What Does Our Freedom Really Cost?

I get very tired and somewhat annoyed by the people who complain about the war. The worst of them all are the ones who give no respect for our troops who are, in fact, fighting for our freedom. Freedom to blog, freedom to go to school, freedom to earn a living and make decisions with our finances.

I have always had a respect and appreciation for our troops. No matter what sex, what branch, whatever, complete respect was always shown to them. It should have been no surprise to me that I would eventually fall in love with and marry a member of the United State Marine Corps.

I knew him before boot camp and have been with him through many deployments. He has lost many a close friend (considered family to them) not only just in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other overseas locations, but here in the United States as well. The feeling of sadness instantly washes over me when I hear of a death. I begin thinking about the family, more specifically the wife, and can't help but think "what if that were me?" It seems as though recently there are more deaths caused by suicide than homicide.

It makes me wonder what goes through their mind? I will never know, because I haven't gone through the things they have gone through. I haven't seen the things they have seen. I haven't had to wake up and wonder "is today the day we get ambushed" or something of that nature.

My husband has been taking the deaths rather hard. Over the past week or so, three people have fallen that he knew. With each death discovered, it seems a piece of him goes with them. A more sad, solemn Robert comes to the surface. It breaks my heart more and more every time, knowing there is nothing I can do. I am there for condolences and support, but none would be accepted, it would, in their minds, be shown as a sign of weakness.

It lead me to this thought today, what does our freedom really cost? Yes, our soldiers put themselves on the line everyday, but do we forget about their minds too? We call them "the lucky" that come back, but are they really all that lucky? ((Yes, they are lucky in that they were able to come back to their friends and family, do not take this as a slight to those who have died an honorable death for our country, because it most certainly is not)) Many of our troops who return are not even assessed for PTSD or other mental issues until years after they come back from deployment. Where does that leave our military men and women? In the dark? waiting for someone to save them?