Loved ones....

While it is obvious that the men and women of the armed forces are directly and inherently impacted by war, I think it is important to point out that there are many people at home who feel the affects of war in other ways.

The first blog that I found concerning this subject was Some Soldier's Mom . Here I started to see the challenge faced by families at home. Hearing of deaths within battalions can create both fear and great concern for loved ones shown both emotionally and physically (lose of sleep, etc.). It's also clear that families are able to share these emotions with each other and maybe (to some extent) share the unbearable burden through blogs and other forms of conventional communication.

I then found the Army Wife Toddler Mom blog which reveals that many of the wives, mothers, and others at home wouldn't have it any other way (see 4/10 post). Love is clearly not a thing to be reckoned with and it's important to consider that there is choice involved here. While the times may be hard, these individuals are ready and willing.

Finally, I found an article by Joanna Wroblewski which discusses the issues felt by those who experience the death of a loved soldier. The separation from what was once a military life clearly is not an easy process and the judgment felt by other people carries enormous pressure. The time taken for recovery probably lasts beyond a lifetime....

The issues here are somber and challenging. It becomes practically our responsibility to support our troops. Their lives have an impact on ours that may not be nearly as indirect as we had imagined.