All Blog Posts from Couric & Co.

With the economy in such dire straits, it's easy to forget for a moment that the nation is at war. But for anyone with a loved one serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, it's hard to think about anything else.

The U.S. Army recently sent out letters to 7,000 family members of men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice – the ones who gave their lives in service to their country.

The letters detailed resources available to them, but I'm sure very few families made it past the salutation. It read, "Dear John Doe."

On the Army Web site today, a heartfelt apology for a clerical error – an unfortunate and unintentional mistake. A lecture on proofreading is insufficient. Any apology seems like too little.

Our attention may be focused on the economy, but we must not forget the people who have fought so bravely for seven years – each with a face, a family – and, yes, a name.

Anyone who's been to a VFW hall for a clam bake or a Christmas party will tell you the crowd generally consists of old men - guys who fought in World War II, Korea, or Vietnam.

In a few years, that will change.

Women are the fastest-growing group of veterans in America. There are nearly 2 million of them already, and by the year 2020, 20 percent of the vet population younger than 45 will be female.

Clearly it's not your father's Army anymore.

But just like your dad or grandpa, those women return with the wounds of war, both physical and emotional. Some have even seen combat on the frontlines.

Today as we honor all of our nation's veterans, keep in mind the many women who have served as proudly and bravely as their male colleagues.

The image of Rosie the Riveter is as outdated as her pin-curled hair. But her message still resonates today: Ladies, we can do it.

Ever since he was killed in Afghanistan, the story of Pat Tillman has cast a shadow over the U.S. military.

Tillman's mother Mary speaks out in her first television interview about the tragedy this Sunday on "60 Minutes."

Just click on the video monitor for the rest of my notebook.

As part of the Evening News series on "Heroes and Sacrifice," Correspondent Mark Strassmann tonight profiles one remarkable Army wife. -- Ed.

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Tara Crooks admits she’s a little scared.

Scared -- because she has a lot going on in her life these days in Hinesville, Georgia. For starters, Tara’s pregnant with her second child, due in August. And next week, her husband, Captain Kevin Crooks, will deploy to Iraq with the Third Infantry Division.

So for the next year, it’s all on Tara. In Tara’s case, she’ll become a single-parent to their five year old daughter, Wrena. She’ll face her pregnancy alone. Any family drama that comes along in the months ahead, large or small, is hers and hers alone to solve. And somehow she’ll have to keep calm even though her husband will be living and working in one of the most dangerous places on earth.

Then again, Tara wouldn’t dream of ever throwing herself a Pity Party. Just not her style. And she know that her story will echo true to the wives of tens of thousands of deployed or deploying U.S. soldiers.

And that’s why Tara decided to do something about it...

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With the Army extending the tour of duty for some soldiers, Byron Pitts reflects on one soldier's story. - Ed.

Todd McGowan is like a lot of the young people I've met over the years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Todd was a proud part of America's volunteer military. I met US Army Captain McGowan in Northern Iraq one August about three years ago. It was 130-degrees out that day. Todd stood out: Besides standing about 6'5 With the Army extending the tour of duty for some soldiers, Byron Pitts reflects on one soldier's story. - Ed.

Todd McGowan is like a lot of the young people I've met over the years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Todd was a proud part of America's volunteer military. I met US Army Captain McGowan in Northern Iraq one August about three years ago. It was 130-degrees out that day. Todd stood out: Besides standing about 6'5” (Todd's built like an NFL tight end without the tattoos and the attitude), he was the guy smiling while he sweat. A West Point Grad, Todd was “Joe Army.” And like a lot of “the kids” I met overseas, Todd had plenty of great options in life, but chose the military out of a sense of duty and pride. It always irks me when people clamor on about how the US military is full of kids who had no other choice. That's certainly true for some, but I'd argue that's NOT the case for most...but anyway...

Todd McGowan was proud to be in Iraq. Proud to serve his country. But after 358 days in combat, Todd changed. So did a lot of the young people I met. They still loved their country--in most cases, they now love America even more. They still had a connection to their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines that someone on the outside would never understand. But they'd also lost friends, watched comrades die and tasted that “fog of war” politicians and reporters love to pine on about.

Perhaps like warriors of old, Todd had become leery of war. After his tour, he came home, hugged his wife and started a career in corporate America. As best I can tell, Todd was a rising star. His future was bright. He and his lovely bride Traci were planning a family. They're the kind of couple we'd all like to be related to: smart, attractive, organized, optimistic and hard working. Todd and Traci thought they were done with the military. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt kind of thing.

On September 8th,the McGowans found out they may have been done with the military, but the military wasn't done with them...

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