. The all-city football linebacker at Van Nuys High may have gotten his toughness from his father and older brother, also named Louis -- both former soldiers -- but he got his compassion from his mother. As a platoon leader A platoon leader or platoon commander is the officer in command of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer — a second or first lieutenant, or an equivalent rank. He is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant. with 20 soldiers serving under him in Iraq, he spent just about every night when he was not on patrol writing e-mails to mothers he had never met. In his mind, he said, he always pictured his own mother when he wrote those e-mails home. ``I often thought it was tougher on our parents and loved ones loved ones npl → seres mpl queridos loved ones npl → proches mpl et amis chers loved ones love npl at home than it was on us,'' Stepter said. ``If I was late writing to those mothers, I knew they'd be wondering why because my own mom and dad would wonder why. I didn't want any of them thinking something was wrong.'' So after eight-hour patrols with his platoon, and another two or three hours in debriefing de·brief·ing n. 1. The act or process of debriefing or of being debriefed. 2. The information imparted during the process of being debriefed. Noun 1. , a dead-tired Capt. Stepter wouldn't close his eyes and sleep until 20 mothers got an e-mail saying everything was all right with their children. He knew from his own mom that they would be worrying about their babies. ``On Christmas Eve (2005), we were ready to go out on patrol when I remembered I hadn't called my mother wishing her a Merry Christmas,'' Darrell said. ``It was 4a.m. in Iraq -- 4p.m. here -- so I told my platoon to wait a second, I had to make a call. Not for me, for my mom and dad. ``I sprinted to the phone, knowing if I didn't call on Christmas they'd be worried sick wondering why. I could hear the relief in my mom's voice the second she picked up the phone.'' Darrell didn't talk specifics about his extended 16-month tour in Iraq, but his dad knew the score. He served in Vietnam. He knew the Army didn't hand out Bronze Stars for Meritorious mer·i·to·ri·ous adj. Deserving reward or praise; having merit. [Middle English, from Latin merit Service unless a soldier had distinguished himself and been through some pretty tough times. ``I knew Darrell had suffered a concussion concussion Period of nervous-function impairment that results from relatively mild brain injury, often with no bleeding in the cerebral cortex. It causes brief unconsciousness, followed by mental confusion and physical difficulties. from a roadside bomb, but he didn't talk to us about it, and we didn't pry,'' his dad said Wednesday morning. Their son had just left the family's Reseda home after a monthlong visit to see Lake Tahoe with some high school friends before returning later this month to his home base in Anchorage, Alaska. ``We didn't need to know too much about Iraq,'' Louis said. ``Our son's home again. That's the important thing.'' And the parents of Army Capt. Darrell Stepter are sleeping through the night again. dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3749 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- 2) Capt. Darrell Stepter, above, mingles Mingles are a type of mint chocolates made by Bendicks and sold in the UK. Varieties There are 5 different varieties of Mingles, which are packaged together in one box:
Michael Owen
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