Wish you were here

Serving with the United Nations can be a challenging and lonely business. However, serving with such a robust mission as MINURCAT in Chad is tough going.Chad is one of the poorest countries in Africa that was plunged into darkness and chaos through war and conflict. It is locked in between countries and is isolated in the extreme.MINURCAT is a chapter 7 peace enforcement mission providing a safe and secure environment for the people of Chad and refugees from the Sudan."Home" for the 100 Irish Infantry Battalion is a camp on the outskirts of Goz Beida. The village was built for 6000 people, which now has 26,000 people, including a camp for those who have lost their homes in other areas.The people of Chad and the Sudan have been killed, harassed and robbed by looting rebels and bandits.The arrival of the UN and the Irish battalion has all but stopped such killings and harassment in the Irish area of operations.This is a direct result of the Irish displaying the UN presence in a professional and confident manner. Such confidence and caution comes only from experience and expertise gained in overseas missions in much other war torn countries over the past 51 years.Add to this background of conflict is a harsh climate where you can bake in heat of 57 degrees, and then have a sand and thunder storm the like you will never have seen before, and finish it with a monsoon rain down pour that turns the dust to sticky mud that is like glue. Snakes, spiders and scorpions are also local challenges, although not all are poisonous.And before you even get to a mission area like Chad, you have to go through the hardest part of all, saying goodbye to your family.Missed births, birthdays, anniversaries and family weddings are part of the unseen challenges and sacrifices made by soldiers and their families during an overseas mission in the service of peace.One such example of this is the family wedding of the McNamee family in Mullingar this week.The McNamee family have a long tradition of military service in the Defence Forces and overseas service through uncles, brothers, fathers and sons going back to the history of the state.At present Gnr Joe McNamee and his son Corporal Ollie McNamee are both serving at home in Columb Barracks Mullingar, while Joe's other two sons are serving with the 100 Inf Bn in Chad. Cpl Stephen McNamee and his brother Gnr Alan McNamee will not be with their family when the wedding of big brother Joe Jnr to Caroline Mc Loughlin takes place in the chapel of St Barbara in Columb Barracks on July 24. It is all the more important to the family as this is Alan's first trip overseas with the UN. Another dimension to this is the fact this week is also Joe Jnr's birthday and that of Alan who will celebrate his birthday on patrol the next day.As a military family, father Joe and his wife Treasa know the dangers and challenges faced by those serving overseas, and this is always a key factor to family events.As perpetrations for the wedding move forward with a lot of excitement and happiness, there are always in the back of the McNamees' minds sadness for those who can not be with them on this special family day.For while the family wedding takes place in Mullingar, Cpl Stephen McNamee and his brother Gnr Alan McNamee will be standing post, guarding vulnerable people whose lives depend on soldiers like those from the McNamee family. And while the people of Chad will never know what such an Irish family sacrifice for them, it's enough for a military family like the McNamees to know they are making a difference by providing a safe and secure environment for a venerable people who are only getting used to living in peace.