A military brat explains

Last week, a nationwide candlelight vigil sponsored by www.Moveon.org was held to remember the more than 2,000 American troops who have died in Iraq. While Moveon.org has been known to oppose the war in Iraq, this vigil reminds us that whether we are for or against the war, we can all support the troops and their families.\nOne of my best friends is currently in Iraq with the U.S. Army, and not a day goes by that I don't worry about him. This past weekend, I received an e-mail from him describing his experience in a mission, hearing other grown men cry and watching the guy next to him die on the way home. As much as it pained me to read about his life in Iraq, it also served to remind me of the reality of this war, how people can and do die and how those of us who are not fighting cannot fully understand the horror involved.\nI know other people who have friends or family members in the Middle East. Growing up in a military family (that's right, I'm a military brat), I've had experience in dealing with the long absences of a family member. I remember going through the "Daddy's Days Away" workbooks given to my brother and me by the Marine Corps with our mother looking over our shoulders. I remember living in Camp Pendleton in the early 1990s, seeing yellow ribbons displayed all over our neighborhood and having several classmates whose fathers were also overseas.\nBut my experience cannot compare to when a child's parent dies as a result of these conflicts. Some of these children lose a parent at such a young age that they cannot fully understand why until they are older.\nThe war in Iraq has caused much heated debate throughout the country, and I will not deny I have been a part of this debate. At the same time, I am not saying this debate needs to stop. I think it ought to continue in order to allow us to think more carefully about this war so we might learn from it now and in the future. There are many lessons to be taken from this conflict, which I think need to become embedded within the American psyche.\nIt is not just the troops who sacrifice in this war, though their sacrifice is the greatest of them all. And though I know I can be quite a cynic at times, even I must applaud the American public in its steadfast support for our troops in the Middle East. \nRecently, there has been much speculation about whether or not Americans are becoming desensitized by constant reports about the war, but the candlelight vigil shows this is not necessarily the case. It is important that we continue to show our support, as we here at home really cannot understand what the troops are experiencing right now.