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I can’t help but wonder about how they would view the stresses on the families during WWII? Some of those wives at home got a piece of mail once a month. We’re so spoiled.

Right after my daughter started flying into and out of Iraq (and Afghanistan as well), she sent me an email with a picture of part of her aircraft and said "See the bullet holes? Somebody took some potshots at us this morning. Don't tell mom."

I have friends who have children serving over there, and they'll be chatting with them (including video chatting) and they'll hear something and their kid will say "something happened, I've gotta run, see ya" as they are picking up a rifle.

The whole thing is very surreal at times (we should have had a clue when the White House allowed reporters to be "embedded" on a large scale during the invasion in 2003).

I completely understand that side of things too — my brother was there for a year. We couldn’t hear from him often enough — even if it was twice a day. We waited on pins and needles when we knew he was moving from one safe location, thru “Indian Country,” to another safe spot until we heard that he’d arrived ok. I guess I’m not really saying that it’s better when we get no news, it’s just that I think in WWII our country was more protected from the everyday bad news, and we were able more easily to focus on Victory. Maybe I’m looking thru rose colored glasses, too. I wasn’t alive then, I’m just going on what I see in the movies from back then. Everyone wanted to WIN.

I have friends who have children serving over there, and they'll be chatting with them (including video chatting) and they'll hear something and their kid will say "something happened, I've gotta run, see ya" as they are picking up a rifle.

yep. Talking with my grandson in the mountains of Afghanistan one day (They have been in over 500 firefights since getting there in June!) and he had been able to get back a bit out the worst of it where there was running water and phones - all of a sudden, I heard a loud noise and he said: "Gotta go, Gramma." and hung up - incoming mortars = and then I got to see him and his unit "Battle Co," featured in the ABC film last month - embeds went with them for weeks on end and simply filmed as it was going down - no spin.

You can see the film on the military site for the 173rd Pararoopers

http://www.setaf.army.mil/

scroll down to

Go behind the front lines in Afghanistan

and watch the 4 short segments - and they have lost more since - including their camp dog, Tank, (who is featured in the film) through actions by the barbarians they are fighting - my g'son now wears "Tanks" dog tags and there has been/will be pay back.

They are featured in the Jan issue of Vanity FAir now on stands -

Gates needs to pocket his ego and let the Marines come in to help as they want to