if you have loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan, how do you prepare that they might not come back?

Question

can't you safely assume that being in iraq and afghanistan carries more risk than singapore for example?

Thank you all for your honest answers. I greatly appreciate your responses. I pray your loved ones return safely.

Answer 1

This is not an easy question to answer. Being prepared for the worse day of your life is not going to happen. However you do have choices to make. This is called a life's plan of action. 95% of my time is in prayer that my loved ones return home, safe and sound! The other 5% I keep myself very busy. In this action plan you and yours get organized. This is so you can locate the necessary papers in a blink of an eye. And you keep believing that they will come home. I do wish that I could give you step by step instructions on how to do this, but for 17 years of being a military wife I have often had to be my own best friend, I have had to learn a new language, live in a strange and distant country, pack up my home and be ready to leave within 30 minutes. I have had to learn to say good bye without showing one tear. I have had to be strong and firm and fight unfairly, but I did it. Because I have had to. You can too. Never think that your loved one might not come home. Because you are inviting negative energy into your heart and mind. Do not speak of your loved one not coming home into the universe. Become a rock of positive thinking and believing in your loved ones training, experience and love him or her with out exception and without reservations!

Answer 2

Before I get to your first question, I'll address your second. Yes, they're at more risk in Iraq or Afghanistan, but less than they would be in, say, Washington DC. There are actually more firearm related deaths per month in Washington DC (80) than there have been in Iraq (60).
There is no way to prepare for it. Most people who have loved ones in Iraq just hope and pray for the best...much like my husband and I do. We've been lucky. We've had guys from our unit injured, but none have been killed. So far.
Guys from our POST have been killed there...but not very many. They've all been there since last November, and we've had about ten casualties.

Answer 3

My brother is currently in Iraq and I think about the possibility of him not returning every day. I pray that he will be o.k. He had no problem going to war and doing his duty so if something were to happen to him I would find comfort in the fact that he died serving his country.
However, my husband and his brother were both deployed three years ago at the exact same time, but his brother did not make it back. It has been very hard on the family, but the family is very proud of him especially for his service to our country. To this day the family still receives letters from people all over the country who they have never met thanking them for their service. In addition they have received some extremely nice presents from people and organizations who never knew him.
They best way to answer your question is to believe that everything happens for a reason, you are always where you should be, and that your fate is predetermined. If you are met to die for your country then you will.

Answer 4

Military service has always carried this risk. The fact that service may be in Iraq or Afghanistan makes no difference.

Answer 5

I was in Iraq for 18 months (as a DoD civilian) and hope to return again in October. I did my active duty service in the 1970's. My younger cousin has been there for one tour with the USAF.

For what's it worth, and it is just my singular opinion....it is practically impossible to prepare for the possibility that they may not return home alive. My son was going to join the Army at 19 but torn out is shoulder working out. As proud as I was of him wanting to serve (we have served since 1775) I have to be honest and admit that as a father, I was relieved. I have never told him this and probably never will. It was his decision to join and if he gets his shoulder repaired he still may. But if he were to go to the only way I would know how ro prepare would be to pray for his safety as I do for all the servicemen and women currently in Iraq and Afghanistan.

May God watch over them all and comfort their families.

Answer 6

There is no way that you can prepare yourself. Every time your husband walks out the door to go to work he is risking his life. Weather he is just driving to work, training, in the field, or at war. You pray. Everyday for god to protect your husband and all the other soldiers. You thank god that they have trained and trained and are prepared to battle the enemy. You always know that he might not make it back. You wonder will our son remember him, and cry that the baby that you are pregnant with might never know him. But you push the thought to the back of your mind. And you be strong for your family. You just Pray.

Answer 7

My brother went to Iraq for a year and came home safe. Now he has been deployed to South Korea. I try not to think about the bad things that could happen to him. I don't even watch the news. It's too depressing.

Answer 8

Toe Poe and Farkas called it right. It is more dangerous being back here then over there statistically unless over there your job takes out on the open road alot which ups your odds of getting wacked. As for preparing for someone dying that would be like me saying to you "OK i'm going to hit you right square in the middle of your forehead with this ballpeen hammer so prepare yourself". Really wouldn't be able to do it now would you. Been over there twice now and rest assured the odds of them coming home are really good. Prepare for a wonderful homecoming.

Answer 9

You can't assume they are coming back that is why the soldier should get all his affairs in order in case he dies. That is the only thing you can do that has any practical effect. As for steeling yourself from bad news forget it. If they die in war or by a bus dead is dead it will hit you the same way don't obsess about it. So go about your life as you always would and hope your loved one comes home in one piece.

Answer 10

If the person is your near and dear one, you may pray to the God for his safe return, provided you have trust in Him.

The Armed forces is such a place, that always offer one way ticket and safe return passage is not guaranteed!