Da Goddess

Sacrifice - Part II

On July 26, 2003, the lives of many families in rural Arkansas began to swing in an unexpected and even frightening direction. That's when members of the 39th Brigade of the Arkansas National Guard were officially told that they would be heading to Iraq and wouldn't be coming home until the spring of 2005. Here are the key events in both the military and family lives of those facing many challenging months ahead.

A side-by-side comparison of how the events play out for the warriors on the frontlines in Iraq and those on the homefront is right there for you.

I have been working on this particular post for over a month now and keep back spacing, deleting, and otherwise eliminating the text because I can't adequately voice what it all means to me.

You know, we think of sacrifice (wartime) in terms of what our troops leave behind when they are deployed. Rarely do we stop to consider those left behind. Their struggles are great. Birthing and raising children alone. Caring for other family members. Dealing with the uncertainty of the safety of their soldiers, sailors, and Marines. Trying to maintain a brave face for the sake of their children. Working to make ends meet, run businesses and homes, and still somehow find time to remind their husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, that they are missed...and supported in their endeavors.

It's not an easy life being in the military. Not as a warrior. Not as a dependent.

Sacrifices are made by all.

We should never forget.