HADLEY TOWNSHIP- A lighted Christmas tree adorned with several yellow ribbons can be seen glowing in the dark near Brenda and Vance McLean’s home.
Except the tree does not represent the Yule season.
The McLean’s son, Pvt. Vance McLean is part of the 82nd Airborne Division of the 117th Calvary stationed in south central Iraq.
“The lit tree is for him to find his way back home to us safely and the ribbons are for all the soldiers serving right now in the war.”
“He joined when he was 17. We had to sign for him to even go,” said Brenda McLean. “He didn’t really even seem nervous or scared to go.”
McLean was a student at Lapeer West High School and dropped out. Soon after he attended Woodside Alternative Education in Lapeer and didn’t find his niche there either. McLean learned of a program called Michigan Youth Assistance Academy in Battle Creek. The academy is a type of boot camp that’s designed for students that have not completed high school.
“After he completed that program, he really just turned around. He stopped hanging out with the bad crowd and really started finding himself,” said Brenda.
He went to Fort Benning, Ga. in June of 2001 for boot camp and jump school and was transferred to Fort Bragg in North Carolina after graduation in February. McLean was sent to Kuwait in November. He was in Kuwait until March. 29 and his parents feel fortunate that he wasn’t sent until that time.
The last time they spoke to their son was March 14, and he said it would be his last call until the next time he could somehow reach a phone.
“He said he was fine and told us not to worry about him. A sergeant that Vance became close with e-mailed a picture of them to his wife and she e-mailed it to us.”
Another way that Vance and Brenda can track their son as much as possible is through a website that a reporter started for the 82nd Airborne Division.
The 19-year old was always a curious child, climbing trees and building things. “He was always using his hands and enjoyed repairing anything he could get his hands on,”said Vance.
Before McLean decided to join the 82nd Airborne Division, he had never taken a plane ride in his life. Two days before the recruiter came, he took a helicopter ride.
The second youngest of four children, all ranging from ages 17 to 27, he is definitely supported and loved by not only the family, but the community as well.
Advice his parents give others who may or may not be in the same position is keep the letters coming.
“We need to keep them informed as to what’s going on in our side of the world. They don’t have the technology over there to see CNN or the news and updates they may not even know of,” said Vance.
Their son comes from a military background and had completed 17 jumps in 16 months and now has his German wings.
“We just want to watch the T.V all the time, but we know it’s not good to do that. We just think he is so brave and is such a good kid.”