Although many troops remain in Iraq, I just want to use this space to share a little of my families history of deployments of the Iraq War and to say Thank You to all of our Armed Forces.
Today marks the end of the combat mission in Iraq. Let it not ever be said that we have confused our disdain for the war with our support of the troops.
They have done everything that was asked of them and they have done it superbly. Their families have had to make unbelievable sacrifices while deployment after deployment took place. Trust me the 2nd or 3th or 4th deployment didn't make it any easier.
You see I have twin sons who served multiple tours in Iraq and as a parent my husband and I spent the first deployment clued to CNN day and night. It was as if we were holding vigil and it took 2 months after the war started before we heard anything from son #1. He had been grazed by a bullet in a fire fight and was later awarded the bronze start. He is fine in both mind and body.
Son #2 went over the next year and served a year of hell and came home safe and sound for a year and then they sent #1 and #2 over at the same time. A year later #2 was sent back for 15 months. Then the next year my nephew was sent for a tour and his arm was permanently damaged when a IED went off. He is young and has 70 percent use of his arm and is attending college now.
We were one of the lucky families because all our guys came back and seem to be well adjusted and doing okay. For me as a mother and an Aunt I just want to say Thank You to all the hundreds of thousands in the Armed Service and their families who no longer have to see their loved ones go off to a war that should have never been waged or fought.