Yesterday, I had to say goodbye again to my little brother as he goes on his third tour of duty in Iraq. He is a career officer, a Lt. Col in the Rangers, in charge of over 6,000 young men, and he will be over there for the next year. I told him that I wish he didn't have to go, and he said he wished he didn't either, but that is his job. We don't discuss politics - we've learned not to provoke each other. He tries to focus on the small gains they have made and continue to make over there. He says that often any evidence of progress is not reported in the news, and he's the one that has been there, not me, so I just listen, and make sure he knows that I love him and I am proud of his sacrifice.

After I got off the phone with John, I cried. I've cried for loved ones leaving for war too many times. When I was a child, my dad was an officer in the Marines serving several tours of duty in Vietnam, and I grew up watching the casuality numbers on the nightly news. There wasn't anything I could do then to keep my dad safe, and I am helpless to protect my "kid" brother. And my darling 24 year old niece's brand new husband is an enlisted man who was just sent over there last month.

I pray this war is stopped soon - though I am not always sure who or what I am praying to- or is prayer just a way to assuage the feeling of helplessness?
liberiamom Reviewed by liberiamom on . Saying goodbye to brother off to Iraq Yesterday, I had to say goodbye again to my little brother as he goes on his third tour of duty in Iraq. He is a career officer, a Lt. Col in the Rangers, in charge of over 6,000 young men, and he will be over there for the next year. I told him that I wish he didn't have to go, and he said he wished he didn't either, but that is his job. We don't discuss politics - we've learned not to provoke each other. He tries to focus on the small gains they have made and continue to make over there. He Rating: 5