President Says Troops Coming Home From Iraq

As military family members ourselves, the National Military Family Association rejoices with the families of the service members who will be returning from Iraq by the end of the year. We’ve all experienced that wonderful homecoming, the relief of stress as we realize our loved one is out of danger, and the hope of resuming a “normal” family life.

While this may seem like the end of the war for many Americans, that’s just not so for military families. We know service members and their families will keep serving, sacrificing, and dealing with deployments to dangerous places. Many service members—almost 100,000—are still fighting in Afghanistan. Many are away from home in other operations. Others are working long hours at their home stations in support of those in harm’s way. Those returning may soon be leaving for other assignments.

As the troops come home, many will find that achieving a sense of “normal” as a family, learning to live together again after multiple deployments, may not be that easy. They will still need counseling and other resources, as well as support from their communities, to help find that new normal. Many families will be caring for a service member who has received visible or invisible wounds for years to come. Some families have lost their loved one forever.

Bringing the troops home from Iraq does not spell an end to our military’s mission or for the need for support of military families. All Americans must recognize their role in helping military families, especially their children, deal with the long-term effects of a decade at war. Military families need to know their government will ensure they have the tools they need to recover from this war and be ready to face the next mission. They need communities to recognize their role in supporting the patriots who did not back down when called upon to sacrifice for our Nation.

Let’s all make sure the words “Welcome Home!” really mean something for service members and their families. Our Nation must continue to fund what works to support military families, protect the most vulnerable, and, above all,  value their service.

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