Dear, Field Problems:

My boyfriend and I just received a frantic call from his mother. She was told that a young woman (an Army spouse) from her church asked for thoughts and prayers for her husband and his National Guard unit [deployed to Iraq]. According to the wife, her husband said the commander told them there is a high risk of casualties in an upcoming mission, and everyone should call home prior to rolling out. Mom asked us, “Can’t they just ‘not go’”? I never heard of this happening and I didn’t know what to say. What should we tell her?

Julie; Lansing, MI; National Guard girlfriend

Dear, Field Problems:

My husband and I were just married. This is our first deployment. I don’t really know what to expect. There is tons of information and a lot that I don’t understand. My biggest question is how are you able to talk to them when they are deployed? How long do you go without hearing from your service  member?

Amber; Fort Bragg, NC; Army spouse