For Families, Surge Means More Sacrifice

Today, a group of women actually felt what most Americans only heard - a general's call for more sacrifice when they believe most people are not paying attention.

"America's really not at war. We're at the mall or Starbucks ordering lattes," says Maryann Marshall, an Army wife at Fort Stewart, Ga.

The wives of deployed soldiers know about sacrifice. CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann gathered them to watch Gen. David Petraeus' report to Congress on the state of the troop surge in Iraq.

Petraeus wants to stay the surge and keep 168,000 U.S. troops in Iraq - 33,000 more than were there in February.

Capt. Jack Mooney's on his second tour of Iraq. Next month, his wife, Robin, is expecting their first child.

"Obviously, we would love to hear somebody stand up and say, 'Hey, they're all coming home next week,'" she says. "Selfishly, that would be great news. But it's not realistic, and it wouldn't be the right decision."

Tara Crooks has her husband back and daughters Wrena and Chloe have their dad - for now.

"Wow, it is so nice to have two parents. You are like 'Wow, this family works so much better,'" Tara Crooks said.

Captain Kevin Crooks is only home on leave from his third tour in 5 years.

"I tell you what. I am ready for a break. We are ready for a break. And that is no lie. It has been hard," Tara Crooks said.

With the Petraeus report, these families also now have their marching orders. More deployments, which, to many of them, means tempting fate.

Three months ago, an IED killed Maj. Sid Brookshire. Born to serve, Brookshire's birthday was Sept. 11.

"My husband was an amazing man," says his widow, Karin. She winced as Petraeus said winning Iraq will take time.

"But I don't want my friends and my fellow Army wives to have to suffer what I've had to suffer and other families have had to suffer. I want them to get in there and get it done and get it done quickly."

They all do. But next weekend, Capt. Crooks heads back to Baghdad.

[starleo146]

tarleo146,,,, Come down off your cloud,,, There are real problems you are''''nt even paying attention to..... Today in Baghdad more troops where wounded & a report that only came out of India..
.... There is NO Iraqi security progress & definately no progress with Iraqi government...
.. All the God Blessings, Everyting''''s beautiful & wonderfull is hurting our troops & thier families & further destroying honor in this country.
Posted by j-whitman at 03:50 PM : Sep 11, 2007

j- This article again was about the families and what they are going through the war in Iraq is another voice and you are right in all you said as to what is going on in Iraq that situation is just the biggest mess I have ever seen and I do protest that all the time not only on this post but to my representatives till I expect Bush will take the Patriot Act and use it. I think you know me on other post take singinrick and mudrose etc how are they helping complain about us over and over it does not help anything do you think. I pray all this will end and I am so sorry if I didn''t explain this well enough I have always respected your articles and I would hope you would of known me better.

[starleo146]

starleo146,,,, We can start physically blocking access to republican offices in our cities or block them from leaving thier offices untill they start paying attention to the citizens demands.
Posted by j-whitman at 03:38 PM : Sep 11, 2007

Yes we can protest this war till they listen but do you think the decider will listen and the congress do not have enough votes to stop the Pres. from veto my thing is to make sure our troops have the right equipment. Why is it taking so long to get these MRAP that will save injuries to these troops who is to blame they are not there? We should be writing daily to the congress I do there is where we should fight.Swamp them with letters e-mails phone calls it worked on immigration and Walter Reed but again only the few do this. It is only one way to help all of us together can do a show of force to all of this but not all seem to want to just a few.

[starleo146]

Posted by j-whitman at 03:50 PM : Sep 11, 2007
J- for so long we talk about our troops and believe me I support them and I want them home. With that said if I thought for one moment by what I said hurts our troops I can not see that. I talked to the families that no one mentions and the wives or husbands that share there support of their spouse or child. In a sense these people have a war of there own who need to be recognized for a job they are doing by themselves in some cases in others family and neighborhood support. This article was about families and that is to whom I was talking and what they go through I know of that my husband was military and I certainly can relate to the hard times they the families and wives are going through about us as Americans not sacrificing enough you know people are just living without one sacrifice to this war I didn''t start it and I wish we could get out with honor and we will maybe only after Pres. Bush leaves meanwhile remember these families as well is my intent here

[j-whitman]

starleo146,,,, Come down off your cloud,,, There are real problems you are''nt even paying attention to..... Today in Baghdad more troops where wounded & a report that only came out of India..
.... There is NO Iraqi security progress & definately no progress with Iraqi government...
.. All the God Blessings, Everyting''s beautiful & wonderfull is hurting our troops & thier families & further destroying honor in this country.

[j-whitman]

starleo146,,,, We can start physically blocking access to republican offices in our cities or block them from leaving thier offices untill they start paying attention to the citizens demands.

[starleo146]

Posted by hypnotoad72 at 06:54 AM : Sep 11, 2007

Can you tell me what they are sacrificing please? The American people are sadly just going on their merry way as if it is normal War is not normal it costs a lot as to the debt we have incurred here and it keeps climbing. All we do is complain we do that well, Oh the dems do nothing, Oh the republicans wont stop this war if we do not stop this party line and complain about what we can do as Americans I do not see a way for any of this to get better.I think that is the least we can do is pull together so these boys and girls can come home finally.

[starleo146]

Posted by irishbitch11 at 11:12 AM : Sep 11, 2007
May I say thank you for your sons service to me and to this country and your daughter in law who will have a child without her husband. This is something I went through as well and it will be hard on her and your son not to be together during this most precious time in their lives. Somehow you get through it but it is a sacrifice no one talks about, but should. If I could make it easier for you I would gladly do it but you know I can''t the pain of seeing him off for the second time must be the worst. God bless your family and your sons family my prayers are with you every day.

[starleo146]

Posted by toldyouso21 at 10:11 AM : Sep 11, 2007

Toldyouso what a treasure you are to me and this country. I have told you before how well you can take a subject and explain it so well that a person with writing ability so beautiful. What you said is so true we haven''t done a *** thing but complain these military families are the ones giving there sons, daughters, and husband, and wives. What greater gift is there than to put your life on the line for us and our country. I do not mean this in a disrespectful way but you are the greatest as well.I loved your post and being an ex military wife because he has past away I know they appreciated your words.

[toldyouso21]

"Americans have sacrificed a lot."
Most Americans have sacrificed very little. We do not ration anything, we do not stop what we are doing and take jobs to help the war effort--we don''t feel this war. There should be a draft with those who feel so much support for it the first in line for drafting. Until we the war is not a theoretical video game where we can shrug off the deaths of Iraqis and the hell we created--many will see it as necessary and just because they have no real connection. Even those who have loved ones have only a vague idea of the horror WE CAUSED. To really feel it, we''d have to live there, we''d have to be getting blown up at our schools and Walmarts and have our churches arbitrarily blown up, maybe die in a blaze caused by an IED on a bus or have more bridges collasping from bombs. We''d have to have our neighbors take shots at us, our children, husbands and loved ones disappear into the night, our police come a calling to torture, kill and behead us just for breathing....We''d have to have no electricity for about 20 hours a day, no hot water, no gas, little to no childcare or hospital. We''d have to live among burned out buildings with charred corpses and twisted metal everywhere. THEN we''d see what our little war of choice has done--and THEN most of us would get it--course in such environs, that enlightenment might be the last thing we got--before a chance IED, or mortar attack rendered our opinions obsolete.

[citizenusa-2009]

I no longer have any Republican friends. In light of everything that''s happened since we invaded Iraq, I can''t stand the sight of a Repub. Democrats, sadly have been so impotent that I''m really struggling with the choices offered up for President. If an Independent came along that was a strong humanitarian, I''d probably cast my vote that way. This Administration is so utterly corrupt, I can''t believe this is the U.S.! Pray for our troops, and contrary to what "Betrayus" is howling, we need to BRING THEM HOME NOW!