We usually phone our son one or two times a week. The day of the Fort Hood rampage that killed 13 and wounded 29 we called twice in one day.While the news reports shocked the greater world beyond the Fort Hood military installation that it's soldiers call home, the whole truth was not yet known. Our son is not based out of Fort Hood. But as the family member of a serviceman on active duty you worry and wonder if more than one base has been assaulted. As it turned out he didn't even know about the incident until we called him. His base was not in lock down and his worries were about paying off school loans and new car tires.

Phew, he was safe; but I couldn't help but think of the military personnel on their first, second, third and fourth tours waiting in the Soldier Readiness Center or going about normal life at Fort Hood. No one expects to be attacked on base. Base is home turf. And no one carries guns uless they are practicing maneuvers. Something had gone terribly wrong. But what? The full truth has taken hours, even days, possibly weeks to surface.

While the media was still focusing on Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the 39 year old shooting suspect, and what made him do it; the military ws focusing on readiness, getting results and moving on. It was clear to me that when one or more of their own is murdered or harmed, the military shows respect then they move forward. It is who they are. They do not make policy decisions. They fight wars. Post Traumatic Stress is there but so is the need to protect the country. It can be challenging and difficult as a family member on the home front to fully assimilate that fact. But neither the soldier of his/her family member is given that choice. Deployment is the reality you live with. It is something you bear.