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Bob Wall
Senior Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 1593
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 02:39 am: | 
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This guy was Best Man at my wedding:
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080708/APC0101/80708053 3/1979
Marine in Iraq watches son's birth via video
By Amanda M. Wimmer
Gannett Wisconsin Media
OSHKOSH — Seconds after he was born Monday morning, Scott Malinski greeted his new baby boy from Iraq.
In fact, Malinski saw his new son, Alexander James Malinski, even before his wife, Amy, who had just delivered the baby via a Cesarean section in the operating room at Aurora Medical Center.
"This was perfect," said Scott Malinski, a Marine who, although stationed thousands of miles away, was able to witness his son's birth via video conference from his wife's hospital room.
"It's pretty neat. One of the neatest things out there," he said.
Malinski got the opportunity to be in the delivery room at Aurora through a live video conference with the help of the Freedom Calls Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides military families the opportunity to share special moments at no charge. The video conference was the first in Wisconsin to feature a live birth.
Scott Malinski sat on the other end of the satellite connection in front of an American flag and wearing his fatigues, and his wife spoke to him through a bedside camera both during and after childbirth.
He describes the days waiting for Alexander to be born as "like a little kid waiting for Christmas."
And his wife was excited, too, as she hasn't seen her husband since February when he left for Iraq.
"It was unbelievable that we were able to do this," she said. "It's great he could see his baby for the first time at the same time as me."
The Malinski's doctor, Shawn Laibly, thought the video conference was pretty amazing, as well.
"I think this was unique because of all the emotion that went into it," Laibly said. "I was there with Scott when he found out he had to go (to Iraq), they kept in constant communication and one day she asked if she could make a phone call from the delivery room."
Jill Hanson, Scott's sister, was in the delivery room Monday to support her sister-in-law, she said.
Hanson said mom and baby would likely go home later this week where family will help out with Alexander and the Malinski's 2-year-old son, Max, until Scott arrives home in a few months.
"(Scott) was beaming from ear to ear looking at his new little man once he came out," she said. "It was really, really cool to be a part of it." |
Mike Huss
Senior Member
Username: Mikhu
Post Number: 1932
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 03:16 am: |
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That's some avatar you used there Bob...  |
ScottDeW
Advanced Member
Username: Scott
Post Number: 553
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 05, 2008 - 07:09 pm: |
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Nice story.
At the risk of being labled by some on this board, I'll say, "God bless them."
Please thank your friend for his service. There are still some who consider what he and his family are giving up worth our deepest respect.
Scott
http://texanbrew.com |
Ron Siddall
Advanced Member
Username: El_cid
Post Number: 595
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Friday, September 05, 2008 - 07:27 pm: |
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Ditto what Scott says. |
Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 6904
Registered: 01-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, September 06, 2008 - 04:54 pm: |
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No matter what you think of the war in Iraq, the people who are there fighting it should have our complete respect, admiration, and support. Congrats to your friend, Bob, and best wishes to him and his family. May he come home safely. |
Bob Wall
Senior Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 1663
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 05:42 am: |
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Thanks Denny.
Pollock is a hardcore Marine. He'll be fine. |
Paul Hayslett
Senior Member
Username: Paulhayslett
Post Number: 1768
Registered: 02-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 11:54 am: |
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I hope so, Bob. But say a prayer anyway. My wife is a psychiatrist at a Veterans Admin Med Center and she's treating lots of returnees who are decidedly not "fine". Doesn't matter what branch or pay grade or how hardcore they are. They recently had to bring in a Green Beret they found patrolling his suburban lawn in full battle rattle with a sizeable arsenal in his basement. And no Marine is more hardcore than my cousin, a Lt Col with boatloads of combat experience, but that didn't stop an IED from flipping his humvee on his second tour of Iraq. Pray for all the soldiers over there. |
Bob Wall
Senior Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 1664
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 01:50 pm: |
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"At the risk of being labled by some on this board, I'll say, 'God bless them.' "
ScottDeW, the real shame is you felt it necessary to say that. I am not a very religious guy, I go to church maybe once or twice a year, but I do believe in God and I am a Christian, and I am not ashamed of my beliefs. I am not saying you are ashamed, I'm just saying that you should not dwell on what the nay-sayers will think. Their opinion is theirs. I say be proud and shout it loud.  |
Dan Listermann
Senior Member
Username: Listermann
Post Number: 5790
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 02:18 pm: |
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Relatively speaking, my family has come out of this OK. My youngest cousin, a Marine, only lost the central vision in his left eye. His commander was killed. |
Joe Williams
Member
Username: Joewilliams
Post Number: 128
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 04:45 am: |
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All of your thoughts and prayers are felt and seen every day over here. Keep them coming because we're not done yet.
Politics aside, with any luck there's some weight to last months story about Sec of State Rice's announcement of a tentative plan to withdraw the majority of us by 2012. I know this soldier is worn out from three back to back tours. |
Paul Hayslett
Senior Member
Username: Paulhayslett
Post Number: 1770
Registered: 02-2002
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 05:11 am: |
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Thank you, Joe, for doing what you've done. 3 tours is too many. You guys are heros in every sense. |
Bob Wall
Senior Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 1701
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - 02:11 am: |
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Good News, Scott is coming home today or tomorrow. His wife just sent me an e-mail.
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