…you think you have it bad:

Stryker brigade Soldiers sent home to Alaska to return to Iraq
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service
August 15, 2006

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 15, 2006) – Three hundred one Soldiers with an Alaska-based unit extended in Iraq will return to the combat zone to serve with their comrades in arms, Army officials announced yesterday.

A total of 378 Soldiers with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team had returned to Alaska in June and July at the end of their scheduled 12-month tour in Iraq. But before the rest of the 4,000-Soldier unit could redeploy, officials halted their return to bolster Iraqi and coalition forces in Baghdad.

Now, 301 of those Soldiers who made it back to Alaska will return to their unit within the week. The other 77 soldiers were considered essential to unit operations in Alaska or had other special circumstances. Some had already reported to mandatory schools or follow-on assignments, or had medical issues or family emergencies to deal with.

and this:

Army supports 172nd Stryker Brigade families
August 9, 2006

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska (Army News Service, Aug. 9, 2006) – To help families of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team cope with Soldiers’ extended deployment in Iraq, the brigade is offering a variety of support services through Family Assistance Centers at Fort Wainwright and Fort Richardson.

The unit’s deployment was extended to meet new mission requirements July 27, just days before the scheduled redeployment of the brigade. Some families had already reserved flights and accommodations for vacations, while others were preparing permanent change of station moves.

continued:

The extension could last up to four months, although brigade commander Col. Michael Shields said their mission is event-driven and would be based solely on what’s happening on the ground, not on a timeline. About 400 Soldiers have already returned from Iraq. Those who have mission-essential skills may have to return, but Shields said that will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

“The commander in Iraq needed the best, most experienced unit,” said Shields. “He picked the 172nd because of their agility, their ability to turn on a dime and get the job done right no matter what the task. They are the best unit for the job.”

and this:

Heroes: 172nd Stryker BCT spouses
August 14, 2006
The following is a commentary by Kamryn Jaroszewski of the Fort Richardson Public Affairs Office.

I wrote a commentary recently about my husband’s upcoming third deployment. In that article, I referred to him as a hero.

When he read it, he zeroed in on that word and said I was wrong, that he wasn’t a hero – just another Soldier doing what he was told to do.

I explained to him my reasons for describing him a hero: because he was able to leave his family and step foot on a plane when he knew he may not come back. Because he was one of the people who volunteered to do that. Because he saw a cause bigger than him, and wanted to do his part of it. But above all, because he wanted to continue the line of military service started in his family four generations ago.

After our discussion, I asked him what his definition of hero was. He said it was someone who lost a limb – or a family member – and still stayed in the Army.

In the wake of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team’s four-month
extension, I’ve added those family members – the spouses who dried their tears and got back on the horse – to my list of heroes. I don’t know how I would have reacted to the news that I’d have to take down my welcome-home banner, and wait months more for my husband to return. But these spouses have done it with a grace that has made so many Soldiers proud of their spouses.

A hero is different for everybody. It could be the friend who baby sits so you can have an hour of quiet time, or the teacher who goes out of her way to encourage her students to excel.

Regardless of the definition, if you see a hero, please tell them so.

One thing is for sure: there aren’t enough heroes out there.