Ayr mum glad she has SOS for Company

Jul 25 2008 by Michael Pringle

UNLIKE the majority of parents, Ayr mum Liz Brown encouraged her son to join the army.

Callum is 20, and presently serving in Kabul.

Liz explained why she urged him to join the forces: "He was going off the rails a wee bit as a teenager. He wasn't a bad boy but he was definitely going down the wrong path.”

At times Liz still feels guilty for seemingly railroading him into the army. Although she believes it was for the best and has made a man out of him.

She dreads to think what he may be doing now if it wasn't for him joining up.

Liz thought she was prepared for everything that military life could throw at her.

When she found out Callum was going to Kabul however, every emotion went through her head.

She continued: "You don't know what to expect. It's terrifying when you hear about the casualties".

Totally unprepared for the psychological stress, she came across Agnes Hunter in the Kyle Centre and approached her.

Agnes invited Liz up to her place for a chat and it was a comfort for her to find that she wasn’t alone.

She explained: “I was having a pretty hard time trying to deal with it.

"What I was going through they were going through, SOS were absolutely fantastic.”

Liz puts on a brave face for Callum, but still worries that he’ll be put in harms way.

She said: "The doorbell went the other week and I broke down thinking this is it, something has happened to him. It was a guy selling slabs.”

And she’s determined to lend them her support by helping put together regular packages containing everything from toiletries to sweeties to the troops.

Like many other relatives she’s discovered that social networking sites like bebo are a great way to keep in touch.

She added: “Even if I don't get him online then I can see if he has been in touch with any of his friends.”