The End of an Era

(... if you count nine years as an era)

It's been so great to see the troops come home in time for the holiday season.

The end of the Iraq War has special significance for us. Ben has served three combat tours... two to Iraq and one to Afghanistan totaling 29 months. And yes, I am dang proud. Of course, I think I would have chosen a different adjective had you asked me while he was actually there.

I hadn't met Ben yet when he served his first tour in 2003. He went in right after the invasion, and overall his tour, with the exception of a couple crazy incidents, was peaceful. The girl in the peach dress was someone Ben befriended along with her family. She's named Amil, Emily's namesake. That's her dad and older brothers.
Ben's mom and her ward sent school supplies to the children. Can you find Ben?
Ben was just leaving Iraq as his brother Joe was arriving. I believe I've mentioned Ben's family's insane, ahem, I mean HONORABLE family tradition... all four brothers are in the army and between three of them they have served seven tours overseas. Too bad Oprah doesn't have a show anymore.
Ben returned again to Iraq in 2005. This picture was taken moments before saying good-bye, we had gotten engaged just three weeks earlier. We were separated 8 months, he came home for two weeks on his R&R when we got married, and then he was off again for another 4 months. Oh the things we do for love.

Taken inside a C-17 as the troops are about to parachute over Baghdad. Just kidding, they just landed the normal way. But Ben is airborne qualified.

Winning the hearts of the Iraqi army. Ben is meeting with an Iraqi Lieutenant Colonel. You have to admire his gun collection.

Blending in with the locals... another attempt to win the hearts and minds. You can't even tell which one's Ben, right?

Ben's very favorite battle buddy, Josh. They went through a lot together. His second tour was quite the opposite of the first... they went in right at the climax of the civil war.

And one of my favorite photos. This was actually in Afghanistan, his third tour. This was taken the day Emily was born, his buddies gave him a bubblegum cigar to celebrate. He was only gone six months but he missed his grandfather's funeral, his daughter's birth, and his brother's wedding. Like I said, where's Oprah when you need her? But Ben is by no means unusual... almost all of his fellow servicemen have served just as long and even more than Ben has and have sacrificed beyond comprehension.