A Call from Afghanistan

With this week's 9/11 anniversary we are reminded of all of our servicemen and women who are in dangerous parts of the world fighting to keep our country safe.
One of them has close ties to Grove…Sgt. Michael Galletly, 35, son of City Manager Bill Galletly, who is serving in Afghanistan.
The last phone call Galletly got from his son was about two weeks ago, when Michael reported that he was "goin huntin." He is squad leader in a light infantry platoon of three teams, each with two armored Humvees and another light armored vehicle. Prior to the "hunting" expedition he was based at Camp Blackhorse about 20 miles east of Kabul.
Michael has been in Afghanistan since February and is due home in June 2007. Home is Norman, with his wife and two children, ages 12 and 7. He is with the Oklahoma group.
Bill Galletly said he talks with his son about once a month, or more often if possible, via a satellite phone.
Bill said he gets nervous when he hears about "hunting" expeditions because he knows the team is going after al- Qaida leaders, including a guy named Osama, a dangerous expedition. Not a night goes by that he doesn't think about Michael, Galletly said. And he can't wait for him to return home safely in June.