Our Troops

My heart is so heavy right now. As you know, Keith is in Iraq and has chosen to serve our country. I try not to dwell on the what ifs because I know that Heavenly Father knows what's best for him. On Sunday he sent me a myspace email to tell me that 3 of his buddies died last week and to let me know he was okay. We were on our cruise last week and didn't watch any news so we were unaware that it even happened. I tried archiving and searching the internet to find out more information. This article was the longest article I could find.

Three Fort Drum soldiers die in Iraq

# 8,067 of 8,765 Filed under: FORT DRUM, N.Y. , SOLDIERS KILLED
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Map, News) -
The Department of Defense says three soldiers based at Fort Drum were killed in an attack by enemy forces in Iraq.
The soldiers, from Texas, Massachussetts and California, died June 4 of wounds suffered in Sharqat, Iraq, when their unit was attacked by small arms fire and hand grenades.
They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.
They're identified as Sgt. Shane P. Duffy, 22, of Taunton, Mass.; Spc. Jonathan D. A. Emard, 20, of Mesquite, Texas; and Sgt. Cody R. Legg, 23, of Escondido, Calif.
Duffy, who was on his second tour of duty in Iraq, leaves a wife and young child. He died less than two weeks after returning from a short visit home.

Before Keith was sent to Iraq, I would see news blurps about another soldier dying or being wounded and I would feel bad yet it only affected me for a few moments. Now I read the articles and I grieve for those left behind. My worse fear is for my doorbell to ring and have military people standing on the doorstep. I think of the mothers/wives/children that these soldiers leave behind and it hurts to think that the only recognition they receive for offering their lives is a couple of paragraphs. Is that all their lives are worth to the American people?

I get angry when I read or hear politicians and people say that the loss of lives in this war is less than WWII or Vietnam. It doesn't matter because each number is a PERSON. Every 4 thousand plus soldiers who have died leaves a empty spot in the lives of someone.

I don't care what your position is on the war. These soldiers made a pledge and took an oath to follow the orders given to them by our commander in chief and that is what they are doing. I commend them for doing something that I am unwilling to do.

I am blessed to have found the gospel and I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us. I know that he loves each and everyone of us. I know that he knows me personally and that he loves me more than I could ever imagine. I know the grief I have felt in my heart as a child who has had both parents pass away and I can't for a moment imagine the magnitude of grief that Heavenly Father endures.

When we are asked to pray for our troops, I think we should not only pray for them but for their love ones also. Whether their loved ones are in Iraq, Afganistan or wherever lets pray that they find the gospel and the inner peace they desire to help them through these trying times.