Thinking of families while traveling

I'm sitting in the Cincinnati airport waiting on a connecting flight, and I've seen several service members moving through the terminals, many leaving or greeting families. Lots of tears both ways.

It really brings home how much these Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are sacrificing for their country. I see a measure of it - my husband is a mobilized reservist on his fourth year at Fort Knox, and we've had to make many changes to our lives to accommodate it. I can't imagine what it's like for families with children. It's been difficult enough for me on my own, and I spent two years away from him before giving up my job and moving to the Fort Knox area.

But these service members, they're walking through the sirport with a purpose. To go to work, or to come home. I hope that they're healthy and whole both ways, but especially returning home, and that they're returning home to a healthy and whole family.

But reality is different. Many of them are returning to financial problems, emotional distress, and lots of acclimation to deal with. I've seen it in some of my husband's friends. One in particular, I'll call him Ronnie, he left a wife and five kids at home for a year. Came back healthy in body, and mostly okay in mind. The problem was that he had no time in between Iraq and Fort Knox to get his mind wrapped around what he'd been dealing with for a year.

So many of our service members deal with that. There is more and more news coming out about it - the military counseling services are terribly overwhelmed. But it's a serious issue that MUST be addressed.

I see these men and women desperately hugging their children as they leave, and you know they're praying more for their families than for themselves. For what they're giving up, we seriously need to recognize that they deserve our help in return.

USA Cares was important to me even before I started helping the cause - because it helps military families, flat out, no exchange, no catches. Please considering helping. Share A Minute of your time.

Go to www.usacares.org for details.

And thank a service member when you see them in the airport. I got a couple huge smiles.