www.roanoke.com

lindsey.wray@roanoke.com 777-3521

Yellow ribbons and American flags hang in windows and adorn the porch of Susan Beckner's Cloverdale home. Each day, she pins a red, white and blue ribbon on her shirt beside a photo of her 21-year-old son, Dewayne, a private in the U.S. Army who has been in Iraq since January.

As the mother of a soldier, Susan Beckner knows how difficult it is to hear only partial details about the conflict overseas. She also knows that parents need to support one another to get through tough times. That's why Beckner co-founded Operation Military Parents, a network of parents who support one another and the men and women serving in the military.

"It's heartbreaking," she said of the situation, "but we try to lean on each other."

Beckner and her husband, Allen Beckner, have run Operation Military Parents out of their home since April. Along with co-founders Rick and Donna Francisco, of Craig County, the Beckners work to prepare care packages to send to the troops. They also make phone calls to support the 10-12 other parents and spouses in the group whose loved ones are overseas. On Saturday, they'll hold a service at Bonsack Baptist Church in honor of the troops.

"You've got to figure out a way to keep yourself together," Susan Beckner said.

Each week, the Beckners send as many as six carefully labeled boxes to Iraq, mailing items such as toiletries and snacks for the troops. Though they've received some donations from Roanoke-area businesses and individuals, the Beckners purchase many of the items themselves.

Aside from sending supplies, Susan Beckner said, Operation Military Parents also has an account set up with money for parents who'd like to travel overseas to visit their injured sons or daughters.

"Even if we don't have enough for the whole trip," she said, "we can help some."

The Beckners are in the process of developing a Web site for Operation Military Parents, and they hope to encourage people across the United States to start similar groups.

Their son will be in Iraq at least until January, Susan Beckner said, but she plans to continue helping the troops and their parents even after he goes back to Mannheim, Germany, where he's stationed.

"It's not just for our son," she said. "It's for all the soldiers. We intend to keep doing this until everyone is out of Iraq."

A service honoring the men and women serving in the military will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday at Bonsack Baptist Church, 4845 Cloverdale Road in Roanoke. For more information about Operation Military Parents, call 992-4194.