Maria Timmerman has learned a lot about patience over the past several years.
Warren ‘Bill? Timmerman, her husband, is a staff sergeant with the 1775th Military Police Company of the Michigan National Guard based in Pontiac. The 27-year veteran is currently serving his third tour of overseas duty at age 54.
Maria Timmerman, a special education paraeducator at Clarkston High School, has gained appreciation for the experience of military families and has added to other people’s understanding as well.
‘The thing most of my peers find interesting is he’s a dad,? she said. ‘You get a lot of ‘we appreciate our kids in Iraq,? but we have a lot of dads over there.?
Bill Timmerman joined the National Guard in 1970 after his father (a World War II) veteran advised him to do so to avoid the Vietnam draft. He went inactive when the couple’s two children were born, but decided to go back to active Guard status in February 1990.
‘He went back active not expecting the takeover in Kuwait to affect the National Guard,? his wife said. ‘These guys expected state duty.?
In December 1990, Timmerman’s unit was ‘federalized? and the family learned about rapid deployment when he was told to report with vital papers to the armory on a Sunday, then was told the next Wednesday to prepare to leave for Saudi Arabia that Friday.
Also unexpected was the suspension of Timmerman’s benefits from General Motors for several months. Eventually they were restored, but it was not an easy time for the family, especially when they learned his unit narrowly missed being part of a Scud attack on Al Khobar.
‘That was our trial by fire,? Maria Timmerman said. ‘That whole first deployment was a shock.?
During that time, the Timmermans were able to communicate regularly by e-mail and even telephone. One irony is that they could learn more from relayed cable news reports than from their own chain of command.
‘They found they could call home, find out where the Scuds were going, and not have to get into chem gear,? she said.
Returning from ‘Operation Desert Storm? in September 1991, Timmerman had a few years at home before being activated in December 1995 for duty in Germany, then Bosnia, replacing regular Army MPs in a variety of duties.
‘I call him the military temp agency,? Maria Timmerman said. ‘With base closings, they can save the taxpayers lots of money,? since Guardsmen only get full housing and benefits while they are on active duty.
He returned home in May 1996 and continued at GM until he retired Sept. 10, 2001, one day before the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.
In January 2003, Timmerman was activated for ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom,? and the family faced a bit of a quandary because of daughter Lauren’s high school graduation that spring.
In a quirky set of circumstances, the sergeant injured his shoulder in a company baseball game while encamped at Fort McCoy, Wisc. (‘The old man is very competitive,? his wife said.) He hid his injury until he arrived in Germany, but his superiors later shipped him back to the States for treatment and recovery just in time for graduation.
Timmerman has always excelled in physical training, his wife said, so he worked hard to get back in shape and rejoined his unit in Kuwait last August. Although he should have returned home last December, an executive order from President George W. Bush extended tours of duty for all ground troops for an additional year.
Now, Maria Timmerman expects her husband to return in April or May. It could be even earlier, but ‘They’re trying not to listen to the rumors.?
Overall, Staff Sgt. Timmerman has enjoyed his military service. He could have retired from the National Guard after 20 years of service, but each additional year will result in additional pension benefits.
‘Management in GM compared to the order of military life. . .he works with military life a lot better,? she said. ‘He likes the military, even in spite of the previous two deployments.?
Maria Timmeman, meanwhile, hopes her patience will be rewarded.
‘I’m wondering if this will be the trip that will end all trips,? she said, but she has perspective during the wait.
‘When I wondered if he was dead for about three hours during Desert Storm, it changed everything for me.? She gained new appreciation for single moms and, ‘You realize things could be a lot worse.?