Remember the Fourteenth

Images courtesy: Samantha Daehling

On the night of May 14, 2013, Samantha Daehling awoke to startling words from a friend who was staying at her house in Westford, Massachusetts.

"There are uniforms at the door," Samantha's friend said. "Go get the door."

When Samantha cracked the door open and peered outside, her heart sank.

"As soon as I saw the National Guard standing there, I knew right away," Samantha, 23, said.

On the fourteenth day of the previous June, Samantha had married U.S. Army Spc. Mitchell Daehling. It was the happiest day of her young life.

"I looked up and saw Mitch standing there," Samantha said. "Mitch laughed and said I'd never looked prettier."

The couple originally met in Nashua, New Hampshire, while Mitch was attending Daniel Webster College. Even though neither forgot meeting the other, Mitch and Samantha didn't see each other again until two years later.

"I kind of laughed with him, and then after that, we just kind of became one," Samantha said.

The couple started dating on Dec. 14, 2008. From the beginning, Samantha loved her future husband's defining traits.

"Mitch was very bold, competitive and strong-willed," she said.

Mitch had wanted to join the military from a young age, but promised family members that he would get his college degree first. After the death of his grandfather, who had lost both his legs while serving overseas before Mitch was born, he decided to follow his selfless example.

"After what happened with Grandpa Ken, he knew he had to join the military," Samantha said. "He felt like he just had to do it."

Mitch's next decision would initially break Samantha's heart.

"Mitch said he didn't want to see me anymore," she said. "I was shocked by it."

The future soldier loved his girlfriend so much that he didn't want her to endure the rigors of military life.

"He told me later that was why he broke up with me ... because he didn't want me to go through what his grandmother did," Samantha explained. "If he came back without legs, or not at all, he didn't want me to go through it."

Just before Mitch started basic training, he visited Samantha at her parents' house.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he said.

"Let's do this," Samantha responded.

Samantha and Mitch got engaged on March 14, 2011. In the years ahead, the couple would only be separated by geography when Mitch's job required it. He trained at Georgia's Fort Benning and was stationed at Texas' Fort Bliss before learning that he would deploy to Afghanistan in December 2012, just six months after he and Samantha were married.

Before Mitch went to war, he had an unimaginably painful conversation about Afghanistan with his worried bride.

"I need to be the first man to jump in ... the first man to help," the soldier told his wife. "And I don't think I'm coming back."

During a Skype conversation on May 12, 2013, Mitch told Samantha that he'd been given an even bigger role on his combat team.

"As soon as he got promoted to team leader, I knew he wasn't coming back," she said.

When she answered the door two days later, Samantha's worst fears were realized.

"It didn't feel real," she emotionally recounted. "I kept waiting to wake up from a nightmare."

According to the Pentagon, Spc. Mitchell Daehling, 24, was killed in a May 14, 2013 improvised explosive device attack that also killed Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Baker, 29, Spc. William Gilbert, 24, and Pfc. Cody Towse, 21.

Less than a month after the Boston Marathon bombings, the same spirit of togetherness that was famously displayed by New Englanders quickly surrounded Samantha and her loved ones.

"My front yard (was) filled with people," she recalled. "Friends drove from all over ... cards (were) all over."

For many of us, the fourteenth of each month is just another date on the calendar. For Samantha Daehling, it is a reminder of the days she met, got engaged and married the man she loves.

"The fourteenth is not a day for me to be lying in bed crying," she said. "The fourteenth — and every day of the year — is a day for me to live for him."

COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

Tom Sileo is a nationally syndicated columnist and co-author of BROTHERS FOREVER: The Enduring Bond Between a Marine and a Navy SEAL that Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice. Written with Col. Tom Manion (Ret.) and published by Da Capo Press, BROTHERS FOREVER is available now. To find out more about Tom Sileo, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website.

Mothers, Fathers, and Sons

Images courtesy: Sisson family

Kevin Sisson will never forget the day he challenged his son, future U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Justin Sisson, on a baseball field in Overland Park, Kan.

"I met him as he was coming back to the dugout," said Kevin, who was coaching his teenage son's team, which was behind in the game. "I said, 'You need to step up ... the team needs you to lead.'"

The next time Justin came to bat, he hit a home run. Then, with the game on the line, Justin did it again.

"It was his second home run," Kevin proudly recalled. "And it was Father's Day."

Justin had never hit a ball out of the park before the memorable Father's Day gift, and he never did so again. But the moment reminded his parents that whenever their son was challenged, he would respond.

"He always fought back," Kevin said. "He was never down and out."

Justin strived to follow in his grandfather's footsteps by attending West Point. But when he initially failed to gain a coveted spot at the U.S. Military Academy, Justin refused to give up his dream of becoming an Army officer.

"He went to (Florida State University) with an ROTC scholarship," Justin's mom, Phyllis Sisson, said. "He wound up joining the National Guard."

During his sophomore year, Justin volunteered for a deployment to Iraq with his National Guard unit.

"As a college student, he did not have to deploy," Justin's dad said. "He did not have to go."

"He felt like it was going to make him a better officer," his mom added. "He got his first Bronze Star as a Specialist."

Sure enough, when Justin came home, a letter inviting him to attend West Point — the second since his initial rejection — was waiting.

"Justin once again said no," Phyllis said.

After the Iraq war veteran graduated from Florida State, 2nd Lt. Justin Sisson was commissioned as an officer and soon became a Ranger with the 101st Airborne Division, which he was eager to join on an upcoming Afghanistan deployment.

"This is what he wanted to do," the soldier's mother said.

"He wasn't going to do it any other way," his father added.

In May 2013, with Justin leading his platoon near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan, Kevin and Phyllis knew their son faced grave danger.

"Justin had told us before he deployed that the Taliban and al-Qaida were coming back over the mountains," his mom said.

But when both parents connected with Justin for a rare Skype call on his remote base, they saw a 23-year-old man making a difference.

"He looked really good," Phyllis said.

"He was happy," Kevin agreed.

On June 3, 2013, the Sissons learned that their son had been killed — along with Spc. Robert Pierce, 20 — by a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. Justin's parents said that the attack also killed an Afghan police officer and 10 schoolchildren.

"He was fighting the whole way," Phyllis said of Justin, who eventually succumbed from blood loss after suffering a devastating shrapnel wound.

Justin's parents, who now live in Phoenix, are thankful to the Army, the Patriot Guard Riders and communities across the country for coming together to honor their son, who was buried at Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas.

"When we got to Leavenworth, all these kids and families were holding signs and posters," Kevin said. "It was just tremendous."

When Justin's personal effects were sent home from Afghanistan, one item may have meant the most of all.

"Justin had told me that he had a Mother's Day gift for me," Phyllis said.

Sure enough, a jewelry box wrapped in bubble paper found its way to Justin's mom. A fellow soldier was with Justin in an Afghan village when he bought it.

"That would be perfect for my mom," the soldier quoted Justin as saying.

Less than a year after 2nd Lt. Justin Sisson's death, Kevin and Phyllis have endowed an ROTC scholarship fund in his memory at Florida State. They miss their son, and they will always treasure his Mother's and Father's Day gifts.

"Our greatest fear is that we're going to forget something," the father said.

"So we're doing whatever we can to keep his memory alive," the mother added.

COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

Tom Sileo is a nationally syndicated columnist and co-author of BROTHERS FOREVER: The Enduring Bond Between a Marine and a Navy SEAL that Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice. Written with Col. Tom Manion (Ret.) and published by Da Capo Press, BROTHERS FOREVER will be released in May. To find out more about Tom Sileo, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website.

The Tattoo

Images courtesy: Sgt. Steven J. DeLuzio Memorial Fund

Shortly after returning from six tense months on the violent streets of Iraq's Al Anbar Province, U.S. Army Sgt. Steven DeLuzio sat down with his parents.

"Steven came home from Iraq and said 'you have 30 minutes to ask me anything you want, and then I'll never talk about it again,'" the soldier's father, Mark DeLuzio, said.

Steven's dad quickly noticed a tattoo on one of his son's arms that appeared to depict the shrouded face of an Iraqi woman. When Mark asked Steven what the tattoo signified, the soldier explained that the female civilian had warned his patrol about a roadside bomb buried not far from their Humvee.

"The lady saved his life," Mark said.

Eventually, the grateful American soldiers went back to the Ramadi neighborhood to thank the woman for her words of warning. What they found inside her home was shocking and horrific.

"Steven found the woman, her husband and their kids all beheaded," the soldier's father said. "It really weighed on him."

Nobody forced Steven to serve in western Iraq, where countless insurgents have terrorized innocent men, women and children. While growing up in suburban Connecticut, Steven and his older brother, Scott, developed a deep respect for our nation's flag and those who defend it.

"They were very patriotic kids, and when 9/11 happened, they both felt a call and felt they wanted to do something," Mark said.

"It's a volunteer Army and they both volunteered to go," Steven and Scott's mother, Diane DeLuzio, added. "That's what they wanted to do."

In 2006, Steven was attending college in Vermont when he deployed to Iraq with the state's National Guard. While fearing for their youngest son's safety, Mark and Diane already knew of his bravery. At age 3, Steven had jumped on a bike without training wheels, and from that day forward, never backed down from a challenge.

"He wasn't a perfect kid — we knew he had his flaws — but he was always mature for his age," Diane said.

Much happened between Steven's 2006 return from Iraq and another 2010 combat deployment to Afghanistan. He graduated from college with an accounting degree, became an uncle and learned that his brother, Scott, would also deploy to Afghanistan around the same time.

Steven also asked his high school sweetheart, Leeza, to marry him. Their wedding date was set for Sept. 17, 2011, but before anyone could celebrate, Steven and Scott would have to survive Afghanistan.

"You worry, of course," their dad said. "We knew how dangerous Ramadi was, we knew how dangerous Afghanistan was, and now we had two there at the same time."

When Steven arrived in mountainous eastern Afghanistan, communication with his parents became scant, unlike Iraq. But whenever they did hear his voice, like in one particular August 2010 voicemail, Mark and Diane would smile.

"He was so excited that Leeza's sister was going to have a baby ... he was so excited to be an uncle again," Steven's mom said. "That was the last time we heard his voice."

On Aug. 22, 2010, Sgt. Steven DeLuzio, 25, and a fellow soldier, Sgt. Tristan Southworth, 21, were killed during a fierce clash with enemy fighters. Before anyone could blink, Sgt. Scott DeLuzio was escorting his brother's flag-draped casket out of Afghanistan.

"Steven was the first one killed in the battle," the fallen hero's dad said. "(U.S. forces) ended up prevailing, believe it or not."

When thousands lined Connecticut highways and South Glastonbury streets to honor their hometown hero, the DeLuzios knew their youngest son — like his big brother — had truly made a difference.

"It was very comforting to me at the time to know that so many people missed him," Steven's mom said. "In 25 years, he did so much."

One of the things Steven did was permanently memorialize the Iraqi woman who gave him the opportunity to live four more years.

"That's why he had the tattoo — to remember her," Mark said.

While we may not all have tattoos honoring the thousands of brave men and women to make the ultimate sacrifice since 9/11, the names, faces, words and deeds of heroes like Sgt. Steven DeLuzio should be emblazoned inside our hearts.

"Steven was a real leader," his father said.

COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

Tom Sileo is a nationally syndicated columnist and co-author of BROTHERS FOREVER: The Enduring Bond Between a Marine and a Navy SEAL that Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice. Written with Col. Tom Manion (Ret.) and published by Da Capo Press, BROTHERS FOREVER will be released in May. To find out more about Tom Sileo, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website.

Their Destiny

Images courtesy: Sgt. April Trent

A heavy snowstorm blanketed much of eastern Afghanistan on Dec. 13, 2012. While conditions were miserable, Sgt. April Trent and her South Carolina Army National Guard unit tried to make the best of it.

"We had a huge snowball fight," Sgt. Trent told The Unknown Soldiers. "We were having so much fun ... more fun than you'd think you could ever have in a combat zone."

For April, it was a welcome break from missing her two children and worrying about her husband, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Nelson Trent, who was serving to her south in Kandahar. Since November, the husband and wife were both deployed to Afghanistan.

That night on the frigid Forward Operating Base, April awoke to someone banging on her door. It was her commanding officer.

As Sgt. Trent put down her weapon and followed her superior to his office, she wondered if life was about to change. Since the first of her husband's two Iraq deployments began in 2003, Nelson believed that his military career could only end one way.

"He would tell me 'it is my destiny to die in war,'" April said.

Since 1999, when Nelson and April met while stationed at Georgia's Fort Gordon, she admired the Texas soldier's sense of humor.

"(Nelson) was just funny ... all the time," she said. "There was never a dull moment when he was around."

Nelson and April got married on Nov. 21, 2000. On Mar. 19, 2003 — the day U.S. forces invaded Iraq — April found out she was pregnant with the couple's first child. Her husband deployed the next day.

"He was on the phone with me when my son was born and got to hear his first cry," April said. "During his second deployment in '05-'06, he got to come home for his son's 2nd birthday."

April took a break in service to care for their son and later gave birth to a daughter. But even while sacrificing as a military spouse, April decided it was time to resume her career in uniform.

Before the Texas couple knew it, both April and Trent faced deployments to Afghanistan. With two Iraq tours under his belt, young children at home, and a wife headed overseas, Nelson was in agony.

"He said 'you know it's my destiny,'" April recalled. "And I said 'I'll see you when we get back.'"

When April stepped inside her commander's office in the early morning hours of Dec. 14, 2012, her heart sank when she saw an Army Chaplain.

"We regret to inform you that your husband, Nelson Trent, has been killed in action ... " April's commander began. Those words are the last she remembers from that terrible night.

After several agonizing days on her snowed-in base, April was flown out of Afghanistan. She arrived in Germany just in time to meet her husband's flag-draped casket.

"I was able to fly home with Nelson," she said.

April would soon learn that her 37-year-old husband was killed in a bombing carried out by terrorists near a military base that was just visited by then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

"You can't be scared," April said Nelson told his fellow soldiers just hours before his death. "You have to put your faith in God."

Sergeant 1st Class Nelson Trent was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on Jan. 8. Just ten days later, his wife was back in Afghanistan. But as her children struggled to understand their father's death, especially with their mom still in harm's way, the Army let April return to South Carolina, where she and her kids would eventually move.

On Valentine's Day 2013 — April's 32nd birthday — the tearful soldier surprised her children at school.

"It was like winning the lottery," she said. "It felt so good to feel my kids' arms around my neck."

As they grow up, the Trent children will always know that their father was an American hero.

"Everyone has their calling — whatever it is they're supposed to do — and Nelson was supposed to be a soldier," April said. "He died doing what he loved."

Shortly before our phone call concluded, Sgt. April Trent, who was shopping for groceries, paused to thank a passing soldier for his service. Hopefully, both of April's kids already know that their remarkable mother is an American hero, too.

COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM


Tom Sileo is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of BROTHERS FOREVER: The Enduring Bond Between a Marine and a Navy SEAL that Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice. Written with Col. Tom Manion (Ret.) and published by Da Capo Press, BROTHERS FOREVER will be released in May 2014. To find out more about Tom Sileo, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website.

Here Among Us

Image courtesy: Sgt. Corine Lombardo

"I'm not sure what all the hubbub is all about," New York Army National Guard Sgt. Joshua Young reportedly said after receiving the Bronze Star with Valor on July 19. "It happened a long time ago, and I would do it again."

According to his award citation, Sgt. Young's actions on March 16, 2012, were anything but ordinary. Surrounded by about 50 Taliban fighters after a huge explosion in southern Afghanistan, Young braved enemy gunfire to save the life of his badly wounded platoon sergeant, who lost both legs but ultimately survived the attack.

Young, who is from Perinton, N.Y., is just 26 years old. His modesty represents the most remarkable percentage point of our population: the courageous men and women who volunteer to serve in a dangerous post-9/11 world.

"We're extremely proud of Josh and his accomplishments," the hero soldier's mother, Kim Young, told Sgt. Corine Lombardo. "He never really told us a lot about the incident, so we are learning about his actions today."

U.S. Marine Sgt. Matthew Woodall, now 28, did not have to spend two days dodging bullets and crawling through cornfields in July 2011. Instead of fighting the Taliban on their turf, he could have been home enjoying a summer in Paducah, Ky. He chose to serve.

"I was doing my job; I don't think I did anything different than anyone else would," Woodall, who recently left the Marine Corps, told Sgt. Alfred Lopez.

Image courtesy: Cpl. Benjamin Crilly

Woodall's humility became even more apparent after reading his citation for the Silver Star, which he was awarded on Aug. 2.

"(Then-Corporal) Woodall rushed his squad forward when enemy fire wounded the Marine directly in front of him," the citation reads. "Exposed and under a hail of enemy fire, he laid down suppressive fires and shielded the wounded Marine with his body until a (Navy Hospital) Corpsman arrived."

Even though the citation credits Woodall with defeating an enemy attack, the hero Marine is quick to shift attention elsewhere.

"I know that the citation that was read says my name on it, but I'm just an individual Marine," Woodall told the military reporter. "My squad was just amazing."

On Apr. 23, 2011, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Zachary Kline spent about six hours taking enemy gunfire near Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan while helping rescue two Army pilots involved in a helicopter crash. On July 14, the Albuquerque, N.M., airman received the Silver Star for saving the soldiers' lives.

Image courtesy: Airman 1st Class Christine Griffiths

"It's an honor being recognized for just doing my job," Kline, 33, told Airman 1st Class Christine Griffiths. "I worked with some awesome guys, and (it) was nice being a part of it."

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Benny Flores, 30, is from the U.S. territory of Guam. On April 28, 2012, the Navy Hospital Corpsman was in remote southwestern Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device blew up under the vehicle he was riding in.

"With shrapnel wounds to his arms and neck, Hospital Corpsman First Class Flores treated the nearest wounded Marine while he was engaged by enemy small arms fire," Flores' Silver Star citation reads. "He assisted the wounded Marine in maneuvering to a covered position and without hesitation, ran back into the street, exposed to enemy fire, and quickly provided medical assistance to a severely wounded Afghan Uniform Police Officer."

Image courtesy: Petty Officer 3rd Class Monique LaRouche

When Flores received his award on May 3, his thoughts were with the family of a Marine who didn't survive the harrowing attack.

"We lost one guy, Master Sgt. Scott Pruitt, and to this day he's always in my thoughts and prayers," the hero sailor told Cpl. Mark Garcia. "I really wish he were here, maybe not for the ceremony, but just to see his face and him being with his family — his two daughters that he left behind."

I wish some of our nation's so-called celebrities could read the words of Sgt. Joshua Young, Sgt. Matthew Woodall, Staff Sgt. Zachary Kline and Petty Officer 1st Class Benny Flores. Instead of being consumed with their own popularity, their first instinct is to salute others.

You won't find most of America's true celebrities in Hollywood. They're in communities all around us. The next time you see a U.S. service member or veteran, shake their hand and say thanks.

COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM

Tree of Life

Image courtesy: Wreaths for Warriors Walk

Just before leaving for Afghanistan in November, Sgt. Aaron Wittman pointed toward a majestic, tree-lined walkway at Georgia's Fort Stewart.

"Do you know what that is?" Sgt. Wittman asked his father, retired U.S. Army officer Duane Wittman, and his mother, Carol Wittman, who also served. "That's the Warriors Walk, and that's one place I don't ever want my name."

The Warriors Walk honors fallen post-9/11 heroes of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, as well as departed warriors from attached units. According to Fort Stewart's website, each soldier is honored with an Eastern Redbud tree as a symbol of life.

Not only did Aaron's parents serve in uniform, his brother and sister both volunteered for the Armed Forces and deployed to Iraq.

"We're a military family," Duane told The Unknown Soldiers. "Everyone in the family is either serving in the military or ex-military."

Aaron, who used to dress up in his dad's fatigues as a young boy while playing flashlight tag with his friends, grew up near military bases around the globe. After seeing some of world's most luxurious and less fortunate places, Aaron decided to pursue a difficult, selfless path.

"He never really had any desire to go anywhere other than The Citadel," Duane, a 1975 Citadel graduate, said. "He just loved it and loved Charleston."

Images courtesy: Aaron Wittman Foundation

As freshmen, Aaron and four fellow Citadel cadets joined the South Carolina National Guard. As seniors, they were presented with a difficult choice: go to war or stay in school and graduate on time.

"All five seniors went to Afghanistan," Aaron's father said. "That's what the citizen-soldier concept is all about."

In 2007, all three of Duane and Carol's children, as well as their daughter-in-law, served in either Afghanistan or Iraq.

"In three and a half months we deployed all of them," Duane said. "I always had target dates for when the kids were going to come home."

About two weeks after Aaron arrived in Afghanistan's mountainous border region with Pakistan, a terrorist blew himself up between two U.S. Army vehicles. After helping his wounded comrades, the young soldier realized how lucky he was to be alive.

"It was a hard awakening — real quick — into the IED (improvised explosive device) world," Duane said. "It wasn't but a couple months later that his Citadel buddy, Sam, was very severely injured from shrapnel in the chest."

Upon his return, Aaron fulfilled a promise to his mom by graduating from The Citadel. He fell even deeper in love with his girlfriend, Sarah. Then, just before his 28th birthday on Nov. 6, 2012, Aaron once again deployed to Afghanistan, with big plans for when he came home.

"He was looking for, sooner or later, a U.S. Army Commission and a family life," Duane said.

Just over two months after sitting with her son outside the Warriors Walk, Aaron's mother heard a voice inside her head.

"Carol, you need to go home," the voice whispered.

After returning to her Virginia residence, Carol saw two Army officers approach the front door. They told Duane and Carol that their youngest child was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade on Jan. 10, 2013.

"We want Aaron to be remembered for his life, not his final moments," Carol said.

The roller coaster of emotions that followed, which included seeing their oldest son bring his fallen brother home, was filled with pride and pain.

"I always thought I would be the first one in this family buried in Arlington," Duane said.

Nine days after Aaron's death, his sister gave birth to a healthy baby girl. It was a proud, bittersweet moment, similar to the emotions the Wittmans expected to experience when Tree 445 of the Warriors Walk was named after their son.

"It gives us strength to know we aren't alone," Carol, who thanked the community for their support, said.

"Aaron was all about life," Duane added.

Before our phone call ended, Aaron's mother spoke of a letter she received from a soldier who witnessed her son's final act of heroism.

"His quick reaction and reflexes saved many lives that day," Carol said. "He felt he needed to be in that position to ensure his men were safe."

Indeed, Sgt. Aaron Wittman was all about life.

COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM

Note: Sgt. Aaron Wittman's family and friends have partnered with The Citadel Foundation to honor his memory by creating a memorial scholarship fund.  Please click here to support the Aaron Wittman Foundation.

Life As We Know It

Image courtesy: U.S. Air Force/Greg Davis

It's easy to forget that thousands of Americans are still at war.

Whether we're immersed in our families, jobs, hobbies, televisions, computers or smart phones, there are plenty of ways to avoid thinking about a faraway place called Afghanistan. The one percent of our population that volunteers to protect us, however, doesn't have that luxury.

Two North Dakota families are experiencing incomprehensible devastation after a Dec. 3 terrorist attack in Afghanistan's Helmand Province. According to the Department of Defense, two North Dakota National Guardsmen died that day when "enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device."

The fallen soldiers' names are Sgt. 1st Class Darren Linde, 41, of Devils Lake, N.D., and Spc. Tyler Orgaard, 20, of Bismarck, N.D.

As I read the casualty notice on my iPhone, I thought about the agony that has been described to me by moms, dads, wives, husbands and siblings who've lost loved ones in Afghanistan or Iraq. To this day, casualty assistance officers are still knocking on the doors of military families that will never be the same.

Instead of hugging and kissing their families at a homecoming ceremony, Sgt. 1st Class Linde and Spc. Orgaard returned to American soil inside flag-draped caskets. Fellow soldiers saluted and bowed their heads during the Dec. 5 dignified transfer ceremony at Delaware's Dover Air Force Base.

During the holiday season, the Linde and Orgaard families are forced to endure the first painful weeks of an unimaginably difficult journey. As we grieve alongside the loved ones of the brave adults and precious children murdered in the tragic Connecticut elementary school massacre, let's also keep these military families, as well as loved ones of all our nation's fallen heroes, in our thoughts and prayers.

According to the North Dakota National Guard, a third soldier, Spc. Ian Placek, 23, was wounded in the Dec. 3 attack. Like thousands of fellow wounded warriors, Spc. Placek, his family and his caregivers have earned our utmost respect, appreciation, and gratitude. As Americans, we have no greater obligation than caring for the valiant men and women who fought for us.

The war in Afghanistan is happening right now. It didn't end when Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden or after any of the last three presidential elections. Every day, brave troops like Linde, Orgaard and Placek are patrolling through rugged, dangerous terrain, constantly threatened by enemy snipers and roadside bombs.

I recently went to see the movie "Lincoln" at a local theater. During the film, I was struck most by a scene in which the 16th president, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, rides on horseback through a Civil War battlefield while looking in anguish at countless fallen warriors. Then, to pay tribute, Lincoln removes his iconic hat.

The 19th century was obviously a much different time. But I believe 21st century America would be a better place if we all followed President Abraham Lincoln's example. We must do more to honor the extraordinary men and women who volunteer to risk their lives on post-9/11 battlefields.

Perhaps some of Lincoln's most famous words, uttered on the bloody Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg, can help reawaken our nation to the sacrifices of its heroes.

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion," Lincoln said on Nov. 19, 1863. "That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

As Lincoln's words inspire us, so should the words of Adrienne Linde, wife of fallen Sgt. 1st Class Darren Linde and mother of their four children.

"Darren gave his life so that others could pass through safely," a statement from the grieving widow said.

As the war in Afghanistan enters its 12th year, let's renew our commitment to honoring America's brave men and women in uniform. Without them, life as we know it would perish.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

Images courtesy: North Dakota National Guard

Women of Courage

Image courtesy: Nick Rozanski Memorial Foundation

As I drove Jenny Rozanski to the airport in September, she said something that underscores the courage of a young generation of war widows.

"I want something good to come out of this," said the wife of fallen Ohio National Guard Capt. Nick Rozanski, who was killed on Apr. 4.

Like every grieving spouse I have spoken with, Jenny's pain is very real. Once a happily married "part-time military wife," as she jokingly called herself, she suddenly and tragically became a widowed mother of two young girls.

After losing her loved one to war, every day in Dublin, Ohio, is now a struggle for Jenny. Still, despite all the challenges she's faced since April, Jenny has spearheaded the creation of the Nick Rozanski Memorial Foundation, which will provide scholarships for children in the Buckeye State.

"I feel like it's my duty to continue on with his legacy," Capt. Rozanski's wife said.

Since the war in Afghanistan commenced after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, women all around America have made enormous sacrifices, both on and off the battlefield. Some are U.S. troops; some are military moms, sisters or wives.

The story of Christy Meador, with whom I recently spoke, tragically reminds us that America is still at war. Christy's husband, South Carolina National Guard Sgt. John David Meador II, was killed in Afghanistan on June 20. Christy, who lives in Columbia, S.C., has since gone back to work while raising the couple's little girl, Elana.

"Now I look back, and it was just so meant to be," Sgt. Meador's tearful widow said. "I don't know where I would be today had we not had (Elana)."

Image courtesy: Christy Meador

Linda Mills' story is different. I spoke to this energetic, enthusiastic U.S. Army wife shortly after her husband, Staff Sgt. Andrew Mills, deployed to Afghanistan in February. But in June, she received the worst phone call of her life.

"Your husband has been seriously wounded in Afghanistan," Linda was told.

Thankfully, Staff Sgt. Mills is recovering in Bethesda, Md., from the wounds he sustained to his legs and abdomen. But several others were injured on June 7, and one soldier, Pfc. Brandon Goodine, 20, was killed. Linda and Andrew, who regard themselves as lucky, still pray for the Goodine family.

Image courtesy: Linda Mills

Kelsey Mills (no relation to Linda or Andrew Mills) also considers herself fortunate. Her husband made it home from Afghanistan, even though he lost both arms and legs in an Apr. 10 terrorist attack.

"I can either curl up in a ball and cry or keep going," Kelsey said. "I choose the latter."

Kelsey's husband, Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, served in Afghanistan with Linda's husband, Staff Sgt. Andrew Mills, in the same unit. Today, Travis and Andrew are wounded Afghanistan war veterans who inspire us with their valor, as do their wives.

"I'm happy that my husband is still alive," Kelsey, who is raising a precious little girl with Travis, said. "He's still here."

Image courtesy: Travis Mills Fund

When Melissa Jarboe's husband, Sgt. Jamie Jarboe, was paralyzed by enemy sniper fire on Apr. 10, 2011, the Army wife was devastated. But like Linda and Kelsey, she was grateful her husband survived his Afghanistan deployment.

"I have an acceptance of a path that we're all chosen for," Melissa told me on Jan. 12.

Even as her husband lay in a hospital bed, Melissa did not think she was headed down the path of becoming an Afghanistan war widow. But tragically, on Mar. 21, Sgt. Jarboe died, leaving behind Melissa and her two daughters.

While Melissa surely grieves, her commitment to honoring her husband, as well as helping veterans through the Jamie Jarboe Foundation, is unflappable.

"By the grace of God we were given 11 more months to live life, and for that I can't be selfish or greedy," Melissa wrote shortly after Jamie's passing.

Image courtesy: Jamie Jarboe Foundation

As the war in Afghanistan enters its 12th year, every American has a choice. Citizens can either keep going about their daily lives while forgetting — or ignoring — military families that sacrifice so we can live in relative comfort. Or, we can heed the call of courageous women like Jenny Rozanski, who lost the love of her life and father of her children.

"I want something good to come out of this," she said.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

The Courage to Lead

Image courtesy: Lance Cpl. Jason Morrison

Paul Sears of Apache Junction, Ariz., lost his son, Marine Lance Cpl. Niall Coti-Sears, in Afghanistan on June 23. A late-night phone conversation I had with the grieving father is haunting in its resonance, as it offered a glimpse into how the war in Afghanistan continues to affect so many.

"It's been a complete blur," Sears said about the painful weeks since his son was killed. "To me, it just happened yesterday."

To many military families, Afghanistan is a war that dictates nearly every moment of their lives. But to many politicians, Afghanistan is a war of a bygone era, launched by a previous president after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. With thousands of brave Americans still serving, sacrificing, and suffering in Afghanistan, many of our nation's leaders and would-be leaders are often silent.

While some political strategists justify President Barack Obama, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and other candidates declining to frequently address Afghanistan because the war is unpopular in current polls, I ask whether past leaders like Presidents John F. Kennedy or Ronald Reagan would have shied away from frank discussions about such a crucial issue.

I am not a historian or political scientist. But the thought of Kennedy or Reagan putting popularity ahead of patriotism is almost ridiculous.

Yes, anyone can scour the Internet and find quotes from Obama and Romney about Afghanistan. The president made honoring our troops a part of his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., while his Republican challenger spoke about the military's heroism during a Sept. 11 speech in Reno, Nev.

But anyone paying even casual attention to the 2012 election cycle knows Afghanistan is mostly invisible on the campaign trail. Thousands of U.S. troops are fighting in mountains, deserts and remote forward-operating bases, yet their sacrifices are rarely highlighted by their next commander-in-chief.

Christy Meador of Columbia, S.C., lost her husband, Army National Guard Sgt. John David Meador II, on June 20 in Afghanistan when he was killed alongside two fellow soldiers. He died one week before their daughter's first birthday.

"There are so many people out there, even good friends of mine, saying, 'I can't believe he left you and that baby,' " Christy told "The Unknown Soldiers." "I say, 'You don't understand. It's something he wanted to do.' "

Some volunteer warriors return home with physical and emotional scars. Yet when I met wounded Army Staff Sgt. Travis Mills in May at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the soldier expressed more concern for troops still in harm's way than sorrow over his devastating injuries. His unselfish attitude was remarkable, especially considering that Staff Sgt. Mills lost both his arms and legs in Afghanistan.

"He worries about (his fellow soldiers) constantly," the wounded warrior's wife, Kelsey Mills, said in May. "He makes me message them daily to make sure they're safe."

The stories of heroes like Lance Cpl. Niall Coti-Sears, Sgt. John David Meador II, and Staff Sgt. Travis Mills are being all but ignored during the 2012 presidential campaign, as is the war their brothers and sisters in arms still fight. Yes, there are other issues at home and abroad that also command our attention. But the most solemn duty of any president is the decision to send our military to war.

Last summer, I looked into the eyes of the 44th president during a solemn event and saw a man who cares deeply about the sacrifices of our troops. While I have never seen his election opponent up close, I have no doubt that he is also a man of compassion.

Despite being honorable men, both politicians, along with many Beltway insiders and pundits, lack the courage to make the war in Afghanistan part of our daily national consciousness. Therefore, it is up to us to challenge our national leaders to frequently remind Americans that our nation is still at war.

"Poor is the country that has no heroes, but beggared is the country that having them, forgets," goes an old, anonymous quote. Never have those words been more relevant.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

Image courtesy: Sgt. 1st Class Eric Pahon

Thursday Night Bowling League

Images courtesy: Christy Meador

For Christy Meador, Thursday night is bowling night. Not only is the sport a beloved hobby but her favorite Columbia, S.C., bowling alley is also where she met her future husband, Sgt. John David Meador II, known to most as "J.D."

"He also had a nickname of 'Maverick' because my favorite movie is 'Top Gun,'" Sgt. Meador's wife, Christy Meador, told "The Unknown Soldiers." "He looked a lot like Maverick."

After meeting in 2002, Christy and her Tom Cruise look-alike, who was working part-time as a bartender at the bowling alley, fell in love. But no matter where married life took the couple, they never missed league games with friends on Thursday nights.

"We would always bowl," Christy said. "He could bring a smile to everyone."

In October 2010 — the month of J.D. and Christy's birthdays — the ex-bartender stood up on a chair and announced to the entire alley that his wife was pregnant.

"He said, 'my wife just told me we got the best birthday present ever,'" Christy recalled. "He told them I was expecting."

Eight months earlier, J.D. made another huge announcement. After previously serving in the Army, he was re-joining the military as a member of the South Carolina Army National Guard.

"There was no discussion," Christy said. "It was just ... 'I'm going.'"

On June 27, 2011, Elana Meador was born.

"Now I look back, and it was just so meant to be," Christy said while starting to cry. "Because I don't know where I would be today had we not had (Elana)."

When J.D. deployed to Afghanistan, his wife knew being alone with their little girl would be a challenge. But like thousands of military spouses across America, Christy came through for her soldier.

"All I could do was support him," she said.

J.D. came home on leave in April, which gave him the chance to share unforgettable moments with loved ones, including his older daughter. The highlight was finally spending time with baby Elana.

"He got to see her, hold her and talk to her," Christy said.

When the 36-year-old soldier returned to eastern Afghanistan's Khost Province, the first thing he did was look above his bunk. Every month, his wife sent him new sets of footprints to remind J.D. how quickly their little girl was growing.

"He had gotten his Father's Day box," she said. "I already marked it 12 months because Elana's first birthday is (June) 27."

On June 19, the couple saw each other on Skype. Things had gotten "scary" over there, J.D. explained, and he needed Christy's prayers. Their conversation was interrupted by background noise from Elana, which immediately perked the soldier up.

"Go get my baby!" he said.

Before Christy could bring Elana downstairs, J.D. disappeared from the screen after his base lost power. The last text message Christy received from her husband was later that afternoon.

"Please kiss my baby for me," it read.

Christy was at work on June 20 when a strange car approached. As soon as she saw an Army officer's dress blues, she knew J.D. was dead.

"I am so sorry to tell you, but your husband was killed in action," the soldier said as Christy dropped to the floor.

The Pentagon said J.D. was killed when terrorists attacked his unit with small arms fire and an improvised explosive device. First Lt. Ryan Rawl, 30, and Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Thomas, 30, also lost their lives.

Before J.D. left for Afghanistan, his wife asked him to record two audiobooks for his little girl.

"We read them every night," Elana's tearful mom said.

Christy Meador is one of numerous military spouses to lose a loved one during the violent summer of 2012. This column exists to keep the military community's heroism in the spotlight.

"There are so many people out there, even good friends of mine, saying, 'I can't believe he left you and that baby,'" Christy said. "I say, 'You don't understand. It's something he wanted to do.'"

The Thursday night bowling league in Columbia, S.C., will always be missing a star player. But from the mountains of Afghanistan to the hearts of his loving wife and daughters, the selfless legacy of Sgt. John David Meador II rolls on.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

The Click

Images courtesy: Kim DeTample

Every time her 19-year-old son would call from Iraq, Kim DeTample would hear a distinctive sound before his voice.

"I would know it was him because there was a click...a delayed response because of where he was," Kim told The Unknown Soldiers. "I remember the click of the phone to this day."

After Pfc. Nathaniel DeTample arrived in Bayji, Iraq, an industrial city about 130 miles north of Baghdad, in May 2005, he told his mother about the country's inexorable heat.

"He told me to put my face up against a blow dryer," she said. "That's how hot it was."

Despite the harsh conditions, Pfc. DeTample was fulfilling a lifelong dream by serving his country.

"When he was a little guy, about three years old, he got his first buzz cut," the soldier's mother said. "From that day on, he always had that buzz cut."

Nate, as his mother calls him, joined the Boy Scouts at age 10, where he excelled and eventually attained the top rank of Eagle Scout. He also starred on the wrestling mat.

"He was a real determined young man," Kim said.

During his junior year of high school, Nate, whose father and grandfathers served in the military, committed to joining the National Guard.

"He believed in our country," his mother said. "He was one of the little kids who'd always stand for the pledge of allegiance."

After graduating high school, the eastern Pennsylvania native enrolled at Shippensburg University, near Harrisburg. But as other freshmen adjusted to college life, including the party scene, Nate's country came calling.

"I remember when he called and said he might need to report within 24 hours," Kim said. "That drive out (to Shippensburg) to pick him up, I felt like my son was going off to war."

On the morning of Aug. 9, 2005, Kim picked up the phone and heard the usual clicking sound. It was Nate, with whom she hadn't spoken in nearly two weeks, calling from Iraq.

"We're very fortunate that we got to talk to him that morning," she said. "It was truly a blessing that I'll never forget."

Less than 24 hours later, Kim got an early morning knock on the door. Standing outside was a U.S. Army officer.

"It's not good, is it?" the stunned mother said.

"No ma'am, it's not," the soldier replied.

According to the Pentagon, Pfc. DeTample, 19, Spc. John Kulick, 35, Spc. Gennaro Pellegrini Jr., 31, and Sgt. Francis Straub Jr., 24, were killed when a mine exploded and enemy forces attacked their patrol with small arms fire. All four soldiers were serving with a Philadelphia-based Army National Guard unit.

Nate's youth made it particularly difficult to accept his death.

"He was 19 when he died," Kim said. "He was a teenager when he died."

One of the grieving mother's only comforts is knowing that in her son's final moments, he was surrounded by fellow heroes.

"He served with the best," she said. "Three others died, and we will always remember them."

An outpouring of community support has helped the DeTample family cope in the years since. But almost nothing could have prepared Kim for having a son deployed in combat all over again.

Sgt. Staten DeTample, 25, left for Afghanistan almost exactly seven years after his brother arrived in Iraq. Driven by Nate's memory, Sgt. DeTample is making his entire family proud, even if his mother spends every day worrying.

"I know he's going to be fine," Kim said. "But on the other hand, you always think about Nate and the reality that a war is going on in Afghanistan. Hopefully people will remember that."

As her surviving son fights in Afghanistan, Kim is preparing to embark on her own journey to Iraq. Inspired by one of the last videos shot by Pfc. Nathaniel DeTample, in which soldiers are seen handing out shoes to Iraqi children, she wants to perform similar acts of compassion in a healing country where so many Americans and Iraqis made sacrifices.

"It's not just to remember Nate's spirit," she said. "It's to remember all the spirits."

In the meantime, Kim DeTample waits by her phone to hear Sgt. Staten DeTample's voice.

"It's back to the click," she said.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM


Note: The Travis Manion Foundation is helping Kim DeTample travel to Iraq and embark on her mission to help Iraqi children. To learn more about the Travis Manion Foundation's Challenge Grant program, please click here.

For Future Generations

Image courtesy: Nick Rozanski Memorial Fund

Capt. Nicholas Rozanski, 36, was one of three Ohio National Guard soldiers killed on Apr. 4 in Afghanistan's Faryab province.

Along with Master Sgt. Jeffrey Rieck, 45, of Columbus, and Master Sgt. Shawn Hannon, 44, of Grove City, Capt. Rozanski, who is from Dublin, made the ultimate sacrifice when terrorists attacked his unit with a suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device.

As the state of Ohio mourns these devastating tragedies, including the death of Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Brown, 26, of Columbus, who was killed in action the previous day in Kunar province, the family of Capt. Rozanski has quickly and selflessly set up a memorial fund that will be used to fund scholarships for children in the Dublin community.

"The scholarship will enable future generations of young, courageous men and women like Nick Rozanski to follow their dreams," the website says.

Please consider contributing to this memorial fund while keeping the Rozanski, Rieck, Hannon, Brown, and families of all our fallen heroes in your thoughts and prayers. Because after all, the brave men and women of our military are all part of one big family to which we also belong: the United States of America.

"Nick, a graduate of Dublin Coffman High School and The Ohio State University, was an amazing father, husband, son, brother & friend to all who knew him," the website says.

You can contribute to the Nick Rozanski Memorial Fund by donating here or by sending a check to this address:

Nick Rozanski Memorial Fund
2095 Kentwell Rd
Columbus, OH 43221

Image courtesy: Ohio National Guard

On Deadly Ground

Images courtesy: Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane

During every step American warriors take through Afghanistan's rugged post-9/11 battlefields, the ground beneath their boots is inundated with the unknown.

Instead of fighting our superior troops head on, most of America's enemies bury bombs underground or even under piles of trash. These crude, deadly improvised explosive devices target Americans and Afghans alike, and have killed countless people, including innocent children.

August 2011 was the deadliest month of the entire war in Afghanistan for U.S. troops. As you know from reading this blog, the impact of each service member's death is staggering; from grieving husbands, wives, children, siblings, and friends at home to devastated brothers and sisters in arms still serving overseas. As these good people cope with the sharp knife of their loved ones' short lives, we cannot say enough prayers for those shouldering the heaviest price of war.

Despite an August of unprecedented pain for our military in Afghanistan, our troops still serving there are not dead men walking. They are driven, determined men and women who feel each and every ultimate sacrifice deep inside their heroic hearts. There is no bottle to store the time they have spent away from their families, nor is there is a pill to cure what our military has endured every single day since terrorists attacked our homeland on September 11, 2001.

Al Qaeda and the Taliban are terrorist organizations full of faceless cowards. Their foot soldiers wear no uniforms and fight for no cause other than to brainwash, murder, and terrorize. Therefore, when an explosive ordnance disposal technician tells me that he or she disabled an improvised explosive device planted near an Afghan school, I view that as a great victory for our military, America, and the world.
It is impossible to measure how many future Afghan leaders have been saved by our military, which at the same time, hunts terrorists with relentless force and unmatched skill.

As I type this post on board a commercial jet, my sadness is mixed with pride. Nothing can ever prepare you for looking into the eyes of a mother who has lost a son or daughter, and I know I will eventually speak with some military moms who will never forget the tragic month of August 2011.

At the same time, I am enormously grateful to live in a country where despite a decade of tragedy, our troops and military families are still ready and willing to fight. No human being is perfect, but in my view, many of our men and women in uniform do things that define the word.

To those who have served and are serving: thank you for keeping my family safe. It is impossible to repay you for your selfless commitment to freedom and the flag.

To those who have lost a love one: thank you for your unparalleled strength. While you never wanted the Gold Star your family has earned, it symbolizes what we all wish on while gazing into the night skies as children. Your hero is our hero, and a grateful nation stands ready to help your family in a time of unimaginable trial.

Right now -- at this very second -- U.S. troops are walking, running, and driving through the mountains, deserts, roads, and dirt paths of Afghanistan. God, please bless the ground beneath them.

Guarding the Unknown

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

Even during a Category 1 hurricane, the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery is guarded by a brave American soldier.

The caption for the above photo, which was taken on Saturday and released by the U.S. Army's 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), notes that since April 6, 1948, Tomb Sentinels have stood guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns for "every second of every day." Unknown soldiers from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War rest beneath the sacred spot.

While we hope and pray for everyone's safety during Hurricane Irene, even as the national media sensationalizes the story, I have a feeling that the soldiers guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns will be just fine. After all, they know that at this very moment, their brothers and sisters in arms are risking their lives for our freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Like al Qaeda and the Taliban, Hurricane Irene is no match for the United States military.

Stand By Them

Image courtesy: Pfc. Sean Dennison

During a deadly, tragic summer in Afghanistan, where we stand on the war politically is irrelevant. All that matters is standing beside our troops and their families as they shoulder the heaviest burdens of America's longest war.

Cpl. Zachary Mills, 22, is an ordnance technician with Marine Attack Squadron 513, stationed in Kandahar. His job is to arm Harriers, the groundbreaking military jets capable of lifting off vertically without forward speed.

It was 6:30 a.m. Kandahar time when Cpl. Mills spoke via satellite phone to The Unknown Soldiers, and the temperature outside a hangar where the Marine usually works was already creeping toward 100 degrees. When asked how he copes with doing a difficult job amid unrelenting heat similar to conditions inside a furnace, he shrugged off the question.

"I just drink a lot of water, I guess," the Orlando, Fla., native told The Unknown Soldiers. "I'm normally stationed out in Yuma (Az.), so this is not bad at all."

Mills was fully aware of the risks involved when he joined the military in January 2008. More than three and a half years later, he is deployed to one of the world's most dangerous regions. As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq both continue, the proud Marine said he has no regrets about his decision to enlist.

"I basically wanted to better myself," Mills explained, "and I thought the military would be the right way to serve your country. I think that's a very important thing, especially during these times."

With this summer shaping up to be the deadliest of the entire Afghanistan conflict, which has lasted almost a decade, Mills said spirits in the war zone are in fact very high.

"Morale is good," he said. "Once you get (Marines) in gear, it motivates them to work hard."

Capt. Pete Hegseth is an Army National Guardsman currently deployed to Kabul, where he is an instructor at a counterinsurgency training center. The soldier, who has also deployed to Iraq, said he becomes exasperated when media pundits inside air-conditioned newsrooms suggest that because of increased risk, the military is tired or unwilling to fight.

"This 'talk' is a complete misnomer," Capt. Hegseth said in an email from Afghanistan to The Unknown Soldiers. "Troops are here because they want to be here, and we believe in what we're doing."

Hegseth, 31, knows first-hand about the strains of multiple deployments. Coupled with the visible and invisible wounds of war, these issues are very serious concerns for U.S. troops, veterans and military families. But according to Hegseth, challenges should not be mistaken for weariness.

"We're not 'tired,'" Hegseth, the former executive director of Vets for Freedom, an organization committed to victory in Afghanistan and Iraq, wrote. "We're savvy, committed, war-tested, and more experienced than ever. America's military today is the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen, and the only way we will 'break' our military is if we don't give it the resources it needs to fight and support it needs to win."

Hegseth's steadfast belief in America's post-9/11 mission in Afghanistan doesn't mean this summer has been easy.

"Yes, it's tough," the soldier wrote. "And yes, it's hard to be away from family."

Before Hegseth's latest combat deployment, the soldier and his wife welcomed their first child, a son who is now 13 months old. Hegseth said he misses his little boy tremendously and worries about his wife, who must spend a year raising their child on her own.

Yet because of his soul mate's support and strength, as well as the opportunity to see his son via Skype, Hegseth remembers what he is fighting for.

"I'm able to talk to her regularly and see my little son grow up," Hegseth wrote. "He sees me on the computer, lunges for the screen, and says 'Dada.'

"It melts my heart and reminds me why I'm doing this," the soldier continued. "(It's) for them and for the simple joys that all Americans cherish."

At this hour, as more flag-draped caskets come home from the battlefield, our brave men and women in uniform are standing guard around the world. No matter how difficult, we must set aside our differences and stand by them, even from half a world away.

COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM

Image courtesy: Hegseth family