Today the Army announced it will be extending an already lengthy deployment.
For civilians who may not understand the above article, here is the bottom line: I have a friend whose husband is attached to the unit mentioned. She has been running around her house excitedly getting things ready for her Hubby to finally come home. In fact, some of the guys from the unit have just gotten home. And today they learned, that after a full year of service in Iraq, they are being extended up to another four months in order to help quell increasing violence in the Middle East. And those that just arrived home these last few days will be turning around and going back.
I’ve posted this news because as difficult as it has been to be in the Army, it just got worse for a dear friend. And I’m sad and upset about it.
oh crystal! i have such a love/hate relationship with your blog. i love to read about E and J and see all the beautiful works you’ve done. i love to read of your courage and pride in J and our country. oh, but it makes me cry. i see all these protestors on tv and read all the disgust and sorry opinions on other blogs and i just can’t help but think of you and all the other wives, mothers and children – waiting for their loved ones to come home. it breaks my heart. i hate it. as i type this, i’m watching my husband sitting on the couch playing computer games with one of our sons. i feel so lucky to have him here, with me. but i feel so guilty. surely there is more i should be doing for the families of deployed soldiers.
so i wonder now, after all this rambling, what it is that i need to say to you…. i guess it’s just that i want you to know – there are people like me and my family out there. our daily prayer at the dinner table, asking God to please protect our soldiers and their families are not broadcast world-wide, our flag proudly flying from our front porch doesn’t make headlines, my tears that fall out of pride and respect and greatfulness and love are not counted.
tell J, tell your friends, all the wives who are giving another 4 months… we are here. we don’t make a good tragic story for the news, but we are many and we are here. and we are a greatful nation.
As I write this, I am sitting in the house full of children and my husband is a million miles away serving our country. There are really no words to say about the recent “extended” deployments. I find myself with one of those military wife looks on my face, just a simple understanding of how hard it can be. Please know that none of you are alone. One of the few gifts of a deployment, is finding new friends and building a support system for those days when it just seems like too much.
God bless this country and the people who not only defend it, but keep the home from falling apart!
How totally devastating it must be, especially for those who were home and thought it was over. I just can’t imagine.
I’m so very sorry for your friend, and all of the families affected by this.
Crystal, I was getting ready to make a post on my blog about the very same topic! I am honestly having trouble formulating words because I am so frustrated at the situation. I can’t even imagine how the families must feel…only a couple of weeks from returning home!