Veteran's mom dedicated to serving families, soldiers

WHEN JOSIE MONAGHAN'S son, Joseph, first came to her two weeks before boot camp and told he had joined the military, she was, to say the least, surprised. He hadn't told her of his decision to join after meeting with a recruiting officer on his high school campus. Rather than worry herself sick, she decided she needed to be proactive and seek some support. That was the beginning of what would become the Antioch Military Families and Friends group.
"I didn't have time to prepare myself to let him go yet," she said. "I had to put on my big mom boots and suck it up for his sake. I encouraged him and accepted his decision."
Joseph received his orders for deployment in February 2003. Distraught, Monaghan went searching for support groups to help her deal with her emotions. She found an organization in Concord called Blue Star Moms. She attended a few meetings, but visiting Concord was hard because of work and her volunteer commitments.
"Through his (Joseph's) courage I was able to stop, take a good look at where I was and where I needed to be. I wanted my son to be as proud of me," she said.
Monaghan read an e-mail अबाउट a film director who was in Antioch to interview mothers of service members who went off to war. She received the e-mail late and didn't think she was in time to be interviewed but decided to reply anyway. In the end, 57 Antioch mothers were interviewed and it wound up that Monaghan was one of three from Antioch chosen to be in the documentary.
"This film started me on this path that I am on now. I met some of the mothers from the film whose children were killed. My heart changed forever. I felt the call, my responsibility or whatever you want to call it, to do whatever I needed to do to honor the memory of these children," she said.
The film was called "My Child — Mothers of War." The group will be showing the movie again at 3 p.m. March 21 at Calvary Chapel Church, 1771 Vineyard Drive, Suite 2 in Antioch. Admission will be free.
After the she finished interviewing for the documentary, Monaghan planned and held the first Antioch Freedom Walk, during which 13 members of the community walked from her home on G Street to downtown Waldie Plaza on Second Street. On Sept. 11, 2008, the group help its third Freedom Walk with more than 100 people in attendance.
The Antioch Military Families and Friends officially started in 2005 when it participated in the Antioch Fourth of July Parade. At the time Monaghan's son and his squad from his first tour came to her home on leave.
"I told them that they needed to bring their uniform and make sure they had all their parts, because they would be honored by the city; it was a surprise. They found out as we got to the staging area that it was actually the parade. You should have seen the smiles on their faces. They were all like little kids grinning in awe," she said. "The crowd came to their feet and cheered and clapped so loud. My husband drove and I was in front with him. What a moment to last a lifetime. I want them to have these types of memories for the rest of their lives."
Monaghan said this was the start of the Antioch Military Families and Friend's journey. Since then, the members have been invited to attend and participate in several events. Along with participating in these events, the group's main goal is to support, encourage and honor the troops, service members, wounded warriors, veterans and especially "our hometown heroes," all year long until they all come home. To this effort the group has been putting together care packages to send to the troops. Most recently they prepared Valentine's Day packages. Monaghan said they don't need a holiday or special occasion to send packages. Once a month they get together and send packages overseas.
Aside from showing the movie in March, the group will also host a Spring Boutique fundraiser in May and a community care package drive on Armed Forces Day for local resident Ron Jett and his drive to honor his father's service in Vietnam. They will also be working on ceremonies for Memorial Day and Flag Day.
Monaghan's son, Joseph, served his tour of duty and is now home, but Monaghan isn't stopping her service to the military families. "Yes, our son is home and well, and for this I am and will be forever grateful," she said. "I think of all of these many, many mothers across the world who mourn the loss of their child, in many cases it was their only child. I will never forget, everything I do is for them and for those who have fought in battle and who have made it back, for those who are not whole, be it body, mind or spirit," she said.
Monaghan said that donations are always welcome. The group hosts an ongoing care package drive at East County Insurance on Tregallas Road, behind the Antioch Post Office in the 19th Hole shopping area. Or they can e-mail Monaghan at josiemonaghan@aol.com.