Here’s a letter I received from an Army wife struggling post-deployment. I think many of us have experienced the frustrations she expresses here…. what does it mean to ‘support the troops’? If anyone knows of resources that can help this family, please comment below, or send an email.

Dear Heroes At Home,

My husband is a Staff Sgt. in the Army National Guard. We have 4 children. He left on his first deployment a few days after our youngest sons 1st birthday and has been on 2 more deployments since then.

Every time he comes home he has no job waiting for him and only a few weeks of pay from the Army. Everyone thinks when you leave to go serve your country and protect our freedoms that employers welcome you back with open arms. Unfortunately, our family has found that is rarely the case. The employers find ways around it. He even had a boss fire him several months before deployment just so they wouldn’t have to hold his job for him. The employer was so bold as to even admit it and expressed how very “sorry” he was.

My husband came home from Iraq in April. It’s now August and he has yet to find a job. Given the condition of the economy that’s not too surprising. Many families are struggling right now. I am wondering if there’s anyone out there that helps struggling military families?

I am proud of my husband and the sacrifices he has made to keep us safe. I’m proud of my
children for making it through 3 deployments in just 6 years. I guess I just feel our soldiers
are taken for granted. Certainly our freedom is. ‘Someone will go and fight and possibly give their life and as long as it doesn’t affect my checkbook or bottom line then I really don’t care.’ At least that’s how it seems to me. People are more than happy to slap a yellow ribbon on their car. Everybody “supports the troops”. But to me it’s all empty words and phony concern.

I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how angry and bitter I have become. But when your family goes through the hardships of military deployment: the anxiety in my childrens’ faces, the frustration of being the mom and the dad 24/7, the exhaustion… and then you can’t even pay your bills! It hurts. There it is, simple but complete. Our family is hurting. And at the same time wondering if any of those people out there with yellow ribbons on their cars knows or cares. I don’t even know if anyone will really read this email, but even if no one does, I feel better getting it off my
chest.

Thank you for creating this website. I’ve read some of the stories on it and many of them have brought me to tears. I hope and pray it will continue to give the much needed support and hope to those out there whose shoes I have walked in. Every night my boys and I pray the same prayer: “Watch over our troops overseas. Put Your hands of protection around them and bless their families here at home.” Amen.