How Have You Been Affected By The War?
I personally have not been able to feel the closeness to the war that so many have.
I don’t personally have any close friends or family overseas serving.
I have not known of anyone lost at war.
But I know so many have.
The image above is from one of my favorite websites…The Big Picture from the Boston Globe.
The devastation in their faces is one I can not begin to understand.
RAIN IT DOWN
I have a cousin who was part of the first wave into Baghdad when the war started and at one point he was six inches away from coming home in a box. I praise God that he came home to his four kids alive.
At first it was a very distant thing. I was able to criticize from afar and not really have any emotional tie to it.
Now I have a good friend from college getting ready to go to Iraq. Things have changed, I know have put a face on the war in Iraq.
Just about a month ago a kid in our church had a dude pull a grenade on them in Afghanistan … he’s blind in one eye now, but alive. His picture is on the table in our prayer room – we pray for him frequently.
since high school (i graduated in 2003, one year after the war started) i have known 5 men from my class who have gone over and served. one of which, i know is still there (3rd or 5th deployment). thankfully they have all returned home. but i remember saying goodbye to these men, not knowing if i would ever see them again, expecting to see them in a list of dead on local news. that is devastating thought.
My sister Cristina is a MA dog handler in Kuwait with the US Navy. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss her terribly. I pray for her daily; for her health, safety, and that she would continue to be held in the hands of our God.
I’ve been to Iraq twice since 2004 for a total of 18 months. I’ve seen the other side of this war and have seen the many people who are being and want to be helped and want us there. I have a piece of shrapnel that landed on my workbench from a rocket. Fortunately I was off at the time. I had a friend need 6 pieces pulled from his back/side/arms from the same blast. I’ve had several friends go out on missions and not come back. I’ve known many who were hurt/injured/killed. I remind myself everyday that it could have very easily been me. I’m so thankful that I have had the opportunity to have two more little boys since my last time over there. I’m so thankful that my little girl will not have to know that pain. I’m thankful to God that my wife never received “that visit”.
I’m thankful that I knew men who were willing to give everything they have to protect me and my family and many others that they have never met.
My step brother in-law Andy is in Iraq with the Wisconsin National Guard. He says he is not in much danger. I catch him on IM every now and then or facebook. He should be coming home in February. I think the shock of going from Iraq to Wisconsin in February might be harder than the deployment.
I work with military families to help them deal with the difficulties of deployment and separation and I never get used to the pain, suffering, and loss they experience. I don’t have space here to tell you all the stories. We are paying a very steep price for whatever will be accomplished – and I’m not talking about money.
One of my wife’s good friends from high school died in Afghanistan. Marine Sniper. Killed by a roadside bomb. He was a good kid. His funeral was an incredible testimony to his influence and dedication to seeing all those around him come to relationship with Jesus.
One of my youth (from my youth pastor days) has deployed twice and is getting ready to return to Iraq at the beginning of the year. I officiated his wedding (he’s married to another of my youth). Great kids.
A member of my worship team (from the church I just moved from), her husband is being deployed for a year. He’s already been twice. He was supposed to get orders to Hawaii or Germany where he would serve out the rest of his service before retiring (I think 2 more years), but got orders to deploy instead. Mom has a brand new baby, and 2 other kids. It’s always tough on the family.
Regardless of how you feel about the validity or reasons for “war” we MUST continue to pray for those who fight for our country AND for those they fight against.
Acts 17:26-27 talks about the boundaries of nations. God KNOWS when and where those boundaries are going to be. That includes the governments and wars of nations as well. We might not be able to figure it out or understand why God would allow such atrocities to take place, but we can find peace in knowing that God has allotted time for nations to rise and fall for the sole purpose that mankind in all its blindness would grope for, search for and ultimately find Him.
His name is Todd Godfrey. He’s a 3rd Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army. He went into Afghanistan when we first went in and served two subsequent tours. He served 4 tours in Iraq before being assigned to a stateside unit having “completed his combat rotation.” Right now he’s sitting down at Ft. Bragg training as an adjunct to a combat unit getting ready to go back to Afghanistan. He volunteered to go back with a unit that wasn’t his, because “that’s what soldiers do.” I love him. He’s my hero.
my cousin was killed in action on August 11th 2007. 3 other men were killed in the same incident. one of his buddies went in to an abandoned house to clear it and was shot by a sniper. scott and two others went in after him and one of them stepped on a bomb that was planted in the floor.
scott was a poet, husband, son, brother and so loved by our family. we are all so proud of him. at his funeral he was awarded the bronze star. he is buried in arlington cemetery. not a day goes by that i don’t ache because of this loss to our family. it’s overwhelming sometimes. but i’m so thankful for him and his sacrifice.
an article was written about him in Details magazine – you can read it here. http://www.details.com/culture-trends/news-and-politics/200712/iraq-war-hero-sergeant-scott-kirkpatrick
My brother served 2 tours in Iraq and my cousin was in the group that brought down the statue of Saddam in Baghdad. My brother had 2 of his platoon die in front of him because of an IED. My nephew is named after both of those men. I think my brother would agree that the way the war is talked about in the media is not reality. There are people who want/need us there and are grateful. I am grateful for those who serve on our behalf and fight for our freedom and the freedom of others every day.
My son is getting ready to deploy to Iraq for the 4th time. He joined the Army right out of high school, right after 9/11. He was part of the first wave of soldiers…that year he was the youngest member of his battalion (he TURNED 18 in Iraq), his battalion commander promised me he would come home in one piece, he did. He came home, got married. 11 months later, one month after his daughter was born he deployed again, this time for 16 months. He came home and with in 3 months was reassigned to Germany, where after 9 months he was deployed again for 14 months. He has been back home in Germany now for 8 months, his daughter is now 4 and they are expecting a baby boy in March…my daughter in law is moving back to the states just today. He leaves for Iraq again in three weeks. I can’t even begin to understand how hard that goodbye for them was this morning. He will be gone again for 14-16 months. That is how the war has affected me.
My now husband is a Seabee in the Navy and was in Iraq last year. I fell apart the second I heard the phone ring with the orders but I determined that I wanted to be a partner he could be proud of so I pulled up my boots and dug my heels in. He was gone 8 months and what I thought was going to be awful, God turned into an experience that drew us closer and deeper to Him and each other. It was hard. Not one second went by that it wasn’t on my mind. Didn’t watch the news. I kept my watch set to Iraqi time and said a prayer for them every time I glanced at it. Communication was few and far between. I wrote him every single day so he would be getting mail. It was very difficult when someone was killed and I don’t think that I will ever forget that experience. The best part was being on the air strip as his plane landed back in America on 9-11-08. It was like a movie. Crowd swells and there’s my man. After 8 months. Precious. I will be 90 and recall that memory.We married this July 4th in honor of his service. Thank you for posting this picture and caring:)
I have one friend over there but he is the communications guy for a general so I tend to think he is pretty safe. Amazing how disconnected we have become from whats going on. There is a war going on?
My brother just shipped to Iraq for his 4th tour today. The last couple of tours have been easier on the family, but we spent hours watching CNN and FOX looking for glimpses of him in the background during the invasion in 2003. Gut wrenching
Have i been affected by war? In many different ways. one way…it put me through college. My father worked for a govt contractor back in the 80′s/90′s making radar display systems for military jet craft. The first Gulf Conflict put them on the map with a huge contract that saved a company of jets…and subsequently put me through school debt free. Ironic, I know. Odd to think of a monetary benefit to war. But there it was. Secondly, 7 of the men in my family are military and have been involved in every war since WW11 thru vietnam, thru the first gulf war to another cousin shipping out to Afghanistan in a matter of months. One just got discharged (honorably) before heading out on his 3rd tour to Iraq. The last time he came home it was after a bomb went off in there camp. He saved several of his men and came home relatively unhurt…There are so many sides of war that we will never know and will never understand. But the last point is…there are more conflicts going on than we know about…not just iraq, afghanistan…and whether we care to hear it or not, our country is constantly under threat and these men and women are going to the cross for us…willing sacrifices for our protection, our freedom, our religion. So, really, we are all affected by war whether we realize it or not. Pray for them and the leaders of the free world.
In my family, there are six young men eligible for service. My sister has three and I have three. Two of her sons are in the military and one of mine, so far. Her oldest son was in Afghanistan at the beginning. One of her twin boys is in Iraq right now and my oldest son is in Afghanistan. My middle boy is working on joining the Army Reserves right now and will probably be shipped to either Iraq or Afghanistan after his training in May or June. My father served in World War II and I lost uncles in Korea and Viet Nam. I am so proud of all of these men but I would give everything if they didn’t have to go. I can’t wait til there’s no more war.
The picture above makes me cry. Reading others comments about losing loved ones makes me cry. This war has left me an emotional wreck. My brother’s in the Army and served in Iraq for 18 months. He was supposed to be going back in January, but it looks like he’ll be going to Afghanistan instead…
In March my husband will leave for his 4th year long deployment… it definitely affects us… him, me, and our 4 (almost 5) children every day.
I’ve deployed to Afghanistan twice, but thankfully I have never been hurt or even in immediate danger. The part that affected me the most was standing on the main road on Bagram Air Base and saluting as fallen Soldiers, Marines, and Airmen were driven to the flightline to be taken home. It’s rough. And it happened a few days a week. It really puts life and what we are doing over there into perspective.
I was also able to meet many locals in Afghanistan and to see the joy they have in their face and to know they are extremely thankful for the work we’ve done makes everything seem worth it.
I’m a husband to an anointed wife, Father of four beautiful girls, a Commander in the US Army and a Man of God. I’ve completed 3 combat tours, 2 x 12 months and 1 x 15 month. I’ve picked up friends, fellow warriors that gave their all, to many to count. I’ve been in market places where children walked and laughed hand in hand with their loved ones one minute, and the very next they stood by themselves wondering what the loud blast was that stole their family. I’ve looked into the eyes of teenagers as they hung onto the very life that used to be, but now was fading away in my arms and I couldn’t do anything. Have I been affected? I’ve been involuntarily engrafted into a form of compassion that only comes from seeing hearts broken and lives shattered one to many times.
Time can only heal natural disasters. What the pain and sorrow that man has caused through hatred and violence, can only be resolved with Love and understanding. I’m a warrior. I’ve been forgiven much, so I love much!
I have to admit that I don’t know anyone serving, but a few of my friends have kids there, I’m 40 btw, so alot of my peer group is sitting at home comfortably tonight watching FOXNews instead.
I’ve always considered myself a very nationalistic American, but I don’t quite get the whole point of it. Does Christ really want young boys to try to kill each other…. especially when the issue doesn’t even seem quite clear?
I haven’t lost anyone, but it does keep me up at night. I know that the brave men and women who serve do so under amazing circumstances and with the most selfless attitudes, but I can’t help but wonder why they are being asked to do so?
I’m not a liberal, but I hate to think that someday it could be my son or daughter who was serving. These are children fighting in a war that they didn’t start, and have no place in. There are deep issues here that are centuries in the making, and I wonder how anyone can have the nerve to feel that as a human, they can somehow fix the human condition.
I just don’t know, but it makes me sad….
I have two friends there. God keep them safe. They both have young kids. They are not in Afghanistan to hurt others, their mission is to help the citizens. Yes, US troops are there to help, teach, guide and to leave the people in a better way than when “we” arrived. It doesn’t get the press though.
My cousin, Nick, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq on Mother’s Day 2005.
Mother’s Day!
She has never been the same.
God rest his soul.
I’ve had a buddy and a cousin die in Iraq, I couldn’t be more proud to say I knew them! I am so thankful for everyone who is willing to serve!
A widow at what age? and for what?
Good question/post Los.
Whether we know it or not, the war has affected all of us. I don’t have any family serving over there but I do know friends, one of whom I’ve known since elementary school. He received a bullet wound in the shoulder from a sniper but I’m glad he’s alive today. He’s given me a better idea of what happens to someone emotionally in those situations as he is very bitter and sometimes very caustic, wakes up from horrifying nightmares most of the time, and has an insurmountable amount of guilt. I pray for him often! One of the guys in his platoon was blinded by a road-side bomb which inspired me to write a song for him. Also, talking with my friend gave me an opportunity to show support, tangibly. I raised money and also received donations for his platoon and was able to send over thirteen boxes of snacks and movies and fun stuff for all of them. It was a small gesture but from what my friend told me, it was much needed and it lifted their spirits.
My best friend’s husband is serving right now in Kuwait for 12 months. He was gone for training when she had to give birth to their first child 3 months early. He missed his daughter’s birth and it was so hard for my friend who was going through a traumatic experience of having a baby at 28 weeks. And he’s only seen them for a few days between then and when he was deployed at the end of September. I pray every day that God will protect him and bring him home safe.
My husband is serving in Afghanistan right now, he left 1 month after we moved to Alaska. He joined the military a year after his Father was killed in Iraq by insurgents who attacked their convoy, My husband joined because he wanted to be like his father, and amazing man of God who touched so many people’s lives through his service as a Marine. I trust God with my husband life because I saw how God took care of our family when my father-law-was killed. This war is hard to understand but we are helping these people and I know that their lives a a little better for the service our Soldiers are giving. The soldiers give their lives to make this world a better place so that we can sit here and have this discussion! Thank you to all the soldiers and families here, your stories were wonderful to read, and thanks Los for that question!
I’ve served in the Air National Guard for a bit over 6 years now. I’ve seen several friends go over and so far, they’ve all come back in one piece. The Air Force is a bit insulated from the ground combat troops – generally we’re farther behind the front lines and not kicking down doors or walking the marketplaces.
After Katrina and Rita hit back in 2005 my unit was deployed for hurricane relief duty. The last deployment for my unit before that time was during the Korean War. If we didn’t have so many troops deployed overseas they never would’ve called – we aren’t really trained for that sort of thing.
Just last month I was informed that I’m heading over there in the summer of 2012. I don’t have any more specific timeline than that, and who knows what’ll happen between now and then.
Oh yeah – I play in the band. We’re sending the band to Afghanistan now.
In April 2008, my college roommate, Mark Metherell, was killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad while leading a group of Iraqi Special Forces that he was training. Mark left behind a wife, and infant adopted daughter and many, many loving friends and family.
Mark went to Wheaton College expecting to be a Trauma Surgeon but a desire for adventure led him to join the Navy Seals. He had already left the Navy by 9/11 but took a series of civilian jobs in the Middle East training the local military. He found it easier to talk about his faith to an Afghani or Iraqi soldier that he was training than someone from his home town along the California Coast.
At his memorial service on of his SEAL friends said “He is in victory with our Lord Jesus and I am jealous. I wanted to see him walk through and hear “well done good and faithful servant” and it will be the other way around”
My husband is currently deployed to the Middle East. I can’t tell you where he is, partly because he is special ops and I’m not allowed to type it and partly because much of the time, I don’t know where he is. His orders are to be over there for 2 years total. He deployed July 2008, came home in March 2009 for 8 days after the birth of our second child and again in July 2009 for a month, at his 1 year mark of deployment. Like another wife mentioned earlier, I went a long time without watching the news. It’s just too difficult. And also similar her, I have my cell phone set to local time and Iraq time. He has missed all of the firsts of our infant daughter and has missed many important milestones of our toddler daughter as well. Every night, as I lay my toddler in her bed, we pray for daddy, I do all that I can to keep him alive in her mind.